Antenna Control for Head-Mounted Display Power Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Head-mounted displays (HMDs) with multiple antennas face challenges in maintaining communication quality due to directional changes, leading to high power consumption as all antennas are typically driven, even when some have low communication quality.

Innovation Solution

An antenna control apparatus that selectively drives only the antenna with the highest communication quality based on the user's head orientation, using drive management data to determine which antennas to activate and deactivate, thereby reducing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple antennas are driven to maintain communication quality in all directions, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication qualityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the antenna system adaptable to changing conditions. The control unit dynamically selects which antennas to drive based on real-time head orientation detection, transforming a static all-or-nothing antenna activation approach into a dynamic, condition-based selection system that optimizes both communication quality and power consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameters of the antenna system by adjusting which antennas are active based on detected head orientation angles. The control unit modifies the driving state of antennas according to orientation parameters, switching between different antenna configurations to maintain communication quality while reducing power consumption when full antenna operation is unnecessary

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If all antennas are driven continuously, then communication coverage is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication coverageVSAvoidcontrol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the antenna control into distinct, independently controllable units. Each antenna can be individually activated or deactivated based on orientation data, allowing the system to divide and conquer the communication coverage problem by engaging only the necessary antenna segments rather than managing all antennas simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service through automatic antenna selection based on orientation detection. The control unit autonomously determines which antennas to activate without requiring manual intervention or complex external control systems, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining adaptability across different communication scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3379736B1Antenna control device, head-mounted display, antenna control method, and program
Publication Date: 2022.01.19 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP3379736B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3379736B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3379736B1 patent drawingFigure 3(A)~3(D)

AI summary

There are provided an antenna control apparatus, a head-mounted display, an antenna control method, and a program that are capable of suppressing power consumption of the head-mounted display including a plurality of antennas. A selection unit (54) selects, as an antenna to be driven, a portion of the plurality of antennas in accordance with an attitude of the head-mounted display including the plurality of antennas. An antenna control unit (56) controls only the antenna to be driven to be driven and an antenna other than the antenna to be driven to be stopped.