Head-Mounted Display Virtual Keyboard Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Head-mounted devices lack effective methods for users to interact with virtual keyboards in a natural and intuitive manner, limiting immersive experiences in virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality environments.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted device that captures views of a user's hands and keyboard, allowing the display of virtual keyboards within the user's field of view, with features such as text overlay, suggested completions, and virtual indicators to enhance keyboard operation, enabling intuitive interaction through camera and tracking device integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a head-mounted device displays a virtual keyboard within the user's field of view, then the user can observe keyboard operations and generated text simultaneously, but the device complexity increases due to camera and tracking device integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the camera, tracking device, and display into an integrated head-mounted system. The camera captures views of the user's hands and physical keyboard, the tracking device monitors hand positions, and the display presents a virtual keyboard overlay within the user's field of view. This merging of components enables simultaneous observation of keyboard operations and generated text while maintaining a cohesive user experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual keyboard display as an intermediary between the user's physical keyboard input and the digital output. The virtual keyboard overlay acts as a visual mediator that shows both the physical keyboard being pressed and the resulting text generation, bridging the gap between tactile input and visual feedback without requiring the user to switch between separate displays or interfaces.
2Loss of information
If the display shows text in a position that overlaps the keyboard, then the user can see both keyboard operations and generated text simultaneously, but the measurement precision of key detection becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different visual characteristics to different regions of the display. The virtual keyboard overlay uses semi-transparent or differently styled visual elements in areas where keys are detected, allowing the system to maintain visual information display while preserving sufficient contrast and clarity for accurate key operation detection. The display can adjust local transparency, brightness, or styling based on the detected key press locations.
3Ease of operation
If the head-mounted device uses camera capture to detect key operations, then the interaction becomes more natural and intuitive, but the productivity decreases due to processing time for image analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the tracking device continuously monitor hand positions and the camera pre-process visual data in anticipation of key presses. Rather than analyzing images only when a key press is detected, the system maintains ready-state detection capabilities, pre-identifying hand movements and positions that indicate upcoming key operations. This reduces the processing lag between physical input and system response.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the virtual keyboard display provides real-time visual confirmation of detected key operations. The system continuously compares camera-captured hand positions with expected key locations and provides immediate visual feedback through the virtual keyboard overlay, allowing the user to verify correct input in real-time. This continuous feedback loop enables faster correction of mistakes and maintains typing flow.
Data Source
AI summary
The operation of a keyboard, another input device, and/or any surface can be enhanced by features of a head-mounted device, which can display feedback, outputs, or other features based on the user's actions. For example, the head-mounted device can display text generated by the user's operation of the keyboard. The text can be displayed in a manner that allows a user to readily see the keyboard, the user's hands, and the text that is generated by operation of the keyboard. The head-mounted device can further display features that facilitate the user's operation of the keyboard. For example, suggested text, keystrokes, or other features correlated with keys of the keyboard can be displayed for selection by a user. By further example, the keyboard can be displayed in a position and orientation that conforms to an arrangement of the user's hands within a field of view of the head-mounted device.