HMD Display Mode Switching Based on Environmental Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head-mounted display (HMD) devices struggle with manual switching between see-through and pass-through modes, which can be distracting and inefficient, especially when environmental visibility conditions vary across the field of view.
Innovation Solution
The HMD device automatically detects changes in environmental visibility conditions using image sensors and switches between see-through and pass-through modes, allowing independent operation of display segments and dimmer segments to adapt to varying visibility conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual switching between see-through and pass-through modes is implemented, then user control over display mode is achieved, but user distraction and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The HMD device automatically detects environmental visibility conditions using image sensors and autonomously switches between see-through and pass-through modes without requiring manual user input. The system serves itself by monitoring environmental conditions and making mode transition decisions, eliminating the need for users to manually switch modes and thereby reducing distraction and operational inefficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors environmental visibility conditions through image sensors and uses this feedback to automatically adjust the display mode. When the sensors detect degraded visibility conditions, the system responds by switching to pass-through mode, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to environmental changes without user intervention
2Productivity
If automatic mode switching is implemented, then operational efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensors in the HMD device serve multiple functions: they capture environmental visibility conditions for automatic mode switching, provide pass-through video content when needed, and potentially support other augmented reality functions. By making the imaging system multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated sensors solely for mode detection, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving automatic operation
3Device complexity
If uniform display mode is maintained across field of view, then system simplicity is preserved, but adaptability to varying visibility conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is divided into multiple independently controllable segments or regions across the field of view. Each segment can be independently switched between see-through and pass-through modes based on local environmental visibility conditions detected by corresponding image sensor regions. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to non-uniform visibility conditions (such as smoke or fog affecting only part of the view) while maintaining relative simplicity in the control architecture
Data Source
AI summary
One example provides a method enacted on a head mounted display (HMD) device including a display system. The method comprises operating the display system in one of a pass-through mode or a see-through mode. The method further comprises detecting a change in an environmental visibility condition using image data from an image sensor of the HMD device, and in response to the change, switching the display system to operate in another of the pass-through mode or the see-through mode.