Hologram Placement Stability in Mixed Reality via Selective Data Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mixed-reality systems face challenges in accurately placing holograms in moving environments due to conflicts between head tracking camera data and inertial measurement unit data, leading to misplacement and instability of holograms.

Innovation Solution

The system selectively filters out conflicting display positioning information from either the head tracking cameras or inertial measurement unit data to stabilize the placement of holograms within mixed-reality scenes, ensuring they remain fixed relative to either the moving or stationary environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If IMU data is used to determine HMD position and pose, then the determination can be made without external visual references, but the position calculation becomes significantly skewed due to error accumulation over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to determine position without visual referencesVSAvoidposition accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously compares IMU-derived position estimates with actual head tracking camera observations and uses this feedback to correct accumulating drift errors. The Kalman filter processes this feedback information to maintain accurate position and pose determination over extended periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The head tracking camera system acts as an intermediary reference frame that provides stable visual landmarks for position verification. This intermediary system bridges the gap between IMU measurements and actual environmental references, enabling accurate hologram placement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If both head tracking camera data and IMU data are combined to track HMD position and pose, then the determination becomes more reliable, but conflicts arise in moving environments causing hologram misplacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition and pose tracking reliabilityVSAvoidhologram placement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the reference frame into two distinct components: the moving environment frame (captured by head tracking cameras) and the stationary environment frame (external references). This segmentation allows selective use of reference data based on the operational context, preventing conflicts between moving and stationary references.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts its reference frame selection based on environmental conditions. When the HMD is in a moving environment, the system switches between using the moving environment as a reference versus using stationary external references, optimizing hologram placement accuracy for each condition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3938870B1Fixed holograms in mobile environments
Publication Date: 2024.09.18 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3938870B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3938870B1 patent drawingFigure 2
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AI summary

Techniques are provided for controlling the selective filtering of display positioning information used to position holograms in mixed-reality (MR) scenes. A first and second environment are identified, the first is moving relative to the second. First and second display positioning information (i.e. "environmental data"), are obtained for the two environments. A determination is made that a hologram is to be placed at a fixed position relative to either one of the first or second environments. When the hologram is placed relative to the first environment, at least some of the second display positioning information is filtered from the environmental data. Alternatively, when the hologram is placed relative to the second environment, at least some of the first display positioning information is filtered.