Hover Touch Compensation for VR Input Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

In augmented and virtual reality environments, users face challenges in accurately entering inputs using handheld electronic devices while wearing head-mounted displays, due to physical separation and visibility limitations, leading to inconsistencies between intended and actual contact points on touch surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A hover touch compensation system that continuously tracks the position of a pointing device over a touch surface, determining an intended contact point based on the hover position and movement initiation, allowing for accurate registration of user inputs by projecting the intended point onto the touch surface, even when the actual contact point is offset.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a user interacts with a handheld electronic device while wearing a head-mounted display in a virtual environment, then the user can access virtual interface elements, but the physical separation between the device and display causes inconsistency between intended and actual contact points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevirtual environment interaction capabilityVSAvoidcontact point accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides visual feedback by displaying a projected contact point indicator on the virtual interface that shows where the touch will be registered. This feedback loop allows the user to adjust their finger position to achieve the intended contact point, resolving the inconsistency caused by physical separation between the handheld device and virtual display

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The projected contact point serves as an intermediary element between the user's finger and the virtual interface. It mediates the interaction by showing the mapping relationship between physical touch location and virtual contact point, allowing the user to compensate for the physical separation and achieve accurate input

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the virtual user interface is displayed at a location different from the physical handheld device, then the user can see the interface in the virtual environment, but the user cannot accurately determine finger position relative to the interface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevirtual interface display flexibilityVSAvoidfinger position alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The projected contact point indicator acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the physical handheld device and the virtual interface display. It provides visual information about the mapping relationship, enabling the user to align their finger with the intended virtual contact point despite the spatial separation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a visual copy or representation of the contact point information in the virtual environment. By projecting the intended contact point location onto the virtual interface, the system provides a visual duplicate of the touch interaction information that the user can see and use for precise positioning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3479198B1Hover touch input compensation in augmented and/or virtual reality
Publication Date: 2021.11.17 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3479198B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3479198B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3479198B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A hover touch compensation system and method may detect and track a hover position of a pointing/selecting device, such as a user's finger, relative to an input surface of a user interface, and may detect a point at which the pointing/selecting device initiates a movement toward the input surface of the user interface. The system may identify an intended contact point on the user interface based on the hover position of the pointing/selecting device relative to the input surface of the user interface at the point at which the movement toward the user interface is detected.