Hovering Drone Position Control for Mediated Reality Interaction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current technologies for dynamic control of hovering drones in mediated reality environments lack effective mechanisms to adjust the drone's location based on user interaction and content characteristics, leading to suboptimal user experience in terms of visual and auditory feedback.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus comprising a processor configured to render mediated reality content on a hovering drone, dynamically adjust its location relative to the user based on characteristics such as the importance of visual and aural content, and detect user inputs like touch and gestures, ensuring optimal interaction and feedback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the drone hovers closer to the user for better visual content delivery, then visual quality improves, but auditory quality deteriorates due to increased drone noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual content qualityVSAvoiddrone noise interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic position adjustment of the hovering drone based on real-time detection of user interaction state. When visual interaction is detected, the drone moves closer to improve visual quality; when audio playback is detected, the drone moves away to reduce noise interference. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between visual and auditory quality requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the positional parameters of the drone (distance and orientation relative to user) based on the type of content being delivered. By adjusting these parameters dynamically according to content characteristics (visual vs. auditory), the system optimizes both visual and auditory experience without permanent compromise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the drone maintains a fixed position, then system complexity is reduced, but user interaction quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoiduser interaction quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The drone system performs self-adjustment of its position based on automatic detection of user interaction states through sensors. The system independently determines when to move closer for visual interaction or farther for audio playback without requiring manual user commands, thereby maintaining simple operation while improving interaction quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates sensor feedback mechanisms to detect user interaction states (visual attention, audio playback, gestures). This feedback loop enables automatic position adjustment, resolving the contradiction by adding intelligence rather than mechanical complexity to improve user interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Illumination intensity

If the drone moves dynamically to follow user point of view, then visual experience improves, but system reliability deteriorates due to movement constraints

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual experience qualityVSAvoiddrone operation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drone implements dynamic position adjustment that adapts to user behavior (following point of view during visual interaction). This controlled dynamics improves visual experience while the system monitors and respects operational constraints to maintain reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system preemptively adjusts drone position to prevent violations of movement constraints. By anticipating boundary conditions and operational limits, the system avoids unreliable states while maintaining dynamic visual following capability within safe operating parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3591491B1Dynamic control of hovering drone
Publication Date: 2023.03.15 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3591491B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~2B
  • EP3591491B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~3B
  • EP3591491B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6B

AI summary

Apparatus, a method and a computer program are provided. The apparatus comprises means for causing rendering of mediated reality content to a user, wherein the mediated reality content comprises virtual visual content rendered on a display of a hovering drone. The apparatus also comprises means for determining a real location of the user in real space. The apparatus further comprises means for dynamically adjusting a real location of the hovering drone, relative to the determined real location of the user, based at least in part on at least one characteristic of the mediated reality content rendered to the user.