Head-Up Display Virtual Object Border Transition

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current head-up display systems do not effectively manage the transition of virtual objects as they approach the border of the display area, leading to abrupt disappearance and potential user awareness of the boundary between real and virtual worlds, which can cause discomfort and disrupt the seamless integration of augmented reality information.

Innovation Solution

A display apparatus that calculates the time or distance a virtual object will take to move to the border of the display area based on its location and movement direction, and adjusts its display form, such as transparency or size, to ensure a smooth transition and minimize user perception of the boundary, using a CPU-driven system with an image forming unit and external interface for real-time processing and projection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If virtual objects are displayed with fixed display form until they reach the border, then the display is simple and straightforward, but the virtual objects abruptly disappear at the border causing user discomfort and awareness of the boundary

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay simplicityVSAvoiduser discomfort from abrupt disappearance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by calculating the time-to-border and distance-to-border before the virtual object reaches the border. Based on these pre-calculated values, the display form is gradually changed (transparency increased, size reduced) in advance, ensuring a smooth transition rather than abrupt disappearance at the border.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The display form of virtual objects is made dynamic by continuously adjusting transparency and size based on real-time calculation of time-to-border and distance-to-border. This dynamic adjustment creates a gradual fading effect that smoothly transitions virtual objects out of the display area, eliminating the harsh boundary effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If virtual objects are gradually faded out before reaching the border, then user comfort is improved, but the computational complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser discomfortVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the existing movement information of virtual objects (movement direction and speed) to self-calculate the time-to-border and distance-to-border. This self-service approach avoids the need for complex external processing systems, as the display apparatus autonomously performs the necessary calculations using its own data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system manages complexity by focusing changes on specific display parameters (transparency and size) rather than redesigning the entire display system. By adjusting only these parameters based on time-to-border and distance-to-border calculations, the system achieves smooth transitions with minimal additional processing requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If the display area boundary is made more apparent through gradual fading, then the transition is smoother, but the immersion effect of augmented reality is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay transition smoothnessVSAvoidboundary awareness disrupting immersion

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The gradual fading effect is applied locally only to virtual objects approaching the border of the display area, while the rest of the augmented reality display maintains its normal appearance. This localized approach ensures smooth transitions at the boundary without making the entire display area's boundaries apparent, thus preserving immersion in the central display region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10453176B2Display apparatus to control display form of virtual object

Publication Date: 2019.10.22 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A display apparatus mountable on a mobile object, which: obtains a display location and a movement direction of a virtual object to be displayed in a display area of the display apparatus so as to be overlaid in a real world, the virtual object to be moved relative to movement of the mobile object; estimates a time it will take for the virtual object to move from the display location to a border of the display area, or a distance between the display location of the virtual object and the border of the display area, each based on the display location and the moving direction of the virtual object; determines a display form of the virtual object based on the estimated time or the estimated distance; and causes the virtual object be displayed in the determined display form, such that the virtual object changes the display form while moving in the display area.