Immersive Expert Interface for Gaze Guidance and Precise Annotations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing virtual and augmented reality collaboration tools lack effective methods for guiding an operator's gaze towards elements outside their field of vision and are inaccurate when the operator moves, and they do not allow precise guidance that is not impacted by the user's movements.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that utilize an expert interface with distinct zones for interpreting pointing actions to display orientation, movement, and annotation markers on the operator's interface, allowing real-time guidance and precise annotations without relying on knowledge of the immersive environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If annotations are overlaid into the operator's real environment using prior art methods, then collaboration capability is improved, but accuracy deteriorates as soon as the operator moves away from the viewpoint from which annotations were made

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollaboration capabilityVSAvoidannotation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from 2D annotations on a frozen screen to 3D spatial markers positioned in the immersive environment. By embedding markers with spatial coordinates and orientation data into the 3D virtual or augmented environment, the system maintains annotation accuracy regardless of operator movement, resolving the contradiction between collaboration capability and measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the expert interface provides complete guidance towards elements outside the operator's field of vision, then guidance completeness is improved, but the complexity of the interface increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance completenessVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The expert interface is segmented into distinct functional zones: a first zone for displaying the operator's field of vision and a second zone for controlling elements outside the field of vision. This segmentation allows the interface to provide complete guidance functionality while maintaining simplicity by organizing controls into logical, separated regions rather than mixing all functions in a single complex interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4052116B1Method for interaction with a user of an immersive system and device for implementing such a method
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 IMMERSION CORP
  • EP4052116B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4052116B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4052116B1 patent drawingFigure 5A~5B

AI summary

The invention relates to a method (500) for interaction between at least one operator user of an immersive system, said operator user being immersed in an immersive environment in which he views a depiction on an operator interface, and at least one expert user of an assistance system comprising an expert interface and at least one pointing tool for interacting with the operator interface, said expert interface displaying a visual depiction of the field of view of the immersed operator user and comprising a main window divided into at least two contiguous separate regions that make it possible to interpret a pointing action in at least two different ways. According to the invention, the method comprises an orientation step (510) in which the expert user orients the operator user's gaze by introducing at least one orientation marker into his field of view by performing at least one pointing action by way of the at least one pointing tool on the expert interface in order to attract his attention to a region of interest of the immersive environment, a movement step (520) in which the expert user provides an indication of movement to the operator user by introducing at least one movement marker into his field of view by performing at least one pointing action on the expert interface. The invention also relates to an immersive collaborative device.