Immersive Projection Control for 360° Viewing Without VR Headsets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current immersive audiovisual content reproduction technologies are limited in providing 180° to 360° visual coverage for personal or group use without requiring additional devices, and existing solutions are either expensive or restrictive, such as dome systems or VR glasses that isolate users.

Innovation Solution

A compact, all-in-one reproducing-projecting system that projects immersive and non-immersive content using standard formats, adaptable to indoor spaces, allowing for interactive and customizable experiences through Internet connectivity, domotics control, and gesture-based navigation without the need for headgear or separate projectors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If dome projection systems are used to achieve 360° visual coverage, then immersive content reproduction is improved, but system cost and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual coverageVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the projection task into multiple standard projectors arranged in specific configurations (e.g., three projectors for 360° coverage or two projectors for 180° coverage). Each projector handles a specific angular sector, and their projections are merged to create the complete immersive environment. This segmentation allows achieving dome-like coverage without requiring a single complex dome system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses standard, commercially available projectors that can be used for both traditional 2D projection and immersive 360° content projection. These projectors are configured to project onto flexible screens or specific geometric arrangements, allowing the same hardware to serve multiple purposes. The system adapts to different content types (immersive and non-immersive) using the same physical infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If VR glasses are used for immersive content reproduction, then user immersion is improved, but user isolation from real environment and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser immersionVSAvoiduser accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the immersive experience from the confines of VR headsets and projects it directly into the physical environment. By projecting 360° content onto surrounding surfaces, the system makes the immersive experience visible and accessible to all users in the space without requiring them to wear head-mounted displays. This extracts the immersion capability from the user's personal device and makes it an environmental feature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces flexible projection screens and carefully positioned projectors as intermediaries between the content source and the users. These intermediaries create an immersive environment that naturally engages users without requiring them to don additional devices. The projection surfaces act as a mediator that delivers the immersive experience passively to all users simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple projectors are deployed for 360° projection, then visual coverage is improved, but synchronization and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprojection coverageVSAvoidsynchronization complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements synchronization mechanisms where projectors are coordinated through centralized control that monitors and adjusts timing, brightness, and content distribution across multiple projectors. This feedback-based approach ensures that all projectors work in unison to create a seamless immersive experience, with automatic adjustment for any variations in projection timing or intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary configuration and calibration of multiple projectors before operation. During setup, the system pre-synchronizes the projectors, pre-positiones the flexible screens, and pre-configures the content mapping for each projector. This preliminary action reduces the complexity during actual operation, as the synchronization parameters are already established and optimized.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Manufacturing precision

If specialized immersive content production software is used, then content quality is improved, but production cost and accessibility decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent production qualityVSAvoidproduction accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses software that can process and adapt standard video formats into immersive 360° projections without requiring specialized production software. The system copies and transforms existing content through automated equirectangular projection and geometric correction algorithms, making high-quality immersive content production accessible without expensive specialized tools. This copying approach allows standard content to be repurposed for immersive displays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs software that automatically adjusts projection parameters (such as equirectangular to fisheye conversion, geometric distortion correction, and brightness normalization) to optimize content for the projection environment. These automated parameter changes enable high-quality immersive output from standard input content, eliminating the need for manual adjustment by specialists and making the process accessible to general users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3442222B1System for projecting immersive audiovisual content
Publication Date: 2022.10.19 BROOMX TECH SL
  • EP3442222B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3442222B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3442222B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a system for projecting immersive content, comprising an audiovisual content reproducing-projecting device (11) with a compact container (400), where it includes: at least one control module (1) comprising: at least one wireless communication interface (91) for communicating with a mobile terminal (9) of a user (40), connection means (71) for connecting to the Internet (100), communication interfaces (1A, 1B, 1C) for transmitting audiovisual content obtained over the Internet (100) from at least one content server (10); and connected to the control module (1): at least one immersive content projector (2) and, optionally, at least one non-immersive content projector (3) with communication interfaces (1A, 1B, 1C); at least one audio module (8) for reproducing sound of the audiovisual content transmitted by the control module (1) to the projectors (2, 3); a master module (4), emitting radio signals (51) for at least one domotics actuator module (5).