Invisible Marker Tracking for AR Overlay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for overlaying augmented reality (AR) objects on media content struggle with accurately tracking devices displaying content without obtrusive markers, as traditional markers can obstruct the viewing experience and require device communication.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a recognizable marker, such as a QR code, that is displayed at a frequency undetectable to the human eye but detectable by an imaging device, allowing the imaging device to synchronize and track the content without obstructing the view, and using knowledge of the media content to recognize patterns for tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a recognizable marker (e.g., QR code) is displayed on the device to enable tracking, then the imaging device can accurately track and identify the device position, but the marker obstructs the viewing experience and is obtrusive to users
Solution Approach 1:
The marker is displayed periodically at a frequency lower than the media content frame rate, creating temporal separation between the marker display and the visible content. This periodic display allows the imaging device to capture and track the marker while the marker remains invisible to human observers during normal viewing, thus resolving the contradiction between tracking accuracy and viewing obstruction
Solution Approach 2:
The display frequency of the marker is changed to be lower than the media content frame rate, transforming the marker from a continuously visible element to a periodically displayed one. This parameter change enables the marker to be detectable by the imaging device at specific intervals while remaining imperceptible to human eyes during continuous viewing, eliminating the obstruction problem while maintaining tracking capability
2Measurement precision
If traditional markers are used for tracking, then device recognition is enabled, but device communication is required which adds system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The media content itself serves as the carrier for the marker, eliminating the need for separate communication protocols between devices. The imaging device captures the marker from the displayed media content, and the system automatically determines the display frequency to synchronize tracking, making the system self-sufficient without requiring inter-device communication
Solution Approach 2:
The media content display acts as an intermediary that carries the tracking marker information. Instead of requiring direct device-to-device communication, the marker is embedded in the visual output of the media content, allowing the imaging device to access tracking information through the displayed content rather than through complex communication protocols
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for enabling a primary device to track a secondary device. The method comprises determining a frequency at which a marker is being displayed with media content on the secondary device; capturing images using the primary device at the frequency at which the marker is being displayed; and providing an output on the primary device while the marker is being displayed.