Near-Eye Light Field Rendering for Wide FOV VR
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional VR systems fail to provide a comfortable visual experience due to limitations in wide field of view, high resolution, interactivity, view-dependent occlusion, and continuous focus cues, leading to user discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for rendering a light field using a spatial light modulator (SLM) that projects rays from a viewpoint to a clipping plane to form an elemental view frustum, allowing for the generation of elemental images that provide a wide field of view and accurate per-pixel diffraction cone rendering, thereby addressing issues of interactivity and occlusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional VR systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but field of view and visual comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spatial light modulator is divided into an array of elemental regions, each corresponding to a specific angular range. Rays are projected from the viewpoint to a clipping plane to form elemental view frustums for each elemental region, enabling independent rendering and control of different field of view segments. This segmentation allows the system to achieve a wide overall field of view while managing complexity through modular processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional 2D display rendering to 4D light field rendering by adding angular and depth dimensions. Rays are projected through 3D space from a viewpoint to a clipping plane, creating elemental view frustums that capture depth and angular information. This dimensional expansion enables a wide field of view with continuous focus cues, though it increases computational complexity.
2Measurement precision
If high resolution rendering is implemented, then image quality improves, but computational load and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The high-resolution rendering task is segmented into multiple elemental images, each corresponding to a specific elemental region on the SLM. Each elemental image is rendered independently using ray projection to form elemental view frustums. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different regions, reducing overall processing time while maintaining high resolution for each elemental image.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent renders only the necessary portions of the scene for each elemental region rather than the entire scene at full resolution. By projecting rays to form elemental view frustums and rendering objects within each frustum, the system achieves high resolution where needed while avoiding unnecessary computational overhead for areas outside the current elemental region's field of view.
3Measurement precision
If view-dependent occlusion is implemented, then visual accuracy improves, but rendering complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
View-dependent occlusion is implemented locally for each elemental region rather than globally for the entire scene. Each elemental image undergoes occlusion processing specific to its angular range and viewpoint, allowing accurate occlusion handling tailored to each region's geometric characteristics. This local approach maintains visual accuracy while reducing overall rendering complexity through regional specialization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution improves field of view, interactivity, and view-dependent occlusion in computer-generated holography, reducing vergence-accommodation conflict and enhancing user comfort by providing a high-resolution, immersive 3D experience.
Implementation Method 1
projecting rays from a viewpoint positioned at a first side of a spatial light modulator (SLM) to a clipping plane positioned at an opposing side of the SLM to form an elemental view frustum within a three-dimensional scene
Implementation Method 2
accurate per-pixel diffraction cone rendering
Data Source
AI summary
A method for rendering a light field comprises projecting rays from a viewpoint positioned at a first side of a spatial light modulator (SLM) to a clipping plane positioned at an opposing side of the SLM to form an elemental view frustum within a three-dimensional scene and rendering objects within the elemental view frustum to generate components of a first elemental image for the first elemental region. The SLM may include a tiled array of non-overlapping elemental regions and a top edge and a bottom edge of a first elemental region of the non-overlapping elemental regions are intersected by the rays to form the elemental view frustum. Furthermore, the light field may include the first elemental image and additional elemental images corresponding to the array of elemental regions and each one of the additional elemental images is rendered using an additional elemental view frustum.