Marker Identification Using Infrared Light Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current marker identification systems in virtual and augmented reality environments face challenges in accurately tracking multiple subjects with high fidelity, especially when markers are in close proximity, leading to marker confusion and decreased tracking quality.
Innovation Solution
A marker identification and position tracking system utilizing a motion tracking camera configured to detect infrared light pulses, which records and processes images to identify clusters of saturated pixels, calculates a circular perimeter, and assigns binary values based on the intensity sums to accurately distinguish and identify markers, enabling efficient and robust tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple markers are tracked in close proximity using conventional methods, then the quantity of tracked objects increases, but marker confusion occurs and tracking precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses infrared light emission from markers that can be detected by motion tracking cameras. Each marker emits infrared light that appears as a distinct color or intensity pattern to the camera, enabling differentiation of multiple markers even when in close proximity. This optical property allows the system to maintain tracking precision while increasing the number of simultaneously tracked markers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic infrared light pulses emitted by markers at specific intervals. By detecting the timing and pattern of these periodic emissions, the camera system can distinguish between multiple markers and resolve confusion that would occur with continuous emission, thereby maintaining measurement precision across multiple tracked objects.
2Productivity
If conventional tracking methods are used to increase the number of tracked subjects, then productivity of tracking increases, but marker identification accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Markers emit infrared light with distinct intensity patterns or colors detectable by the motion tracking camera. This optical differentiation allows the system to process and identify multiple markers simultaneously without confusion, maintaining high identification accuracy while increasing tracking throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary processing stage where infrared light patterns from markers are captured, analyzed, and decoded to determine marker identity and position. This intermediary optical detection layer enables the system to handle multiple markers efficiently while preserving identification accuracy through pattern recognition.
3Quantity of substance
If markers are placed in cluttered environments to track more objects, then the quantity of tracked subjects increases, but tracking reliability decreases due to marker confusion
Solution Approach 1:
Each marker emits a unique infrared light pattern or intensity that serves as its identification signature. Even in cluttered environments where markers are close together, the camera can distinguish between them based on these optical patterns, preventing marker confusion and maintaining tracking reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Markers emit infrared light in periodic pulses with identifiable patterns. This periodic emission creates temporal signatures that allow the detection system to distinguish between multiple markers in cluttered environments, resolving spatial ambiguity and maintaining reliable tracking of multiple objects.
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 system provides high fidelity tracking of user and object motion with reduced marker confusion and increased accuracy, even in cluttered environments, by directly detecting and computationally distinguishing infrared light patterns emitted by markers, thus enhancing the realism and smoothness of virtual and augmented reality simulations.
Implementation Method 1
a motion tracking camera, wherein the motion tracking camera is configured to detect infrared light
Implementation Method 2
a marker, the marker configured to emit a pattern of infrared light pulses that encodes 5 or more binary bits
Data Source
AI summary
A marker tracking system configured to detect light patterns (e.g., infrared light patterns) generated by one or more markers is described. A given marker is configured with a code which identifies the marker in a motion tracking camera field of view. Motion tracking camera(s) record the emitted infrared light and are configured to directly, or in conjunction with an associated computing device, computationally distinguish a given marker with high accuracy and efficiently.