Multi-layer container occlusion management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing occlusion of irregularly spaced in-game items in virtual environments is computationally resource-intensive, particularly when partial occlusion is desired to hint at items deeper in a stack, and existing methods struggle to efficiently configure items for desired occlusions as the user interacts with the stack.

Innovation Solution

A multi-layer container system is implemented, where items are processed to generate masks and positioned in a z-buffer to achieve partial occlusion, allowing for efficient configuration and interaction, with user interactions influencing the visibility of items and the container's appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traditional occlusion management methods are used for irregularly spaced in-game items, then partial occlusion can be achieved to hint at deeper items, but computational resource consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility informationVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple layers, with each layer containing a subset of items. This segmentation allows the system to manage occlusion at the layer level rather than individually for each item, reducing computational complexity while maintaining visibility control and information preservation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a layered dimension (z-buffer space) to organize items vertically. By stacking items across multiple layers and controlling which layers are visible, the system achieves efficient occlusion management without requiring complex real-time calculations for irregularly spaced items in three-dimensional space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If items are positioned to achieve desired partial occlusion, then user engagement improves through item visibility hints, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interactionVSAvoidcontainer configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Items are pre-positioned within their respective layers during container generation, with occlusion relationships established in advance. This preliminary configuration allows the system to maintain simple runtime operations while achieving the desired visual hierarchy and user engagement, as the complex positioning work is done beforehand.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The container structure allows dynamic addition and removal of items within layers without requiring complete reconfiguration. Items can be inserted or removed from specific layers, and the occlusion relationships are automatically maintained through the layered structure, providing both user engagement and operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11577167B1Low-latency occlusion management of multi-layer item box

Publication Date: 2023.02.14 VIZOR APPS LTD

AI summary

Provided is a process including: displaying, with a computer system, a multi-layer container to a user, wherein a plurality of items for game play are provided in a plurality of layers of the multi-layer container; and in response to a user input, displaying, with the computer system, the multi-layer container to the user, wherein a top item of the plurality of items for game play has been removed from the multi-layer container.