Near-Eye Display Binocular Rivalry Mitigation via Dynamic Luminance Attenuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Binocular rivalry occurs in near-eye display devices due to vignetting, where users with interpupillary distances outside the typical range experience inconsistencies in their field of view, leading to a distracting visual experience.

Innovation Solution

A head-mounted display system that uses eye-tracking to determine the three-dimensional location of each pupil relative to the eyebox, attenuating the luminance of the image for one eye based on the location of the other eye's pupil to match the perceived images and reduce vignetting effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the eyebox is designed to accommodate a typical range of interpupillary distances, then the device complexity is reduced, but users with interpupillary distances outside the typical range experience binocular rivalry and visual inconsistencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of different interpupillary distancesVSAvoidcomplexity of eye-tracking and luminance adjustment system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the luminance of the second-eye image in real-time based on the detected position of the first eye's pupil. This dynamic adjustment allows the display to adapt to users with varying interpupillary distances without requiring a physically reconfigurable eyebox, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs eye-tracking to detect the position of the first eye's pupil and uses this feedback information to control the luminance adjustment of the second-eye image. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to automatically compensate for variations in interpupillary distance, enhancing adaptability without increasing mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the luminance of the second-eye image is attenuated to match the first eye's perception, then binocular rivalry is reduced, but the visual experience consistency deteriorates when both eyes should perceive equal luminance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsistency of visual experienceVSAvoidbinocular rivalry and visual discomfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies luminance attenuation selectively and locally to specific regions of the second-eye image based on the detected position of the first eye's pupil. Rather than uniformly attenuating the entire image, only the affected regions are adjusted, preserving visual experience consistency in areas where both eyes should perceive equal luminance while reducing binocular rivalry in affected regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the luminance parameter of the second-eye image dynamically based on the detected pupil position. By adjusting this physical parameter in response to real-time eye position data, the system eliminates visual inconsistencies without introducing artificial artifacts, thereby maintaining overall visual experience quality while reducing harmful binocular rivalry effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If real-time eye tracking is implemented to detect pupil location, then the precision of vignetting compensation is improved, but the use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of pupil location detectionVSAvoidenergy consumption of eye-tracking system
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements eye-tracking and luminance adjustment only when and where needed - specifically when the first eye's pupil position indicates that vignetting is affecting the second-eye image. Rather than continuously adjusting the entire image or using excessive tracking resources, the system applies partial action only to the necessary regions and moments, thereby achieving high measurement precision while minimizing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3714313B1Mitigating binocular rivalry in near-eye displays
Publication Date: 2024.10.09 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3714313B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3714313B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3714313B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

Examples are disclosed herein related to reducing binocular rivalry in a near-eye display. One example provides a head-mounted display device having a near-eye display system configured to output a first-eye image to a first eyebox and a second-eye image to a second eyebox. The head-mounted display device is configured to receive an input of a three-dimensional (3D) location of a pupil of a first eye and a 3D location of a pupil of a second eye relative to the near-eye display system, based upon the 3D location of the pupil of the first eye and of the second eye, determine a location at which the pupil of the first eye begins to exit the first eyebox, and attenuate a luminance of the second-eye image at a location in the second-eye image based upon the location at which the pupil of the first eye begins to exit the first eyebox.