Dynamic Object Authority Transfer in Shared Virtual Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
In shared virtual environments, latency issues arise when simulating objects, leading to disorienting artifacts and diminished immersiveness due to the central device's latency in transmitting object states, especially when objects are transferred between avatars.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where endpoint systems simulate objects and transfer authority dynamically, with the interacting endpoint system taking over object authority to minimize latency and synchronize object states, using a communication relay server to manage notifications and conserve bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a central device transmits object states to all endpoint systems, then object state consistency is maintained across the shared virtual environment, but latency increases and immersiveness diminishes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the object authority management by assigning different endpoint systems as authoritative for different objects based on spatial proximity. Instead of a single central device managing all objects, each endpoint system becomes the authoritative source for objects within its predicted interaction zone, distributing the simulation burden and reducing transmission latency while maintaining state consistency through selective authority assignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces prediction mechanisms as intermediaries between the central device and endpoint systems. The prediction system pre-determines which endpoint systems will interact with which objects, creating a intermediary layer that optimizes authority assignment before actual interactions occur, thereby reducing latency without sacrificing reliability.
2Loss of time
If endpoint systems dynamically transfer object authority based on predicted interactions, then latency is reduced and immersiveness is enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing prediction of future interactions before they occur. The system pre-determines which endpoint systems should have authority over which objects based on predicted user movements and interactions. This advance planning simplifies the actual authority transfer process during runtime, as the prediction results are pre-computed and ready to be applied, reducing the complexity burden despite the dynamic nature of the system.
3Loss of information
If all endpoint systems receive all object location change notifications, then complete environment awareness is maintained, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making notification distribution selective rather than universal. Each endpoint system receives location change notifications only for objects that are relevant to its predicted interactions, not for all objects in the environment. This localized approach maintains necessary environment awareness for each user while significantly reducing overall network bandwidth consumption by eliminating redundant transmissions.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, endpoint systems participating in a shared virtual environment simulate objects locally that a user of the endpoint system is likely to interact with. In some embodiments, object authority is thus managed by the endpoint systems, and is not managed by a central server. In some embodiments, a subsequent endpoint system likely to interact with an object may be predicted, and object authority may be transferred to the subsequent endpoint system before the interaction in order to provide an immersive experience for a user of the subsequent endpoint system. In some embodiments, efficient techniques for transmitting notifications between endpoint systems are provided.