Occluded Object Mesh Indicator for AR Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

In scenarios where computer-generated content occludes a physical object, users face challenges in viewing the occluded portions, leading to degraded user experience and inefficient use of computational resources as they reposition the content or device to reveal the object.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device determines positional values of a physical object using environmental sensors and identifies portions of computer-generated content that satisfy an occlusion criterion, generating a mesh associated with the physical object to indicate occluded areas, thereby reducing the need for repositioning and conserving resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If computer-generated content is displayed on the display, then the user can view digital content, but the physical object may be occluded and become invisible to the user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of physical objectVSAvoiduser experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a mesh as an intermediary visual element that represents the occluded physical object. The mesh is generated based on environmental sensor data and displayed semi-transparently over the computer-generated content, allowing users to perceive the presence and position of occluded objects without removing the digital content overlay.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs visual property changes of the mesh to indicate different states of occlusion. The mesh can be configured with varying transparency levels, colors, or visual intensities to communicate the presence and characteristics of occluded objects to users, making invisible objects perceptible through visual transformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Loss of information

If the user repositions the computer-generated content or the device to view the occluded physical object, then the physical object becomes visible, but computational resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of physical objectVSAvoidcomputational resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by proactively generating and displaying the mesh representation of the occluded object before the user would need to reposition anything. Environmental sensors continuously track object positions, and the mesh is automatically updated and displayed, preventing the need for user-initiated repositioning actions and the associated computational overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves itself by automatically detecting occluded objects through environmental sensors, generating appropriate mesh representations, and displaying them without requiring user intervention. The system monitors its own display state and object positions, making autonomous adjustments to ensure object visibility while conserving computational resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the computer-generated content occludes the entirety of the physical object, then the digital content can be displayed without interruption, but the user experience is degraded because the user is unaware of the physical object's presence

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay continuityVSAvoiduser awareness of physical object

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The mesh serves as a mediator between the fully occluded physical object and the user's perception. Even when the physical object is completely hidden behind computer-generated content, the mesh provides a visual indicator of the object's presence, position, and potentially its properties, maintaining user awareness without interrupting the display of digital content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250086911A1Indicating a Position of an Occluded Physical Object

Publication Date: 2025.03.13 APPLE INC

AI summary

A method includes determining one or more positional values associated with a physical object based on environmental data. The one or more positional values indicate a depth associated with the physical object. The method includes determining that a portion of computer-generated content satisfies an occlusion criterion with respect to a corresponding portion of the physical object, based on the one or more positional values. The method includes, in response to determining that the occlusion criterion is satisfied, generating a mesh associated with the physical object based on the one or more positional values, and displaying the mesh on a display. The mesh has a first appearance when the depth has a first depth value and a second appearance when the depth has a second depth value different from the first depth value. The first appearance is different from the second appearance.