Omnidirectional Image Area Synchronization for Shared VR Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virtual reality systems require users to wear head-mounted video display devices, causing discomfort and VR sickness, and lack methods for generating image areas with realistic sensations on surfaces with varying size ratios, and do not support simultaneous omnidirectional video sharing among multiple users.
Innovation Solution
An image area generation system that clips static images from omnidirectional images into multiple areas corresponding to surface positions, synchronizes and transmits these areas to multiple display devices, and adjusts to account for varying display devices, and synchronizes the areas on a time-series basis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If head-mounted video display devices are used to experience virtual reality, then users can freely move avatars and gaze in virtual space, but users experience discomfort, oppression, inconvenience, and VR sickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the core function of virtual reality viewing from the head-mounted device and implements it through a room-scale projection system. By removing the head-mounted device constraint and projecting images onto room surfaces, the system maintains the immersive viewing experience while eliminating the physical discomfort and oppression caused by wearing the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual reality environment by projecting images onto physical room surfaces, effectively copying the VR experience from a wearable device format to an environmental projection format. This allows multiple users to simultaneously experience the virtual content without individual head-mounted devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If head-mounted video display devices are used for virtual reality, then individual users can experience virtual space, but multiple users cannot simultaneously share and watch omnidirectional video in one virtual space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple viewing experiences into a single shared environment by projecting omnidirectional video content onto multiple room surfaces simultaneously. This allows multiple users to collectively experience the virtual space without requiring individual head-mounted devices, thereby enhancing multi-user adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection system serves multiple users simultaneously with a single installation, making the system universal rather than user-specific. The room-scale projection environment can be shared by multiple people at once, eliminating the need for each user to have their own head-mounted device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If surfaces with various vertical/horizontal size ratios are used in virtual space, then the virtual space can adapt to different room shapes, but generating image areas with realistic sensation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by dividing the omnidirectional video into multiple image areas, each specifically tailored to match the dimensions and orientation of corresponding projection surfaces. This allows each surface to receive an image area with the appropriate aspect ratio and resolution, maintaining realistic sensation despite varying surface geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts image parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, and projection angle based on the specific characteristics of each room surface. By changing these parameters locally for each surface, the system maintains image quality and realistic sensation across surfaces with various vertical/horizontal size ratios.
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic image taken by an omnidirectional imaging device is transmitted toward the inside of a virtual space at high speed and displayed with a realistic sensation. Respective static images constituting an acquired dynamic image are clipped into a plurality of image areas corresponding to a positional relation between the respective surfaces, the respective clipped image areas are assigned to the respective surfaces, and when data including the respective assigned image areas is transmitted to respective display devices for displaying the image areas on the respective surfaces through mutually different channels, an adjustment to mutually synchronize the respective image areas of the transmitted data on a time-series basis is performed.