Operating System Interaction Tools for Extended Reality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional extended reality systems require users to access and interact with data through specific applications, limiting flexibility and intuitive interaction with virtual environments.

Innovation Solution

The system provides an application-free environment where the operating system offers interaction tools independently of any application, allowing users to interact with various types of data in extended reality environments using tools like virtual markers, gaming controllers, and payment tools, which can be used concurrently with data visualization utilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional application-based computing systems are used, then users can access data through specific applications, but users are limited by the functional boundaries of those applications and cannot interact with data intuitively in extended reality environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintuitive interactionVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The operating system provides a universal interface that enables users to interact with various types of data (images, text, video, audio, files, folders) using the same extended reality interaction tools. This universal interface allows users to access and manipulate data from different sources and applications through a single unified system, eliminating the need to learn different interaction methods for different data types while maintaining the flexibility to handle diverse data formats and sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If interaction tools are provided within applications, then applications can provide specialized functionality, but interaction tools cannot be used concurrently across different applications or independently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconcurrent usageVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interaction tools are segmented from individual applications and provided as independent components by the operating system. This segmentation allows the same interaction tools to be invoked and used concurrently across multiple different applications and data types without requiring each application to implement its own set of tools. The operating system manages the complexity of coordinating these independent tools across different application contexts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The operating system acts as an intermediary layer between the user's interaction tools and the various applications and data types. This intermediary provides a universal interface that translates user interactions into appropriate actions across different application boundaries, enabling concurrent usage of interaction tools without requiring direct integration between each application pair.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20240211091A1Application-free systems and methods

Publication Date: 2024.06.27 APPLE INC

AI summary

Implementations of the subject technology provide application-free extended reality systems and methods. In an application-free extended reality environment, data may be visualized for a user using a data visualization utility that is provided by an operating system of a computing device. The operating system can also provide, separately from the data visualization utility, interaction tools for interacting data that is displayed in the mixed reality environment by the data visualization utility.