Perspective Sharing Between 2D and XR Interfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users accessing artificial reality (XR) environments from two-dimensional (2D) interfaces face difficulties in navigating and interacting due to limitations in peripheral vision and immersive controls, making it hard to follow or share perspectives with users on XR interfaces without causing motion sickness.

Innovation Solution

A method that allows a second user on a 2D interface to follow a first user on an XR interface by rendering the XR environment from the first user's perspective, with options to pivot the viewpoint or stop following, enabling improved navigation and interaction without motion sickness, using data transmission and rendering techniques to synchronize the XR experience across interfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a second user accesses XR environment from a 2D interface, then the user can view XR content on a flat display, but the user experiences limited peripheral vision and cannot fully interact with the XR environment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of interactionVSAvoidimmersive experience
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a visual copy of the first user's XR perspective and transmits it to the second user's 2D interface. This copy includes rendered XR environment data, user position information, and interaction state, allowing the second user to view the XR environment as if they were in the first user's position without requiring full XR hardware immersion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If the second user follows the first user's perspective in real-time, then the second user can navigate XR environment effectively, but motion sickness may occur due to continuous perspective changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation capabilityVSAvoidmotion sickness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the perspective sharing mode based on user state and environment. The second user can switch between following the first user's perspective and viewing from their own position, and the system can pause or adjust perspective transmission when motion sickness is detected or when the first user is not actively interacting with the XR environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the XR environment is rendered continuously for the second user, then the second user can follow the first user's interactions, but the system consumes more computational resources and data bandwidth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperspective sharing accuracyVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous real-time rendering and transmission, the system uses periodic updates of perspective data. The first user's position, orientation, and XR environment state are captured at intervals and transmitted to the second user. This periodic approach maintains synchronization accuracy while significantly reducing computational load and network bandwidth requirements compared to continuous streaming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4325333A1Perspective sharing in an artificial reality environment between two-dimensional and artificial reality interfaces
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES LLC
  • EP4325333A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4325333A1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4325333A1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

The technology can allow a second user on a 2D interface to follow a first user using an XR interface in an XR environment, and to view a virtual world from the position of a representation of the first user in the XR environment. Implementations can either give the second user the same viewpoint as the first user, or a different viewpoint pivotable about the position of the representation of the first user in the XR environment. Implementations can display an avatar of the second user in a bubble leashed to the representation of the first user. At any time, the second user can "pop the bubble" to reenable the ability for the representation of the second user to independently move around and interact with the virtual world, without being locked to the representation of the first user.