Polyhedral Polarized Marker for Position Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing information processing systems using photographed images as input face challenges in accurately detecting and tracking markers in complex environments, leading to reduced detection accuracy and limited information acquisition due to the need for complete marker visibility.

Innovation Solution

An operation object with a polyhedron shape and multiple reference surfaces of varying angles is used, allowing for the acquisition of polarized images to identify the object's position and orientation, enabling stable information processing even in cluttered conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a marker with simple shape is used to facilitate easy detection, then detection ease is improved, but the amount of information that can be acquired is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection easeVSAvoidinformation acquisition limitation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The marker is designed with surfaces having different polarizing directions at different locations. Specifically, the first surface has a first polarizing direction while the second surface has a second polarizing direction different from the first. This local differentiation allows the system to acquire orientation information about the marker while maintaining simple geometric shapes for easy detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of information

If a marker with complex shape is used to acquire more information, then information acquisition is improved, but detection accuracy deteriorates when portions are hidden

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation acquisitionVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of changing the geometric shape of the marker, the invention changes the optical parameter (polarizing direction) of different surfaces. This allows the marker to encode orientation information through polarizing directions rather than complex geometries, maintaining detection accuracy while enabling information acquisition about the marker's orientation in space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If the entire marker must be photographed for accurate detection, then detection accuracy is improved, but reliability decreases in cluttered environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoiddetection reliability in cluttered conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The marker is divided into multiple surfaces (first surface and second surface) with different polarizing directions. The system can detect and process information from individual surfaces independently, so even if portions of the marker are hidden or obscured, the detection system can still accurately identify the marker and extract orientation information from the visible portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for stable acquisition of various pieces of information regardless of environmental conditions, improving detection accuracy and reducing reliance on marker visibility, thus enhancing information processing capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

photographing a polarized image of a real space including the operation object

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPolarization: Polarisation

Data Source

PatentEP3503031B1Information processing device, information processing system, operation object, and information processing method
Publication Date: 2021.09.22 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP3503031B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3503031B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3503031B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An operation object includes a polyhedron 130. The polyhedron 130 includes characteristic surfaces 132a, 132b, 132c, and 132d formed by cutting each vertex of a cube at different angles. An information processing apparatus acquires a normal vector of each surface from a polarized image thereof. Further, the information processing apparatus identifies the characteristic surface 132b by defining, as a characteristic amount, an angle formed by an average vector Na of normal vectors N1, N2, and N3 of reference surfaces that orthogonally intersect each other and a normal vector N0 of the characteristic surface 132b surrounded by the reference surfaces. The specification result and the normal vectors thereof are used to acquire the position and orientation of the operation object.