Portable Device Calibration in Shared Virtual Space

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current virtual reality and augmented reality technologies face challenges in providing realistic multiplayer interactions in virtual or augmented reality environments, particularly on portable devices, as they lack consideration for the relative location of players and their surroundings, resulting in limited and simplistic experiences.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that synchronize the location of portable devices in a three-dimensional space, allowing them to generate interactive scenes tied to a reference point, enabling realistic virtual object interactions by tracking device positions and exchanging synchronization information to adjust views based on the current location, eliminating the need for AR tags and enhancing the 3D virtual experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If virtual reality environments are created without considering relative player locations, then the system complexity is reduced, but the realism and immersion of multiplayer interactions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidrealism of interactions
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calibration by detecting player locations and establishing reference points in 3D space before the virtual reality session begins. This pre-positioning of reference data allows the virtual environment to be accurately anchored to physical locations without requiring continuous complex calculations during gameplay, thus maintaining realism while managing system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Reference points act as intermediaries between the physical world and the virtual environment. These reference points store synchronization information that mediates the relationship between device locations and virtual object positions, enabling realistic multiplayer interactions without requiring the system to directly process all spatial relationships in real-time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If device locations are tracked and synchronized in real-time, then the immersion and realism of virtual interactions is improved, but the use of computational resources and energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmersion qualityVSAvoidcomputational resource usage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Location synchronization and reference point establishment are performed in advance before the virtual reality session. This preliminary action captures the essential spatial relationships without requiring continuous real-time processing during gameplay, reducing ongoing computational resource usage while maintaining immersion quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a simplified copy of the spatial relationship data through reference points that store synchronization information. Instead of continuously processing and transmitting full location data, the system uses these reference point copies to maintain the virtual-environment-anchor to the physical world, reducing computational overhead while preserving immersion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Ease of operation

If fiduciary markers like AR tags are used to establish reference points, then the ease of establishing a shared virtual space is improved, but the visual field is blocked and the immersion is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of establishing virtual spaceVSAvoidvisual field blockage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential function of fiduciary markers (establishing reference points) and separates it from the visual obstruction they cause. The system detects device locations and establishes reference points through synchronization information without requiring physical markers to be visible in the user's field of view, eliminating visual blockage while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical/visual marker-based reference establishment with a sensor-based location detection system. Instead of using physical AR tags that block the visual field, the system uses device sensors and synchronization data to establish reference points digitally, substituting the marker mechanism with a computational approach that does not obstruct the user's view

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2558176B1Calibration of portable devices in a shared virtual space
Publication Date: 2018.11.07 SONY COMP ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC
  • EP2558176B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2558176B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2558176B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer programs for generating an interactive space viewable through at least a first and a second device are presented. The method includes an operation for detecting from the first device a location of the second device or vice versa. Further, synchronization information data is exchanged between the first and the second device to identify a reference point in a three-dimensional (3D) space relative to the physical location of the devices in the 3D space. The devices establish the physical location in the 3D space of the other device when setting the reference point. The method further includes an operation for generating views of an interactive scene in the displays of the first and second devices. The interactive scene is tied to the reference point and includes virtual objects. The view in the display shows the interactive scene as observed from the current location of the corresponding device. Moving the device in the 3D space causes the view to change according to the perspective from the current location.