Shared In-Vehicle Virtual Events Using Position-Based Trigger Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for presenting virtual environments to users in different vehicles do not fully utilize positioning information and ignore user-generated events and interactions, limiting the dynamic and interactive aspects of the experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allow users in different vehicles to create and share dynamic virtual events linked to specific trigger regions in the real-world environment, using interactive user devices and a server unit to manage and display these events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If vehicles meet each other to transfer the current state of the gaming environment, then the virtual environment can be shared between users in different vehicles, but the system complexity increases and requires predefined game states
Solution Approach 1:
A server acts as an intermediary between vehicles to manage virtual environment state transfer. Instead of requiring direct peer-to-peer communication between vehicles, the server coordinates the exchange of gaming environment data, simplifying the interaction model and reducing system complexity while enabling shared virtual experiences across multiple vehicles
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual environment system is designed to support multiple game states and scenarios through a unified platform. Rather than requiring separate predefined game configurations for each vehicle pair, the system provides a universal framework that can accommodate various gaming environments and dynamically adapt to different vehicle combinations and user preferences
2Reliability
If pre-programmed virtual events are used in the gaming environment, then the virtual content can be controlled and managed, but user creativity and dynamic interaction are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static pre-programmed virtual events to dynamic user-generated content. Users can create, modify, and share custom virtual events and game states while the system maintains reliability through server-side validation and coordination. This dynamic approach allows virtual content to evolve based on user creativity while preserving system control through structured event management and state synchronization protocols
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed VR content is visualized for a fixed driving route, then the implementation is simple, but the positioning information potential is not fully exploited
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary setup of virtual environments and game states on the server side before vehicles enter specific trigger regions. This preliminary configuration enables simple client-side implementation while fully utilizing real-time positioning information, as the heavy computational work of environment generation and state management is already prepared and can be dynamically activated based on vehicle location and context
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is concerned with a method for presenting a shared virtual environment (16) to several users (45) residing in different vehicles (12) while the respective vehicle (12) is driving in a real-world environment (18). In at least one of the vehicles (12) a respective interactive user device (13) of that vehicle (12) receives definition data (47) from the respective user (45) residing in that vehicle (12), wherein the definition data (47) describe a new virtual event (20) for the virtual environment (16), and a position sensor of the vehicle (12) generates position data (34) of the vehicle (12) while the user (45) generates the definition data (47), wherein the position data (34) describe a current position of the vehicle (12) in the real-world environment (18). A stationary server unit (11 ) receives the definition data (47) and the corresponding position data (34) and generates corresponding event data (30) of a new virtual event (20), wherein in dependence on the position data (34) a trigger region (19) is defined that defines where in the real-world environment (18) the virtual event (20) shall be triggered for the users (45) in their respective vehicle.