XR Clock Synchronization Using Sensory Data for Shared Virtual Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing XR devices face challenges in synchronizing clocks accurately for shared experiences, leading to misalignment of virtual content and audio-visual lag due to network congestion, latency, and asymmetrical routes, which degrade the quality of collaborative XR experiences.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of user-in-the-loop techniques, including image-based and audio-based methods, to estimate time offsets between XR devices by capturing sensory data such as facial landmarks and audio signals, allowing for precise synchronization of clocks and establishment of a shared coordinate system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If network-based time synchronization is used for XR devices, then clock synchronization can be achieved, but network congestion and latency cause time offset errors and audio-visual lag
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensory data (visual features captured by cameras and audio signals captured by microphones) as an intermediary medium for time synchronization. Instead of relying directly on network time protocols, the system uses these sensory data as a reference to calculate time offsets between devices, thereby mediating the synchronization process and reducing the impact of network congestion and latency
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously captures sensory data from the environment, calculates time offsets based on this data, and adjusts the synchronization accordingly. This feedback loop allows the system to dynamically correct time synchronization errors caused by network variability, improving both precision and reliability
2Device complexity
If traditional clock synchronization methods are used, then implementation is simple, but computational resources and network reliance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the XR devices' existing sensory capabilities (cameras and microphones) to perform time synchronization autonomously. By leveraging data that the devices are already capturing for other purposes, the system avoids additional computational overhead and network communication, making the synchronization process self-service and energy-efficient
Data Source
AI summary
A first extended reality (XR) device and a second XR device are colocated in an environment. The first XR device captures sensory data of a wearer of the second XR device. The sensory data is used to determine a time offset between a first clock of the first XR device and a second clock of the second XR device. The first clock and the second clock are synchronized based on the time offset and a shared coordinate system is established. The shared coordinate system enables alignment of virtual content that is simultaneously presented by the first XR device and the second XR device based on the synchronization of the first clock and the second clock.