Splitting Shared Virtual Objects in Multi-User XR Sessions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current multi-user extended reality environments lack an effective method for duplicating shared virtual objects, leading to inconsistencies in user experiences across different spatial configurations and environments.

Innovation Solution

The system duplicates shared virtual objects by determining a modified location for the object based on the user's physical environment and spatial configuration, allowing for real-time adjustments and synchronization across devices, while also enabling modifications and alerts for collaborative interactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If shared virtual objects are rendered consistently across all users in a common spatial configuration, then collaboration coherence is improved, but adaptability to individual user spatial configurations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollaboration coherenceVSAvoidadaptability to individual user environments

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the virtual object rendering into two types: shared instances for common spatial configurations and duplicated instances for modified spatial configurations. This segmentation allows the system to maintain collaboration coherence when users share the same spatial configuration while enabling individual adaptation when spatial configurations differ, resolving the contradiction between consistency and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically determines whether to render shared or duplicated virtual objects based on real-time comparison of spatial configurations. When spatial configurations match, shared objects maintain collaboration coherence; when they differ, duplicated objects provide adaptability. This dynamic switching mechanism resolves the contradiction by adapting the rendering strategy to current system state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If virtual objects are duplicated for each user with modified spatial configurations, then adaptability to individual environments is improved, but system complexity and synchronization difficulty worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to individual user environmentsVSAvoidsynchronization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by duplicating virtual objects only for specific users whose spatial configurations differ from the common configuration, while maintaining shared objects for users with matching configurations. This selective duplication reduces overall system complexity compared to universal duplication, while still providing necessary adaptability for individual users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates simplified copies of virtual objects for users with modified spatial configurations, rather than implementing complex real-time transformation systems. This copying approach provides adaptability to individual environments while keeping synchronization mechanisms relatively simple, as copies can be independently managed without complex interdependencies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If spatial configurations are continuously monitored and compared, then rendering accuracy is improved, but computational overhead and processing time worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespatial configuration matching accuracyVSAvoidcomputational overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses lightweight spatial configuration data structures and comparison mechanisms that require minimal computational resources. Rather than implementing complex continuous monitoring systems, the approach uses simple, disposable spatial configuration representations that can be quickly created and compared, achieving adequate precision with low computational overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs spatial configuration comparison at discrete intervals and only when relevant changes occur, rather than continuous monitoring. This partial action approach maintains sufficient rendering accuracy by checking configurations at key moments while significantly reducing computational overhead compared to continuous comparison.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11816759B1Split applications in a multi-user communication session

Publication Date: 2023.11.14 APPLE INC

AI summary

Split applications and virtual objects in a multi-user communication session may include presenting, for a first device, a first environmental representation of the multi-user communication session, wherein the first device and the second device are active in the multi-user communication session, and wherein the first environmental representation and a second environmental representation of the multi-user communication session for the second device comprise one or more shared virtual objects presented in a common spatial configuration; duplicating a particular shared virtual object that is located at an initial location in the common spatial configuration; determining a modified location for the duplicated virtual object in the first environmental representation; and presenting a modified first environmental representation comprising the duplicated virtual object at the modified location.