Synthesized Environment Map for Hidden AR Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Augmented Reality (AR) systems cannot provide information about objects that are not visible from the user's current location, requiring users to change their position or manipulate their devices, which increases network traffic and limits data availability.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that extract and synthesize environment maps from the user's location and an expanded area, generating a synthesized environment map to display AR information for both visible and hidden objects, reducing data transmission load by combining individual maps into a single view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If AR information is provided only for objects visible from current location, then data availability is improved, but user mobility and network traffic increase when user needs to access hidden objects
Solution Approach 1:
The environment map is divided into multiple segments (first environment map for visible area, second environment map for expanded area). Each segment contains AR information for specific regions, allowing the system to provide comprehensive AR data without requiring users to physically move or repeatedly manipulate their devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the first environment map (visible area) and second environment map (expanded area) into a synthesized environment map. This combination allows users to access AR information for both visible and hidden objects simultaneously, eliminating the need to move to different locations or repeatedly manipulate the device to access different AR information.
2Loss of information
If user moves to new location or manipulates device to access hidden objects, then AR information completeness is improved, but network traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary extraction of environment maps for both the visible area and expanded area before the user needs to access hidden objects. By pre-extracting and storing these maps, the system can provide complete AR information immediately without requiring users to move or manipulate their devices, thereby reducing network traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The synthesized environment map acts as an intermediary that combines information from multiple source maps. This intermediary structure allows the system to provide complete AR information for both visible and hidden objects in a single data transmission, eliminating the need for multiple separate requests and reducing overall network traffic.
3Loss of information
If multiple environment maps are extracted and synthesized, then AR information completeness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction unit and synthesization unit are designed as multi-functional components that handle multiple environment maps uniformly. The extraction unit can extract both the first and second environment maps using the same process, and the synthesization unit combines them using a standardized algorithm, reducing the perceived complexity despite processing multiple maps.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating entirely new data structures for handling multiple environment maps, the patent uses copying and synthesis of existing map structures. The synthesized environment map is constructed by combining and overlaying portions of the first and second environment maps, reusing their data structures and coordinate systems, thereby minimizing additional complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for providing Augmented Reality (AR) corresponding to objects that are hidden from view of a user. The apparatus includes a first extraction unit to extract a first environment map corresponding to a location of a terminal; a second extraction unit to determine an expanded area enclosing the location of the terminal and to extract a second environment map corresponding to the expanded area; and a synthesization unit to generate a synthesized environment map by synthesizing the first environment map and the second environment map.