Tracking Electronic Devices with Changing Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Extended reality (XR), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) systems face challenges in tracking electronic devices with changing displays, as the apparent location of these devices can shift with displayed images, disrupting the seamless interaction between the real and virtual worlds.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a tracking device with a camera subsystem and processor to monitor tracking data on the display of another electronic device, generating animations or immersive experiences that align with the device's location, using designated tracking data or patterns within the image frames to accurately track the device's position, even when it moves within a physical environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional image tracking is used on electronic displays, then the tracking can identify the display location, but the apparent location changes with displayed images causing disruption in XR interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dedicated tracking pattern as an intermediary element displayed on the electronic device. This tracking pattern serves as a stable reference marker that mediates between the changing display content and the tracking system. By separating the tracking function from the display content, the system can reliably track the device location regardless of what images are shown on the display screen.
2Reliability
If the tracking device continuously monitors the display to track location, then location tracking is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic monitoring of the tracking pattern on the display. Instead of continuous monitoring, the tracking device checks for the presence and location of the tracking pattern at intervals. This periodic action maintains tracking continuity while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous monitoring, as the camera and processing units can be in lower-power states between monitoring cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
A tracked device may be used in an extended reality system in coordination with a tracking device. The tracked device may be ordinarily difficult to track, for example due to changing appearances or relatively small surface areas of unchanging features, as may be the case with an electronic device with a relatively large display surrounded by a thin physical outer boundary. In these cases, the tracked device may periodically present an image to the tracking device that the tracking device stores as an indication to permit tracking of a known, unchanging feature despite the image not being presented continuously on the display of the tracked device. The image may include a static image, designated tracking data overlaid on an image frame otherwise scheduled for presentation, or extracted image features from the image frame otherwise scheduled for presentation. Additional power saving methods and known marker generation methods are also described.