Vehicle VR Window Replacement With 360° External AR View

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle occupants experience impaired vision and limited external sound due to vehicle design and glass limitations, leading to reduced view and noise from external environment.

Innovation Solution

An omnidirectional camera system integrated with a vehicle captures real-time media content, which is processed and displayed through a head-mounted virtual reality device, allowing for a 360° immersive view and audio experience, with augmented reality features to enhance vehicle component analysis and interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If vehicle design includes required panel components for structural integrity and safety, then vehicle strength and safety are improved, but visual clarity and external environment perception deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle strengthVSAvoidvisual clarity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the external environment through omnidirectional cameras and virtual reality technology. Instead of relying on physical glass windows that obstruct the view, the system captures 360-degree video feeds from multiple camera positions and renders a virtual representation of the external world, allowing passengers to perceive the environment without physical obstructions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/optical system of physical glass windows with an electronic/digital system. The physical barrier (glass) is substituted by electronic cameras capturing visual information and audio sensors capturing sound, which are then processed and displayed through virtual reality headsets, eliminating the need for transparent glass while maintaining environmental perception.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If vehicle body is designed to block external noise, then noise isolation is improved, but external sound perception deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise isolationVSAvoidexternal sound perception
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the external audio environment using omnidirectional audio sensors that capture sound from all directions. The captured audio is processed and delivered through the virtual reality headset, allowing passengers to hear external sounds without the vehicle body blocking them, thus maintaining both noise isolation and sound perception.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the physical acoustic barrier (vehicle body) with an electronic audio capture and delivery system. Instead of relying on the vehicle body to block noise while allowing sound perception, the system uses electronic sensors to capture external audio and digitally delivers it to the passenger, substituting the mechanical acoustic barrier with an electronic information transmission system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Loss of information

If omnidirectional cameras and virtual reality processing are implemented, then external environment perception is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental perceptionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates multiple functions into a unified virtual reality system. The same omnidirectional camera array serves both visual and audio capture functions, the processing system handles both video rendering and audio spatialization, and the headset displays both visual and auditory information. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines visual and audio processing into a single integrated virtual reality environment. Instead of having separate systems for video capture, audio capture, video processing, and audio processing, the system merges these functions into a coordinated virtual reality platform that processes both modalities simultaneously and presents them as a unified immersive experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Measurement precision

If real-time video and audio processing is performed, then environmental perception accuracy is improved, but processing time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental perception accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary processing of camera and sensor data in advance of actual display. The omnidirectional video feeds and audio feeds are captured, processed, and prepared in advance, allowing the system to respond more quickly when environmental perception is needed. This pre-processing reduces the processing time required during actual use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains continuous capture and processing of environmental data, ensuring that the virtual reality display is always updated with current information. The omnidirectional cameras and sensors continuously monitor the environment, and the processing system continuously renders the virtual representation, eliminating gaps in information availability and reducing perceived processing delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP4685616A1Systems and methods for displaying media content to a user in a virtual setting
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC
  • EP4685616A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4685616A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4685616A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method includes the pairing of a head-mounted virtual reality device with an omnidirectional camera, the display of a converted media field to a user associated with media content corresponding to an external environment relative to a vehicle, the generation of one or more augmented-reality images, and the superimposition of the one or more augmented-reality images onto the displayed converted media file.