View-Based Breakpoints for Simulated Reality Debugging

Solution Overview

Problem

Debugging in simulated reality applications is challenging due to the difficulty in aligning head movements with specific vantage points to trigger breakpoints, leading to increased application development time and failure rates.

Innovation Solution

Implementing view-based breakpoints that use motion sensors and processing apparatus in head-mounted displays to detect when a user's view within a simulated reality environment matches a specified set of views associated with a breakpoint, allowing for the triggering of debug actions while continuing the simulation process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional line-based breakpoints are used in simulated reality applications, then debugging can be triggered at specific code lines, but it is difficult to align head movements with specific vantage points to trigger breakpoints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of triggering breakpointsVSAvoiddifficulty of aligning head movements with vantage points

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the breakpoint triggering parameter from code-line based to view-based. Instead of requiring precise alignment with specific vantage points, the system allows breakpoints to be triggered when the user's view enters a defined region in the simulated reality environment. This parameter change simplifies the triggering condition from precise spatial alignment to regional presence, significantly improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the viewing space in simulated reality into multiple discrete regions, each associated with specific breakpoint conditions. This segmentation allows developers to define breakpoints based on spatial regions rather than requiring precise alignment with single vantage points, making breakpoint triggering more intuitive and easier to operate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If breakpoints are triggered by specific vantage points, then debugging can be precise, but application development time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of debuggingVSAvoidapplication development time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the breakpoint triggering parameter from code-line based to view-based. Instead of requiring precise alignment with specific vantage points, the system allows breakpoints to be triggered when the user's view enters a defined region in the simulated reality environment. This parameter change simplifies the triggering condition from precise spatial alignment to regional presence, significantly improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the viewing space in simulated reality into multiple discrete regions, each associated with specific breakpoint conditions. This segmentation allows developers to define breakpoints based on spatial regions rather than requiring precise alignment with single vantage points, making breakpoint triggering more intuitive and easier to operate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the simulation process is paused for debugging, then issues can be examined, but the simulation cannot continue to evolve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedebugging effectivenessVSAvoidsimulation process continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the debugging function from the main simulation process. When a breakpoint is triggered, the system pauses only the debugging-related operations while allowing the simulation process to continue evolving in the background. This extraction allows developers to examine issues at specific view points without completely halting the simulation, maintaining both debugging effectiveness and simulation continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables the simulation process to continue executing usefully even when debugging is active. By allowing the simulation to evolve in the background while pausing only the debugging examination, the system maintains continuity of the simulation's useful actions while still enabling effective issue examination at breakpoints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS20210286701A1View-Based Breakpoints For A Display System

Publication Date: 2021.09.16 APPLE INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for simulated reality view-based breakpoints are described. Some implementations may include accessing motion data captured using one or more motion sensors; determining, based at least on the motion data, a view within a simulated reality environment presented using a head-mounted display; detecting that the view is a member of a set of views associated with a breakpoint; based at least on the view being a member of the set of views, triggering the breakpoint; responsive to the breakpoint being triggered, performing a debug action associated with the breakpoint; and, while performing the debug action, continuing to execute a simulation process of the simulated reality environment to enable a state of at least one virtual object in the simulated reality environment to continue to evolve and be viewed with the head-mounted display.