Virtual Camera Pose Adjustment for AR View Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional parallel-reality game systems require users to point their device's camera at specific locations to view virtual elements, which can be frustrating and physically inconvenient over extended periods.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that use a 3D map of the physical environment to determine a custom camera pose for a client device, allowing users to view virtual elements from a comfortable angle different from the physical camera pose.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the camera pose is fixed to match the physical camera position, then the virtual elements are displayed from the correct spatial location, but the user must hold the device at inconvenient angles for extended periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual camera as an intermediary between the physical camera and the display system. The virtual camera has a different pose (e.g., eye-level position) than the physical camera, allowing users to view virtual elements from a comfortable perspective while the system uses the physical camera's actual position for accurate spatial localization of virtual elements in the environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the camera pose into multiple dimensions: the physical camera's position for capturing real-world images and the virtual camera's position for displaying virtual content. This dimensional separation allows the system to maintain accurate spatial relationships in the real world while providing a comfortable viewing angle for users in the virtual display space
2Ease of operation
If the camera pose is adjusted to a comfortable angle, then user comfort is improved, but the virtual elements no longer align with their actual positions in the physical environment
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual camera acts as a mediator that decouples the display perspective from the capture position. The physical camera maintains accurate spatial alignment by capturing images from its actual position, while the virtual camera provides a comfortable viewing angle for users. The system reconciles these by using the physical camera's pose for localization accuracy and the virtual camera's pose for user comfort in the display
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the camera functionality into two distinct roles: the physical camera for accurate spatial capture and the virtual camera for comfortable display. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function without compromise - the physical camera ensures spatial reliability while the virtual camera ensures user comfort
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for displaying virtual elements (e.g., AR content) in a physical environment by a client device using a virtual camera pose that is different from the pose of the physical camera used to capture images of the physical environment. The client device uses a three-dimensional (3D) map (e.g., a topographical mesh) of the physical environment to determine a pose (a position and orientation) of the camera of the client device. The 3D map can include geometry, colors, textures, or any other suitable information describing the physical environment.