Virtual Environment Orientation via Internal Sensor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virtual reality systems are limited by high implementation costs, immobility, reliance on external devices and networks, and inability to function in arbitrary physical spaces without landmarks, leading to restricted usage and accuracy issues in tracking user movements.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that integrates a virtual environment with a physical environment on a user device, using internal sensors to overlay a virtual environment, track user position and movements, and synchronize them without external devices or networks, allowing operation in any arbitrary space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional virtual reality systems use external cameras and network devices to establish virtual environments, then the virtual environment can be established with references to physical world, but the device complexity and implementation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the virtual environment establishment capability from external devices (cameras, network devices) and consolidates it into the mobile device's internal sensors and processing unit. This allows the mobile device to autonomously establish virtual environments without requiring external infrastructure, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the platform for running the virtual reality application and as the device that establishes and maintains the virtual environment. By integrating sensor data processing, virtual environment creation, and user interaction handling into a single device, the system eliminates the need for separate external devices.
2Reliability
If conventional virtual reality systems use hardwired or tethered configurations, then the virtual reality system can be established, but the system becomes isolated to a limited space and loses mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, hardwired virtual reality configurations to a dynamic mobile implementation. The virtual environment is continuously updated based on real-time sensor data from the mobile device, allowing the system to adapt to user movement and changing physical locations while maintaining stable and reliable virtual reality experience.
3Reliability
If conventional virtual reality systems rely on image processing to recognize landmarks, then the virtual environment can be established, but the system cannot operate in areas of low light or without specific landmarks
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters for environment recognition from visual-based (image processing) to sensor-based (accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS). This parameter change enables the virtual reality system to operate reliably in diverse environments including low light conditions and areas without distinctive landmarks, as the sensor data can be processed to establish and maintain the virtual environment without visual references.
4Measurement precision
If conventional virtual reality systems use GPS and wireless network sensors to determine user position, then the system can determine location, but the precision is not accurate enough for small positional changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor types (accelerometer, gyroscope, GPS, wireless network sensors) into a coordinated system that processes data from all sensors together. By combining the strengths of each sensor and processing their data integrally, the system achieves high precision for small positional changes while managing the complexity through unified processing rather than separate sensor systems.
5Ease of operation
If conventional virtual reality systems require additional external devices to function, then the virtual reality system can operate, but the implementation requirements and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device performs self-service by using its own internal sensors and processing capabilities to establish and maintain the virtual environment. The device does not require external cameras, network devices, or other auxiliary equipment, thereby simplifying implementation requirements and reducing operating costs while maintaining full functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method and a virtual and physical environment integration system (VPEIS) for dynamically integrating a virtual environment with a physical environment are provided. The VPEIS receives dimensions and an orientation of the physical environment, and a user device's reference position in the physical environment. The VPEIS dynamically integrates the virtual environment with the physical environment on the user device by orienting the virtual environment relative to the orientation of the physical environment and the user device's reference position, dynamically updating a position, a movement including a user's step, and a direction of movement of the user device in the oriented virtual environment using sensors internal to the user device, and dynamically tracking a position, a movement, and a direction of movement of virtual objects and the user device, interactions between the virtual objects, and interactions of the virtual objects with the user device in the oriented virtual environment.