Virtual Object Depth Matching in Extended Reality Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with displays that present images close to a user's eyes, such as extended reality headsets, can be challenging to design for user comfort due to mismatched depths of virtual and physical objects, leading to discomfort.
Innovation Solution
The device includes sensors to determine the depth of physical objects in the environment and adjusts the apparent depth of virtual objects to match the physical objects, ensuring comfortable viewing by maintaining alignment with the user's head or body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If virtual objects are displayed at fixed depths in extended reality headsets, then device complexity is reduced, but user comfort deteriorates due to mismatched depths between virtual and physical objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic apparent depth adjustment for virtual objects based on real-time detection of physical object depths. The system continuously modifies the displayed depth of virtual objects to match the depths of corresponding physical objects in the environment, transforming a static display system into a dynamic one that adapts to changing environmental conditions, thereby resolving the contradiction between fixed display complexity and user comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs depth sensors to detect physical object depths and uses this feedback information to adjust the apparent depth of virtual objects. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that virtual objects are displayed at comfortable depths that match the physical environment, eliminating the discomfort caused by depth mismatches while maintaining manageable device complexity through automated control
2Ease of operation
If apparent depth of virtual objects is dynamically adjusted to match physical objects, then user comfort is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the display to self-adjust its apparent depth parameters automatically based on sensor input without requiring manual intervention. The automated depth matching process allows the system to serve itself by continuously optimizing the display configuration, which improves user comfort while keeping the operational complexity manageable through elimination of manual adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The depth adjustment mechanism serves multiple functions: it detects physical object depths, calculates appropriate apparent depths for virtual objects, and dynamically modifies display parameters. This multi-functional approach consolidates several operations into a single integrated system, reducing overall device complexity despite the added capability for dynamic depth adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may include one or more sensors and one or more displays. The display may be configured to display virtual objects of various types. The electronic device may receive a request to display a first type of virtual object that has a location defined relative to a location corresponding to the electronic device or a user of the electronic device. In response to the request to display the first type of virtual object, the electronic device may determine a depth of an object that is aligned with a target display direction for the virtual object, determine an apparent depth at which to display the virtual object based on at least the depth of the object, and display, via the one or more displays, the virtual object at the apparent depth.