Virtual Environment Ray Projection for Gap Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

During the construction of virtual environments in video games, gaps and voids often occur due to improperly intersecting walls, which can hinder gameplay and are difficult to detect through conventional quality assurance methods, making them time-consuming and prone to errors.

Innovation Solution

Projecting simulated rays from a movable character within the virtual environment to intersect with virtual surfaces, rendering graphical representations to identify intersections or absences thereof, allowing for quick detection of gaps and misalignments between physical and aesthetic layers of virtual surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional quality assurance methods (manually rubbing character against walls) are used to detect gaps, then detection accuracy is improved, but time consumption and operational complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegap detection accuracyVSAvoidquality assurance testing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical manual testing method (rubbing character against walls) with an optical simulation system that projects rays to detect gaps. The ray projection system automatically identifies gaps by detecting where rays pass through unintended spaces, eliminating the need for manual character manipulation while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the quality assurance process by projecting simulated rays that represent the character's movement paths. These rays serve as proxies for actual character navigation, allowing multiple test paths to be evaluated simultaneously without requiring physical character movement for each test case.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If manual character rubbing method is used to inspect surfaces, then detection thoroughness is improved, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality assurance thoroughnessVSAvoidtesting process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex manual process of methodically rubbing the character against every surface is replaced by an automated ray projection system. The system automatically generates and traces multiple rays from the character's position, systematically evaluating all potential gap locations without requiring complex manual manipulation procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The ray projection system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it detects gaps, validates surface intersections, and identifies rendering issues all through a single automated process. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple separate manual testing procedures with one unified system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If sequential manual inspection of each wall is performed, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintersection detection accuracyVSAvoidquality assurance throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates multiple ray copies that simultaneously represent different test paths and character positions. These virtual copies allow parallel evaluation of numerous potential gap locations at once, maintaining the thoroughness of sequential inspection while achieving the throughput of parallel processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The ray projection system maintains continuous testing action by automatically generating and evaluating rays across all surfaces without interruption. Unlike manual methods that require pausing and repositioning, the automated system continuously projects and analyzes rays, maximizing productivity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS8941643B1Quality assurance testing of virtual environments

Publication Date: 2015.01.27 LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD

AI summary

A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method that includes projecting a first simulated ray from a moveable character within an interactive virtual environment to intersect one or more virtual surfaces represented in the environment. The method also includes rendering a graphical representation of the first simulated ray to identify the absence of an intersection with the one or more virtual surfaces represented in the interactive virtual environment.