Virtual Touchpad Contact Mapping for XR Interface Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing XR devices face challenges in providing user interface control with limited surface area and require dedicated physical input devices, which can increase the form factor and are difficult to calibrate across multiple devices and users.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing touch events at the device surface to define a contact space, which is mapped to a rendering space for user interface control, enabling customizable and intuitive control without occupying device surface area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If physical buttons or dedicated control devices are used for user interface control, then user interface control functionality is provided, but device surface area is reduced and form factor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the user interface control functionality with the existing display surface by implementing touch-sensitive zones directly on the display. This allows the display to serve dual purposes: visual output and input control, eliminating the need for separate physical buttons or control devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The display surface is designed to perform multiple functions - it serves as both the visual output medium and the input control surface. The touch-sensitive display can detect user interactions at any location on its surface, making the entire display area usable for both rendering and control operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated control devices are added to XR devices, then user interface control is enhanced, but device complexity and form factor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines control functionality into the existing display hardware, eliminating the need for separate control devices. The display itself becomes the control interface through touch-sensitive zones, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining customization capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically assigns different functions to different regions of the display surface based on the application context. The same physical display area can be configured as different control zones or rendered areas depending on the current XR application requirements, providing adaptability without additional hardware.
3Ease of operation
If physical buttons are installed on XR device surface, then user interface control is provided, but available surface area for rendering is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges control input and rendering functions onto the same display surface. Touch-sensitive zones are implemented as software-defined regions within the display, allowing the entire physical surface to be available for either control or rendering depending on the interaction type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional spatial partitioning problem to a multi-dimensional solution by adding the temporal dimension. The display can rapidly switch between serving as a control surface and a rendering surface based on the sequence of operations, allowing full surface area utilization for rendering when not in use.
Data Source
AI summary
Described techniques enable a virtual touchpad for a wearable device by receiving, in response to a touch event, a sensor signal from a motion sensor coupled to the wearable device, the wearable device providing a user interface with a rendering space that is defined relative to the wearable device. The touch event may be associated with a contact space of a contact map defined with respect to the wearable device, based on the sensor signal, and a user interface event of the user interface that corresponds to the contact space may be rendered within the rendering space.