Virtual Wireless Channels for Artificial Reality Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing artificial reality systems face inefficiencies in wireless communications due to processing attribute data for intermediate protocols, leading to latencies and unnecessary data copying, especially in multi-device systems.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of virtual channels for wireless communications between devices in an artificial reality system, allowing point-to-point communication between processors using a virtual channel protocol that bypasses intermediate protocols, enabling secure and efficient data transfer by fragmenting payload data and encrypting each fragment independently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If intermediate protocols (e.g., TCP/IP) are used for wireless communication between devices, then communication compatibility is improved, but processing attribute data causes latencies and reduces communication speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication compatibilityVSAvoidcommunication speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the communication protocol stack by creating a virtual channel protocol that operates independently of intermediate protocols like TCP/IP. The virtual channel protocol handles only the essential functions needed for direct processor-to-processor communication, while intermediate protocol processing is eliminated or minimized at the application layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a virtual channel as an intermediary layer between the application layer and the physical wireless channel. This virtual channel abstracts the communication details and enables direct data transfer without requiring intermediate protocol processing, thus improving speed while maintaining compatibility through the virtual channel protocol.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If typical communication protocols are used, then standard communication functionality is provided, but unnecessary data copying occurs and increases processing overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication functionalityVSAvoiddata copying overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential communication functionality from the complex stack of intermediate protocols and encapsulates it in a simplified virtual channel protocol. This extraction removes unnecessary data copying operations while retaining the core functions needed for device communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If secure communication is implemented through encryption, then data security is improved, but processing overhead and latency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidencryption processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs encryption at the fragment level before transmission through the virtual channel, rather than encrypting complete packets after intermediate protocol processing. This preliminary encryption of smaller units reduces the total processing time while maintaining security, as encryption operations are performed on smaller data blocks that can be processed more efficiently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If packet-based transmission is used, then data integrity is maintained, but fragmentation and reassembly increase processing complexity and latency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidfragmentation processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into fragments at the virtual channel level and transmits them with simplified headers containing only essential routing information. The fragmentation processing is streamlined compared to traditional packet-based approaches, reducing complexity while maintaining data integrity through the virtual channel protocol's fragment tracking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11412050B2Artificial reality system with virtual wireless channels

Publication Date: 2022.08.09 META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

In general, the disclosure describes techniques for wireless communications between multiple devices of an artificial reality system using virtual channels. In one example, a first computing device of a multi-device system, comprising: one or more first processors coupled to one or more memory devices; and a supervisory processor configured to establish a plurality of virtual channels over a physical wireless channel between the first computing device and a second computing device, wherein each of the virtual channels is associated with a different pair of processors comprising a source processor selected from one of the first processors or second processors of the second computing device and a destination processor selected from one of the first processors or the second processors, wherein, for each virtual channel and associated pair of processors, the source processor is configured to communicate application data with the destination processor using the virtual channel.