2D Content Rendering in Virtual Reality Environments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing VR systems face challenges in seamlessly integrating 2D content into immersive VR environments without disrupting the user's experience, as changes in perspective can jar the user out of the immersive illusion, and converting 2D content to VR format is costly and effort-intensive.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that allow 2D content to be presented within a VR environment by receiving metadata from an external server, including coordinate information for display locations, enabling the 2D content to be displayed in a way that maintains the VR immersion effect, using a VR content device and display configured to render the 2D content at specific locations within the VR environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If 2D content is integrated into VR environment with perspective changes, then content versatility is improved, but user immersion is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent versatilityVSAvoiduser immersion

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing different parts of the VR environment to have different perspective properties. Specifically, 2D content is displayed on selected surfaces (walls, floors, ceilings) that maintain their local 2D characteristics while being integrated into the overall 3D VR environment, thus preserving user immersion while enabling content versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If 2D content is converted to VR format, then user immersion is maintained, but manufacturing cost is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser immersionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses copying by displaying 2D content as flat images on virtual surfaces within the VR environment, rather than converting the content into full 3D format. This approach copies the visual appearance of 2D content into the VR space, maintaining immersion while avoiding the substantial effort and cost of complete VR re-rendering.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If all content is rendered in same perspective for VR environment, then user immersion is maintained, but device complexity is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser immersionVSAvoidrendering complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the VR environment into different spatial zones and surfaces, each capable of displaying content with appropriate perspective properties. This allows the system to manage rendering complexity by treating different surfaces independently, assigning 2D or 3D content based on the specific surface and context, rather than requiring all content to be rendered in the same perspective.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9881584B2System and method for presenting content within virtual reality environment

Publication Date: 2018.01.30 COMCAST CABLE COMM LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for presenting two-dimensional (2D) content within a virtual reality (VR) presentation are disclosed. Some embodiments include providing the VR presentation to a user, receiving information of the 2D content for display during the VR presentation from an external source and obtaining location information related to a display location within the VR presentation for displaying the 2D content. The 2D content may be displayed at the display location based on the received information and the location information, wherein the display location corresponds to a 2D display rendered within the VR presentation.