VR/AR Display Depth-Plane Control for Comfortable 3D Viewing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual and augmented reality technologies struggle to provide a comfortable and natural-feeling presentation of virtual image elements amidst real-world imagery due to the complexity of the human visual perception system.
Innovation Solution
A display system that utilizes a display controller to shift and scale virtual or augmented reality objects across multiple depth planes based on control information embedded in the imagery, without re-rendering, and incorporates sensors to estimate head pose and ambient lighting for enhanced immersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If virtual reality systems present computer-generated imagery through a display, then a simulated environment is created for user immersion, but the human visual perception system's complexity makes it challenging to achieve comfortable and natural-feeling presentation
Solution Approach 1:
The display is divided into multiple depth planes (first depth plane, second depth plane, etc.) with different focal distances. Virtual objects are segmented and assigned to different depth planes based on their intended perceived distance, allowing the system to present multiple focal distances simultaneously and accommodate the natural accommodation-vergence relationship of the human visual system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a depth plane dimension to the traditional two-dimensional display. By organizing imagery across multiple depth planes with different focal distances, the system creates a three-dimensional viewing experience that better matches human visual perception, resolving the contradiction between immersion and comfort.
2Reliability
If the display controller shifts and scales virtual objects across multiple depth planes based on embedded control information, then accommodation and vergence cues are aligned for better realism, but the processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Control information including shift and scale parameters are embedded in the imagery data during the graphics rendering stage. This preliminary action allows the display controller to simply retrieve and apply pre-calculated transformation parameters rather than performing complex real-time calculations, reducing processing complexity while maintaining realism.
Solution Approach 2:
Embedded control information acts as an intermediary between the graphics processor and the display controller. This intermediary carries pre-computed transformation data that simplifies the display controller's task, allowing it to focus on applying transformations across multiple depth planes without handling complex rendering computations.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the system performs shifting and scaling operations without re-rendering imagery, then power consumption is reduced, but the flexibility to adapt to head pose changes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts transformation parameters (shift and scale values) based on real-time head pose sensor data. While the imagery itself is not re-rendered, the control parameters are dynamically updated to maintain proper alignment between virtual objects and the user's viewpoint, preserving adaptability while reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes transformation parameters (shift and scale) rather than re-rendering the entire imagery. This parameter-based approach allows for efficient power consumption while maintaining adaptability to head pose changes, as the parameters can be quickly adjusted without the computational cost of full re-rendering.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) display system is configured to control a display using control information that is embedded in or otherwise included with imagery data to be presented through the display. The control information can indicate depth plane(s) and/or color plane(s) to be used to present the imagery data, depth plane(s) and/or color plane(s) to be activated or inactivated, shift(s) of at least a portion of the imagery data (e.g., one or more pixels) laterally within a depth plane and/or longitudinally between depth planes, other adjustment(s) to the virtual imagery, and/or other suitable controls.