VR Headset Notification and Energy Control System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users immersed in virtual reality (VR) environments are unaware of their surroundings, leading to potential security concerns and inefficiencies in energy usage, as existing systems only allow for reactive viewing of external surroundings without proactive measures.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that integrate VR activity detection with home automation, allowing notifications and environmental parameter adjustments, such as lighting and temperature control, based on user profiles and initiator device inputs, to maintain user awareness and conserve energy while in VR.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a user employs a virtual reality headset to achieve complete immersion, then the sense of immersion is improved, but the user becomes unaware of their surrounding environment, leading to security concerns and inability to respond to important events
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the notification delivery mechanism by creating different notification pathways: full VR immersion mode with no interruptions, and selective notification mode for important events. This allows the user to experience complete immersion when safe while maintaining awareness of critical environmental events through haptic feedback and audio alerts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that sits between the external environment and the VR user. This intermediary monitors environmental sensors, filters events based on priority levels, and delivers notifications through haptic feedback devices integrated into the VR headset, allowing important information to reach the user without breaking immersion.
2Reliability
If a user remains aware of their environment during VR use, then security and safety are improved, but the sense of immersion is undesirably lessened
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different quality levels of awareness to different types of environmental events. Critical events (fire alarms, intruders) trigger noticeable haptic and audio notifications, while non-critical events are either filtered out or delivered with minimal disruption. This local differentiation maintains immersion for routine situations while ensuring awareness of important events.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic environmental scanning through sensors that continuously monitor the environment at scheduled intervals. This periodic checking allows the system to maintain awareness of the surroundings without requiring constant user attention, thus preserving immersion while ensuring periodic environmental awareness.
3Reliability
If camera mode is enabled to view external surroundings, then environmental awareness is improved, but it is a reactive solution that does not allow proactive action to be taken
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously monitoring environmental sensors and pre-processing events before they require user attention. The intermediary system analyzes sensor data in advance, identifies potential threats, and prepares appropriate notification responses, enabling the user to take proactive action based on pre-processed information rather than reactively viewing surroundings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where environmental sensors continuously provide information to the intermediary system, which then provides feedback to the user through haptic and audio notifications. This feedback loop enables the user to take action based on real-time environmental information without needing to visually check the surroundings, improving both awareness and response capability.
4Loss of energy
If environmental parameters are adjusted while a user is in VR, then energy conservation is improved, but the user may not be aware of important environmental changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by adjusting environmental parameters in advance based on predicted user behavior and VR session duration. The intermediary system pre-cools or pre-heats environments, adjusts lighting levels, and manages device power states before the user would naturally notice or respond to these changes, thereby conserving energy while maintaining user comfort and awareness of critical changes.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods described provide and add significant functionality to virtual and augmented reality display systems. For example, when a user is “immersed” in a virtual reality environment, certain home environmental parameters may be changed, or may change state, and efforts at energy conservation can be automatically or semi-automatically initiated, at least temporarily, while the user is in the virtual reality environment. This allows the user to reduce energy consumption in their home while they are immersed in the virtual reality world by automatically turning down output to lights and other devices that the user does not need while in the headset. Users are further provided with the benefit of notifications during their virtual reality experience, bridging the gap of separation from the outside world with regard to security by allowing users to remain “in” a virtual reality environment while they are still alerted of important activity in their surroundings.