Virtual Reality Object Sharing via Viewpoint Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

In virtual reality, it is challenging for a first user to convey their viewing experience of an object to a second user in a way that the second user can witness the object from the same perspective, especially when they are in a different virtual location or time within the virtual reality space, leading to disorientation and disruption of the continuous viewing experience.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that utilize first-user-viewing-experience information to render a 3-dimensional model of the object of interest in the second user's virtual reality space, synchronizing the point of view and appearance changes, allowing the second user to see the object as viewed by the first user, while maintaining continuity of their own virtual reality experience by isolating the object from background imagery and applying visual effects for distinction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the second user is shown the object from their current virtual location, then the second user can see the object, but the viewing perspective differs from the first user's experience, causing disorientation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing perspective accuracyVSAvoiduser experience continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a copy of the first user's viewing experience by capturing their point of view data (coordinates, orientation, timing) and reproducing it in the second user's virtual reality environment. This allows the second user to see exactly what the first user saw, maintaining perspective accuracy while preserving their own virtual location and experience continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary layer that translates the first user's viewing data into visual representations within the second user's virtual space. This intermediary mechanism reconciles the conflicting requirements by mediating between the original viewpoint and the second user's perspective, allowing both accuracy and continuity to coexist.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the first user's viewpoint is reproduced in the second user's virtual space, then the viewing experience is accurate, but it disrupts the second user's continuous virtual reality experience

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing experience accuracyVSAvoidvirtual reality experience continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the virtual reality experience into distinct layers: the second user's base virtual environment and the overlaid first user's viewpoint representation. This segmentation allows the accurate reproduction of the first user's experience without disrupting the stability and continuity of the second user's primary virtual reality experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system adds another dimension to the second user's virtual space by superimposing the first user's viewpoint data as an additional visual layer. This dimensional addition allows the first user's experience to be reproduced accurately while maintaining the second user's original virtual environment intact, preventing disruption to experience continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If background imagery is removed to isolate the object, then the object is clearly visible, but the context and surroundings are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject isolation qualityVSAvoidcontextual information
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of removing or altering the background imagery, the system creates a copy of the first user's complete viewpoint including both the object of interest and its surrounding context. This copying approach preserves all contextual information while still allowing the object to be clearly visible, as it appears exactly as it did in the original viewing experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary capture of the complete viewing context before any display to the second user. By recording the full viewpoint data (coordinates, orientation, timing) in advance, the system ensures that contextual information is preserved and can be accurately reproduced, preventing any loss of context while maintaining clear object visibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3264371B1Apparatus for sharing objects of interest and associated methods
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3264371B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3264371B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3264371B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

An apparatus configured to, in respect of first and second virtual reality content each configured to provide imagery for a respective first (206) and second (203) virtual reality space for viewing in virtual reality; and based on first-user-viewing-experience information defining an appearance of an object of interest (205) that appears in the first virtual reality content (206) as viewed, in virtual reality, by a first user (201), and defining a time-variant point of view from which the first user (201) viewed the object of interest (205); providing for display to a second user (202), the second user (202) provided with a virtual reality view of the second virtual reality content (203), of imagery of the object of interest (204) superimposed into the virtual reality space of the second virtual reality content (203) such that the second user (202) is able, while viewing the second virtual reality content (203), to witness the object of interest (204) as it was viewed by the first user.