XR Occluded Data Visualization Using Gesture-Based Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

In extended reality (XR) environments, it is challenging for users to visualize and interact with occluded data structures due to overwhelming amounts of continuous data, making it difficult to understand specific elements or sections, especially in contexts like radio-network frequency data, where viewing data behind other data is obstructed.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method using intuitive hand gestures to temporarily remove or manipulate visualized 3D data structures, allowing the user to expose occluded data by gestures that define directions, depths, and angles for altering the view, enabling the visualization of hidden data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If continuous data structures are visualized in XR to show all available information, then the completeness of data representation is improved, but the user's ability to understand specific elements is worsened due to overwhelming amount of data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of visualized dataVSAvoiduser understanding of specific elements
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the continuous data structure into discrete, interactable units. Users can select and manipulate individual data elements or groups of elements independently, allowing them to focus on specific portions of the data without being overwhelmed by the entire dataset. This segmentation enables selective visualization and interaction with particular data segments while hiding or de-emphasizing others.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements the extraction principle by allowing users to remove or extract specific data structures from the visualization. When users select data elements they wish to examine, the system extracts these elements from the occluding continuous structure, making them visible and interactable. This extraction capability enables users to pull out specific elements of interest from the overwhelming data mass for detailed inspection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of information

If users change their viewpoint to see occluded data, then visibility of hidden data is improved, but the complexity of interaction is worsened requiring physical movement or virtual viewpoint changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of occluded dataVSAvoidinteraction complexity for viewpoint change
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring users to change their viewpoint to see occluded data, the patent extracts the occluded data structures from their hidden positions and brings them into the visible foreground. Users can select data elements behind occluding structures, and the system extracts and displays these elements independently, allowing inspection without viewpoint changes or physical movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dimensionality change by allowing users to interact with data in multiple dimensions simultaneously. Rather than moving through 3D space to view different angles, users can select and manipulate data elements along multiple spatial dimensions through direct selection gestures, effectively adding an interaction dimension that bypasses traditional viewpoint-changing requirements.

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

3Loss of information

If data structures are removed to expose occluded data, then visibility of hidden data is improved, but the data state is worsened by permanent alteration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of occluded dataVSAvoidoriginal data state
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making the data structure manipulation reversible and dynamically adjustable. When users remove or relocate data structures to expose occluded data, these changes are temporary and can be undone or adjusted. The system maintains the original data state in memory, allowing users to restore or reposition structures as needed, transforming static data visualization into a dynamic, flexible exploration environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by allowing users to temporarily discard (remove from view) data structures that are obscuring their line of sight, with the capability to recover these structures afterward. The removed data is not permanently deleted but held in a recoverable state, enabling users to examine occluded data and then restore the original visualization configuration when finished.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentEP4711904A1Visualizing occluded data structures
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 HEXAGON INNOVATION HUB GMBH
  • EP4711904A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4711904A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4711904A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention pertains to a computer-implemented method (100) for visualizing, in an extended reality (XR), occluded data, the XR visualizing front data, behind which the occluded data is hidden, the method comprising: displaying (110) a view on the XR to a user on an XR device, the view comprising 3D representations of the visualized front data; receiving (120) commands from the user regarding a change of the view on the XR; and changing (130) the view on the extended reality based on the commands, wherein receiving (120) the commands comprises performing a gesture recognition procedure (122) to detect (124) execution of pre-defined gestures by the user, wherein each of the pre-defined gestures is interpreted (126) as a corresponding command for the XR device. The predefined gestures comprise at least one removal gesture that corresponds to a removal command of the XR device, wherein, upon receiving the removal command, the view on the XR is changed by removing (132) the representations of the front data and visualizing (134) 3D representations of the occluded data to the user, wherein the removal gesture specifies a direction, a depth, and at least one of a width and an angle; and the representation of the front data is removed around a removal position defined by the specified direction, with the specified depth and with the specified width or the specified angle, respectively.