XR Image Sensor Gating for Lower Power and Thermal Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Extended reality (XR) devices, particularly lightweight wearable electronic devices such as XR glasses, face challenges with reduced processing power, low resolution cameras, and limited power and thermal management, which hinder performance and increase energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
The technique involves dynamically deactivating image sensors and forgoing image processing of real-world content occluded by virtual content, based on context analysis of XR environments, including characteristics like shadow, occlusion, and reflection, to reduce energy consumption and thermal impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If image sensors continuously capture and process real-world content in XR environments, then XR display quality and user experience are improved, but energy consumption and thermal impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts image sensor operation based on virtual content prominence. When virtual content is detected to be prominent in the XR view, the system deactivates image sensors to save energy. When virtual content becomes non-prominent, the system reactivates sensors to maintain display quality. This dynamic state change resolves the contradiction by adapting energy consumption to actual display needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of image sensors from active capture to deactivated state based on content analysis. By monitoring characteristics of virtual and real-world content, the system modifies sensor activity parameters to match display requirements, reducing energy consumption when full capture capability is not needed for maintaining XR quality.
2Reliability
If image sensors continuously capture and process real-world content, then XR environment accuracy is maintained, but thermal impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts image sensor operation based on virtual content prominence. When virtual content is detected to be prominent in the XR view, the system deactivates image sensors to save energy. When virtual content becomes non-prominent, the system reactivates sensors to maintain display quality. This dynamic state change resolves the contradiction by adapting energy consumption to actual display needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic monitoring of XR environment characteristics to determine sensor activation states. By continuously or periodically analyzing content characteristics, the system creates periodic cycles of sensor activation and deactivation that balance thermal management with environmental accuracy requirements.
3Weight of moving object
If lightweight XR devices use reduced processing power and simpler components, then device portability is improved, but performance capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively activating image sensors only when necessary for maintaining XR quality. Instead of continuously operating all sensors at full capability, the system activates only the minimum required sensors based on virtual content prominence, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining adequate performance for portable devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-service by having the XR display system itself analyze its own content characteristics and automatically control sensor activation. This self-regulation eliminates the need for external power management complexity, allowing lightweight devices to maintain performance through intelligent rather than hardware-intensive means.
Data Source
AI summary
A method implemented by a computing device includes displaying on a display of the computing device an extended reality (XR) environment, and determining a context of the XR environment. Determining the context includes determining one or more characteristics associated with a virtual content and a scene of real-world content included within the displayed XR environment. The method further includes determining, based on the one or more characteristics, that the virtual content is displayed prominently with respect to the scene of real-world content, and in response to determining that the virtual content is displayed prominently with respect to the scene of real-world content, forgo an image processing of the scene of real-world content.