Device and Method for Light and Shade Simulation in an Augmented-Reality System

• US 20080211813A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gigaset Communications GmbH (Gigaset AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Muller, Reiner, Schrepfer, Günter, Musto, Alexandra, Jamwal, Ankit
• Application Number:
  US11/665,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211813A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/426
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/1626 Arrangements with two photodetectors, the signals of which are compared
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/60 Shadow generation

Abstract

A device and a method guide light in an augmented-reality system, whereby a recorder unit, with an optical axis, records a real object and displays the same on a display unit. A data processing unit generates a virtual object and also displays the same on the display unit. Based on a known sensor positioning, a sensor alignment, a sensor directional diagram and a provided sensor output signal from at least two light-sensitive sensors, an illumination angle is then determined and the light guidance for the virtual object carried out in the display unit, based on said illumination angle.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A device for light guidance in an augmented reality system, comprising:

a recording unit, having an optical axis, to record a real object;

a display unit to display the real object and a virtual object after the real object has been recorded by the recording unit;

at least two light-sensitive sensors, each with a known sensor directivity pattern and having a known sensor positioning and sensor alignment with respect to the optical axis of the recording unit, the sensors each producing a detected sensor output signal; and

a data processing unit to determine an illumination angle in relation to the optical axis of the recording unit based on the known sensor positioning, the known sensor alignment, the known sensor directivity pattern and the sensor output signals, the data processing unit guiding light for the virtual object as a function of the illumination angle.

24. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein while light is being guided, a virtual shadow and/or a virtual fill-in region for the virtual object is inserted on an image of the virtual object on the display unit.

25. The device as claimed in one of claim 23, wherein a one-dimensional illumination angle is determined by establishing a relationship between two sensor output signals taking into account the respective sensor directivity.

26. The device as claimed in claim 25, wherein a spatial illumination angle is determined by triangulating two one-dimensional illumination angles.

27. The device as claimed in one of claim 23, further comprising:

a detection unit to detect a color temperature of light used to illuminate the real object, and

an analysis unit to analyze the color temperature and to determine whether the light is daylight or artificial light environment.

28. The device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the detection unit is part of the recording unit and the analysis unit is part of the data processing unit.

29. The device as claimed in one of claim 25, further comprising a timer unit to output a time of day, with a spatial illumination angle being determined based on the one-dimensional illumination angle and the time of day.

30. The device as claimed in one of claim 23, wherein the light-sensitive sensors have the same directivity pattern.

31. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the light-sensitive sensors are positioned at opposite ends of a field, with a distance between the light-sensitive sensors being as large as possible.

32. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the illumination angle is determined continuously as a temporal function of the recording unit.

33. The device as claimed in one of claim 23, wherein the light-sensitive sensors are rotatable.

34. The device as claimed in claim 23, further comprising a threshold value decision unit to determine whether the illumination angle is unique, the light for the virtual object not being guided unless the illumination angle is unique.

35. A method for light guidance in an augmented reality system, comprising:

recording a real object using a recording unit having an optical axis;

displaying the recorded real object on a display unit;

generating a virtual object using a data processing unit;

displaying the virtual object on the display unit;

detecting actual illumination using at least two light-sensitive sensors, each having a known sensor directivity pattern, a known sensor positioning and a known sensor alignment, the sensors each producing a sensor output signal;

determining an illumination angle of the actual illumination in relation to the optical axis of the recording unit, the illumination angle being determined using the sensor output signals the known sensor positioning, the known sensor alignment and the known sensor directivity patterns; and

carrying out]guiding virtual light for the virtual object as a function of the illumination angle.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein while light is being guided, a virtual shadow and/or a virtual fill-in region for the virtual object is inserted on an image of the virtual object on the display unit.

37. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein a one-dimensional illumination angle is determined by establishing a relationship between two sensor output signals.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37, wherein in step a spatial illumination angle is determined by triangulating two one-dimensional illumination angles.

39. The method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising detecting a color temperature of the actual illumination to determine whether the actual illumination is daylight or artificial light.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the color temperature is detected by the recording unit.

41. The method as claimed in claim 39 wherein a time of day is, and

when the actual illumination is determined to be daylight, a spatial illumination angle is determined based on a one-dimensional illumination angle and the time of day.

42. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the light-sensitive sensors are positioned at opposite ends of a field, with a distance between the light-sensitive sensors being as large as possible.

43. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the illumination angle is determined continuously as a temporal function of the recording unit.

44. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the light-sensitive sensors are rotatable.