# How AR Glasses Make Virtual Objects Look Solid > This patent describes how augmented reality glasses can make virtual objects appear more distinct by selectively blocking real-world light behind them using a special pixelated filter. - **Patent:** US 10573086 - **Original title:** Opacity filter for display device - **Owner:** Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB - **Granted:** 2020 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 14 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, software, telecommunications, ai_ml ## What it does The patent describes an optical see-through display device, like AR glasses, that helps virtual images look more real. It includes an "opacity filter" (Claim 1), which is a grid of tiny pixels, like a transparent screen, placed between your eye and the real world. A "display component" shows the augmented reality image. An "opacity filter control circuit" then makes specific pixels in this filter less transparent (more opaque) exactly where the augmented reality image is displayed (Claim 2). This selective blocking of real-world light behind the virtual image makes the virtual image appear more solid and distinct. For example, if you're wearing these glasses and a virtual dog appears to sit on your real-world table, the filter would darken the part of the table directly behind the virtual dog, making the dog look less ghostly and more like it's actually there. The filter can also adjust opacity around the edges of the virtual image (Claim 4, 5, 6) or based on the image's position relative to the display's boundaries (Claim 8, 9). ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover augmented reality systems that entirely block the real-world view (e.g., virtual reality headsets). - Does not cover systems where the opacity filter's control is unrelated to the shape or position of the augmented reality image. - Does not cover methods of making AR images appear distinct without using a pixelated, controllable opacity filter. - Does not cover AR systems that only use projection onto the real world without a physical filter to adjust real-world light. - Does not cover systems where the opacity filter is not positioned between the user's eye and the real-world scene. ## The clever bit The clever bit is using a pixelated, controllable opacity filter to dynamically block real-world light only where an augmented reality image is displayed. This makes the virtual image stand out more clearly against the real background, solving a key problem of making virtual objects appear solid and not ghost-like. ## Real-world examples 1. Microsoft HoloLens 2 2. Magic Leap 2 3. Future consumer AR glasses 4. Industrial AR headsets for maintenance or training ## Why it matters This technology is crucial for making augmented reality experiences more immersive and believable. One of the biggest challenges in AR is making virtual objects look like they truly belong in the real world, especially when they should appear in front of real objects. This patent addresses the "occlusion problem" by enhancing the visual fidelity of AR images, which is vital for widespread adoption of AR glasses in consumer and industrial applications. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How AR Glasses Make Virtual Objects Look Solid cover? This patent describes how augmented reality glasses can make virtual objects appear more distinct by selectively blocking real-world light behind them using a special pixelated filter. ### Who owns patent US 10573086? Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson AB owns this patent, granted in 2020. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on August 22, 2039, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 10573086 cited by? This patent has been cited by 14 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? This technology is crucial for making augmented reality experiences more immersive and believable. One of the biggest challenges in AR is making virtual objects look like they truly belong in the real world, especially when they should appear in front of real objects. This patent addresses the "occlusion problem" by enhancing the visual fidelity of AR images, which is vital for widespread adoption of AR glasses in consumer and industrial applications. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover augmented reality systems that entirely block the real-world view (e.g., virtual reality headsets). **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10573086/opacity-filter-for-display-device **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10573086 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Disney's Compact AR Display Uses Special Mirrors](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12386177/compact-augmented-reality-virtual-reality-display) — Disney's patent describes a compact augmented reality display that uses a clever arrangement of three special wavelength-splitting mirrors to efficiently show digital images layered over the real world. - [How Devices Detect Touch Using Heat Signatures](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20210117042/method-and-device-for-detecting-a-touch-between-a-first-object-and-a-second-obje) — This patent describes a system that uses a thermal camera to detect when two objects, like a finger and a screen, touch by looking for a specific temperature change at their contact point. - [How Foldable Screens Use Electrochromic Layers to Improve Color and Contrast](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12354567/sea-level-raptor) — A method for foldable display panels to adjust their light-filtering properties using electrochromic layers that change color or opacity based on whether the screen is stretched or folded. - [How Sony's Smart Glasses Share Content During Voice Calls](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10003680/apple-pay) — A patent for wearable smart glasses that let you see digital information overlaid on the real world and share that content with someone else during a phone call. - [How Snap's AR Tech Measures Distance for Virtual Button Presses](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12008152/vision-pro-persona) — A method for mobile devices to calculate exactly when a user's finger or controller touches a virtual object in augmented reality by measuring precise distances from the camera.