Apparatuses and methods for linking mobile computing devices for virtual reality experiences
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first data transfer connector plug associated with a first digital data transfer protocol and configured to mate with a first data transfer connector receptacle of a first mobile computing device configured to run a first instance of a virtual-reality-related application and to run one or more non-virtual-reality-related applications;
a second data transfer connector plug associated with a second digital data transfer protocol and configured to mate with a second data transfer connector receptacle of a second mobile computing device configured to run a second instance of the virtual-reality-related application and to run one or more non-virtual-reality-related applications;
a housing that houses the first and second data transfer connector plugs and that is configured to facilitate a positioning of the first and second mobile computing devices in front of respective eyes of a user in a dual-screen extended configuration for an enhanced presentation of a virtual reality experience to the user by allowing the first and second data transfer connector plugs to mate with the first and second data transfer connector receptacles, respectively, only when the first and second mobile computing devices are physically adjacent to one another; and
a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the first data transfer connector plug with the second data transfer connector plug to provide, when the first and second data transfer connector plugs are mated with the first and second data transfer connector receptacles, respectively, a data transfer link between the first and second mobile computing devices over which data associated with the first and second instances of the virtual-reality-related application is transferred in accordance with the first and second digital data transfer protocols to enable the enhanced presentation of the virtual reality experience to the user when the first and second mobile computing devices are positioned in front of the respective eyes of the user in the dual-screen extended configuration.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary linking apparatus includes first and second data transfer connector plugs configured to mate, respectively, with first and second data transfer connector receptacles of first and second mobile computing devices configured to run respective instances of a virtual-reality-related application. The linking apparatus may further include a housing configured to facilitate a positioning of the first and second mobile computing devices in front of a user in a dual-screen extended landscape configuration by allowing the data transfer connector plugs to mate only when the mobile computing devices are physically adjacent to one another. The linking apparatus may also include a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the data transfer connector plugs to provide a data transfer link between the mobile computing devices over which data associated with the instances of the virtual-reality-related application may be transferred to enable an enhanced presentation of a virtual reality experience to the user.
17 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a first data transfer connector plug associated with a first digital data transfer protocol and configured to mate with a first data transfer connector receptacle of a first mobile computing device configured to run a first instance of a virtual-reality-related application and to run one or more non-virtual-reality-related applications; a second data transfer connector plug associated with a second digital data transfer protocol and configured to mate with a second data transfer connector receptacle of a second mobile computing device configured to run a second instance of the virtual-reality-related application and to run one or more non-virtual-reality-related applications; a housing that houses the first and second data transfer connector plugs and that is configured to facilitate a positioning of the first and second mobile computing devices in front of respective eyes of a user in a dual-screen extended configuration for an enhanced presentation of a virtual reality experience to the user by allowing the first and second data transfer connector plugs to mate with the first and second data transfer connector receptacles, respectively, only when the first and second mobile computing devices are physically adjacent to one another; and a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the first data transfer connector plug with the second data transfer connector plug to provide, when the first and second data transfer connector plugs are mated with the first and second data transfer connector receptacles, respectively, a data transfer link between the first and second mobile computing devices over which data associated with the first and second instances of the virtual-reality-related application is transferred in accordance with the first and second digital data transfer protocols to enable the enhanced presentation of the virtual reality experience to the user when the first and second mobile computing devices are positioned in front of the respective eyes of the user in the dual-screen extended configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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mating, by a first data transfer connector plug associated with a first digital data transfer protocol and included on a mobile computing device linking apparatus, with a first data transfer connector receptacle of a first mobile computing device configured to run a first instance of a virtual-reality-related application and to run one or more non-virtual-reality-related applications; mating, by a second data transfer connector plug associated with a second digital data transfer protocol and included on the mobile computing device linking apparatus, with a second data transfer connector receptacle of a second mobile computing device configured to run a second instance of the virtual-reality-related application and to run one or more non-virtual-reality-related applications; facilitating, by a housing of the mobile computing device linking apparatus that houses the first and second data transfer connector plugs and in response to the mating of the first and second data transfer connector plugs with the respective first and second data transfer connector receptacles and only when the first and second mobile computing devices are physically adjacent to one another, a positioning of the first and second mobile computing devices in front of respective eyes of a user in a dual-screen extended configuration for an enhanced presentation of a virtual reality experience to the user; and providing, by a plurality of conductors of the mobile computing device linking apparatus electrically coupling the first data transfer connector plug with the second data transfer connector plug and in response to the mating of the first and second data transfer connector plugs with the respective first and second data transfer connector receptacles, a data transfer link between the first and second mobile computing devices over which data associated with the first and second instances of the virtual-reality-related application is transferred in accordance with the first and second digital data transfer protocols to enable the enhanced presentation of the virtual reality experience to the user when the first and second mobile computing devices are positioned in front of the respective eyes of the user in the dual-screen extended configuration. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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a first instance of a virtual-reality-related application running on a first mobile computing device configured to run the first instance of the virtual-reality-related application and to run one or more non-virtual-reality-related applications; a second instance of the virtual-reality-related application running on a second mobile computing device configured to run the second instance of the virtual-reality-related application and to run one or more non-virtual-reality-related applications; and a mobile computing device linking apparatus comprising a first data transfer connector plug associated with a first digital data transfer protocol and configured to mate with a first data transfer connector receptacle of the first mobile computing device, a second data transfer connector plug associated with a second digital data transfer protocol and configured to mate with a second data transfer connector receptacle of the second mobile computing device, a housing that houses the first and second data transfer connector plugs and that is configured to facilitate a positioning of the first and second mobile computing devices in front of respective eyes of a user in a dual-screen extended configuration for an enhanced presentation of a virtual reality experience to the user by allowing the first and second data transfer connector plugs to mate with the first and second data transfer connector receptacles, respectively, only when the first and second mobile computing devices are physically adjacent to one another, and a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the first data transfer connector plug with the second data transfer connector plug to provide, when the first and second data transfer connector plugs are mated with the first and second data transfer connector receptacles, respectively, a data transfer link between the first and second mobile computing devices over which data associated with the first and second instances of the virtual-reality-related application is transferred in accordance with the first and second digital data transfer protocols to enable the enhanced presentation of the virtual reality experience to the user when the first and second mobile computing devices are positioned in front of the respective eyes of the user in the dual-screen extended configuration. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification