Head-mounted display apparatus for retaining a portable electronic device with display

• US 10,306,036 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2017
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hoellwarth, Quin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US15/684,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20180063307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412, 351158
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/022 Viewing apparatus G02B27/04, G02B27/06, G02B27/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/028 characterised by the supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 : Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 : Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/10 : Special adaptations of display systems for operation with variable images
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 : Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 : using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/005 : Adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 : for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/391 : Resolution modifying circuits, e.g. variable screen formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 : Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 : carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 : for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 : specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 : according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Head-mounted display systems and methods of operation that allow users to couple and decouple a portable electronic device such as a handheld portable electronic device with a separate head-mounted device (e.g., temporarily integrates the separate devices into a single unit) are disclosed. The portable electronic may be physically coupled to the head-mounted device such that the portable electronic device can be worn on the user'"'"'s head. The portable electronic device may be operatively coupled to the head-mounted device such that the portable electronic device and head mounted device can communicate and operate with one another. Each device may be allowed to extend its features and/or services to the other device for the purpose of enhancing, increasing and/or eliminating redundant functions between the head-mounted device and the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone configured to couple to a head-mounted device, comprising:

a display that is configured to present images in a first format when the cellular telephone is not coupled to the head-mounted device and that is configured to present images in a second format that is different from the first format when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device; and

a speaker that is configured to produce audio when the cellular telephone is not coupled to the head-mounted device, wherein the cellular telephone is configured to direct audio to an additional speaker carried by the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device.

2. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1, wherein the display is configured to present a left image frame and a right image frame in the second format.

3. The cellular telephone defined in claim 2, wherein the left image frame is aligned with a first lens of the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device and the right image frame is aligned with a second lens of the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device.

4. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a connector that is configured to couple to a complementary connector in the head-mounted device.

5. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1, wherein the cellular telephone has a front face and an opposing rear face and the display is formed at the front face.

6. The cellular telephone defined in claim 5, further comprising a camera that is formed at the rear face.

7. A cellular telephone configured to couple to a head-mounted device, the cellular telephone having a front face and an opposing rear face, the cellular telephone comprising:

a speaker at the front face;

a camera at the rear face; and

a display at the front face that is configured to operate in a normal viewing mode when the cellular telephone is not coupled to the head-mounted device and that is configured to switch from the normal viewing mode to a close up viewing mode when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device.

8. The cellular telephone defined in claim 7, wherein the display is configured to present images in a different format while operating in the normal viewing mode than while operating in the close up viewing mode.

9. The cellular telephone defined in claim 7, wherein the display is configured to divide an image frame into a left image frame and a right image frame in the close up viewing mode.

10. The cellular telephone defined in claim 7, wherein the display is configured to display left and right image frames configured to give the illusion of three-dimensions in the close up viewing mode.

11. The cellular telephone defined in claim 10, wherein the left image frame is aligned with a first lens of the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device and the right image frame is aligned with a second lens of the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device.

12. The cellular telephone defined in claim 7, further comprising:

a speaker that is configured to produce audio when the cellular telephone is not coupled to the head-mounted device.

13. The cellular telephone defined in claim 12, wherein the cellular telephone is configured to direct audio to an additional speaker carried by the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device.

14. The cellular telephone defined in claim 12, wherein the cellular telephone is configured to direct audio to earphones carried by the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device.

15. The cellular telephone defined in claim 7, further comprising:

a connector that is configured to couple to a complementary connector in the head-mounted device.

16. A method of operating a cellular telephone that has a display and that is configured to be coupled to a head-mounted device, the method comprising:

operating the display in a first mode;

detecting that the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device; and

in response to detecting that the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device, switching the display from the first mode to a second mode in which left and right image frames configured to give the illusion of three-dimensions are displayed.

17. The method defined in claim 16, wherein operating the display in the first mode comprises displaying a single image frame.

18. The method defined in claim 16, wherein the left image frame is aligned with a first lens of the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device and the right image frame is aligned with a second lens of the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device.

19. The method defined in claim 16, wherein the cellular telephone has a speaker, the method further comprising:

while operating the display in the first mode, producing audio with the speaker.

20. The method defined in claim 19, further comprising:

while operating the display in the second mode, directing audio to an additional speaker carried by the head-mounted device.