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

• US 10,306,037 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2017
• 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., Prest, Christopher D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen G
• Application Number:
  US15/814,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20180084093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 345 8, 345173
• 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 head-mounted apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a display supported by the support structure, wherein the display is opaque;

a camera configured to capture an image;

lenses adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and

a processor configured to operate in a first mode in which content is displayed on the display without displaying the captured image and in a second mode in which the captured image is displayed on the display.

2. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the captured image is overlaid over a portion of the content in the second mode.

3. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the content is overlaid over the captured image in the second mode.

4. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the content comprises game content.

5. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor, wherein the processor is configured to operate in the second mode in response to detection of a stimulus by the sensor.

6. A head-mounted apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a display supported by the support structure;

a camera configured to capture an image;

lenses adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and

a processor configured to operate in a first mode in which content is displayed on the display without displaying the captured image and in a second mode in which only the captured image is displayed on the display.

7. A head-mounted apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a display supported by the support structure;

a camera configured to capture an image;

lenses adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and

a processor configured to;

operate in a first mode in which content is displayed on the display without displaying the captured image;

operate in a second mode in which both the content and the captured image are simultaneously displayed on the display; and

operate in a third mode in which the captured image is displayed on the display without displaying the content.

8. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein both the content and the captured image are simultaneously displayed on the display in the second mode by overlaying the captured image over a portion of the content.

9. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein both the content and the captured image are simultaneously displayed on the display in the second mode by overlaying the content over the captured image.

10. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the content comprises game content.

11. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the content comprises text.

12. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the content comprises a graphical user interface associated with a software application.

13. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the content comprises image based content associated with a software application.

14. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the content comprises game content.

15. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, further comprising:

a proximity sensor, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode in response to detection of an object by the proximity sensor.

16. A head-mounted apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a display supported by the support structure;

a camera configured to capture an image;

lenses adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable;

a processor configured to operate in an internal viewing mode in which the captured image is not displayed, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the internal viewing mode to an external viewing mode in which the captured image is displayed on the display in response to a stimulus; and

a proximity sensor that is configured to detect the stimulus.

17. A head-mounted apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a display supported by the support structure;

a camera configured to capture an image;

lenses adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable;

a processor configured to operate in an internal viewing mode in which the captured image is not displayed, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the internal viewing mode to an external viewing mode in which the captured image is displayed on the display in response to a stimulus; and

a speaker that is configured to provide audio at a volume that is lowered in response to the stimulus.

18. A head-mounted apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a display supported by the support structure;

a camera configured to capture an image;

lenses adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable;

a processor configured to operate in an internal viewing mode in which the captured image is not displayed, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the internal viewing mode to an external viewing mode in which the captured image is displayed on the display in response to a stimulus and wherein content is displayed on the display in the internal viewing mode;

a microphone configured to capture audio; and

a speaker that is configured to provide audio that is associated with the displayed content in the internal viewing mode and to provide the captured audio from the microphone in the external viewing mode.