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

• US 10,530,914 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2018
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hoellwarth, Quin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen G
• Application Number:
  US16/213,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20190116252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• 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 having a top edge, a bottom edge, and side portions that extend between the top and bottom edges;

a display supported by the support structure;

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

an accelerometer on the support structure that detects movement of the support structure;

a sensor on the support structure that gathers sensor data;

a processor configured to use the display to present image based content and pause the image based content in response to the sensor data; and

foam that is formed continuously along the entire top edge of the support structure.

2. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the support structure has a front panel and a nose cutout, wherein the display is positioned along the front panel, wherein the display is interposed between the front panel and the first and second lenses, and wherein the head-mounted apparatus further comprises:

first and second structures that are coupled to the support structure and that extend away from the front panel of the support structure; and

a strap attached to the first and second structures.

3. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the accelerometer is configured to detect a head movement and the processor is configured to control the display based on the detected head movement.

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

a speaker supported by the support structure, wherein the accelerometer is configured to detect a head movement and the processor is configured to control a volume of the speaker based on the detected head movement.

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

a strap coupled to the support structure; and

a speaker integrated into the strap.

6. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is configured to be worn on a head of a user, wherein the support structure has first and second opposing sides, wherein the support structure has a front panel on the first side, wherein the first lens aligns with a left eye of the user when worn on the head of the user, wherein the second lens aligns with a right eye of the user when worn on the head of the user, wherein the foam is formed on the second side of the support structure and is configured to engage a face of the user, and wherein the support structure has a nose cutout on the second side that accommodates the nose of the user.

7. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the support structure has a nose cutout on the second side that accommodates a nose of the user, wherein the nose cutout has first and second opposing sides, and wherein the foam is formed on both the first side of the nose cutout and the second side of the nose cutout.

8. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the foam is configured to engage a face of the user.

9. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the foam is formed along the side portions of the support structure.

10. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the foam is formed along at least a portion of the bottom edge of the support structure.

11. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the foam is formed continuously along at least a first portion of the bottom edge, a left side portion that extends between the top and bottom edges, the top edge, a right side portion that extends between the top and bottom edges, and at least a second portion of the bottom edge.

12. A head-mounted apparatus comprising:

a support structure;

a display supported by the support structure;

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

an accelerometer on the support structure that detects movement of the support structure;

a microphone on the support structure that gathers sensor data;

a processor configured to use the display to present image based content and pause the image based content in response to the sensor data; and

a speaker supported by the support structure, wherein the processor is configured to change a volume of the speaker in response to the microphone detecting ambient noise greater than a given volume threshold.

13. A head-mounted apparatus that is operable with a removable cellular telephone with a display comprising:

a support structure having a front panel and a rear panel, wherein the front panel and the rear panel define a cavity that is configured to receive the removable cellular telephone;

first and second lenses through which the display of the removable cellular telephone is viewable when the removable cellular telephone is mounted in the cavity;

an accelerometer on the support structure that detects movement of the support structure; and

a sensor on the support structure that gathers sensor data, wherein image based content presented on the display is controlled based on the sensor data.

14. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 13, further comprising:

foam on the support structure;

first and second structures that are coupled to the support structure and that extend away from the front panel of the support structure; and

a strap attached to the first and second structures.

15. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein the accelerometer is configured to detect a head movement and wherein the display is configured to be controlled based on the detected head movement.

16. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 13, further comprising:

a strap coupled to the support structure; and

a speaker integrated into the strap.

17. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein the head-mounted apparatus is configured to be worn on a head of a user, wherein the first lens aligns with a left eye of the user when worn on the head of the user, wherein the second lens aligns with a right eye of the user when worn on the head of the user, and wherein the head-mounted apparatus further comprises:

foam on the second side of the support structure that is configured to engage a face of the user, wherein the support structure has a nose cutout that accommodates the nose of the user.