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

• US 10,530,915 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2019
• 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:
  US16/418,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20190273815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 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 system comprising:

a cellular telephone having a display that is operable in a normal viewing mode and a close up viewing mode; and

a head-mounted device having;

a support structure that is configured to support the cellular telephone in a docking area; and

first and second lenses through which the display of the cellular telephone is viewable when the cellular telephone is in the docking area, wherein the cellular telephone is configured to switch the display to the close up viewing mode when the cellular telephone is in the docking area.

2. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the cellular telephone has a connector and wherein the head-mounted device comprises:

a retention structure configured to secure the cellular telephone within the docking area;

a connector configured to mate with the connector of the cellular telephone;

foam coupled to the support structure; and

at least one strap coupled to the support structure.

3. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the head-mounted device has a button supported by the support structure and wherein the cellular telephone is configured to be controlled by input to the button when the cellular telephone is in the docking area.

4. The system defined in claim 1, wherein a size of the docking area is adjustable.

5. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the head-mounted device further comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a proximity sensor, an accelerometer, and a touch sensor.

6. The system defined in claim 5, wherein the cellular telephone is configured to be controlled by input to the sensor of the head-mounted device when the cellular telephone is in the docking area.

7. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the cellular telephone has a front face and an opposing rear face, wherein the display is formed at the front face, and wherein the cellular telephone further comprises:

a speaker at the front face; and

a camera at the rear face.

8. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the support structure of the head-mounted device has a nose cutout and wherein the head-mounted device further comprises:

foam on the support structure that is positioned within the nose cutout.

9. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the display of the cellular telephone is configured to present images having a first resolution in the normal viewing mode and wherein the display of the cellular telephone is configured to present images having a second resolution that is different than the first resolution in the close up viewing mode.

10. A cellular telephone having a front face and an opposing rear face, the cellular telephone comprising:

a speaker;

a proximity sensor that is configured to generate proximity sensor data;

a camera at the rear face; and

a display at the front face that is configured to present images in a first format in a first display mode and present images in a second format that is different from the first format in a second display mode, wherein the display is configured to present a left image frame and a right image frame while operating in the second display mode and wherein the display is configured to switch between the first display mode and the second display mode based on the proximity sensor data.

11. The cellular telephone defined in claim 10, wherein the left and right image frames presented in the second display mode are configured to give the illusion of three-dimensions.

12. The cellular telephone defined in claim 10, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to sense a coupling to a head-mounted device.

13. The cellular telephone defined in claim 12, wherein the display is configured to switch from the first display mode to the second display mode in response to the proximity sensor sensing the coupling to the head-mounted device.

14. The cellular telephone defined in claim 10, wherein the display is configured to present images having a first resolution in the first display mode and wherein the display of the cellular telephone is configured to present images having a second resolution that is different than the first resolution in the second display mode.

15. The cellular telephone defined in claim 10, wherein the display is configured to switch from the first display mode to the second display mode in response to the proximity sensor data.

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

a connector; and

a display that is operable in one of a first display mode and a second display mode, wherein the display is configured to present a left image frame and a right image frame while operating in the second display mode and wherein the display is configured to switch from the first display mode to the second display mode in response to coupling of the connector to the head-mounted device.

17. The cellular telephone defined in claim 16, further comprising a speaker, a button, and a camera.

18. The cellular telephone defined in claim 16, wherein the connector is configured to couple to a complementary connector in the head-mounted device.

19. The cellular telephone defined in claim 18, wherein the connector is a female connector and the complementary connector in the head-mounted device is a male connector.

20. The cellular telephone defined in claim 16, wherein the display is configured to present images having a first resolution in the first display mode and wherein the display is configured to present images having a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution in the second display mode.