Head-Mounted Display Apparatus for Retaining a Portable Electronic Device with Display

• US 20150198811A1
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hoellwarth, Quin C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,482,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. (canceled)

2. A system comprising:

a head-mounted carrier;

a display supported by the head-mounted carrier, wherein the display is configured to display an image to a user; and

a touch sensor on the head-mounted carrier.

3. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the head-mounted carrier comprises a speaker.

4. The system defined in claim 3, wherein the head-mounted carrier comprises an eyeglass temple, and wherein the speaker is located on the eyeglass temple.

5. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the head-mounted carrier comprises earphones.

6. The system defined in claim 5, wherein the head-mounted carrier comprises first and second eyeglass temples, and wherein the earphones are integrated with the first and second eyeglass temples.

7. The system defined in claim 3, wherein the touch sensor is configured to control the speaker.

8. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the head-mounted carrier comprises an eyeglass temple, and wherein the touch sensor comprises a longitudinal touch sensor located on the eyeglass temple.

9. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the touch sensor is configured to control the display.

10. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the head-mounted carrier comprises an accelerometer configured to detect the user'"'"'s head movements.

11. The system defined in claim 10, wherein the system is configured to control the display based on the user'"'"'s head movements.

12. The system defined in claim 2, wherein the head-mounted carrier comprises a camera.

13. A method of controlling an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a head-mounted frame, a display supported by the head-mounted frame, and a touch sensor, the method comprising:

receiving a user input to the touch sensor; and

in response to the user input, controlling the electronic device.

14. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the electronic device comprises first and second lenses interposed between the head-mounted frame and the display, the method further comprising:

with the display, generating first and second image frames corresponding to the first and second lenses.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein generating the first and second image frames comprises generating first and second image frames that give the illusion of viewing media in three dimensions to a user.

16. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the head-mounted frame comprises an eyeglass temple with first and second opposing sides, and wherein the touch sensor extends along the eyeglass temple, the method further comprising:

in response to a user sliding a finger along the touch sensor from the first side to the second side, performing a first response.

17. The method defined in claim 16, further comprising:

in response to the user sliding a finger along the touch sensor from the second side to the first side, performing a second response that is different from the first response.

18. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the electronic device comprises a speaker, and wherein controlling the electronic device comprises adjusting a volume of the speaker.

19. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the electronic device further comprises a transceiver, the method further comprising:

with the transceiver, transmitting and receiving radio-frequency signals.

20. A head-mounted device that is worn on a user'"'"'s head and configured to integrate with a cellular telephone, the head-mounted device comprising:

a frame that is configured to physically receive and carry the cellular telephone, wherein the frame places a display screen of the cellular telephone in front of the user'"'"'s eyes; and

an optical subassembly configured to receive at least one image frame from the display screen of the cellular telephone, wherein the optical subassembly is interposed between the display screen and the user'"'"'s eyes.

21. The head-mounted device defined in claim 20, wherein the optical subassembly comprises a lens.

22. The head-mounted device defined in claim 20, wherein the optical subassembly comprises first and second lenses, and wherein the cellular telephone is configured to generate first and second image frames corresponding to the first and second lenses when the cellular telephone is integrated with the head-mounted device.

23. The head-mounted device defined in claim 22, wherein the head-mounted device is configured to give the illusion of viewing media in three dimensions to the user.

24. The head-mounted device defined in claim 20, further comprising a control configured to receive input from the user, wherein the control is configured to control the optical subassembly in response to the input from the user.

25. The head-mounted device defined in claim 20, further comprising a connector configured to receive a corresponding connector of the cellular telephone when the cellular telephone is integrated with the head-mounted device.

26. The head-mounted device defined in claim 20, further comprising an accelerometer configured to detect the user'"'"'s head movements.

27. The head-mounted device defined in claim 26, wherein the head-mounted device is configured to control the cellular telephone based on the user'"'"'s head movements.

28. The head-mounted device defined in claim 20, further comprising controls that allow the user to control the cellular telephone.

29. The head-mounted device defined in claim 28, wherein the controls comprise touch sensors.