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

• US 9,646,573 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• 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:
  US15/246,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20160365064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9
• 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 comprising:

a speaker;

a button;

a camera; and

a display, wherein the display is configured to operate in one of a normal viewing mode and a close up viewing mode, wherein the display is configured to operate in the close up viewing mode when the cellular telephone is connected to a head-mounted device, and wherein the display is configured to operate in the normal viewing mode when the cellular telephone is not connected to the head-mounted device.

2. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1, wherein the display is configured to divide an image frame into a left image frame and a right image frame while operating in the close up viewing mode.

3. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1, wherein the cellular telephone is configured to be connected to the head-mounted device using a connector.

4. The cellular telephone defined in claim 3, wherein the connector is configured to couple to a complementary connector in the head-mounted device.

5. The cellular telephone defined in claim 4, wherein the connector in the cellular telephone is a female connector and the complementary connector in the head-mounted device is a male connector.

6. A portable electronic device that is configured to connect to a head-mounted device, the portable electronic device comprising:

a speaker;

a button;

a camera; and

a display, wherein the display is configured to operate in one of a first display mode and a second display mode, wherein the display presents images in a first format in the first display mode, wherein the display presents images in a second format that is different from the first format in the 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 operate in the second display mode in response to the portable electronic device being connected to the head-mounted device.

7. The portable electronic device defined in claim 6, wherein the first display mode is a normal display mode, and wherein the second display mode is a close up display mode.

8. The portable electronic device defined in claim 6, wherein the display operates in the first display mode when it is detected that the portable electronic device is being used for normal viewing.

9. The portable electronic device defined in claim 8, wherein the display operates in the second display mode when it is detected that the portable electronic device is being used for close up viewing.

10. The portable electronic device defined in claim 6, wherein the display is configured to operate in the first display mode when it is detected that the portable electronic device is not connected to the head-mounted device.

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

presenting images according to a first format in a normal viewing mode while the cellular telephone is not coupled to the head-mounted device;

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, presenting images according to a second format that is different than the first format.

12. The method defined in claim 11, wherein presenting images according to the first format comprises presenting images with a first resolution.

13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein presenting images according to the second format comprises presenting images with a second resolution that is different than the first resolution.

14. The method defined in claim 11, wherein presenting images according to the second format comprises receiving an image frame and dividing the image frame into a first image frame and a second image frame.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein presenting images according to the second format comprises presenting images according to the second format using a display in the cellular telephone.

16. The method defined in claim 15, wherein presenting images according to the second format using the display comprises directing the first image frame to a first portion of the display and directing the second image frame to a second portion of the display.

17. The method defined in claim 16, wherein the first image frame is a left image frame and wherein the second image frame is a right image frame.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the first portion of the display comprises a left portion of the display, and wherein the second portion of the display comprises a right portion of the display.

19. The method defined in claim 11, wherein presenting images according to the second format comprises presenting images according to the second format in a close up viewing mode.

20. The method defined in claim 11, wherein detecting that the cellular telephone is coupled to the head-mounted device comprises detecting a wired connection between the head-mounted device and the cellular telephone.