The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 69 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we focus on a possible future Augmented Reality display for Macs and specialty applications. Prior to iPhone X, the thought of Augmented Reality (AR) for iDevices or Macs was a fantasy. Now that Apple is taking a lead in AR with ARKit, the idea of specialty display for Macs isn't that impossible anymore. Whether this becomes a reality or stays on the drawing board is unknown at this time, but at least it's no longer the unthinkable column.

Granted Patent: Transparent Electronic Device

Apple's newly granted patent covers their invention relating to an electronic device with a transparent display. The electronic device may include two or more display screens that could support overlays. These overlays whether in handheld or other electronic devices, such as a Mac, may provide an "augmented reality" interface in which the overlays virtually interact with real-world objects. Applications may go far beyond Macs as well into specialty displays or as part of vehicle windows that act as a heads-up display.

For example, the overlays may be transmitted onto a display screen that overlays a museum exhibit, such as a painting. The overlay may include information relating to the painting that may be useful or interesting to viewers of the exhibit. Additionally, overlays may be utilized on displays in front of, for example, landmarks, historic sites, or other scenic locations. The overlays may again provide information relating to real-world objects as they are being viewed by a user. These overlays may additionally be utilized on, for example, vehicles utilized by tourists. For example, a tour bus may include one or more displays as bus windows for users. These displays may present overlays that impart information about locations viewable from the bus.

Apple's patent FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the display; FIG. 7 is a third perspective view illustrating the display of the electronic device. Below is a demo of such a display that Samsung demonstrated at CES 2009.  

Today's granted patent was originally covered in a Patently Apple report filed in 2011 titled "Apple Developing Applications for Smart Transparent Displays."

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