Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a continuation patent from Apple that continues to advance their original 2008 invention. It's like the energizer bunny that just keeps on advancing and hopefully it will lead to an actual iPhone accessory device.  With the new iPhone 12 being so light, it must be nearing the point where such an iPhone accessory would be viable to introduce.

Today, our competiton lazily rehashed the fact that Apple is advancing their invention without ever taking the time to explain what actually is being advanced. Rehashing a 2008 patent is, well, meaningless news.

In stark contrast, Patently Apple's report provides you with some of what is actually new in this recent continuation patent. It's not a "new patent application," to begin with, it's another "continuation patent" which has a specific function in the patent world. Apple has a long string of continuation patents for this one invention which each being uniquely different.

For instance, last September Apple's continuation patent for this very same invention added all-new patent claims emphasizing the use of prescription glasses to their original patent that didn't cover this originally.

Patently Apple painstakingly reviewed their patent claims looking for what was new to report on and found at least 14 new claims regarding prescription glasses and contact lenses in relation to their invention.

Today, Apple's continuation patent, yet again, has filed for new patent claims to be added to their original 2008 invention. Continuation patents are only about adding patent claims.

So, what's actually New Today?

Today Apple's patent claims have been updated and right out of the gate in patent claim #1 Apple adds that " a camera configured to capture an image of the surroundings; a lens adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and a processor configured to automatically switch from an internal viewing mode in which the image is not displayed to an external viewing mode in which the image is displayed in response to information regarding the surroundings." Apple's June 2020 granted patent described prescription lenses in patent claim #1.

Other major additions regarding the iPhone glasses accessory focus in on a camera and use of voice commands as follows:   

Claim #5: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein the camera is positioned proximate the front panel.

Claim #6: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein the camera is positioned adjacent to a corner of the front panel.

Claim #7: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the internal viewing mode to the external viewing mode in response to a voice command.

Claim #11: A head-mounted apparatus comprising: a support structure; a display supported by the support structure; a camera configured to capture an image; a lens adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and a processor configured to switch from a first mode in which the image is not displayed to a second mode in which the image is displayed in response to receiving a voice command.

Claim #14: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 11, further comprising: a microphone supported by the support structure that is configured to detect the voice command.

Claim #15: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 11, wherein voice command is an instruction from a user to view the image.

Claim #16: A head-mounted apparatus, wherein there are external surroundings around the head-mounted apparatus, the head-mounted apparatus comprising: a support structure; a display supported by the support structure; a camera configured to capture an image of the external surroundings; a lens adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and a processor configured to: display a selectable option to view the image of the external surroundings; and in response to the selectable option being selected, display the image of the external surroundings.

In total there are 20 new claims. To review the remainder of them, review continuation patent 20200396324 here.