The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 57 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we briefly cover the vision system assembly that allows Face ID to remain perfectly aligned so that the biometric feature provides an accurate image of the user's face each time.

For those of you that are interested in all-things Apple Watch, you could check out two new patents issued today here: 01 and 02. Apple was also granted a major AR related patent for displaying objects in 3D context that you could check out here.

As always, we wrap up this week's granted patent report with our traditional listing of the remaining granted patents that were issued to Apple today.

Face ID's Vision System Assembly

Apple's granted patent relates to an electronic device that includes a bracket assembly designed to carry a vision system used to develop a depth map of an image captured by a camera module of the vision system, with the depth map representing a three-dimensional counterpart of the image. The bracket assembly maintains the modules of the vision system at a predetermined distance from each other. In order to properly align the vision system in the electronic device, the electronic device includes a transparent cover that includes an alignment module. During assembly between the transparent cover and an enclosure (or housing) of the electronic device, the alignment module is designed to engage at least one of the modules held by the bracket assembly to align the vision system in accordance with a desired location in the enclosure.

Apple's patent FIG. 12 below illustrates a side view of the alignment module, the vision system and the bracket assembly; FIG. 18 illustrates a plan view of the transparent cover that further shows an alignment module secured with the transparent cover.

Apple's patent FIG. 26 above illustrates a side view of an electronic device using a vision system to determine dimensional information of a user.

For more details, review Granted Patent 11,019,239 here.

Apple was also granted patent 9,235,240 today titled "Insert molding around glass members for portable electronic devices." This is Apple's fourth patent on the subject matter of strengthening iPhone glass. In light of Apple choosing to go with Ceramic Shield for iPhone 12, today's granted patent that actually dates back to a 2010 patent filing would seem to be completely outdated at this point in time.

The Remaining Patents Granted to Apple Today