The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 83 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we briefly cover object detection using 3D scans and link to five additional granted patents covering a wide range of technologies from virtual parallax used to create photorealistic, 3D street scenes for Apple's 'Look Around' Maps feature through to Low-light and/or long exposure image capture mode for iPhone cameras. And 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.

Object Detection using 3D Scans

Apple was granted a patent titled "Object Detection Using Multiple Three-Dimensional Scans," which generally relates to detecting and tracking real world physical objects depicted in images, and in particular, to systems, methods, and devices for detecting and tracking such physical objects based on prior scans of the objects and creating a 3D model.

Apple's patent FIG. 2 below is a block diagram of a mobile device (iPhone) displaying a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment with AR content of the physical object of FIG. 1 taken in by the iPhone's backside camera and/or scanner. Apple doesn't describe landscape even though their patent figure clearly does; FIG. 3 is a block diagram depicting a first scan (camera movement in blue) of the example physical object in the center; FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a second scan (camera movement in Pink) of the example physical object in the center.

Apple's patent FIG. 5 above is a block diagram illustrating the differences of the paths of the image sensor during the first scan of FIG. 3 and the second scan of FIG. 4.

Apple's patent FIG. 9 above is block diagram illustrating exemplary components of a device used to generate 3D models of physical objects and detect the physical objects.

Apple's granted patent relates to ARKit/ARKit 2. The video below, titled "ARKit 2 Tutorial: Create an AR Shopping Experience - Scan & Detect Real 3D Objects," explains ARKit 2 well in respect to scanning and detecting 3D objects which are components highlighted in Apple's patent FIG. 9 above.

For further details, review Apple's granted patent 11,100,659.

Apple acquired Montreal Based Vrvana, a Mixed Reality Headset Company with Hand Tracking Technologies back in 2017. Both inventors listed on today's granted patent were original members of Vrvana.  

Other Granted Patents that Might Interest Some

01: Multimodal three-dimensional object detection (#11,100,669)

02: Virtual parallax to create three-dimensional appearance (#11,099,722)

03: Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for system-wide behavior for 3D models (#11,099,707)

04:Manipulation of virtual objects using a tracked physical object (#11,099,634)

05: Low-light and/or long exposure image capture mode (#11,102,421)

The Remaining Patents Granted to Apple Today