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Apple won 60 Patents today covering Optoelectronic Systems for Smartglasses/HMDs, Semi-autonomous Vehicle Systems and more

1 - Apple Glass - Cover

 

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 60 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we briefly cover two patents relating to optoelectronic systems for future smartglasses and HMDs and two patents covering Project Titan, Apple's semi-autonomous vehicle project. We cover one design patent Apple was granted 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.

 

Image Projector with High Dynamic Range

 

Apple was granted a granted patent that generally relates to optoelectronic systems, and particularly methods and devices for image projection. In Apple's patent background they note that Image projection devices are used to project electronically generated images either onto a screen or directly into the eye of an observer.

 

Systems of this sort can project an image to be viewed by an observer in, for example, game or educational applications. In some systems, the image is combined with a real scene seen through a screen in applications such as, for example, surgery or complicated mechanical assembly.

 

Apple's patent FIG. 1 is a schematic pictorial illustration of an image projection apparatus; FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in context with future smartglasses.

 

2 IMAGE PROJECTOR PATENT FIGS 1 & 2  APPLE GRANTED PATENT

 

For more details about this invention, see Apple's granted patent 11,290,694.

 

Blur Prediction for Head Mounted Devices

 

Apple was granted another HMD related patent titled "Blur prediction for head mounted devices.

 

Apple's patent abstract states: "Various implementations provide a computer-generated reality (CGR) experience on a head mounted device (HMD) that includes intentionally blurring virtual content to provide a more natural user experience. For example, while the user is focused on an object 10 feet away, a virtual object 3 feet away that is not focused upon but still visible may be intentionally blurred so that it does not appear crisp. The blurring depends on the distance of what the user is focusing on and the distance of the virtual object that the user is not focusing on. The CGR environment may involve virtual reality, mixed reality, optical see through, or video pass through."

 

For details, review Apple's granted patent 11,288,873.

 

Apple Granted Two Project Titan Patents

 

Today Apple was granted two new Project Titan patents regarding systems for a future electric vehicle. The first patent is titled "Control System."

 

Patent Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body, a wheel, a suspension system that supports the wheel relative to the vehicle body, a sensing system for determining an environmental condition ahead of the vehicle and a control system. The suspension system includes a primary actuator that transfers force between the wheel and the vehicle body, and a wheel hop damper that includes a moving mass and that transfers force between the wheel and the moving mass independent of the vehicle body to inhibit resonance of an unsprung mass formed by the wheel and a portion of the suspension system coupled thereto. The control system operates the primary actuator to provide additional secondary ride control when the wheel hop damper exceeds a capacity threshold. The control system changes the capacity threshold according to the environmental condition. The wheel hop damper may be a reaction mass actuator or a tuned mass damper."

 

Apple's patent FIG. 1B below is a schematic view of a vehicle travelling on a road. For example, the vehicle #100 may travel over the forward road portion #106b according to user inputs or a motion control plan (e.g., an autonomous drive plan that does not require continual input from a user).

 

The road may also include various attributes including localized disturbances 106c (e.g., a pothole or bump), potential hazards 106d (e.g., vehicles ahead, vehicles traveling in the opposite direction, pedestrians, etc.), areas with different roughness 106e (e.g., washboard or smooth), and areas with different surface conditions 106f (e.g., wet, snow, icy, or dry), among other characteristics and attributes.

 

The sensing system #150 that resides in the front of the vehicle is designed to  observe the forward road portion 106b, such as with a field of view (schematically represented by forward pointing arrows) or otherwise determines information thereabout according to which the control system 160 operates the suspension system and other systems of the vehicle.

 

3 Project Titan patent for 'Control System'

 

In Apple's patent FIG. 3 above, the sensing system #150 monitors conditions of the vehicle, monitors conditions of the environment of the vehicle, and/or receives, stores, or otherwise acquires condition information regarding the environment of the vehicle. For more details, enlarge the graphic above.  

 

For more details, review Apple's granted patent 11,285,773.

 

Apple's second Project Titan patent granted today is titled "Passenger vehicle and retractable driver input devices."

 

Patent Abstract: A passenger vehicle includes a vehicle body, drive and steering systems, and manual and autonomous control systems. The vehicle body defines a passenger compartment. The drive system propels the passenger vehicle. The steering system steers the passenger vehicle. The manual control system includes input devices to receive user inputs is configured to control the drive and steering system according to the user inputs when the passenger vehicle is operated in a manual drive mode. The autonomous control system includes a sensor for sensing an external condition and a controller that autonomously controls the drive and steering systems according to the external condition when the passenger vehicle is operated in an autonomous drive mode. The user input devices are movable between a first configuration to receive the user input by being physically manipulated by the user, and a second configuration in which the user input is not receivable."

 

For more details, review Apple's granted patent 11,285,988.

 

Apple Granted a 'Retail Display' Design Patent

 

4 Apple Design patent for 'Retail Display'

 

The Remaining Patents Granted to Apple Today

 

5  -  Apple's Remaining Granted Patents for Mar 29  2022

 

10.52FX - Granted Patent Bar

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