Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to Augmented Reality. This doesn't relate to their upcoming XR Headset but rather to a next-gen AR Windshield display that could provide a user with information about vehicle speed, provide drivers with various warning about entering a school zone, provide clearer road signs and point to important landmarks and more.

Apple notes in their patent that in many situations, a graphical overlay can be provided on an environment that is perceived through a transparent surface, including a window. A graphical overlay can provide information to an observer, including information which is relevant to one or more portions of the perceived environment.

In some cases, a graphical overlay is used in a vehicle, where a graphical overlay can be perceived by an occupant of the vehicle and provides information relevant to one or more of the vehicle, including vehicle speed, and one or more portions of the environment in which the vehicle is located. Such information can be provided on a transparent surface, including a forward window, also referred to herein as a windscreen, windshield, etc., such that the information can be perceived by an operator of the vehicle, including a driver, near the line of sight of the operator as the operator observes the environment through which the vehicle is navigated, including an oncoming roadway.

In some cases, the graphics displayed should be able to overlay certain objects located in the environment perceived though the transparent surface and can augment, alter, control, information related to the environment which is provided to an observer via the transparent surface. Such graphical overlays can be referred to as an augmented reality display.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 below illustrates vehicle #110 that includes a vehicle navigation system (VNS) #140. In some embodiments, the VNS can autonomously control one or more vehicle control elements #150 to cause the vehicle to be autonomously navigated along one or more driving routes through the environment #100. The VNS can include an augmented reality display module #111, also referred to as an augmented reality display system.

Apple's patent FIG. 2A-B below illustrate a vehicle comprising a transparent surface which provides an augmented reality display indicating a spatial indication of a speed of the vehicle relative to a local speed limit, according to some embodiments; FIG. 3A-B illustrate a vehicle comprising a transparent surface which provides an augmented reality display which modifies occupant-perceived information presented by a sign located in the external environment.

Apple's patent FIGS. 4A-B below illustrate a vehicle comprising a transparent surface which provides an augmented reality display which includes a display element which provides a representation of a static object in the environment which is presently obscured from direct view through the transparent surface of the vehicle, according to some embodiments. The representation can include a three-dimensional representation of the static object in the environment.

In some embodiments, the augmented reality display system included in a vehicle 410 navigating along a roadway 400 through environment 490 receives information regarding various static objects, including one or more structures, signs, landmarks, plants, etc.,

In some embodiments, the augmented reality display system included in vehicle #410 determines a blind spot #440 associated with sensor data representations of the environment #490 which are generated by sensor devices included in vehicle #410, based on a presence of one or more various objects, including the illustrated vehicle #420.

Apple's patent FIGS. 7A-B above illustrate a vehicle which simulates, via one or more of a transparent surface which provides an augmented reality display and an active suspension system, one or more objects in the environment.

Apple's patent FIGS. 8A-B above illustrate a vehicle comprising a transparent surface which provides an augmented reality display which includes a representation of a particular driving zone in the environment. A driving zone could be a school zone, a crossing zone, a zone associated with a presence of children, a zone associated with differently-abled individuals or some combination thereof, etc.

For more details, review Apple's patent application number 11640812.