Yesterday The Financial Times posted a report titled "Silicon Valley eyes reboot of Google Glass-style headsets." One of the more interesting points stated that "OpenAI chief Sam Altman has discussed creating an AI wearable device with former Apple designer Sir Jony Ive and SoftBank chief Masayoshi Son. The report hints it could be smartglasses."

This week Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple's VP of iPhone and Apple Watch Design is set to Join Jony Ive and Open AI's Sam Altman on a 2024 AI Device Project." The news on this development didn't identify a specific AI Device. So the Financial Times hint that one of the devices could be smartglasses could push Apple to expedite their own smartglasses project.

With that said, on December 21, The World IP Organization published a patent application from Apple that relates to a future smartglasses arm design. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to managing thermal energy for electronic eyewear. This is Apple's 14^th smartglasses patent since September 28, 2023.

In Apple's patent background they note that thermal ergonomics are a challenge for eyewear electronics (e.g., smartglasses). In particular, thermal ergonomics are an increasing challenge as eyewear electronics are designed with reduced form factors which typically draw thermal elements closer to the user, which can add to user discomfort. Therefore, there is a need for improvement to reduce an amount of heat transferred to users. Additionally, there is a need for improvement to reduce component e.g., battery) degradation from increased internal temperatures.

Smartglasses Arm Design

Apple's patent relates to smartglasses that can display VR/AR content. Tn the case of augmented reality devices, optical eyeglasses can be worn on the head of a user such that optical lenses and/or optical displays are positioned in front of the user’s eyes. In another example, a virtual reality device can be worn on the head of a user such that a display screen is positioned in front of the user’s eyes.

In particular examples, a head-mountable display includes a display to present visualizations, an arm housing (or enclosure) connected to the display, and an arm subassembly inserted inside the arm housing. The arm housing can interface with a user to secure a display in position (e.g., in front of a user’s eyes). In one example, the arm housing extends from an arm tip to an arm hinge. The arm tip can be positioned behind a user’s ear. The arm hinge can connect to a display hinge for rotatably connecting the arm housing to the display.

The arm subassembly can include a variety of different components for operation of a head-mountable display. Example components of an arm subassembly include a microphone, speaker, battery, printed circuit board (PCB), system on chip, etc. Other examples components of an arm subassembly include a chassis and hinge connection. As will be discussed below, an arm subassembly can include additional or alternative components (e.g., thermal-related components).

Operation of the head-mountable display creates heat. For example, a system on chip architecture inside the arm housing can generate heat as the system on chip (SoC) performs operations to generate visualizations via the display. The disclosed devices and apparatuses direct this heat in a predetermined fashion.

For example, the head-mountable display of the present disclosure directs heat away from a user, lending to an improved user experience in at least some cases. Indeed, conventional arm designs of electronic eyewear suffer from undesired heat transfer to the skin of a user wearing the electronic eyewear (e.g., around the temple or ear region of a user). This undesired heat transfer can be particularly acute during computationally intensive operations or longer operating durations of the conventional electronic eyewear.

By contrast, the smartglasses display of the present invention can improve a user experience by predictably directing thermal energy away from a user and towards an ambient environment.

As another example of heat direction, the head-mountable display can be designed to direct heat away from device components. To illustrate, the head-mountable display can direct heat away from a battery inside the arm housing.

 In more detail, battery life in a system can decrease over time due to exposure to increased temperature levels. Accordingly, the head-mountable display can prolong battery life of the smartglasses display by reducing heat exposure to the battery. In this manner, the smartglasses display can improve a longevity for the battery and other temperature sensitive components.

The smartglasses display can direct heat in myriad different ways. In some examples, the head-mountable display includes one or more of a chassis, hinge, air gap, insulating material, thermal interfacing material, thermal spreader material, heat sink, etc. to direct heat in a predetermined fashion.

In some examples, the arm of the smartglasses display includes a chassis connecting the PCB to the arm hinge, where the thermal path is directed from the heat source, through the PCB, through the chassis, through the arm hinge, and towards the ambient environment. Additionally or alternatively, the arm of the smartglasses display includes a thermal interfacing material and a thermal spreader material positioned over the heat source and the PCB. According to some examples, the thermal path can be directed from the heat source, through the thermal interfacing material, through the thermal spreader material, through the first surface, and towards the ambient environment.

In one or more examples, the arm housing includes a seamless uni-body enclosure defining an internal volume between an arm tip and an arm hinge, where the arm hinge connects the arm subassembly to the display.

Further, in some examples, the arm housing includes an assembly access into the internal volume, where the assembly access can be positioned proximate to the arm hinge.

n certain examples, a portion of the heat dissipation surface inside the arm housing includes a thermal lining that abuts the arm subassembly. In certain instances, the thermal lining draws heat away from the arm subassembly and towards the heat dissipation surface.

In one or more examples of the thermal flow apparatus, at least one of the thermal interfacing material or the thermal spreader material directs thermal energy away from the heat source and towards an ambient environment via at least one of natural conduction or non-force convection. In particular examples, the thermal flow apparatus further includes a heat dissipation surface, where the thermal spreader material includes at least one of a pitch-based carbon fiber material, a graphite material, or a copper material that lines the heat dissipation surface. In some examples, the heat dissipation surface spans between an arm tip and an arm hinge, where the thermal spreader material spreads a thermal load from the heat source across the heat dissipation surface. In certain examples, the thermal flow apparatus further includes a thermal path directed away from the heat source, across fibers of the pitch-based carbon fiber material, and to the heat dissipation surface towards an ambient environment.

As shown in FIG. 2 below the smartglasses display #100 generates heat #204. Generation of the heat or thermal energy, can occur as part of normal operation of the smartglasses display.  Notwithstanding such heat generation, the smartglasses display can dissipate the heat towards an ambient environment #206 to an area surrounding a user (e.g., the head #101). In one example, this directional heat dissipation away from the head can lend to an improved user experience. For example, the smartglasses display can dissipate the heat via an outward-facing surface #208 of the arms (#104 & #106) that is oriented towards the ambient environment. In doing so, the smartglasses display can reduce the amount of heat that dissipates through an inward-facing surface #210 of the arms oriented towards the head. This reduced heat dissipation through the inward-facing surface is particularly useful because the inward-facing surface can be in intimate contact with or in close proximity to the user's head. Therefore, the head-mountable display 100 can reduce an exposure of uncomfortable temperature levels to the user's head.

Apple's patent FIG. 4 and 6 illustrate a cross-sectional top view of an example smartglasses arm with details presented on the graphics above.

To review its full details, review patent application WO2023245025 that was published on December 21, 2023 by the World IP Organization.

Lastly, The Financial Times report further noted that Samsung had filed trademarks in the US and UK for “Samsung Glasses” and “Galaxy Glasses”, prompting speculation that it might be working on a rival to Meta’s smart glasses.

Carolina Milanesi, analyst at Creative Strategies told The Financial Times  that "We really are at the cusp of better experiences. It’s very different to the Google Glass thing."