Yesterday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 62 newly granted utility patents for Apple Inc. In this particular report we briefly cover an all-new audio device that appears to be aimed at future smartglasses. The patent describes a unique setup of the audio devices panning the user's headspace with an iPhone as presented in our cover graphic. We also cover a dual display stand and a design patent.  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 this week.

Audio System And Method Of Determining Audio Filter Based On Device Position

Yesterday, Apple was granted patent that could technically relate to the spatial audio system built into Vision Pro as noted in the image above. It follows the principles of the design outlined in the patent.  However, the bulk of the patent appears to be describing how spatial audio could be setup for future Smartglasses.

Apple notes that Existing methods of generating and applying head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) assume that the headphones emit the spatialized sound directly into the ear canal entrance of the listener. This assumption may be erroneous, however. For example, when the listener is wearing an audio device that has speakers distanced from the ear canal entrance, e.g., as in the case of extra-aural headphones, the spatialized sound may experience additional artifacts before entering the ear canal entrance. The user may therefore perceive the spatialized sound as being an imperfect representation of sound as it would usually be experienced.

An audio system and a method of using the audio system to determine an audio filter that compensates for relative positioning between an electroacoustic transducer, e.g., a speaker, and an anatomical feature, e.g., an ear canal entrance, are described. By compensating for the relative position, spatialized sound output to a user can accurately represent sound as it would normally be experienced by the user. In an aspect, a method includes receiving an image of an audio device being worn on a head of a user. A monitoring device, e.g., a wearable device, can output one or more of a visual cue, an audio cue, or a haptic cue to guide the user to move a remote device relative to the audio device for image capture. Accordingly, a camera of the remote device can capture the image, which includes a datum of the audio device and an anatomical feature of the user.

The audio device #104 shown in FIG. 3 below, could be a wearable device such as extra-aural headphones #110, a head-mounted display used for applications such as virtual reality or augmented reality video or games, or another device having a speaker and/or microphone spaced apart from an ear or mouth of a user." Yes, this would include smartglasses.

Apple's patent FIG. 3 below is a perspective view of a new spatial audio device – that could work with future smartglasses; FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of a user capturing an image of an audio device worn on a head of the user; FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method of guiding a user to capture an image of an audio device worn on a head of the user.

Apple's patent FIG. 8 above is a pictorial view of an image of an audio device worn on a head of a user, illustrated in an iPhone.

For more details, review Apple's granted Patent 12003954.

Dual Display Stand

Apple's granted patent relates to features of a display stand for providing vertical, horizontal, and center pivot degrees of freedom for multiple displays. The stand can have two legs spaced at end portions of the stand (e.g., farther apart than the mounting points of the outermost displays) that are linked by a substantially horizontal support bar.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a display stand in a straight configuration; FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the display stand of FIG. 1 in an angled configuration; FIG. 6B shows a top view of the joint 120 with the joint 120 in a pivoted or angled configuration.

Patently Apple covered this first as a patent application in June 2022. To review further details, review granted patent 12000524.

Apple's Granted Design Patent for 06/04/2024

Interesting to note that Apple's design team deciding to use an image of an iPhone without a notch. Apple worked on this icon or GUI for five years. Will it surface in the future or is it already dead in the water? Only time will tell.

This Week's Remaining Granted Patents