Last Thursday Patently Apple posted an IP report titled "Apple Files Two HMD Patents related to Hand Matting and Synthesized Hand Textures + 10 others on Various Technologies." There were at least 18 more HMD patents that we're covering in today's report.  For those that are fans of Apple's Vision line of patents, there's a lot to feast on in today's report.

Smartglasses: GUIs for Capturing and Viewing Immersive Media

Apple's invention relates to methods and interfaces for capturing and viewing immersive media. In some examples, in response to a hardware input, immersive media is captured and generated using multiple sensors of a head-mounted display device. In some examples, while displaying a media item, additional information related to the media item is displayed in response to detecting a viewer's attention departing from the media item.

At Apple's patent FIG. 7F above, the smartglasses detects input #726 activating (e.g., pressing, turning, sliding, and/or toggling) hardware input device #704, a button to take a photo capturing immersive media. For full details, review Apple's 82 page patent application 20240406368

AI Siri Indicator Appearance in Smartglasses

An example process includes: while displaying a portion of an extended reality (XR) environment representing a current field of view of a user: detecting, with the one or more sensors, a user input to invoke a digital assistant; in response to detecting a user input to invoke the digital assistant, displaying a user interface element associated with the digital assistant; distorting the display of a first portion of the current field of view behind the user interface element; detecting a change in the position of the user interface element relative to the current field of view; and distorting the display of a second portion of the current field of view behind the user interface element.

Apple's patent FIGS. 3A-B illustrate a view of an extend reality environment using smartglasses with Apple AI with Siri. For full details, review Apple's patent application 20240403997.

Electronic Devices With Optical Assembly Positioning Systems

Apple's invention covers a head-mounted device that may include optical assemblies for presenting images to a user. Optical assembly positioning systems may be used to adjust the spacing between the optical assemblies to accommodate different interpupillary distances. The optical assembly positioning systems may have motors and threaded shafts rotated by the motors. Rotation of the shafts moves the optical assemblies along guide rods. The shafts may be protected by dust covers. Slots may be formed in the dust covers so that protruding portions of nuts on the threaded shafts can engage the optical assemblies. In some arrangements, the threaded shafts may be mounted within the guide rods and guide rod slots may be provided in the guide rods so that threaded portions of the optical assemblies can reach the shafts. Dust covers can be provided for the guide rod slots. Wipers may be provided to clean guide rod surfaces.

For full details, review Apple's 13 page patent application 20240402502.  

15 Additional HMD Related Patent Applications

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• 20240402801 Input Recognition System That Preserves User Privacy
• 20240398224 Eye Tracking using Coherence-Based Measurement
• 20240402761 Pressure-Controlled Face Engagement
• 20240402862 Devices, Methods and GUIs for Detecting Inputs *
• 20240406368 GUIS for Capturing & Viewing Immersive Media * (glasses)
• 20240406735 Modifying Device Security State with Secure Ranging *
• 20240402823 Pinch Recognition Using Finger Zones
• 20240402801 Input Recognition System That Preserves User Privacy
• 20240406573 Video Camera Optimizations based on Environmental Mapping
• 20240402799 Eye Tracking Loss Mitigations
• 20240402862 GUIs for Detecting Inputs
• 20240404216 Presenting System User Interfaces in an Extended Reality Environment
• 20240404217 Techniques for Displaying Representations of Physical Items with 3D Environments
• 20240404189 GUIs For Viewing And Interacting With Three-Dimensional Environments
• 20240403484  Privacy-Protecting Mixed Reality Recording