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Apple invents future Vision Devices with Automatic Display Adjustment that calculates a user's interocular distance (IOD)

1 x Apple smartglasses patent

Anyone who wears glasses of any kind and especially those who where  computer glasses most of the day knows all too well that pushing the glasses up to a proper position on your face happens throughout the day unconsciously. When you go to clean your glasses you're amazed at the number of finger smudges are there. For smartglasses, having the displays in the right position is crucial to view projected content on to the displays.

Yesterday the U.S. Patent Office published a patent application of Apple's that relates to systems, methods for determining a corrective action and initiating adjustment for an improved headset fit.

A headset, in this particular case, smartglasses, may include optical modules configured to be placed in front of each of the user's eyes. These optical modules may be adjustable such that they may be positioned with a particular distance corresponding to an interocular distance (IOD) of a user.

However, when a user places the headset on their head, a user specific IOD may not match the IOD at which the device is originally set. The IOD refers to a distance between two eyes or optical modules based on one or more reference points of the eyes or optical modules, such as a central point, pupil location, or the like. This may lead to reduced visual quality or in some embodiments, the distance between the optical modules on a device can be modified to better match a user specific IOD.

In particular, a nominal eye model may be used to determine, based on eye tracking data, the initial user IOD, referred to herein as a nominal IOD because it is determined using a nominal eye model. The nominal eye model may be based on characteristics of a generic eye. The location of each of the user's eyes can be determined based on the nominal eye model.

In some embodiments, the location may be based on a central point in the eye, a pupil location, or the like. The nominal IOD may be compared against the device IOD to determine whether the device IOD should be adjusted. In some embodiments, an optical tolerance may be considered to determine whether the nominal IOD is within a threshold of the device IOD. If the difference between the nominal IOD and the device IOD satisfies a threshold, then an adjustment process will be initiated to modify the device IOD.

Modifying the device IOD may include determining a target movement of the optical modules of the device. The target movement may indicate, for example, a distance and direction each of the optical modules should move in order to correspond to the nominal eye model.

In some embodiments, the optical modules may move independently, or maybe together. Further, the optical modules may move in a symmetric matter, such as an equal distance and opposite directions, or may move independently such that each module may move a different distance and/or direction. 

According to some embodiments, the optical modules may move automatically in response to determining the target movement, or may move in response to user input.

For example, in some embodiments, having user input trigger the movement of the optical modules may provide an improved user experience. As such, a user may provide an input, such as the press of a button, a turn of a crown, or the like, which causes the optical modules to be moved in accordance with the target movement. The nominal IOD measurement may be stored for future use, and passthrough functionality may be enabled on the device. 

Apple's patent FIG. 1 below illustrates an example diagram of a headset fit; FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a headset having been fit for a user interocular distance (IOD). Although in FIG. 2, the device IOD and user IOD are now aligned, in some embodiments, the adjustment process may move the optical modules such that the eye and the optical modules are within a threshold distance. For example, an optical tolerance may be determined or provided which indicates a difference between a device IOD and a user IOD at which the difference is imperceptible, or otherwise allowable. The optical tolerance can be used to determine a range of placements of the optical modules within which the display adjustment will be acceptable.

2 Smartglasses patent

Apple's patent FIG. 4 above shows a flowchart for adjusting a headset fit in accordance with a user-specific eye model, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

Lastly, the headset may include an input component such as a button or crown component which, when pressed or otherwise engaged, triggers one or more motors in the headset to move the optical modules in accordance with the target movements.

A Few of Apple's Inventors

  • James McCombe: Technical Director
  • Arun Rangaprasad: Computer Vision and Machine Learning Manager
  • Joel Kerr: Director of Software, Vision Product Group,
  • Tyler Calderone: Engineering Manager
  • will Blumhardt: UI Software Engineering Manager | visionOS
  • Zhenheng Li: Senior Engineering Manager

 

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