Today he U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent that relates to a Future version of Apple Vision Pro being provided with tiny external displays with icons that could be activated with fingers touching finger sensors under the icons instead of using buttons. A user's Fingerprint may be required to launch apps and more.

In Apple's patent background they note that electronic devices sometimes include optical components. For example, a wearable electronic device such as a head-mounted device may include a display for displaying an image. Input devices such as buttons may also be included.

Challenges can arise in providing output and gathering input in a wearable electronic device such as a head-mounted device. If care is not taken, input-output devices may be cumbersome to use and may not be able to provide desired output.

HMD's with Finger Sensors

Apple's granted patent covers a possible future version of Vision Pro headset.   Head-mounted support structures may be used to support the display and lenses. One or more external displays on the head-mounted support structures may be publicly viewable while the head-mounted device is being worn.

The head-mounted support structures may have a front face. One or more finger sensors that are configured to detect touch input, force input, and/or other input from an external object such as a user's finger may be included in the head-mounted device.

A finger sensor may have an elongated shape that runs along a peripheral edge of an external display mounted on the front face. Finger sensors may also be located on other portions of a head-mounted support structure.

A finger sensor may have a touch sensor configured to gather touch input from a finger or other external object, a force sensor configured to gather force input from a finger or other external object, a proximity sensor configured to detect fingers that are not touching the finger sensor, and/or other sensing circuitry. A haptic output device in the electronic device may provide haptic feedback (e.g., when a user supplies input to a finger sensor).

A display may overlap the finger sensor. For example, an elongated finger sensor may be overlapped by a corresponding elongated display or other display structure. Icons and other reconfigurable visual elements may be displayed on the elongated display (e.g., to implement a reconfigurable function row for the wearable electronic device).

In some configurations, visual elements such as icons can be moved between a first display such as a rectangular main external display and a second display such as an elongated strip-shaped display that runs along a peripheral edge of the main display and that overlaps an elongated strip-shaped finger sensor.

Apple also notes that a sensor and/or other fingerprint sensors of the HMD may include a fingerprint sensor. In this type of configuration, each of a user's different fingerprints (or different fingerprints from different corresponding users) may be used to trigger execution by the HMD. For example, in response to receiving finger input from a first finger, the HMD may enter a first mode of operation, whereas in response to receiving finger input from a second finger that is different than the first finger, the HMD may enter a second mode of operation that is different than the first mode of operation. Fingerprints may be used for authentication, for launching specific applications, operating system functions, or other software, and/or for otherwise providing the HMD with user input.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 below is a side view of an illustrative electronic device with input-output components; FIG. 3 is a front view of an illustrative electronic device with an area for a front-facing display and an elongated sensor such as a peripheral finger sensor strip; FIG. 4 is atop view of an illustrative electronic device such as a with a finger sensor; FIGS. 5 and 6 are front views of illustrative electronic devices with displays. Enlarge our graphic below to read the extra notes associated with the patent figures.

Apple's patent FIG. 7 above is a front view of an illustrative head-mounted device with a finger sensor for adjusting device settings such as lens position settings; and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an illustrative finger sensor formed on a protruding support structure.

To review the full details of this invention, check out granted patent 12265682.