The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 52 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover another advanced 3D depth camera patent from Apple's Israeli team that covers desktop computers and 3D glasses. The patent also covers a projection system that is noted being incorporated into a smartphone. The second patent of interest is from Apple's acquired LuxVue team that have designed a micro-LED that could be used for future iDevices, a television, MacBook, iMac, automotive heads-up display and more. The invention also includes the display being able to sense a user's fingerprint for authentication purposes. Apple was also granted a few design patents with one being for a wireless charging plate. We wrap up this week's granted patent report with our traditional listing of the remaining granted patents that were issued to Apple today.

Granted Patent: Adaptive Projector 3D Content

Apple's newly granted patent covers their invention relating to natural interaction systems. More particularly this invention relates to adaptive reality augmentation and 3-dimensional input interfaces.

Apple's iPhone 8 will be introducing a 3D camera for advanced facial recognition that could also be used for gesture recognition as Apple's supplier Lumentum explains in the video below.

Gesture Recognition

Apple notes that "another aspect of the apparatus, the processor is operative for controlling a computer application responsively to a gesture and wherein the projected image includes a user interface for control of the computer application." This is illustrated in patent FIG. 1 below.

3D Glasses

Apple's patent further notes that "An aspect of the apparatus includes a wearable monitor, wherein the content projector is operative to establish the projected image as a virtual image in the wearable monitor or in a virtual space. The sensing element, the processor and the content projector may be incorporated in the wearable monitor.

In another embodiment, "an apparatus for processing data includes a projector, which is configured to project content onto at least a part of a scene, and a processor, which is configured to detect a location of an eye of a person in the scene and to control the projector so as to reduce an intensity of the projected content in an area of the eye." The patent also mentions incorporating head-tracking.

Apple's granted patent 9,740,298 was originally filed in Q4 2015 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Another projection related patent titled "Integrated structured-light projector" has also been granted to Apple under number 9,740,019 that relates to a 3D depth camera.

Granted Patent: Interactive Micro-LED Display Panel

Apple's newly granted patent covers their invention relating to methods and systems use a micro light emitting diode (LED) in an active matrix display to emit and sense light. Display panels, systems, and methods of operation are described in which LEDs may be used for both emission and sensing.

Fingerprint Sensing In-Display

In Apple's patent FIG. 12 below we're able to see the target object #1201 contains a fingerprint surface. When the fingerprint is placed upon the transparent substrate, the LEDs #1203 within the display panel #119 sense patterned light reflected off grooves of the fingerprint surface. This patterned light is relayed to the output processor as a bitmap #1211 where it is processed to determine the fingerprint surface's unique pattern.

Ambient Light Detection Adjusts Display Light

Apple's patent FIGS. 9A to 9C illustrate exemplary operations performed by the interactive display system with an output processor configured for ambient light detection. The output processor may be configured to increase or decrease the brightness of the display panel #119 in response to ambient light.

Apple's granted patent 9,741,286 was originally filed in Q2 2014 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Apple Granted Design Patents

Apple was granted design patents today covering a wireless charger and some form of device audio rocker that's unfamiliar.

The Remaining Patents granted to Apple Today

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Patently Apple presents only a brief summary of granted patents with associated graphics for journalistic news purposes as each Granted Patent is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any Granted Patent should be read in its entirety for full details. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.