Apple has been tweaking their head mounted display (HMD) since 2008. With Apple's renewed interest in pursuing such a device they've been ramping up their work on this project. Last year there were at least three updates (one, two and three). Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published yet another continuation patent from Apple regarding their headset. Previous updates included the headset operating in two distinct modes. Today Apple reveals a third mode of operation for operating games and new features like an external, speakers and more.

In this continuation patent Apple is adding a lot of new features. The new "patent claims" were updated to include viewing game content, the addition of an exterior camera and more as noted below:

Patent Claim #7: A head-mounted apparatus comprising: a support structure; a display supported by the support structure; a camera configured to capture an image; lenses adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and a processor configured to: operate in a first mode in which content is displayed on the display without displaying the captured image; and operate in a second mode in which both the content and the captured image are simultaneously displayed on the display.

Patent Claim #9: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein both the content and the captured image are simultaneously displayed on the display in the second mode by overlaying the content over the captured image.

Claim #10: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the content comprises game content.

Claim #11: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to: operate in a third mode in which the captured image is displayed on the display without displaying the content.

Claim #12: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the content comprises text.

Claim #13: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the content comprises a graphical user interface associated with a software application.

Claim #14. The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the content comprises image based content associated with a software application.

Claim #15: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the content comprises game content.

Claim #17: A head-mounted apparatus comprising: a support structure; a display supported by the support structure; a camera configured to capture an image; lenses adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and a processor configured to operate in an internal viewing mode in which the captured image is not displayed, wherein the processor is configured to switch from the internal viewing mode to an external viewing mode in which the captured image is displayed on the display in response to a stimulus.

Claim #19: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 17, further comprising: a speaker that is configured to provide audio at a volume that is lowered in response to the stimulus.

Claim #20: The head-mounted apparatus defined in claim 17, wherein content is displayed on the display in the internal viewing mode, the head-mounted apparatus further comprising: a microphone configured to capture audio; and a speaker that is configured to provide audio that is associated with the displayed content in the internal viewing mode and to provide the captured audio from the microphone in the external viewing mode.

While a camera has been noted in the past, it was never in context with "text" which would strongly suggest the introduction of a planned augmented reality feature or function.

Apple's patent application # 20180084093 was filed back in November 2017. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.

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