Electronic Devices With Movable Optical Assemblies

Organization Name

apple inc.

Inventor(s)

Thomas R Matzinger of Half Moon Bay CA (US)

Ivan S Maric of Campbell CA (US)

Guilhem S Azzano of Santa Clara CA (US)

Aidan N Zimmerman of Poway CA (US)

Kristina A Babiarz of San Jose CA (US)

Bijeta Chakraborty of San Jose CA (US)

Alexander B Von Schulmann of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Matin Seadat Beheshti of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Electronic Devices With Movable Optical Assemblies - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240192462 titled 'Electronic Devices With Movable Optical Assemblies

Simplified Explanation: The patent application describes a head-mounted device with optical assemblies that can adjust to different interpupillary distances using motors. The force of the motors moving the optical assemblies towards the central nose bridge is limited to prevent discomfort.

The head-mounted device includes optical assemblies for presenting images to the user.
Motors are used to adjust the spacing between the optical assemblies to accommodate different interpupillary distances.
The force with which the motors move the optical assemblies towards a central nose bridge portion of the device is limited to prevent discomfort.
The force may be limited using a clutch, such as a magnetic clutch or a physical clutch, to decouple structures and limit the force.
Monitoring the force and halting the motors in response to a given amount of force can also limit the force.
Sensor measurements and electrical motor load measurement are used to measure the force.
Motor operation may be controlled by a user-operated button.

Potential Applications: This technology could be used in virtual reality headsets, augmented reality devices, and other head-mounted displays to provide a comfortable viewing experience for users with different interpupillary distances.

Problems Solved: This technology addresses the issue of discomfort or strain that users may experience when using head-mounted devices with fixed interpupillary distances.

Benefits: The benefits of this technology include improved comfort and usability for users with varying interpupillary distances, leading to a more immersive and enjoyable experience when using head-mounted devices.

Commercial Applications: Title: Adjustable Interpupillary Distance Head-Mounted Devices for Enhanced User Comfort This technology could be commercially applied in the development of consumer virtual reality headsets, professional augmented reality devices for industrial use, and medical applications for precise visualization in surgeries.

Prior Art: Prior art related to this technology may include patents or research on adjustable interpupillary distance mechanisms in head-mounted displays, as well as studies on user comfort and ergonomics in wearable technology.

Frequently Updated Research: Ongoing research in the field of wearable technology and human-computer interaction may provide insights into further improvements in adjustable interpupillary distance mechanisms for head-mounted devices.

Questions about Adjustable Interpupillary Distance Head-Mounted Devices: 1. How does the use of a clutch mechanism help limit the force exerted by the motors in the head-mounted device? 2. What are the potential implications of this technology for the development of more user-friendly virtual reality experiences?

Original Abstract Submitted

a head-mounted device may include optical assemblies for presenting images to a user. motors may be used to adjust the spacing between the optical assemblies to accommodate different interpupillary distances. the force with which the motors move the optical assemblies towards a central nose bride portion of the device may be limited. the force may be limited using a clutch such as a magnetic clutch or a physical clutch based on structures that decouple from each other to limit the force. the force may also be limited by monitoring the force and halting the motors in response to detection of a given amount of force. sensor measurements and electrical motor load measurement may be used in measuring the force. if desired, motor operation may be controlled by a user-operated button.