Last week, Patently Apple released a report titled "A New Samsung Patent Covers Smart Glasses and Smart Charging Case." Yesterday, the United States Patent and Trademark Office officially published a patent application from Apple, which pertains to its future smart glasses/augmented reality glasses, more specifically, involving related charging devices.
Electronic charging system
Apple's patent application covers a wearable device (smart glasses), which includes a display, a display frame accommodating the display, arms connected to the display frame, a processor, and one or more batteries (such as rechargeable batteries) integrated within the head-worn device and coupled to the processor.
In addition, the wearable apparatus can include a wearable power device connectable to the battery of the head-mountable device when the head-mountable device is worn on a person or a clothing of the person.
In some examples, the wearable power device is attachable to at least one of the arms or a nose bridge of the display frame. In one example, the wearable apparatus further includes a power connection positioned at an arm tip region of at least one of the arms. In another example, the wearable power device includes a clip-on battery connectable to the power connection.
In yet another example, the wearable power device includes: a rechargeable battery positionable against a neck or head of the person; and a lanyard connecting the rechargeable battery to the power connection.
In a particular example, the power connection includes a conductive power connection. In one example, the wearable apparatus further includes: a first magnet positioned on or within at least one of the arms; and a second magnet positioned on or within the wearable power device. In certain implementations, the second magnet mates with the first magnet when the at least one arm is folded against the wearable power device. Further, in some examples, the clothing of the person is positionally secured between the first magnet and the second magnet.
In at least one example, an apparatus of the present disclosure includes augmented reality (AR) glasses that include: a display, a display frame housing the display, arms rotatably connected to the display frame, a processor disposed inside at least one of the arms, and a battery electrically coupled to the processor. The battery can be disposed inside at least one of the arms. The apparatus can further include a power device connectable to the AR glasses, where the AR glasses are at least partially exposed to an ambient environment when the power device is connected to the AR glasses, and where the power device is a rechargeable power device or an inductive power device.
In some examples, the power device includes: a rechargeable battery pack; and a tether electrically coupling the rechargeable battery pack to the AR glasses. In other examples, the power device includes a rechargeable case, the rechargeable case including: a charging interface; an exterior portion; and an interior portion sized shaped to receive the display frame and the display, wherein the arms are extendable out from the interior portion and foldable against the exterior portion.
In certain implementations, the charging interface is positioned inside the rechargeable case. For example, the display frame includes a nose bridge, and the charging interface includes a conductive charging interface that is engageable with the nose bridge. As another example, at least one of the display or the display frame includes charging coils, and the charging interface includes an inductive charging interface that is engageable with the charging coils. In certain examples, the charging interface is positioned outside the rechargeable case, the charging interface including a power connection between the exterior portion and the arms. In particular examples, the power device includes an inductive charging dock, the inductive charging dock including a docking station, wireless charging pad, mobile phone device, tablet, or laptop.
In at least one example of the present disclosure, an apparatus of the present disclosure includes AR glasses that include: a display; a display frame housing the display; first and second arms connected to the display frame, the first arm including a detachable portion; and a battery disposed inside the detachable portion. The apparatus further includes a charging device sized and shaped to receive the detachable portion when detached from the first arm.
In certain examples, the second arm includes: an additional detachable portion, and an additional battery disposed inside the additional detachable portion. The apparatus can further include an additional detachable portion that is interchangeable with the detachable portion.
Apple's patent FIG. 1 below illustrates a side view of their AR Glasses on a user's head; FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of an example apparatus including a head-mountable device and a power device; FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a head-mountable device including example conductive charging interfaces; FIG. 4 illustrates an example apparatus including a head-mountable device and a wearable power device; and FIG. 5 illustrates another example apparatus including a head-mountable device and a wearable power device.
As shown in FIG. 6A above, the apparatus / AR Glasses (#600) is being worn on clothing #602—namely from the neckline of a shirt. However, this configuration of wearing the apparatus can be modified as may be desired. For example, the apparatus can be worn atop a ball cap or clipped to a pant pocket or belt. As another example, the apparatus can be worn off-person (e.g., on a backpack, briefcase, or purse). In this manner, the apparatus can provide a convenient way of charging the head-mountable device during use breaks or session pauses to facilitate further (e.g., all day) use.
As shown in FIG. 6B above, the power device #604 can connect to a nose bridge interface of the head-mountable device thereby mounting the power device to the head-mountable device in a charging state. In turn, one of the arms #106 can fold towards the head-mountable device and against the power device. In doing so, a magnet #606 positioned on or within the arm can mate with a magnet #608 positioned on or within the power device. Once the magnets mate with each other, the clothing #602 is secured between the mating magnets. In this way, the power device can conveniently charge the head-mountable device while the head-mountable device is being worn on the clothing.
Apple's patent FIGS. 8A-8C below illustrate examples of an apparatus including a rechargeable case and a head-mountable device; FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a head-mountable device and a rechargeable battery pack tethered together; FIG. 10 illustrates an example head-mountable device including detachable portions; FIG. 11 illustrates an example apparatus including a head-mountable device and a charging dock; FIGS. 12A-12B illustrate an example head-mountable device with charging coils for implementing with an inductive power device.
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