Head-mounted display with adjustment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11036054-B2
Application number	US-201816118515-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Sep 7, 2017
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A head-mounted display to be worn by a user includes a housing, and an eye chamber to be positioned adjacent to eyes of the user. A support assembly includes a headband and an adjustment mechanism that is operable to change fit of the headband relative to the head of the user in response to a control signal, wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a feedback component, and the control signal is generated based on output from the feedback component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head-mounted display to be worn by a user, comprising:
a housing;
an eye chamber to be positioned adjacent to eyes of the user; and
a support assembly that includes a headband and an adjustment mechanism that is operable to change fit of the headband relative to a head of the user in response to a control signal,
wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a feedback component, and the control signal is generated based on output from the feedback component,
wherein content shown to the user is associated with a content type identifier, and
wherein the control signal is generated based on the content type identifier.

2. The head-mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes an electric motor that changes fit of the headband relative to the head of the user by constricting or expanding a length of the headband.

3. The head-mounted display of claim 2 , wherein the headband includes a first part and a second part that are interconnected by a gear rack to loosen or tighten the first part and the second part relative to each other by operation of the electric motor.

4. The head-mounted display of claim 2 , wherein the headband includes a strap that is extendable and retractable by operation of the electric motor.

5. The head-mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the feedback component is operable to measure tightness of the headband relative to the head of the user.

6. The head-mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes an electric motor and the feedback component is operable to measure current draw of the electric motor.

7. The head-mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the control signal is based in part on an input signal received from an input device.

8. The head-mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the control signal is based in part on a head presence detector that outputs a signal representing whether the head of the user is present adjacent to the eye chamber.

9. The head-mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the control signal is based in part on a hand contact detector that outputs a signal representing whether a hand of the user is in contact with the housing.

10. The head-mounted display of claim 1 , further comprising:
an eye tracking system that is operable to measure motion of the housing relative to the eyes of the user, wherein the control signal is based in part on the motion of the housing relative to the eyes of the user.

11. The head-mounted display of claim 1 , wherein the headband is configured to extend peripherally around the head of the user.

12. A method for adjusting a head-mounted display that includes a housing, a headband configured to secure the housing to a head of a user, and an adjustment mechanism configured to change a fit of the headband relative to the head of the user, the method comprising:
using the adjustment mechanism, loosening the headband relative to the housing in response to detecting contact from the user with a first location and a second location on the housing; and
using the adjustment mechanism, tightening the headband relative to the housing in response to detecting cessation of the contact from the user with the first location or the second location on the housing.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first location on the housing is associated with a first hand contact detector that is operable to detect contact with a first hand of the user and the second location on the housing is associated with a second hand contact detector that is operable to detect contact with a second hand of the user.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein tightening the headband includes constricting the headband until a desired size is reached, wherein the desired size is based on a feedback signal.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein loosening the headband includes expanding a length of the headband until a desired size is reached, wherein the desired size is based on the feedback signal.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
using the adjustment mechanism, loosening or tightening the headband relative to the housing in response to receiving a control signal including a content type identifier associated with content shown to the user.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the head mounted display includes an eye tracking system that is operable to measure motion of the housing relative to eyes of the user, further comprising:
using the adjustment mechanism, loosening or tightening the headband relative to the housing in response to receiving a control signal based on the motion of the housing relative to the eyes of the user.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes an electric motor that changes the fit of the headband relative to the head of the user by constricting or expanding a length of the headband.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the headband includes a first part and a second part that are interconnected by a gear rack to loosen or tighten the first part and the second part relative to each other by operation of the electric motor.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the headband includes a strap that is extendable and retractable by operation of the electric motor.

21. A head-mounted display to be worn by a user, comprising:
a housing;
a headband configured to secure the housing to a head of the user; and
an adjustment mechanism operable to change a length of the headband relative to the housing in response to a control signal,
wherein the control signal is based on output signals from hand presence sensors, the output signals representing whether hands of the user are in contact with respective locations on the housing.

22. The head-mounted display of claim 21 , wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to lengthen the headband relative to the housing in response to the hand presence sensors detecting the hands of the user in contact with the respective locations on the housing.

23. The head-mounted display of claim 21 , wherein changing the length of the headband includes loosening the headband relative to the head of the user until a desired size is reached, and wherein the desired size is based on the control signal.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Poore Killian J
• Meursing Marinus
• Olson Jeffrey C
• Rothkopf Fletcher R
• Sauers Jason C

Classifications

• G02B2027/0187

  slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye · CPC title

• G02B27/0176 Primary

  characterised by mechanical features · CPC title

• G02C3/003

  Arrangements for fitting and securing to the head in the position of use · CPC title

• G02B27/017 Primary

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G06F3/012

  Head tracking input arrangements · CPC title