Eyewear device dynamic power configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11719939-B2
Application number	US-202217739551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2022
Priority date	May 17, 2021
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

Devices and methods for dynamic power configuration (e.g., reduction) for thermal management (e.g., mitigation) in a wearable electronic device such as an eyewear device. The wearable electronic device monitors its temperature and, responsive to the temperature, configures the services is provides to operate in different modes for thermal mitigation (e.g., to prevent overheating). For example, based on temperature, the wearable electronic device adjusts sensors (e.g., turns cameras on or off, changes the sampling rate, or a combination thereof) and adjusts display components (e.g., adjusted rate at which a graphical processing unit generates images and a visual display is updated). This enables the wearable electronic device to consume less power when temperatures are too high in order to provide thermal mitigation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eyewear device that provides augmented reality services, the eyewear device comprising:
a frame configured to be worn on a head of a user;
a camera system supported by the frame, the camera system comprising a first camera and a second camera;
a display system supported by the frame;
a temperature sensor supported by the frame, the temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the eyewear device; and
electronics supported by the frame, the electronics coupled to the camera system, the display system, and the temperature sensor, the electronics having at least two power configuration modes and comprising a processing system configured to:
run application services of the eyewear device, at least one of the application services configured to use at least one of the camera system or the display system;
monitor the temperature of the temperature sensor;
compare the monitored temperature to a threshold temperature;
notify the at least one application service of an upcoming change from a first of the at least two power configuration modes to a second of the at least two power configuration modes responsive to the monitored temperature reaching the threshold temperature; and
change the electronics from the first power configuration mode to the second power configuration mode after notifying the at least one application service;
wherein the at least one application service includes a first operating state and a second operating state, the at least one application service changes from the first operating state to the second operating state responsive to the notifying of the upcoming change, the electronics includes a graphical processing unit (GPU) coupled to the display system, the at least one application service is a rendering service configured to render images with the GPU, the first operating state renders images at a first frame rate. and the second operating state renders images at a second frame rate.

2. The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one application service further comprises a position tracking service, a first operating state of the position tracking service utilizes images from the first camera and the second camera to determine position, and a second operating state of the position tracking service utilizes images from the first camera but not the second camera to determine position.

3. The eyewear device of claim 2 , the processing system further configured to:
notify the at least one application service of another upcoming change from the second of the at least two power configuration modes to the first of the at least two power configuration modes responsive to the monitored temperature falling below the threshold temperature; and
changing the electronics from the second power configuration mode to the first power configuration mode after notifying the at least one application service;
wherein the at least one application service coordinates frame capture times of the first and second cameras when changing from the second operating state of the position tracking service where images from the first camera but not the second camera are used to determine position to the first operating state of the position tracking service where images from the first and second cameras are used to determine position.

4. The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one application service further comprises a plane detection service, a first operating state of the plane detection service utilizes images from the first camera and the second camera operating at a first frame capture rate, and a second operating state of the plane detection service utilizes images from the first camera and the second camera operating at a second frame capture rate.

5. The eyewear device of claim 4 , wherein the first frame capture rate is higher than the second frame capture rate.

6. The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one application service further comprises an over-render border service configured to render images outside a field of view of the display system by a number of pixels, a first operating state of the over-render border service renders images outside the field of view for the number of pixels, and a second operating state of the over-render border service reduces or eliminates the number of pixels for rendering images outside the field of view.

7. The eyewear device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one application service further comprises a display service configured to control brightness of images presented by the display system, a first operating state of the display service has a first electrical current limit for the display system, and a second operating state of the display service has a second electrical current limit for the display system that is lower than the first electrical current limit.

8. The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one application service further comprises a background service, a first operating state of the background service is an operational state in which tasks are performed, and a second operating state of the background service is a non-operational state in which the tasks are deferred.

9. The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one application service further comprisesis a capture service that records an AR experience, a first operating state of the capture service is an operational state in which the AR experience is recorded, a second operating state of the capture service is a non-operational state in which the AR experience is not recorded, and the processing system is further configured to:
present a message with the display system that AR recording is not available when the capture service is in the second operating state of the capture service.

10. The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
wait for a predetermined period of time after notifying the application services to transition from the first power configuration mode to the second power configuration mode.

11. A method for use with an eyewear device that provides augmented reality services, the eyewear device comprising a camera system, a display system, and electronics, the method comprising:
running application services on the electronics of the eyewear device, at least one of the application services configured to use at least one of the camera system or the display system;
monitoring a temperature of the eyewear device;
comparing the monitored temperature to a threshold temperature;
notifying the at least one application service of an upcoming change from a first of at least two power configuration modes for the electronics to a second of at least two power configuration modes for the electronics responsive to the monitored temperature reaching the threshold temperature; and
changing the electronics from the first power configuration mode to the second power configuration mode after notifying the application services, wherein the at least one application service includes a first operating state and a second operating state; and
changing from the first operating state to the second operating state responsive to the notifying of the upcoming change,
wherein the electronics includes a graphical processing unit (GPU) coupled to the display system, the at least one application service is a rendering service configured to render images with the GPU, the first operating state renders images at a first frame rate, and the second operating state renders images at a second frame rate.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one application service further comprises a position tracking service, and the method further compri

Assignees

• Snap Inc

Inventors

• Hanumante Sumant
• Jung Bernhard
• Kalkgruber Matthias
• Kondratenko Anton
• Lee Kim-Koon Edward
• Nilles Gerald
• Robertson John James
• Ryuma Dmitry
• Sourov Alexander
• Wolf Daniel

Classifications

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G01K7/00

  Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat (giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K3/00) {; Power supply therefor, e.g. using thermoelectric elements} · CPC title

• G06F1/26

  Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) · CPC title

• G06F3/011

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title