Electronic device with inner display and externally accessible input-output device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11982809-B2
Application number	US-201916409674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	Sep 17, 2018
Publication date	May 14, 2024
Grant date	May 14, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device may have an inner display mounted in a housing so that an image on the inner display is presented to an eye box through a lens for viewing by a user while the electronic device is being worn on a head of the user. The electronic device may have input-output devices that are operable on external surfaces of the electronic device. The input-output devices may be used to gather user input for controlling an external device while the electronic device is not being worn on the user's head. The input-output devices may include a touch screen display, buttons, and other input-output components. An input-output component may be formed on a movable member that can be moved between a stored position and a deployed position. A projector may project images onto nearby surfaces. A removable electronic device may be coupled to head-mounted support structures or other housing structures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing;
head-mounted support structures coupled to the housing;
a lens;
a first display in the housing that is configured to present an image to an eye box through the lens;
a non-removable second display that faces away from the first display and that is located on an external surface of the housing, wherein the non-removable second display is configured to display keyboard keys on the head-mounted support structures; and
control circuitry configured to receive user input on the keyboard keys and display content on the non-removable second display when the first display is not presenting images and while the head-mounted support structures are not being worn, wherein the control circuitry adjusts the content on the non-removable second display based on the user input on the keyboard keys, and wherein the non-removable second display is movable between a deployed position and a stowed position.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the non-removable second display comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of: a touch sensor that overlaps an array of pixels and a force sensor, wherein the control circuitry comprises wireless communications circuitry that is configured to communicate with external electronic equipment, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to gather input for the external electronic equipment using the sensor.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a projector display that is configured to project visual content onto a surface.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a movable member that is coupled to the housing and is configured to move relative to the housing, wherein the electronic device comprises an electrical component on the movable member that is configured to gather additional user input.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the electrical component comprises a keyboard.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the electrical component comprises a touch screen display.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the non-removable second display comprises a touch sensitive display, the electronic device further comprising a proximity sensor configured to gather air gesture input.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first display comprises an inner display, wherein the non-removable second display comprises an outer display, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the inner display to display the image while using the outer display to display the content.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the control circuitry is configured to display a given image simultaneously on the first display and the non-removable second display.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the content displayed on the non-removable second display is associated with the image displayed on the first display.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the user input on the keyboard keys is used to control an external electronic device while the head-mounted support structures are not being worn.

12. A method for operating an electronic device having a housing, head-mounted support structures coupled to the housing, a lens, a first display in the housing that is configured to present an image to an eye box through the lens, a second display on an external surface of the housing, and control circuitry, the method comprising:
with the second display, displaying content;
with the control circuitry, receiving user input on the second display while the first display is not presenting images and while the head-mounted support structures are not being worn; and
with the control circuitry, adjusting the content on the second display based on the user input on the second display.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Wang Paul X

Classifications

• H02J50/10

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• H02J50/00

  Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B27/0955

  Lenses (lenses per se G02B3/00) · CPC title

• G03B21/145

  Housing details, e.g. position adjustments thereof · CPC title