Eyewear device dynamic power configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12517364-B2
Application number	US-202418826772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2024
Priority date	May 17, 2021
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

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 it 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 comprising:
a frame configured to be worn on a head of a user; a display system supported by the frame, the display system having a field of view; 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 display system and the temperature sensor, the electronics having at least two power configuration modes and comprising a processing system configured to:
run an over-render border service configured to render images outside the field of view of the display system by a number of pixels, the over-render border service including a first operating state that renders images outside the field of view for the number of pixels and a second operating state that reduces or eliminates the number of pixels for rendering images outside the field of view;
monitor the temperature of the temperature sensor;
compare the monitored temperature to a threshold temperature;
notify the over-render border 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;
change the electronics from the first power configuration mode to the second power configuration mode after notifying the over-render border service, and
operate the over-render border service in the first operating state when the electronics are in the first power configuration mode and operate the over-render border service in the second operating state when the electronics are in the second power configuration mode.

2 . The eyewear device of claim 1 , the processing system further configured to:
notify the over-render border 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 over-render border service.

3 . The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the display system comprises a first camera and a second camera and wherein the processing system is further configured to:
run 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.

4 . The eyewear device of claim 3 , wherein the first frame capture rate is higher than the second frame capture rate.

5 . The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
run 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.

6 . The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
run 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.

7 . The eyewear device of claim 1 , further comprising a display system and wherein the processing system is further configured to:
run 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 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.

8 . The eyewear device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further configured to:
wait for a predetermined period of time after notifying the over-render border service of the change from the first power configuration mode to the second power configuration mode.

9 . A method for use with an eyewear device that provides augmented reality services, the eyewear device comprising a display system and electronics, the method comprising:
running an over-render border service configured to render images outside a field of view of the display system by a number of pixels, wherein the over-render border service includes a first operating state that renders images outside the field of view for the number of pixels and a second operating state that reduces or eliminates the number of pixels for rendering images outside the field of view; monitoring a temperature of the eyewear device; comparing the monitored temperature to a threshold temperature; notifying the over-render border 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; changing the electronics from the first power configuration mode to the second power configuration mode after notifying the over-render border service; and operating the over-render border service in the first operating state when the electronics are in the first power configuration mode and operating the over-render border service in the second operating state when the electronics are in the second power configuration mode.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
notifying the over-render border 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 over-render border service.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the display system comprises a first camera and a second camera and wherein the method further comprises:
running 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 the 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.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first frame capture rate is higher than the second frame capture rate.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
running 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 presenting a message with the display system that AR recording is not available when the capture service is in the second operating state.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
running a display service configured to control brightness of images presented

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

• G06T19/006

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

• G06F1/26

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

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title