Head-mounted display apparatus for retaining a portable electronic device with display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9595237-B2
Application number	US-201615215122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2008
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

Head-mounted display systems and methods of operation that allow users to couple and decouple a portable electronic device such as a handheld portable electronic device with a separate head-mounted device (e.g., temporarily integrates the separate devices into a single unit) are disclosed. The portable electronic may be physically coupled to the head-mounted device such that the portable electronic device can be worn on the user's head. The portable electronic device may be operatively coupled to the head-mounted device such that the portable electronic device and head mounted device can communicate and operate with one another. Each device may be allowed to extend its features and/or services to the other device for the purpose of enhancing, increasing and/or eliminating redundant functions between the head-mounted device and the portable electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus operable with a removable cellular telephone comprising:
a head-mounted frame that is configured to support the removable cellular telephone; and
first and second lenses coupled to the head-mounted frame through which the removable cellular telephone is viewable when the removable cellular telephone is supported by the head-mounted frame.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 , further comprising a button on the head-mounted frame that is configured to control the removable cellular telephone.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 , further comprising a control on the head-mounted frame that is configured to receive input from a user, and wherein the control is configured to control the removable cellular telephone in response to the input from the user.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 , wherein the removable cellular telephone is configured to generate first and second image frames corresponding to the first and second lenses when the removable cellular telephone is supported by the head-mounted frame.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 , wherein the head-mounted frame has a nose recess.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 , wherein the head-mounted frame has a cavity in which the removable cellular telephone is held when the removable cellular telephone is supported by the head-mounted frame.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 , further comprising a retaining feature for securing the removable cellular telephone within the cavity.

8. A device that is configured to be worn on a user's head and that is operable with a removable cellular telephone having a display, the device comprising:
a support structure that is configured to support the cellular telephone;
a strap that holds the support structure to the user's head;
an optical subassembly through which the display of the cellular telephone is viewable when the cellular telephone is supported by the support structure; and
a button that is coupled to the support structure and that is configured to control the cellular telephone.

9. The device defined in claim 8 , wherein the support structure has a mounting region in which the cellular telephone is placed when the cellular telephone is supported by the support structure.

10. The device defined in claim 9 , further comprising a clip for securing the cellular telephone within the mounting region.

11. The device defined in claim 9 , further comprising a retaining feature for securing the cellular telephone within the mounting region.

12. The device defined in claim 11 , further comprising a connector configured to receive a corresponding connector of the cellular telephone when the cellular telephone is supported by the support structure.

13. The device defined in claim 8 , further comprising a touch sensor on the support structure that is configured to control the cellular telephone.

14. The device defined in claim 8 , further comprising a control configured to receive input from the user, wherein the control is configured to control the device in response to the input from the user.

15. The device defined in claim 14 , wherein the control comprises a wheel.

16. The device defined in claim 8 , further comprising an accelerometer.

17. A head-mounted device that is operable with a removable portable electronic device with a display, the head-mounted device comprising:
an optical subassembly; and
a member that is configured to support the removable portable electronic device in a position where the display is viewable through the optical subassembly.

18. The head-mounted device defined in claim 17 , wherein the head-mounted device is configured to be worn on a user's head, the head-mounted device further comprising a strap that holds the member to the user's head.

19. The head-mounted device defined in claim 18 , wherein the member covers the user's eyes when the head-mounted device is worn on the user's head.

20. The head-mounted device defined in claim 19 , wherein the member has a nose recess, and wherein the member is configured to be supported on the user's nose.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hoellwarth Quin C

Classifications

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title

• G06F1/206

  comprising thermal management · CPC title

• G06F1/203

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title