Apple Wins New Patent For Head-Mounted Display System

We all know that Apple is number one is collecting patents on inventions involving wearable computing devices. Today the company has just granted a new patent for head-mounted display system, which it first patented in 2006.

Today, the US Patent and Trademark Office published another patent from Apple that it has just been granted that covers a head-mounted display system. It looks like an Oculus Rift and is designed to enhance gaming, movies and more…

Patently Apple has the rundown of the newly granted patent:

“For users who wish to view media provided by an electronic device when they’re traveling, integrated displays may be limiting. Such users may instead desire a personal display system with which the user may appear to view media on a large display (e.g., on a home television) while in fact using a portable display system. Such users may also desire a personal display that is visible only to the user (e.g., for viewing private or sensitive content).
Accordingly, there is a need for a personal display system with which users can privately view media provided by an electronic device. In particular, there is a need for a head-mounted display for allowing users to view media.”

The goggle system may include a foam layer adjacent the frame that rests against the user’s face. The foam may serve to prevent ambient light from entering the goggle system and affecting the images displayed on the lens. The foam layer may be formed from any suitable compressible material, including for example different types of foam or flock. In some embodiments, the foam may be more compressible in regions where a user’s eyeglasses contact the frame to enhance the comfort of the goggle system.

Apple states that “a darkened inner surface may enhance a user’s experience by giving the user the impression of being in a theater or other optimal environment for viewing media.”

Here’s an excerpt on possible use cases:

“Entertainment system 2400, displayed in FIG. 24, may include goggle system 2401 and iDevice wired or unwired (as shown in FIG. 26). The electronic device could be any suitable electronic device for providing media to the goggle system such as, a computer, a cellular telephone, a mobile communications device, a personal media device, a gaming device, a set-top box, a television system, or any other suitable electronic device.

The entire patent is impressive, covering potential features like voice recognition, fingerprint scanning, and even retina scanning, and is very detailed. And, unlike other filings, Apple is very clear what its intentions are for this technology: display goggles.