Patent Application
20250093656
This relates generally to artificial-reality glasses, including, but not limited to, techniques for dynamically adjusting brightness levels of the artificial-reality glasses based on a comparison of external light received by sensors integrated with the artificial-reality glasses and current display brightness.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/582,814, filed Sep. 14, 2023, titled “Disparity Sensor For Closed-Loop Active Dimming Control, And Systems And Methods Of Use Thereof,” each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Users of artificial-reality glasses face the challenge of having properly dimmed lenses and displays based on constantly changing environments due to environmental factors such as sunlight, temperature, and/or change in environment (e.g., a user moving between outdoor and indoor environments). Current technology consists of passively dimming lenses, which faces drastic variability due to temperature and inconsistent environmental factors. For example, passive dimming technology that relies on temperature can have variability up to 25%. The variability in the passive dimming technology creates inconsistent dimming practices and can be very frustrating to a user, as the dimming technology can cause lenses to dim when they are not supposed to. Accordingly, there is a need for more accurate lens-dimming technology that properly dims lenses of artificial-reality glasses under appropriate conditions.
As such, there is a need to address one or more of the above-identified challenges. A brief summary of solutions to the issues noted above is described below.
The methods, systems, and devices described herein provide active dimming techniques for lenses of a head-wearable device. The active dimming techniques disclosed herein improve the visibility of artificial-reality content presented to the user via a display of a head-wearable device. Additionally, the active dimming techniques disclosed herein improve user comfort by dimming lenses of a head-wearable device to appropriate levels across different environments and/or environmental conditions. The methods, systems, and devices described herein provide a cost-effective, low-power, and lightweight solution for active dimming control. Additionally, the methods, systems, and devices are configured to operate as a closed-loop solution without the dedicated hardware required by existing closed-loop dimming technologies (which can require a calibrated light source and sensor, or charge level measurement circuit).
An example method of active dimming control for augmented-reality glasses, while a user is wearing augmented-reality glasses, is provided. The method includes obtaining first light information measured via a first sensor positioned to receive light after it travels through a dimmable element of the augmented-reality glasses, and obtaining second light information measured via a second sensor positioned to receive light that has not travelled through the dimmable element of the augmented-reality glasses. The method further includes actively (electronically) adjusting a dimming level of the dimmable element based on a comparison between the first and second light information.
The features and advantages described in the specification are not necessarily all-inclusive and, in particular, certain additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes.
Having summarized the above example aspects, a brief description of the drawings will now be presented.
For a better understanding of the various described embodiments, reference should be made to the Detailed Description below in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the figures.
In accordance with common practice, the various features illustrated in the drawings may not be drawn to scale. Accordingly, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. In addition, some of the drawings may not depict all of the components of a given system, method, or device. Finally, like reference numerals may be used to denote like features throughout the specification and figures.
Numerous details are described herein to provide a thorough understanding of the example embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, some embodiments may be practiced without many of the specific details, and the scope of the claims is only limited by those features and aspects specifically recited in the claims. Furthermore, well-known processes, components, and materials have not necessarily been described in exhaustive detail so as to avoid obscuring pertinent aspects of the embodiments described herein.
Embodiments of this disclosure can include or be implemented in conjunction with several types or embodiments of artificial-reality systems. Artificial reality (AR), as described herein, is any superimposed functionality and/or sensory-detectable presentation provided by an artificial-reality system within a user's physical surroundings. Such artificial realities can include and/or represent virtual reality (VR), augmented reality, mixed artificial reality (MAR), or some combination and/or variation of one of these. For example, a user can perform a swiping in-air hand gesture to cause a song to be skipped by a song-providing API providing playback at, for example, a home speaker. An AR environment, as described herein, includes, but is not limited to, VR environments (including non-immersive, semi-immersive, and fully immersive VR environments); augmented-reality environments (including marker-based augmented-reality environments, markerless augmented-reality environments, location-based augmented-reality environments, and projection-based augmented-reality environments); hybrid reality; and other types of mixed-reality environments.
Artificial-reality content can include completely generated content or generated content combined with captured (e.g., real-world) content. The artificial-reality content can include video, audio, haptic events, or some combination thereof, any of which can be presented in a single channel or in multiple channels (such as stereo-video that produces a three-dimensional effect to a viewer). Additionally, in some embodiments, artificial reality can also be associated with applications, products, accessories, services, or some combination thereof, which are used, for example, to create content in an artificial reality and/or are otherwise used in (e.g., to perform activities in) an artificial reality.
A hand gesture, as described herein, can include an in-air gesture, a surface-contact gesture, and/or other gestures that can be detected and determined based on movements of a single hand (e.g., a one-handed gesture performed with a user's hand that is detected by one or more sensors of a wearable device (e.g., electromyography (EMG) and/or inertial measurement units (IMUs) of a wrist-wearable device) and/or detected via image data captured by an imaging device of a wearable device (e.g., a camera of a head-wearable device)) or a combination of the user's hands. In-air means, in some embodiments, that the user's hand does not contact a surface, object, or portion of an electronic device (e.g., a head-wearable device or other communicatively coupled device, such as the wrist-wearable device), in other words, the gesture is performed in open air in 3D space and without contacting a surface, an object, or an electronic device. Surface-contact gestures (contacts at a surface, object, body part of the user, or electronic device) more generally are also contemplated in which contact (or an intention to contact) is detected at a surface (e.g., a single or double finger tap on a table, on a user's hand or another finger, on the user's leg, a couch, a steering wheel). The different hand gestures disclosed herein can be detected using image data and/or sensor data (e.g., neuromuscular signals sensed by one or more biopotential sensors (e.g., EMG sensors) or other types of data from other sensors, such as proximity sensors, time-of-flight sensors, sensors of an inertial measurement unit, etc.) detected by a wearable device worn by the user and/or other electronic devices in the user's possession (e.g., smartphones, laptops, imaging devices, intermediary devices, and/or other devices described herein).
The systems and methods disclosed herein provide techniques for active dimming control for augmented-reality glasses. The active dimming control techniques disclosed herein actively dim one or more lenses of a head-wearable device to improve the presentation of AR content to a user. The systems and methods disclosed herein can use one or more sensors and/or imaging sensors of a head-wearable device to detect current dimming levels of lenses and/or adjustments that should be made to current dimming levels of lenses. The systems and methods disclosed herein provide a cost-effective, low-power consumption, and lightweight solution for active dimming control. Additional detail on the active dimming control techniques is provided below.
Each lens of the at least two lenses can be formed via a plurality of layers, with at least one layer including a dimmable element. For example, the first lens 118 can include at least a first layer 150b (which includes a first integrated dimmable element) and the second lens 116 can include at least another first layer 150a (which includes another first integrated dimmable element). The head-wearable device 114 can control each respective first layer to dynamically adjust a dimming level of each lens based on sensor data obtained by one or more sensors as described below. In some embodiments, the head-wearable device 114 automatically adjusts the dimming level of each lens based on the obtained sensor data. Alternatively, or in addition, in some embodiments, the user can manually adjust the dimming level of each lens (e.g., the first and second lenses 118 and 116). The respective integrated dimmable elements of the first layer 150b and the other first layer 150a can be adjusted individually or substantially simultaneously. As described in detail below in reference to
The sensor data for determining respective dimming levels of the first and/or second lenses 118 and 116 is obtained via one or more sensors of the head-wearable device 114. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors include a disparity sensor 316 (
The head-wearable device 114 further includes one or more imaging sensors, such as a front-facing camera, for capturing image data of the real world. In some embodiments, a front-facing camera 152 is positioned adjacent to each lens. For example, a first front-facing camera 152b can be positioned to capture image data of the real world adjacent to the first lens 118 and a second front-facing camera 152a can be positioned to capture image data of the real world adjacent to the second lens 116. In some embodiments, image data captured by the first and second front-facing cameras 152b and 152a is used in determining respective dimming levels of the first and/or second lenses 118 and 116. For example, image data captured by the first front-facing camera 152b can be compared with sensor data for the first lens 118 obtained from the disparity sensor 316, and a dimming level of the first lens can be determined based on comparison (as discussed in detail below).
Returning to
In some embodiments, the brightness of the real-world environment is determined based on the sensor data captured by one or more sensors of the head-wearable device 114 (e.g., light sensors 868, such as ambient light sensors). For example, an ambient light sensor can detect an amount of lux (the standard unit for the illuminance of ambient light) in a particular environment. In some embodiments, the amount of lux is used to determine the brightness of the real-world environment. For example, a very bright to bright real-world environment can be between 32,000 lux to 100,000 lux, an outdoor real-world environment with full daylight can be between 10,000 lux to 25,000 lux, an office real-world environment can be between 320 lux to 500 lux, and a bedroom real-world environment can be between 60 lux to 100 lux.
Alternatively, or in addition, in some embodiments, brightness of the real-world environment is determined based on image data captured by the one or more imaging sensors (e.g., front-facing cameras 152b and 152a). For example, the image data can be processed (e.g., pixel analysis) to detect changes in brightness within a portion of the image data. In some embodiments, the ambient light sensor can detect the number of nits (unit of brightness/luminance) in a particular environment. Nits are a unit of measurement used to quantify brightness by measuring the amount of light emitted or reflected. Higher nit values indicate a brighter screen, allowing for better visibility in well-lit environments or under direct sunlight. For example, a very bright to bright real-world environment can be between 10,600 nits to 33,400 nits, an outdoor real-world environment with full daylight can be between 3,300 nits to 8,400 nits, an office real-world environment can be between 100 nits to 170 nits, and a bedroom real-world environment can be between 20 nits to 35 nits. The above examples are non-limiting and can vary depending on the real-world environment, user-defined settings, and/or settings of the head-wearable device 114.
The respective transmission levels (e.g., the dimming level) of the first and second lenses 118 and 116 are determined based on a measured percentage of light that passes through respective portions of the first and second lenses 118 and 116. For example, in some embodiments, the disparity sensor 316 can measure the amount of light that passes through a first layer 150b of the first lens 118 and contacts the second layer 322b and/or third layer 320b of the first lens 118. Alternatively, or in addition, in some embodiments, the respective transmission levels of the first and second lenses 118 and 116 are determined based on a comparison of ambient light measured by the disparity sensor 316 and/or one or more light sensors 868 and light passing through a respective lens as measured by the disparity sensor 316. For example, a light sensor 868 can measure the ambient light at 5,000 nits and the disparity sensor 316 can measure the light passing through the lens at 1,000 nits, which is consistent with a transmission level that attenuates 80% of the incoming light. As described above, in some embodiments, the respective transmission levels of the first and second lenses 118 and 116 are determined based on a comparison of image data captured by one or more imaging sensors and sensor data obtained by the disparity sensor 316. For example, image data captured by the front-facing cameras 152b and 152a can be used to determine the current brightness of the user 110's real-world environment, and sensor data obtained by the disparity sensor 316 can be used to measure the light passing through each lens, and the image data and sensor data can be used to determine the respective transmission levels of the first and second lenses 118 and 116. The example techniques for determining a transmission level of a lens described above are non-limiting. The different techniques disclosed herein can use only the sensor data obtained from the disparity sensor 316 or data obtained from the disparity sensor 316 and other components (e.g., a light sensor 868 and/or an imaging sensor) to determine a transmission level of a lens.
The dimming levels of the first and second lenses 118 and 116 can vary from a maximum dimming level (e.g., such that there is 0% to 5% visible light transmission, where visible light transmission is the amount of light that reaches a user's eyes through lenses) to a minimum dimming level (e.g., such that there is 80% or more visible light transmission). At the maximum dimming level, the first and second lenses 118 and 116 have an increased tint and can be opaque or substantially opaque, and at the minimum dimming level, the first and second lenses 118 and 116 have little to no tint and can be clear or substantially clear. As the lenses transition from maximum dimming level to the minimum dimming level, and vice versa, the tint and opaqueness of the first and second lenses 118 and 116 are decreased and/or decreased based on the current dimming level.
The head-wearable device 114 can adjust the respective dimming levels of the first and second lenses 118 and 116 to obtain or maintain a respective predetermined visible light transmission or a respective predetermined light attenuation for each lens. In some embodiments, the head-wearable device 114 adjusts the respective dimming levels of the first and second lenses 118 and 116 to improve visibility and/or presentation of displayed AR content 112. For example, on bright days, the head-wearable device 114 can reduce the real-world environment brightness to improve the visibility of presented AR content 112. The head-wearable device 114 improves visibility and/or presentation of displayed AR content 112 by adjusting an additive contrast ratio (C) of a lens, which is based on a relationship between a display brightness (D), a real-world environment brightness (W), and/or lens transmission (T). In some embodiments, the relationship between the different variables of a lens additive contrast ratio (C) is defined by the following formula:
The head-wearable device 114 adjusts the dimming level and/or the additive contrast ratio of a lens by providing one or more electrical signals to the dimmable element of a first layer 150 of a lens. More specifically, head-wearable device 114 adjusts a voltage applied to a respective lens to adjust the dimming level and/or the additive contrast ratio of the respective lens. The head-wearable device 114 can adjust the respective voltages provided to the first and second lenses 118 and 116 such that the first and second lenses 118 and 116 have or maintain respective predetermined dimming levels and/or respective additive contrast ratios. Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, head-wearable device 114 can adjust the respective voltages provided to the first and second lenses 118 and 116 such that the first and second lenses 118 and 116 have or maintain respective predetermined visible light transmissions or respective predetermined light attenuations. The head-wearable device 114 can provide electrical signals and/or voltages to a dimmable element of the first layer 150 of a lens via circuitry coupled with at least the first layer 150. In some embodiments, the head-wearable device 114 can provide electrical signals and/or voltages to a dimmable element of a lens via circuitry coupled with a lens and/or a disparity sensor 316 electrically coupled with the dimmable element.
As shown in
As described above, the head-wearable device 114 can automatically adjust the dimming elements of the first and/or second lenses 118 and/or 116 to control the amount of light that reaches the user 110's eyes (e.g., maintain a predetermined visible light transmission) and/or to improve visibility of presented AR content 112 (e.g., maintain a predetermined additive contrast ratio). Each dimming element can be controlled independently to compensate for other transmission or display brightness asymmetries in a system (e.g., a head-wearable device 114). Alternatively, or in addition, in some embodiments, the respective dimming levels of the first and second lenses 118 and 116 are adjusted in response to a trigger condition indicating that the dimming levels require adjusting. In some embodiments, a trigger condition includes a predetermined additive contrast ratio. For example, in accordance with a determination that an additive contrast ratio for the head-wearable device 114 falls below a threshold amount, a trigger condition is detected and the dimming levels of the first and/or second lenses 118 and/or 116 are adjusted. In some embodiments, a trigger condition includes one or more of a predetermined time of day (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening, night), predetermined location (e.g., inside, outside, office, bedroom), a predetermined dimming level (e.g., 80%, 50%, 20%, light attenuation), and/or a predetermined type of AR content (e.g., gaming application, media content, articles). For example, the head-wearable device 114, in response to receiving user instructions to present a movie via its display, detects the presence of a trigger condition (e.g., presentation of a predetermined type of AR content) and automatically adjusts the dimming elements of the first and/or second lenses 118 and/or 116.
Although
In
In
As further shown in
In
In some embodiments, the head-wearable device 114 can selectively cause presentation of AR content 112 in the first lens 118, the second lens 116, or both. In some embodiments, selection of a particular lens is based on environmental conditions, energy consumption, and/or quality of AR content 112. For example, the head-wearable device 114 can select to present AR content 112 to be presented via a lens exposed to the least amount of sun, the lens requiring the least amount of dimming, the lens requiring the least amount of voltage, and/or other factors. Although
The above examples are non-exhaustive. For example, the disparity sensor 316 can be used in conjunction with a dedicated dimming control loop (e.g., including a calibrated light source and sensor, or charge level measurement circuit). In another embodiments, eye-tracking cameras could be used in addition to a disparity sensor 316 to measure the brightness of the world through a dimming control module 856 discussed below in reference to
In some embodiments, the first layer 150 (e.g., the first layer 150b and/or another first layer 150a) can include a dimmable element, which is configured to control the transmission level of a respective lens. Specifically, the dimmable element is configured to receive one or more electrical signals that cause a change in a transmission level of a first layer 150 (e.g., adjusting an amount of light reaching a second layer 322 and/or the user's eyes). The electrical signals can include one or more electrical properties, such as a voltage, an amplitude, a frequency, etc. The electrical signal is provided to the first layer 150 and/or the dimmable element via circuitry of the artificial-reality glasses 300, a power source electrically coupled with the first layer 150 and/or the dimmable element, and/or other components of a head-wearable device. The dimmable element can be formed of a thermochromic, photochromatic, or electrochromic material. In some embodiments, the dimmable element is formed of liquid crystal. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the dimmable element is mechanical.
In some embodiments, the second layer 322 includes or integrates a waveguide. The waveguide is configured to receive one or more light signals via a display or projector such that a representation of image data is presented to the user. Specifically, the second layer 322 is configured to receive image data (e.g., via one or more light signals) to cause the presentation of AR content (e.g., AR content 112,
In some embodiments, the third layer 320 includes or integrates additional waveguides, dimmable elements, and other integrated components to further assist in the presentation of AR content 112. For example, the third layer 320 can include additional waveguides to increase display brightness or present additional AR content 112. In some embodiments, the third layer 320 provides an additional element for measuring light as it travels through a lens. For example, an imaging sensor (e.g., an eye-tracking camera) aimed at the third layer 320 can be used to measure light as it travels through at least the first and/or second layers 150 and 322. Additionally, the third layer 320 can be used to track the user's eye movements. For example, an eye-tracking camera can capture reflections of the user's eye movements from the third layer 320 and the reflections of the user's eye movements, captured in image data, can be used to track the user's eye movements.
The method 400 is performed at a head-wearable device 114 including one or more disparity sensors 316 (
The method 400 also includes capturing (440), via a front-facing camera, image data of the real world. The method 400 includes determining (450) average pixel values corresponding to a region of interest. The region of interest can be based on a particular lens of the head-wearable device 114. For example, a first lens 118 (
The method 400 further includes comparing (470) the converted average subtracted values (based on the sensor data captured by a disparity sensor 316) with the converted average pixel values (based on the image data captured by a front-facing camera) to determine a dimming transmission level (T %). For example, as shown in
(A1)
The method 500 is performed by augmented-reality glasses (e.g., an embodiment of a head-wearable device 114) while the augmented-reality glasses are worn (502) by a user. The method 500 includes obtaining (504) first light information measured via a first sensor positioned to receive light after it travels through a dimmable element of the augmented-reality glasses. For example, a disparity sensor 316 (
The method 500 includes obtaining (506) second light information measured via a second sensor positioned to receive light that has not travelled through the dimmable element of the augmented-reality glasses. For example, an imaging sensor associated with a lens, such as a front-facing camera 152 (
The method 500 further includes, actively (e.g., electronically) adjusting (508) a dimming level of the dimmable element based on a comparison between the first and second light information. For example, as described above in reference to
(A2) In some embodiments of A1, the augmented-reality glasses include a dimmable element positioned farther away from the user compared to a display-presentation element of the augmented-reality glasses. For example, as shown above in reference to
(A3) In some embodiments of any one of A1 and A2, the dimming level is further based on comparing either or both of the first and second light information with third light information measured via a third sensor. For example, as described above in reference to
(A4) In some embodiments of A3, the dimming level is further based on comparing two more of the first, second, and third light information with fourth light information measured via a fourth sensor.
(A4.5) In some embodiments of A4, the fourth sensor is an eye-tracking camera. The fourth sensor can include an eye-tracking camera that is configured to measure light of an external environment through a portion of the lens. For example, the eye-tracking camera can measure brightness through a dimming module (e.g., a first layer 150; e.g.,
(A5) In some embodiments of any one of A1-A4.5, the dimmable element is a first dimmable element associated with a first lens of the augmented-reality glasses for the first eye of the user, and the augmented-reality glasses further include a second dimmable element associated with a second lens of the augmented-reality glasses for the second eye of the user. Actively adjusting the dimming level of the dimmable element includes actively adjusting the dimming level of the first dimmable element only. Examples of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(A6) In some embodiments of A5, actively adjusting the dimming level of the dimmable element includes actively adjusting the dimming level of the second dimmable element after actively adjusting the dimming level of the first dimmable element. Example adjustments of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(A7) In some embodiments of A6, the first dimmable element is adjusted to a first dimming level and the second dimmable element is adjusted to a second dimming level, distinct from the first dimming level. Example adjustments of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(A8) In some embodiments of any one of A6 and A7, the method 500 further includes, before actively adjusting the dimming level, in accordance with a determination that artificial-reality content is being presented via the first lens, determining that the first dimmable element requires a dimming level adjustment to allow for proper viewing of the artificial-reality content. Actively adjusting the dimming level is performed for the first dimmable element in response to determining that the first dimmable element requires a dimming-level adjustment to allow for proper viewing of the artificial-reality content. Example adjustments to respective additive contrast ratios of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(A9) In some embodiments of A8, the method 500 further includes, before actively adjusting the respective dimming level for the second dimmable element, in accordance with a determination that the artificial-reality content is being presented via the second lens, determining that the second dimmable element requires a dimming-level adjustment to allow for proper viewing of the artificial-reality content. Actively adjusting the respective dimming level is performed for the second dimmable element in response to determining that the second dimmable element requires a dimming-level adjustment to allow for proper viewing of the artificial-reality content. Example adjustments to respective additive contrast ratios of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(A10) In some embodiments of any one of A8 and A9, the method 500 further includes, in conjunction with actively adjusting the dimmable element, adjusting respective brightness levels used to display user interface elements in front of each of the first and/or second dimmable elements. Example adjustments to respective additive contrast ratios of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(A11) In some embodiments of any one of A8-A10, actively adjusting includes electronically adjusting the first dimmable element and the second dimmable element to a same dimming level.
(A12) In some embodiments of any one of A1-A9, the dimmable element includes
(A13) In some embodiments of any one of A1-A12, the first sensor is a disparity sensor configured to output first light information by comparing light from one or more waveguides.
(A14) In some embodiments of any one of A1-A13, the first light information measured by the first sensor accounts for a background subtraction of real-world signals.
(A15) In some embodiments of any one of A1-A14, the second sensor positioned in front of the dimmable element of the augmented-reality glasses is an imaging sensor.
(A16) In some embodiments of any one of A1-A15, the dimmable element is a photochromatic-, electrochromic-, thermochromic-, and/or mechanical-based element. The dimming elements are discussed above in reference to
(A17) In some embodiments of any one of A1-A16, actively adjusting the dimming level occurs in response to detecting a trigger condition indicating that the dimmable element requires an adjustment to the dimming level. Examples of the trigger conditions are provided above in reference to
(A18) In some embodiments of A17, the trigger condition is determined to be satisfied when an additive contrast ratio for the augmented-reality glasses falls below a threshold amount.
(B1) In accordance with some embodiments, a system that includes one or more wrist-wearable devices, an artificial-reality headset, and/or a handheld intermediary processing device, and the system is configured to perform operations corresponding to any of A1-A18.
(C1) In accordance with some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a computing device (e.g., a head-wearable device 114) in communication with a head-wearable device 114, cause the computer device to perform operations corresponding to any of A1-A18.
(D1) An intermediary device configured to coordinate operations of a head-wearable device and a wrist-wearable device, the intermediary device configured to convey information between the head-wearable device and the wrist-wearable device in conjunction with the method of any one of A1-A18.
(E1) In accordance with some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors (e.g., processor 848A and/or processor 848B) of a head-wearable device (e.g., head-wearable device 114), cause the head-wearable device to cause the performance of one or more operations. The operations include, while a user (e.g., user 110) is wearing augmented-reality glasses (e.g., head-wearable device 114): (i) obtaining first light information measured via a first sensor (e.g., one or more sensors of the head-wearable device 114 including a disparity sensor 316) positioned to receive light after it travels through a dimmable element (e.g., the first lens 118 that includes at least a first layer 150b, which includes a first integrated dimmable element) of the augmented-reality glasses, (ii) obtaining second light information measured via a second sensor (e.g., front-facing camera 152) positioned to receive light that has not travelled through the dimmable element of the augmented-reality glasses, and (iii) actively adjusting a dimming level of the dimmable element based on a comparison between the first and second light information. For example, as described in
(E2) In some embodiments of E1, the dimmable element is a first dimmable element associated with a first lens of the augmented-reality glasses for a first eye of the user, the augmented-reality glasses also include a second dimmable element associated with a second lens of the augmented-reality glasses for a second eye of the user, and actively adjusting includes electronically adjusting the dimming level only for the first dimmable element. Examples of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(E3) In some embodiments of any one of E1 and E2, the actively adjusting includes electronically adjusting the first dimmable element to a first dimming level and the second dimmable element to a second dimming level, distinct from the first dimming level. Example adjustments of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(E4) In some embodiments of any one of E1-E3, the instructions that, when executed by the head-wearable device, also cause the head-wearable device to, before actively adjusting the dimming level, in accordance with a determination that artificial-reality content (e.g., AR content 112) is being presented via the first lens, determine that the first dimmable element requires a dimming-level adjustment to allow for proper viewing of the artificial-reality content. Actively adjusting the dimming level is performed for the first dimmable element in response to the determination that the first dimmable element requires a dimming level adjustment to allow for proper viewing of the AR content. Example adjustments to respective additive contrast ratios of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
(E5) In some embodiments of any one of E1-E4, the dimmable element includes (i) a first dimmable element associated with a first lens of the augmented-reality glasses for a first eye of the user and (ii) a second dimmable element associated with a second lens of the augmented-reality glasses for a second eye of the user, and the actively adjusting occurs substantially simultaneously for both the first and second dimmable elements.
(E6) In some embodiments of any one of E1-E5, actively adjusting the dimming level occurs in response to detecting a trigger condition indicating that the dimmable element requires an adjustment to the dimming level. For example,
(E7) In some embodiments of any one of E1-E6, the trigger condition is determined to be satisfied when an additive contrast ratio for the augmented-reality glasses (e.g., AR glasses 300) falls below a threshold amount. For example, the additive contrast ratio is further discussed in
(E8) In some embodiments of any one of E1-E7, the augmented-reality glasses (e.g., AR glasses 300) include a dimmable element positioned farther away from the user compared to a display-presentation element of the augmented-reality glasses (e.g., AR glasses 300). For example,
(E9) In some embodiments of any one of E1-E8, the first sensor is a disparity sensor configured to output first light information by comparing light from one or more waveguides. For example, features of the disparity sensor 316 are discussed in
(F1) In accordance with some embodiments, a head-wearable device includes one or more sensors (e.g., one or more sensors of the head-wearable device 114, including a disparity sensor 316), one or more imaging devices (e.g., front-facing camera 152), two lenses (e.g., the first and/or second lenses 118 and 116), memory (e.g., memory 850A and/or memory 850B) including instructions for performing one or more operations, and one or more processors (e.g., processors 848A and/or processors 848B) configured to execute the instructions to cause the performance of one or more operations. The operations include, while a user (e.g., user 110) is wearing augmented-reality glasses (e.g., head-wearable device 114), obtaining first light information measured via a first sensor of the one or more sensors positioned to receive light after it travels through a dimmable element of the augmented-reality glasses, obtaining second light information measured via a second sensor (e.g., front-facing camera 152) of the one or more sensors positioned to receive light that has not travelled through the dimmable element of the augmented-reality glasses, and actively adjusting a dimming level of the dimmable element based on a comparison between the first and second light information.
(F2) In some embodiments of F1, the dimmable element is a first dimmable element associated with a first lens of the augmented-reality glasses for a first eye of the user, the augmented-reality glasses also include a second dimmable element associated with a second lens of the augmented-reality glasses for a second eye of the user, and actively adjusting includes electronically adjusting the dimming level only for the first dimmable element. Examples of the first and/or second dimming elements are provided above in reference to
The devices described above are further detailed below, including wrist-wearable devices, headset devices, systems, and haptic feedback devices. Specific operations described above may occur as a result of specific hardware; such hardware is described in further detail below. The devices described below are not limiting and features on these devices can be removed or additional features can be added to these devices.
The devices described above are further detailed below, including systems, wrist-wearable devices, headset devices, and smart textile-based garments. Specific operations described above may occur as a result of specific hardware; such hardware is described in further detail below. The devices described below are not limiting and features on these devices can be removed or additional features can be added to these devices. The different devices can include one or more analogous hardware components. For brevity, analogous devices and components are described below. Any differences in the devices and components are described below in their respective sections.
As described herein, a processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), microcontroller unit (MCU)) is an electronic component that is responsible for executing instructions and controlling the operation of an electronic device (e.g., a wrist-wearable device 700, a head-wearable device 114 (
As described herein, controllers are electronic components that manage and coordinate the operation of other components within an electronic device (e.g., controlling inputs, processing data, and/or generating outputs). E Examples of controllers can include (i) microcontrollers, including small, low-power controllers that are commonly used in embedded systems and Internet of Things (IoT) devices; (ii) programmable logic controllers (PLCs), which may be configured to be used in industrial automation systems to control and monitor manufacturing processes; (iii) system-on-a-chip (SoC) controllers, which integrate multiple components such as processors, memory, I/O interfaces, and other peripherals into a single chip; and/or DSPs. As described herein, a graphics module is a component or software module that is designed to handle graphical operations and/or processes, and can include a hardware module and/or a software module.
As described herein, memory refers to electronic components in a computer or electronic device that store data and instructions for the processor to access and manipulate. The devices described herein can include volatile and non-volatile memory. Examples of memory can include (i) random access memory (RAM), such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM or other random access solid state memory devices, configured to store data and instructions temporarily; (ii) read-only memory (ROM), configured to store data and instructions permanently (e.g., one or more portions of system firmware, and/or boot loaders); (iii) flash memory, magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, other non-volatile solid state storage devices, which can be configured to store data in electronic devices, e.g., USB drives, memory cards, and/or solid-state drives (SSDs); and (iv) cache memory, configured to temporarily store frequently accessed data and instructions. Memory, as described herein, can include structured data (e.g., SQL databases, MongoDB databases, GraphQL data, JSON data). Other examples of memory can include (i) profile data, including user account data, user settings, and/or other user data stored by the user; (ii) sensor data detected and/or otherwise obtained by one or more sensors; (iii) media content data, including stored image data, audio data, documents, and the like; and (iv) application data, which can include data collected and/or otherwise obtained and stored during use of an application; and/or any other types of data described herein.
As described herein, a power system of an electronic device is configured to convert incoming electrical power into a form that can be used to operate the device. A power system can include various components, including (i) a power source, which can be an alternating current (AC) adapter or a direct current (DC) adapter power supply; (ii) a charger input, and can be configured to use a wired and/or wireless connection (which may be part of a peripheral interface, such as a USB, micro-USB interface, near-field magnetic coupling, magnetic inductive and magnetic resonance charging, and/or radio frequency (RF) charging); (iii) a power-management integrated circuit, configured to distribute power to various components of the device and to ensure that the device operates within safe limits (e.g., regulating voltage, controlling current flow, and/or managing heat dissipation); and/or (iv) a battery configured to store power to provide usable power to components of one or more electronic devices.
As described herein, peripheral interfaces are electronic components (e.g., of electronic devices) that allow electronic devices to communicate with other devices or peripherals, and can provide a means for input and output of data and signals. Examples of peripheral interfaces can include (i) universal serial bus (USB) and/or micro-USB interfaces configured for connecting devices to an electronic device; (ii) Bluetooth interfaces configured to allow devices to communicate with each other, including Bluetooth low energy (BLE); (iii) near field communication (NFC) interfaces configured to be short-range wireless interface for operations such as access control; (iv) POGO pins, which may be small, spring-loaded pins configured to provide a charging interface; (v) wireless charging interfaces; (vi) GPS interfaces; (vii) Wi-Fi interfaces for providing a connection between a device and a wireless network; and (viii) sensor interfaces.
As described herein, sensors are electronic components (e.g., in and/or otherwise in electronic communication with electronic devices, such as wearable devices) configured to detect physical and environmental changes and generate electrical signals. Examples of sensors can include (i) imaging sensors for collecting imaging data (e.g., including one or more cameras disposed on a respective electronic device); (ii) biopotential-signal sensors; (iii) inertial measurement unit (e.g., IMUs) for detecting, for example, angular rate, force, magnetic field, and/or changes in acceleration; (iv) heart rate sensors for measuring a user's heart rate; (v) SpO2 sensors for measuring blood oxygen saturation and/or other biometric data of a user; (vi) capacitive sensors for detecting changes in potential at a portion of a user's body (e.g., a sensor-skin interface) and/or the proximity of other devices or objects; (vii) light sensors (e.g., time-of-flight sensors, infrared light sensors, visible light sensors), and/or sensors for sensing data from the user or the user's environment. As described herein, biopotential-signal-sensing components are devices used to measure electrical activity within the body (e.g., biopotential-signal sensors). Some types of biopotential-signal sensors include (i) electroencephalography (EEG) sensors configured to measure electrical activity in the brain to diagnose neurological disorders; (ii) electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) sensors configured to measure electrical activity of the heart to diagnose heart problems; (iii) electromyography (EMG) sensors configured to measure the electrical activity of muscles and to diagnose neuromuscular disorders; and (iv) electrooculography (EOG) sensors configured to measure the electrical activity of eye muscles to detect eye movement and diagnose eye disorders.
As described herein, an application stored in the memory of an electronic device (e.g., software) includes instructions stored in the memory. Examples of such applications include (i) games; (ii) word processors; (iii) messaging applications; (iv) media-streaming applications; (v) financial applications; (vi) calendars; (vii) clocks; (viii) web browsers; (ix) social media applications; (x) camera applications; (xi) web-based applications; (xii) health applications; (xiii) artificial reality applications; and/or any other applications that can be stored in memory. The applications can operate in conjunction with data and/or one or more components of a device or communicatively coupled devices to perform one or more operations and/or functions.
As described herein, communication interface modules can include hardware and/or software capable of data communications using any of a variety of custom or standard wireless protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.15.4, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, 6LoWPAN, Thread, Z-Wave, Bluetooth Smart, ISA100.11a, WirelessHART, or MiWi), custom or standard wired protocols (e.g., Ethernet or HomePlug), and/or any other suitable communication protocol, including communication protocols not yet developed as of the filing date of this document. A communication interface is a mechanism that enables different systems or devices to exchange information and data with each other, including hardware, software, or a combination of both hardware and software. For example, a communication interface can refer to a physical connector and/or port on a device that enables communication with other devices (e.g., USB, Ethernet, HDMI, Bluetooth). In some embodiments, a communication interface can refer to a software layer that enables different software programs to communicate with each other (e.g., application programming interfaces (APIs), protocols such as HTTP and TCP/IP).
As described herein, a graphics module is a component or software module that is designed to handle graphical operations and/or processes, and can include a hardware module and/or a software module.
As described herein, non-transitory computer-readable storage media are physical devices or storage mediums that can be used to store electronic data in a non-transitory form (e.g., such that the data is stored permanently until it is intentionally deleted or modified).
The wrist-wearable device 700 and one or more of its components are described below in reference to
Turning to
The user 602 can use any of the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900 to provide user inputs. For example, the user 602 can perform one or more hand gestures that are detected by the wrist-wearable device 700 (e.g., using one or more EMG sensors and/or IMUs, described below in reference to
The wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900 can operate alone or in conjunction to allow the user 602 to interact with the AR environment. In some embodiments, the HIPD 900 is configured to operate as a central hub or control center for the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or another communicatively coupled device. For example, the user 602 can provide an input to interact with the AR environment at any of the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900, and the HIPD 900 can identify one or more back-end and front-end tasks to cause the performance of the requested interaction and distribute instructions to cause the performance of the one or more back-end and front-end tasks at the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900. In some embodiments, a back-end task is background processing task that is not perceptible by the user (e.g., rendering content, decompression, compression), and a front-end task is a user-facing task that is perceptible to the user (e.g., presenting information to the user, providing feedback to the user). As described below in reference to
In the example shown by the first AR system 600a, the HIPD 900 identifies one or more back-end and front-end tasks associated with a user request to initiate an AR video call with one or more other users (represented by the avatar 604 and the digital representation of the contact 606) and distributes instructions to cause the performance of the one or more back-end and front-end tasks. In particular, the HIPD 900 performs back-end tasks for processing and/or rendering image data (and other data) associated with the AR video call and provides operational data associated with the performed back-end tasks to the AR device 800 such that the AR device 800 perform front-end tasks for presenting the AR video call (e.g., presenting the avatar 604 and the digital representation of the contact 606).
In some embodiments, the HIPD 900 can operate as a focal or anchor point for causing the presentation of information. This allows the user 602 to be generally aware of where information is presented. For example, as shown in the first AR system 600a, the avatar 604 and the digital representation of the contact 606 are presented above the HIPD 900. In particular, the HIPD 900 and the AR device 800 operate in conjunction to determine a location for presenting the avatar 604 and the digital representation of the contact 606. In some embodiments, information can be presented a predetermined distance from the HIPD 900 (e.g., within five meters). For example, as shown in the first AR system 600a, virtual object 608 is presented on the desk some distance from the HIPD 900. Similar to the above example, the HIPD 900 and the AR device 800 can operate in conjunction to determine a location for presenting the virtual object 608. Alternatively, in some embodiments, presentation of information is not bound by the HIPD 900. More specifically, the avatar 604, the digital representation of the contact 606, and the virtual object 608 do not have to be presented within a predetermined distance of the HIPD 900.
User inputs provided at the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900 are coordinated such that the user can use any device to initiate, continue, and/or complete an operation. For example, the user 602 can provide a user input to the AR device 800 to cause the AR device 800 to present the virtual object 608 and, while the virtual object 608 is presented by the AR device 800, the user 602 can provide one or more hand gestures via the wrist-wearable device 700 to interact and/or manipulate the virtual object 608.
In some embodiments, the user 602 initiates, via a user input, an application on the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900 that causes the application to initiate on at least one device. For example, in the second AR system 600b, the user 602 performs a hand gesture associated with a command for initiating a messaging application (represented by messaging user interface 612); the wrist-wearable device 700 detects the hand gesture; and, based on a determination that the user 602 is wearing AR device 800, causes the AR device 800 to present a messaging user interface 612 of the messaging application. The AR device 800 can present the messaging user interface 612 to the user 602 via its display (e.g., as shown by user 602's field of view 610). In some embodiments, the application is initiated and ran on the device (e.g., the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900) that detects the user input to initiate the application, and the device provides another device operational data to cause the presentation of the messaging application. For example, the wrist-wearable device 700 can detect the user input to initiate a messaging application; initiate and run the messaging application; and provide operational data to the AR device 800 and/or the HIPD 900 to cause presentation of the messaging application. Alternatively, the application can be initiated and ran at a device other than the device that detected the user input. For example, the wrist-wearable device 700 can detect the hand gesture associated with initiating the messaging application and cause the HIPD 900 to run the messaging application and coordinate the presentation of the messaging application.
Further, the user 602 can provide a user input provided at the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900 to continue and/or complete an operation initiated at another device. For example, after initiating the messaging application via the wrist-wearable device 700 and while the AR device 800 presents the messaging user interface 612, the user 602 can provide an input at the HIPD 900 to prepare a response (i.e., shown by the swipe gesture performed on the HIPD 900). The user 602's gestures performed on the HIPD 900 can be provided and/or displayed on another device. For example, the user 602's swipe gestures performed on the HIPD 900 are displayed on a virtual keyboard of the messaging user interface 612 displayed by the AR device 800.
In some embodiments, the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, the HIPD 900, and/or other communicatively coupled device can present one or more notifications to the user 602. The notification can be an indication of a new message, an incoming call, an application update, a status update, etc. The user 602 can select the notification via the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, the HIPD 900, and cause presentation of an application or operation associated with the notification on at least one device. For example, the user 602 can receive a notification that a message was received at the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, the HIPD 900, and/or other communicatively coupled device and provide a user input at the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900 to review the notification, and the device detecting the user input can cause an application associated with the notification to be initiated and/or presented at the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900.
While the above example describes coordinated inputs used to interact with a messaging application, the skilled artisan will appreciate upon reading the descriptions that user inputs can be coordinated to interact with any number of applications, including, but not limited to, gaming applications, social media applications, camera applications, web-based applications, financial applications, etc. For example, the AR device 800 can present to the user 602 game application data and the HIPD 900 can use a controller to provide inputs to the game. Similarly, the user 602 can use the wrist-wearable device 700 to initiate a camera of the AR device 800, and the user can use the wrist-wearable device 700, the AR device 800, and/or the HIPD 900 to manipulate the image capture (e.g., zoom in or out, apply filters) and capture image data.
Having discussed example AR systems, devices for interacting with such AR systems, and other computing systems more generally, will now be discussed in greater detail below. Some definitions of devices and components that can be included in some or all of the example devices discussed below are defined here for case of reference. A skilled artisan will appreciate that certain types of the components described below may be more suitable for a particular set of devices, and less suitable for a different set of devices. But subsequent reference to the components defined here should be considered to be encompassed by the definitions provided.
In some embodiments discussed below, example devices and systems, including electronic devices and systems, will be discussed. Such example devices and systems are not intended to be limiting, and one of skill in the art will understand that alternative devices and systems to the example devices and systems described herein may be used to perform the operations and construct the systems and devices that are described herein.
As described herein, an electronic device is a device that uses electrical energy to perform a specific function. It can be any physical object that contains electronic components such as transistors, resistors, capacitors, diodes, and integrated circuits. Examples of electronic devices include smartphones, laptops, digital cameras, televisions, gaming consoles, and music players, as well as examples of electronic devices discussed herein. As described herein, an intermediary electronic device is a device that sits between two other electronic devices, and/or a subset of components of one or more electronic devices and facilitates communication, and/or data processing and/or data transfer between the respective electronic devices and/or electronic components.
As will be described in more detail below, operations executed by the wrist-wearable device 700 can include (i) presenting content to a user (e.g., displaying visual content via a display 705); (ii) detecting (e.g., sensing) user input (e.g., sensing a touch on peripheral button 723 and/or at a touch screen of the display 705, a hand gesture detected by sensors (e.g., biopotential sensors)); (iii) sensing biometric data via one or more sensors 713 (e.g., neuromuscular signals, heart rate, temperature, sleep); messaging (e.g., text, speech, video); image capture via one or more imaging devices or cameras 725; wireless communications (e.g., cellular, near field, Wi-Fi, personal area network); location determination; financial transactions; providing haptic feedback; alarms; notifications; biometric authentication; health monitoring; sleep monitoring; etc.
The above-example functions can be executed independently in the watch body 720, independently in the wearable band 710, and/or via an electronic communication between the watch body 720 and the wearable band 710. In some embodiments, functions can be executed on the wrist-wearable device 700 while an AR environment is being presented (i.e., via one of the AR systems 600a and 600b). As the skilled artisan will appreciate upon reading the descriptions provided herein, the novel wearable devices described herein can be used with other types of AR environments.
The wearable band 710 can be configured to be worn by a user such that an inner (or inside) surface of the wearable structure 711 of the wearable band 710 is in contact with the user's skin. When worn by a user, sensors 713 contact the user's skin. The sensors 713 can sense biometric data such as a user's heart rate, saturated oxygen level, temperature, sweat level, neuromuscular signal sensors, or a combination thereof. The sensors 713 can also sense data about a user's environment, including a user's motion, altitude, location, orientation, gait, acceleration, position, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the sensors 713 are configured to track a position and/or motion of the wearable band 710. The one or more sensors 713 can include any of the sensors defined above and/or discussed below with respect to
The one or more sensors 713 can be distributed on an inside and/or an outside surface of the wearable band 710. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors 713 are uniformly spaced along the wearable band 710. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the one or more sensors 713 are positioned at distinct points along the wearable band 710. As shown in
The wearable band 710 can include any suitable number of sensors 713. In some embodiments, the number and arrangement of sensors 713 depends on the particular application for which the wearable band 710 is used. For instance, a wearable band 710 configured as an armband, wristband, or chest band may include a plurality of sensors 713 with a different number of sensors 713 and different arrangement for each use case, such as medical use cases as compared to gaming or everyday-use cases.
In accordance with some embodiments, the wearable band 710 further includes an electrical ground electrode and a shielding electrode. The electrical ground and shielding electrodes, like the sensors 713, can be distributed on the inside surface of the wearable band 710 such that they contact a portion of the user's skin. For example, the electrical ground and shielding electrodes can be at an inside surface of coupling mechanism 716 or an inside surface of a wearable structure 711. The electrical ground and shielding electrodes can be formed of and/or use the same components as the sensors 713. In some embodiments, the wearable band 710 includes more than one electrical ground electrode and more than one shielding electrode.
The sensors 713 can be formed as part of the wearable structure 711 of the wearable band 710. In some embodiments, the sensors 713 are flush or substantially flush with the wearable structure 711 such that they do not extend beyond the surface of the wearable structure 711. While flush with the wearable structure 711, the sensors 713 are still configured to contact the user's skin (e.g., via a skin-contacting surface). Alternatively, in some embodiments, the sensors 713 extend beyond the wearable structure 711 a predetermined distance (e.g., 0.1-2 mm) to make contact and depress into the user's skin. In some embodiments, the sensors 713 are coupled to an actuator (not shown) configured to adjust an extension height (e.g., a distance from the surface of the wearable structure 711) of the sensors 713 such that the sensors 713 make contact and depress into the user's skin. In some embodiments, the actuators adjust the extension height between 0.01 mm and 1.2 mm. This allows the user to customize the positioning of the sensors 713 to improve the overall comfort of the wearable band 710 when worn while still allowing the sensors 713 to contact the user's skin. In some embodiments, the sensors 713 are indistinguishable from the wearable structure 711 when worn by the user.
The wearable structure 711 can be formed of an elastic material, elastomers, and so forth, configured to be stretched and fitted to be worn by the user. In some embodiments, the wearable structure 711 is a textile or woven fabric. As described above, the sensors 713 can be formed as part of a wearable structure 711. For example, the sensors 713 can be molded into the wearable structure 711 or integrated into a woven fabric (e.g., the sensors 713 can be sewn into the fabric and mimic the pliability of fabric (e.g., the sensors 713 can be constructed from a series of woven strands of fabric)).
The wearable structure 711 can include flexible electronic connectors that interconnect the sensors 713, the electronic circuitry, and/or other electronic components (described below in reference to
As described above, the wearable band 710 is configured to be worn by a user. In particular, the wearable band 710 can be shaped or otherwise manipulated to be worn by a user. For example, the wearable band 710 can be shaped to have a substantially circular shape such that it can be configured to be worn on the user's lower arm or wrist. Alternatively, the wearable band 710 can be shaped to be worn on another body part of the user, such as the user's upper arm (e.g., around a bicep), forearm, chest, legs, etc. The wearable band 710 can include a retaining mechanism 712 (e.g., a buckle, a hook-and-loop fastener) for securing the wearable band 710 to the user's wrist or other body part. While the wearable band 710 is worn by the user, the sensors 713 sense data (referred to as sensor data) from the user's skin. In particular, the sensors 713 of the wearable band 710 obtain (e.g., sense and record) neuromuscular signals.
The sensed data (e.g., sensed neuromuscular signals) can be used to detect and/or determine the user's intention to perform certain motor actions. In particular, the sensors 713 sense and record neuromuscular signals from the user as the user performs muscular activations (movements, gestures, etc.). The detected and/or determined motor actions (e.g., phalange movements (i.e., movements of digits), wrist movements, hand movements, and/or other muscle intentions) can be used to determine control commands or control information (instructions to perform certain commands after the data is sensed) for causing a computing device to perform one or more input commands. For example, the sensed neuromuscular signals can be used to control certain user interfaces displayed on the display 705 of the wrist-wearable device 700 and/or can be transmitted to a device responsible for rendering an artificial-reality environment (e.g., a head-mounted display) in order to perform an action in an associated artificial-reality environment, such as to control the motion of a virtual device displayed to the user. The muscular activations performed by the user can include static gestures such as placing the user's hand palm down on a table; dynamic gestures such as grasping a physical or virtual object; and covert gestures that are imperceptible to another person, such as slightly tensing a joint by co-contracting opposing muscles or using submuscular activations. The muscular activations performed by the user can include symbolic gestures (e.g., gestures mapped to other gestures, interactions, or commands, for example, based on a gesture vocabulary that specifies the mapping of gestures to commands).
The sensor data sensed by the sensors 713 can be used to provide a user with an enhanced interaction with a physical object (e.g., devices communicatively coupled with the wearable band 710) and/or a virtual object in an artificial-reality application generated by an artificial-reality system (e.g., user interface objects presented on the display 705 or another computing device (e.g., a smartphone)).
In some embodiments, the wearable band 710 includes one or more haptic devices 746 (
The wearable band 710 can also include coupling mechanism 716 (e.g., a cradle or a shape of the coupling mechanism can correspond to the shape of the watch body 720 of the wrist-wearable device 700) for detachably coupling a capsule (e.g., a computing unit) or watch body 720 (via a coupling surface of the watch body 720) to the wearable band 710. In particular, the coupling mechanism 716 can be configured to receive a coupling surface proximate to the bottom side of the watch body 720 (e.g., a side opposite to a front side of the watch body 720 where the display 705 is located) such that a user can push the watch body 720 downward into the coupling mechanism 716 to attach the watch body 720 to the coupling mechanism 716. In some embodiments, the coupling mechanism 716 can be configured to receive a top side of the watch body 720 (e.g., a side proximate to the front side of the watch body 720 where the display 705 is located) that is pushed upward into the cradle as opposed to being pushed downward into the coupling mechanism 716. In some embodiments, the coupling mechanism 716 is an integrated component of the wearable band 710 such that the wearable band 710 and the coupling mechanism 716 are a single unitary structure. In some embodiments, the coupling mechanism 716 is a type of frame or shell that allows the watch body 720 coupling surface to be retained within or on the wearable band 710 coupling mechanism 716 (e.g., a cradle, a tracker band, a support base, a clasp).
The coupling mechanism 716 can allow for the watch body 720 to be detachably coupled to the wearable band 710 through a friction fit, magnetic coupling, a rotation-based connector, a shear-pin coupler, a retention spring, one or more magnets, a clip, a pin shaft, a hook-and-loop fastener, or a combination thereof. A user can perform any type of motion to couple the watch body 720 to the wearable band 710 and to decouple the watch body 720 from the wearable band 710. For example, a user can twist, slide, turn, push, pull, or rotate the watch body 720 relative to the wearable band 710, or a combination thereof, to attach the watch body 720 to the wearable band 710 and to detach the watch body 720 from the wearable band 710. Alternatively, as discussed below, in some embodiments, the watch body 720 can be decoupled from the wearable band 710 by actuation of the release mechanism 729.
The wearable band 710 can be coupled with a watch body 720 to increase the functionality of the wearable band 710 (e.g., converting the wearable band 710 into a wrist-wearable device 700, adding an additional computing unit and/or battery to increase computational resources and/or a battery life of the wearable band 710, adding additional sensors to improve sensed data). As described above, the wearable band 710 (and the coupling mechanism 716) is configured to operate independently (e.g., execute functions independently) from the watch body 720. For example, the coupling mechanism 716 can include one or more sensors 713 that contact a user's skin when the wearable band 710 is worn by the user and provide sensor data for determining control commands.
A user can detach the watch body 720 (or capsule) from the wearable band 710 in order to reduce the encumbrance of the wrist-wearable device 700 to the user. For embodiments in which the watch body 720 is removable, the watch body 720 can be referred to as a removable structure, such that in these embodiments the wrist-wearable device 700 includes a wearable portion (e.g., the wearable band 710) and a removable structure (the watch body 720).
Turning to the watch body 720, the watch body 720 can have a substantially rectangular or circular shape. The watch body 720 is configured to be worn by the user on a wrist or another body part. More specifically, the watch body 720 is sized to be easily carried by the user, attached on a portion of the user's clothing, and/or coupled to the wearable band 710 (forming the wrist-wearable device 700). As described above, the watch body 720 can have a shape corresponding to the coupling mechanism 716 of the wearable band 710. In some embodiments, the watch body 720 includes a single release mechanism 729 or multiple release mechanisms (e.g., two release mechanisms 729 positioned on opposing sides of the watch body 720, such as spring-loaded buttons) for decoupling the watch body 720 and the wearable band 710. The release mechanism 729 can include, without limitation, a button, a knob, a plunger, a handle, a lever, a fastener, a clasp, a dial, a latch, or a combination thereof.
A user can actuate the release mechanism 729 by pushing, turning, lifting, depressing, shifting, or performing other actions on the release mechanism 729. Actuation of the release mechanism 729 can release (e.g., decouple) the watch body 720 from the coupling mechanism 716 of the wearable band 710, allowing the user to use the watch body 720 independently from the wearable band 710, and vice versa. For example, decoupling the watch body 720 from the wearable band 710 can allow the user to capture images using a rear-facing camera 725B. Although it is shown positioned at a corner of watch body 720, the release mechanism 729 can be positioned anywhere on watch body 720 that is convenient for the user to actuate. In addition, in some embodiments, the wearable band 710 can include a respective release mechanism for decoupling the watch body 720 from the coupling mechanism 716. In some embodiments, the release mechanism 729 is optional and the watch body 720 can be decoupled from the coupling mechanism 716 as described above (via twisting, rotating, etc.).
The watch body 720 can include one or more peripheral buttons 723 and 727 for performing various operations at the watch body 720. For example, the peripheral buttons 723 and 727 can be used to turn on or wake (e.g., transition from a sleep state to an active state) the display 705, unlock the watch body 720, increase or decrease a volume, increase or decrease a brightness, interact with one or more applications, interact with one or more user interfaces, etc. Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, the display 705 operates as a touch screen and allows the user to provide one or more inputs for interacting with the watch body 720.
In some embodiments, the watch body 720 includes one or more sensors 721. The sensors 721 of the watch body 720 can be the same or distinct from the sensors 713 of the wearable band 710. The sensors 721 of the watch body 720 can be distributed on an inside and/or an outside surface of the watch body 720. In some embodiments, the sensors 721 are configured to contact a user's skin when the watch body 720 is worn by the user. For example, the sensors 721 can be placed on the bottom side of the watch body 720 and the coupling mechanism 716 can be a cradle with an opening that allows the bottom side of the watch body 720 to directly contact the user's skin. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the watch body 720 does not include sensors that are configured to contact the user's skin (e.g., including sensors internal and/or external to the watch body 720 that configured to sense data of the watch body 720 and the watch body 720's surrounding environment). In some embodiments, the sensors 713 are configured to track a position and/or motion of the watch body 720.
The watch body 720 and the wearable band 710 can share data using a wired communication method (e.g., a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART), a USB transceiver) and/or a wireless communication method (e.g., near field communication, Bluetooth). For example, the watch body 720 and the wearable band 710 can share data sensed by the sensors 713 and 721, as well as application and device specific information (e.g., active and/or available applications), output devices (e.g., display, speakers), and input devices (e.g., touch screen, microphone, imaging sensors).
In some embodiments, the watch body 720 can include, without limitation, a front-facing camera 725A and/or a rear-facing camera 725B, sensors 721 (e.g., a biometric sensor, an IMU, a heart rate sensor, a saturated oxygen sensor, a neuromuscular signal sensor, an altimeter sensor, a temperature sensor, a bioimpedance sensor, a pedometer sensor, an optical sensor (e.g., imaging sensor 763;
As described above, the watch body 720 and the wearable band 710, when coupled, can form the wrist-wearable device 700. When coupled, the watch body 720 and wearable band 710 operate as a single device to execute functions (operations, detections, communications, etc.) described herein. In some embodiments, each device is provided with particular instructions for performing the one or more operations of the wrist-wearable device 700. For example, in accordance with a determination that the watch body 720 does not include neuromuscular signal sensors, the wearable band 710 can include alternative instructions for performing associated instructions (e.g., providing sensed neuromuscular signal data to the watch body 720 via a different electronic device). Operations of the wrist-wearable device 700 can be performed by the watch body 720 alone or in conjunction with the wearable band 710 (e.g., via respective processors and/or hardware components) and vice versa. In some embodiments, operations of the wrist-wearable device 700, the watch body 720, and/or the wearable band 710 can be performed in conjunction with one or more processors and/or hardware components of another communicatively coupled device (e.g., the HIPD 900;
As described below with reference to the block diagram of
The watch body 720 and/or the wearable band 710 can include one or more components shown in watch body computing system 760. In some embodiments, a single integrated circuit includes all or a substantial portion of the components of the watch body computing system 760 are included in a single integrated circuit. Alternatively, in some embodiments, components of the watch body computing system 760 are included in a plurality of integrated circuits that are communicatively coupled. In some embodiments, the watch body computing system 760 is configured to couple (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection) with the wearable band computing system 730, which allows the computing systems to share components, distribute tasks, and/or perform other operations described herein (individually or as a single device).
The watch body computing system 760 can include one or more processors 779, a controller 777, a peripherals interface 761, a power system 795, and memory (e.g., a memory 780), each of which are defined above and described in more detail below.
The power system 795 can include a charger input 796, a power-management integrated circuit (PMIC) 797, and a battery 798, each of which is defined above. In some embodiments, a watch body 720 and a wearable band 710 can have respective charger inputs (e.g., charger input 796 and 757), respective batteries (e.g., battery 798 and 759), and can share power with each other (e.g., the watch body 720 can power and/or charge the wearable band 710, and vice versa). Although watch body 720 and/or the wearable band 710 can include respective charger inputs, a single charger input can charge both devices when coupled. The watch body 720 and the wearable band 710 can receive a charge using a variety of techniques. In some embodiments, the watch body 720 and the wearable band 710 can use a wired charging assembly (e.g., power cords) to receive the charge. Alternatively, or in addition, the watch body 720 and/or the wearable band 710 can be configured for wireless charging. For example, a portable charging device can be designed to mate with a portion of watch body 720 and/or wearable band 710 and wirelessly deliver usable power to a battery of watch body 720 and/or wearable band 710. The watch body 720 and the wearable band 710 can have independent power systems (e.g., power system 795 and 756) to enable each to operate independently. The watch body 720 and wearable band 710 can also share power (e.g., one can charge the other) via respective PMICs (e.g., PMICs 797 and 758) that can share power over power and ground conductors and/or over wireless charging antennas.
In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 761 can include one or more sensors 721, many of which listed below are defined above. The sensors 721 can include one or more coupling sensor 762 for detecting when the watch body 720 is coupled with another electronic device (e.g., a wearable band 710). The sensors 721 can include imaging sensors 763 (one or more of the cameras 725, and/or separate imaging sensors 763 (e.g., thermal-imaging sensors)). In some embodiments, the sensors 721 include one or more SpO2 sensors 764. In some embodiments, the sensors 721 include one or more biopotential-signal sensors (e.g., EMG sensors 765, which may be disposed on a user-facing portion of the watch body 720 and/or the wearable band 710). In some embodiments, the sensors 721 include one or more capacitive sensors 766. In some embodiments, the sensors 721 include one or more heart rate sensors 767. In some embodiments, the sensors 721 include one or more IMU sensors 768. In some embodiments, one or more IMU sensors 768 can be configured to detect movement of a user's hand or other location where the watch body 720 is placed or held.
In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 761 includes a near-field communication (NFC) component 769, a global-position system (GPS) component 770, a long-term evolution (LTE) component 771, and/or a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth communication component 772. In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 761 includes one or more buttons 773 (e.g., the peripheral buttons 723 and 727 in
The watch body 720 can include at least one display 705 for displaying visual representations of information or data to the user, including user-interface elements and/or three-dimensional virtual objects. The display can also include a touch screen for inputting user inputs such as touch gestures, swipe gestures, and the like. The watch body 720 can include at least one speaker 774 and at least one microphone 775 for providing audio signals to the user and receiving audio input from the user. The user can provide user inputs through the microphone 775 and can also receive audio output from the speaker 774 as part of a haptic event provided by the haptic controller 778. The watch body 720 can include at least one camera 725, including a front-facing camera 725A and a rear-facing camera 725B. The cameras 725 can include ultra-wide-angle cameras, wide-angle cameras, fish-eye cameras, spherical cameras, telephoto cameras, a depth-sensing cameras, or other types of cameras.
The watch body computing system 760 can include one or more haptic controllers 778 and associated componentry (e.g., haptic devices 776) for providing haptic events at the watch body 720 (e.g., a vibrating sensation or audio output in response to an event at the watch body 720). The haptic controllers 778 can communicate with one or more haptic devices 776, such as electroacoustic devices, including a speaker of the one or more speakers 774 and/or other audio components and/or electromechanical devices that convert energy into linear motion such as a motor, solenoid, electroactive polymer, piezoelectric actuator, electrostatic actuator, or other tactile output-generating component (e.g., a component that converts electrical signals into tactile outputs on the device). The haptic controller 778 can provide haptic events that are capable of being sensed by a user of the watch body 720. In some embodiments, the one or more haptic controllers 778 can receive input signals from an application of the applications 782.
In some embodiments, the computer system 730 and/or the computer system 760 can include memory 780, which can be controlled by a memory controller of the one or more controllers 777 and/or one or more processors 779. In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 780 include one or more applications 782 configured to perform operations at the watch body 720. In some embodiments, the one or more applications 782 include games, word processors, messaging applications, calling applications, web browsers, social media applications, media-streaming applications, financial applications, calendars, clocks, and so forth. In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 780 include one or more communication interface modules 783 as defined above. In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 780 include one or more graphics modules 784 for rendering, encoding, and/or decoding audio and/or visual data and one or more data management modules 785 for collecting, organizing, and/or providing access to the data 787 stored in memory 780. In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 780 include a dimming control module 786A, which is configured to perform the features described above in reference to
In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 780 can include one or more operating systems 781 (a Linux-based operating system, an Android operating system, etc.). The memory 780 can also include data 787. The data 787 can include profile data 788A, sensor data 789A, media content data 790, application data 791, and dimming control data 792A that stores data related to the performance of the features described above in reference to
It should be appreciated that the watch body computing system 760 is an example of a computing system within the watch body 720, and that the watch body 720 can have more or fewer components than shown in the watch body computing system 760, combine two or more components, and/or have a different configuration and/or arrangement of the components. The various components shown in watch body computing system 760 are implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, including one or more signal-processing and/or application-specific integrated circuits.
Turning to the wearable band computing system 730, one or more components that can be included in the wearable band 710 are shown. The wearable band computing system 730 can include more or fewer components than shown in the watch body computing system 760, combine two or more components, and/or have a different configuration and/or arrangement of some or all of the components. In some embodiments, all or a substantial portion of the components of the wearable band computing system 730 are included in a single integrated circuit. Alternatively, in some embodiments, components of the wearable band computing system 730 are included in a plurality of integrated circuits that are communicatively coupled. As described above, in some embodiments, the wearable band computing system 730 is configured to couple (via a wired or wireless connection) with the watch body computing system 760, which allows the computing systems to share components, distribute tasks, and/or perform other operations described herein (individually or as a single device).
The wearable band computing system 730, similar to the watch body computing system 760, can include one or more processors 749, one or more controllers 747 (including one or more haptics controller 748), a peripherals interface 731 that can include one or more sensors 713 and other peripheral devices, power source (e.g., a power system 756), and memory (e.g., a memory 750) that includes an operating system (e.g., an operating system 751), data (e.g., data 754 including profile data 788B, sensor data 789B, dimming control data 792B), and one or more modules (e.g., a communications interface module 752, a data management module 753, a dimming control module 786B).
The one or more sensors 713 can be analogous to sensors 721 of the computer system 760 and in light of the definitions above. For example, sensors 713 can include one or more coupling sensors 732, one or more SpO2 sensors 734, one or more EMG sensors 735, one or more capacitive sensors 736, one or more heart rate sensors 737, and one or more IMU sensors 738.
The peripherals interface 731 can also include other components analogous to those included in the peripheral interface 761 of the computer system 760, including an NFC component 739, a GPS component 740, an LTE component 741, a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth communication component 742, and/or one or more haptic devices 776 as described above in reference to peripherals interface 761. In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 731 includes one or more buttons 743, a display 733, a speaker 744, a microphone 745, and a camera 755. In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 731 includes one or more indicators, such as an LED.
It should be appreciated that the wearable band computing system 730 is an example of a computing system within the wearable band 710, and that the wearable band 710 can have more or fewer components than shown in the wearable band computing system 730, combine two or more components, and/or have a different configuration and/or arrangement of the components. The various components shown in wearable band computing system 730 can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, including one or more signal-processing and/or application-specific integrated circuits.
The wrist-wearable device 700 with respect to
The techniques described above can be used with any device for sensing neuromuscular signals, including the arm-wearable devices of
In some embodiments, a wrist-wearable device 700 can be used in conjunction with a head-wearable device described below (e.g., AR device 800 and VR device 810) and/or an HIPD 900; the wrist-wearable device 700 can also be configured to be used to allow a user to control an aspect of the artificial reality (e.g., by using EMG-based gestures to control user interface objects in the artificial reality and/or by allowing a user to interact with the touch screen on the wrist-wearable device to also control aspects of the artificial reality). Having thus described example wrist-wearable devices, attention will now be turned to example head-wearable devices, such as the AR device 800 and VR device 810.
In some embodiments, an AR system (e.g., AR systems 600a-600d;
The AR device 800 includes mechanical glasses components, including a frame 804 configured to hold one or more lenses (e.g., one or both lenses 806-1 and 806-2). One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the AR device 800 can include additional mechanical components, such as hinges configured to allow portions of the frame 804 of the AR device 800 to be folded and unfolded, a bridge configured to span the gap between the lenses 806-1 and 806-2 and rest on the user's nose, nose pads configured to rest on the bridge of the nose and provide support for the AR device 800, earpieces configured to rest on the user's ears and provide additional support for the AR device 800, temple arms 805 configured to extend from the hinges to the earpieces of the AR device 800, and the like. One of ordinary skill in the art will further appreciate that some examples of the AR device 800 can include none of the mechanical components described herein. For example, smart contact lenses configured to present artificial reality to users may not include any components of the AR device 800.
The lenses 806-1 and 806-2 can be individual displays or display devices (e.g., a waveguide for projected representations). The lenses 806-1 and 806-2 may act together or independently to present an image or series of images to a user. In some embodiments, the lenses 806-1 and 806-2 can operate in conjunction with one or more display projector assemblies 807A and 807B to present image data to a user. While the AR device 800 includes two displays, embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented in AR devices with a single near-eye display (NED) or more than two NEDs.
The AR device 800 includes electronic components, many of which will be described in more detail below with respect to
The VR device 810 can include a housing 890 storing one or more components of the VR device 810 and/or additional components of the VR device 810. The housing 890 can be a modular electronic device configured to couple with the VR device 810 (or an AR device 800) and supplement and/or extend the capabilities of the VR device 810 (or an AR device 800). For example, the housing 890 can include additional sensors, cameras, power sources, processors (e.g., processor 848A-2), and the like to improve and/or increase the functionality of the VR device 810. Examples of the different components included in the housing 890 are described below in reference to
Alternatively or in addition, in some embodiments, the head-wearable device, such as the VR device 810 and/or the AR device 800, includes, or is communicatively coupled to, another external device (e.g., a paired device) such as an HIPD 9 (discussed below in reference to
In some situations, pairing an external device such as an intermediary processing device (e.g., an HIPD device 900, an optional neckband, and/or wearable accessory device) with the head-wearable device (e.g., an AR device 800 and/or VR device 810) enables the head-wearable device to achieve a similar form factor of a pair of glasses while still providing sufficient battery and computation power for expanded capabilities. Some, or all, of the battery power, computational resources, and/or additional features of the head-wearable device can be provided by a paired device or shared between a paired device and the head-wearable device, thus reducing the weight, heat profile, and form factor of the head-wearable device overall while allowing the head-wearable devices to retain its desired functionality. For example, the intermediary processing device (e.g., the HIPD 900) can allow components that would otherwise be included in a head-wearable device to be included in the intermediary processing device (and/or a wearable device or accessory device), thereby shifting a weight load from the user's head and neck to one or more other portions of the user's body. In some embodiments, the intermediary processing device has a larger surface area over which to diffuse and disperse heat to the ambient environment. Thus, the intermediary processing device can allow for greater battery and computation capacity than might otherwise have been possible on the head-wearable device standing alone. Because weight carried in the intermediary processing device can be less invasive to a user than weight carried in the head-wearable devices, a user may tolerate wearing a lighter eyewear device and carrying or wearing the paired device for greater lengths of time than if they were wearing a heavier eyewear device standing alone, thereby enabling an artificial-reality environment to be incorporated more fully into a user's day-to-day activities.
In some embodiments, the intermediary processing device is communicatively coupled with the head-wearable device and/or to other devices. The other devices may provide certain functions (e.g., tracking, localizing, depth mapping, processing, storage) to the head-wearable device. In some embodiments, the intermediary processing device includes a controller and a power source. In some embodiments, sensors of the intermediary processing device are configured to sense additional data that can be shared with the head-wearable devices in an electronic format (analog or digital).
The controller of the intermediary processing device processes information generated by the sensors on the intermediary processing device and/or the head-wearable device. The intermediary processing device, for example, an HIPD 900, can process information generated by one or more of its sensors and/or information provided by other communicatively coupled devices. For example, a head-wearable device can include an IMU, and the intermediary processing device (neckband and/or an HIPD 900) can compute all inertial and spatial calculations from IMUs located on the head-wearable device. Additional examples of processing performed by a communicatively coupled device, such as the HIPD 900, are provided below in reference to
Artificial-reality systems may include a variety of types of visual feedback mechanisms. For example, display devices in the AR devices 800 and/or the VR devices 810 may include one or more liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), light-emitting diode (LED) displays, organic LED (OLED) displays, and/or any other suitable type of display screen. Artificial-reality systems may include a single display screen for both eyes or may provide a separate display screen for each eye, which may allow for additional flexibility for varifocal adjustments or for correcting a refractive error associated with the user's vision. Some artificial-reality systems also include optical subsystems having one or more lenses (e.g., conventional concave or convex lenses, Fresnel lenses, or adjustable liquid lenses) through which a user may view a display screen. In addition to or in place of using display screens, some artificial-reality systems include one or more projection systems. For example, display devices in the AR device 800 and/or the VR device 810 may include micro-LED projectors that project light (e.g., using a waveguide) into display devices, such as clear combiner lenses that allow ambient light to pass through. The display devices may refract the projected light toward a user's pupil and may enable a user to simultaneously view both artificial-reality content and the real world. Artificial-reality systems may also be configured with any other suitable type or form of image-projection system. As noted, some AR systems may, instead of blending an artificial reality with actual reality, substantially replace one or more of a user's sensory perceptions of the real world with a virtual experience.
While the example head-wearable devices are respectively described herein as the AR device 800 and the VR device 810, either or both of the example head-wearable devices described herein can be configured to present fully immersive VR scenes in substantially all of a user's field of view, additionally or alternatively to subtler augmented-reality scenes that are presented within a portion less than all of the user's field of view.
In some embodiments, the AR device 800 and/or the VR device 810 can include haptic feedback systems. The haptic feedback systems may provide several types of cutaneous feedback, including vibration, force, traction, shear, texture, and/or temperature. The haptic feedback systems may also provide several types of kinesthetic feedback, such as motion and compliance. The haptic feedback can be implemented using motors, piezoelectric actuators, fluidic systems, and/or a variety of other types of feedback mechanisms. The haptic feedback systems may be implemented independently of other artificial-reality devices, within other artificial-reality devices, and/or in conjunction with other artificial-reality devices (e.g., wrist-wearable devices which may be incorporated into headwear, gloves, bodysuits, handheld controllers, environmental devices (e.g., chairs or floormats), and/or any other type of device or system, such as a wrist-wearable device 700, an HIPD 900, or a smart textile-based garment), and/or other devices described herein.
In some embodiments, the computing system 820 and/or the optional housing 890 can include one or more peripheral interfaces 822A and 822B, one or more power systems 842A and 842B (including charger input 843, PMIC 844, and battery 845), one or more controllers 846A and 846B (including one or more haptic controllers 847), one or more processors 848A and 848B (as defined above, including any of the examples provided), and memory 850A and 850B, which can all be in electronic communication with each other. For example, the one or more processors 848A and/or 848B can be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory 850A and/or 850B, which can cause a controller of the one or more controllers 846A and/or 846B to cause operations to be performed at one or more peripheral devices of the peripheral interfaces 822A and/or 822B. In some embodiments, each operation described can occur based on electrical power provided by the power system 842A and/or 842B.
In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 822A can include one or more devices configured to be part of the computing system 820, many of which have been defined above and/or described with respect to wrist-wearable devices shown in
In some embodiments, the peripherals interface can include one or more additional peripheral devices, including one or more NFC devices 830, one or more GPS devices 831, one or more LTE devices 832, one or more Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth devices 833, one or more buttons 834 (e.g., including buttons that are slidable or otherwise adjustable), one or more displays 835A, one or more speakers 836A, one or more microphones 837A, one or more cameras 838A (e.g., including a first camera 839-1 through nth camera 839-n, which are analogous to the left camera 839A and/or the right camera 839B), one or more haptic devices 840, and/or any other types of peripheral devices defined above or described with respect to any other embodiments discussed herein.
The head-wearable devices can include a variety of types of visual feedback mechanisms (e.g., presentation devices). For example, display devices in the AR device 800 and/or the VR device 810 can include one or more liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), light-emitting diode (LED) displays, organic LED (OLED) displays, micro-LEDs, and/or any other suitable types of display screens. The head-wearable devices can include a single display screen (e.g., configured to be seen by both eyes), and/or can provide a separate display screen for each eye, which can allow for additional flexibility for varifocal adjustments and/or for correcting a refractive error associated with the user's vision. Some embodiments of the head-wearable devices also include optical subsystems having one or more lenses (e.g., conventional concave or convex lenses, Fresnel lenses, or adjustable liquid lenses) through which a user can view a display screen. For example, respective displays 835A can be coupled to each of the lenses 806-1 and 806-2 of the AR device 800. The displays 835A coupled to each of the lenses 806-1 and 806-2 can act together or independently to present an image or series of images to a user. In some embodiments, the AR device 800 and/or the VR device 810 would include a single display 835A (e.g., a near-eye display) or more than two displays 835A.
In some embodiments, a first set of one or more displays 835A can be used to present an augmented-reality environment and a second set of one or more display devices 835A can be used to present a virtual-reality environment. In some embodiments, one or more waveguides are used in conjunction with presenting artificial-reality content to the user of the AR device 800 and/or the VR device 810 (e.g., as a means of delivering light from a display projector assembly and/or one or more displays 835A to the user's eyes). In some embodiments, one or more waveguides are fully or partially integrated into the AR device 800 and/or the VR device 810. Additionally, or alternatively to display screens, some artificial-reality systems include one or more projection systems. For example, display devices in the AR device 800 and/or the VR device 810 can include micro-LED projectors that project light (e.g., using a waveguide) into display devices, such as clear combiner lenses that allow ambient light to pass through. The display devices can refract the projected light toward a user's pupil and can enable a user to simultaneously view both artificial-reality content and the real world. The head-wearable devices can also be configured with any other suitable type or form of image-projection system. In some embodiments, one or more waveguides are provided additionally or alternatively to the one or more displays 835A.
In some embodiments of the head-wearable devices, ambient light and/or a real-world live view (e.g., a live feed of the surrounding environment that a user would normally see) can be passed through a display element of a respective head-wearable device presenting aspects of the AR system. In some embodiments, ambient light and/or the real-world live view can be passed through a portion less than all of an AR environment presented within a user's field of view (e.g., a portion of the AR environment co-located with a physical object in the user's real-world environment that is within a designated boundary (e.g., a guardian boundary) configured to be used by the user while they are interacting with the AR environment). For example, a visual user interface element (e.g., a notification user interface element) can be presented at the head-wearable device, and an amount of ambient light and/or the real-world live view (e.g., 15%-50% of the ambient light and/or the real-world live view) can be passed through the user interface element such that the user can distinguish at least a portion of the physical environment over which the user interface element is being displayed.
The head-wearable devices can include one or more external displays 835A for presenting information to users. For example, an external display 835A can be used to show a current battery level, network activity (e.g., connected, disconnected), current activity (e.g., playing a game, in a call, in a meeting, watching a movie), and/or other relevant information. In some embodiments, the external displays 835A can be used to communicate with others. For example, a user of the head-wearable device can cause the external displays 835A to present a “do not disturb” notification. The external displays 835A can also be used by the user to share any information captured by the one or more components of the peripherals interface 822A and/or generated by head-wearable device (e.g., during operation and/or performance of one or more applications).
The memory 850A can include instructions and/or data executable by one or more processors 848A (and/or processors 848B of the housing 890) and/or a memory controller of the one or more controllers 846A (and/or controller 846B of the housing 890). The memory 850A can include one or more operating systems 851; one or more applications 852; one or more communication interface modules 853A; one or more graphics modules 854A; one or more AR processing modules 855A; one or more dimming control modules 856, configured to perform the features described above in reference to
The data 860 stored in memory 850A can be used in conjunction with one or more of the applications and/or programs discussed above. The data 860 can include profile data 861; sensor data 862; media content data 863; AR application data 864; dimming control data 865 for storing data related to the performance of the features described above in reference to
In some embodiments, the controller 846A of the head-wearable devices processes information generated by the sensors 823A on the head-wearable devices and/or another component of the head-wearable devices and/or communicatively coupled with the head-wearable devices (e.g., components of the housing 890, such as components of peripherals interface 822B). For example, the controller 846A can process information from the acoustic sensors 825 and/or image sensors 826. For each detected sound, the controller 846A can perform a direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation to estimate a direction from which the detected sound arrived at a head-wearable device. As one or more of the acoustic sensors 825 detects sounds, the controller 846A can populate an audio data set with the information (e.g., represented by sensor data 862).
In some embodiments, a physical electronic connector can convey information between the head-wearable devices and another electronic device, and/or between one or more processors 848A of the head-wearable devices and the controller 846A. The information can be in the form of optical data, electrical data, wireless data, or any other transmittable data form. Moving the processing of information generated by the head-wearable devices to an intermediary processing device can reduce weight and heat in the eyewear device, making it more comfortable and safer for a user. In some embodiments, an optional accessory device (e.g., an electronic neckband or an HIPD 900) is coupled to the head-wearable devices via one or more connectors. The connectors can be wired or wireless connectors and can include electrical and/or non-electrical (e.g., structural) components. In some embodiments, the head-wearable devices and the accessory device can operate independently without any wired or wireless connection between them.
The head-wearable devices can include several types of computer vision components and subsystems. For example, the AR device 800 and/or the VR device 810 can include one or more optical sensors such as two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) cameras, time-of-flight depth sensors, single-beam or sweeping laser rangefinders, 3D LiDAR sensors, and/or any other suitable type or form of optical sensor. A head-wearable device can process data from one or more of these sensors to identify a location of a user and/or aspects of the use's real-world physical surroundings, including the locations of real-world objects within the real-world physical surroundings. In some embodiments, the methods described herein are used to map the real world, to provide a user with context about real-world surroundings, and/or to generate interactable virtual objects (which can be replicas or digital twins of real-world objects that can be interacted with in AR environment), among a variety of other functions. For example,
The optional housing 890 can include analogous components to those described above with respect to the computing system 820. For example, the optional housing 890 can include a respective peripherals interface 822B including more or fewer components to those described above with respect to the peripherals interface 822A. As described above, the components of the optional housing 890 can be used to augment and/or expand on the functionality of the head-wearable devices. For example, the optional housing 890 can include respective sensors 823B, speakers 836B, displays 835B, microphones 837B, cameras 838B, and/or other components to capture and/or present data. Similarly, the optional housing 890 can include one or more processors 848B, controllers 846B, and/or memory 850B (including respective communication interface modules 853B; one or more graphics modules 854B; one or more AR processing modules 855B, one or more dimming control module 856, dimming control data 865, etc.) that can be used individually and/or in conjunction with the components of the computing system 820.
The techniques described above in
The HIPD 900 can perform various functions independently and/or in conjunction with one or more wearable devices (e.g., wrist-wearable device 700, AR device 800, VR device 810). The HIPD 900 is configured to increase and/or improve the functionality of communicatively coupled devices such as the wearable devices. The HIPD 900 is configured to perform one or more functions or operations associated with interacting with user interfaces and applications of communicatively coupled devices, interacting with an AR environment, interacting with a VR environment, and/or operating as a human-machine interface controller, as well as functions and/or operations described above with reference to
While the HIPD 900 is communicatively coupled with a wearable device and/or other electronic device, the HIPD 900 is configured to perform one or more operations initiated at the wearable device and/or the other electronic device. In particular, one or more operations of the wearable device and/or the other electronic device can be offloaded to the HIPD 900 to be performed. The HIPD 900 performs the one or more operations of the wearable device and/or the other electronic device and provides data corresponded to the completed operations to the wearable device and/or the other electronic device. For example, a user can initiate a video stream using AR device 800 and back-end tasks associated with performing the video stream (e.g., video rendering) can be offloaded to the HIPD 900, which the HIPD 900 performs and provides corresponding data to the AR device 800 to perform remaining front-end tasks associated with the video stream (e.g., presenting the rendered video data via a display of the AR device 800). In this way, the HIPD 900, which has more computational resources and greater thermal headroom than a wearable device, can perform computationally intensive tasks for the wearable device, improving performance of an operation performed by the wearable device.
The HIPD 900 includes a multi-touch input surface 902 on a first side (e.g., a front surface) that is configured to detect one or more user inputs. In particular, the multi-touch input surface 902 can detect single-tap inputs, multi-tap inputs, swipe gestures and/or inputs, force-based and/or pressure-based touch inputs, held taps, and the like. The multi-touch input surface 902 is configured to detect capacitive touch inputs and/or force (and/or pressure) touch inputs. The multi-touch input surface 902 includes a first touch-input surface 904 defined by a surface depression, and a second touch-input surface 906 defined by a substantially planar portion. The first touch-input surface 904 can be disposed adjacent to the second touch-input surface 906. In some embodiments, the first touch-input surface 904 and the second touch-input surface 906 can be different dimensions, shapes, and/or cover different portions of the multi-touch input surface 902. For example, the first touch-input surface 904 can be substantially circular and the second touch-input surface 906 substantially rectangular. In some embodiments, the surface depression of the multi-touch input surface 902 is configured to guide user handling of the HIPD 900. In particular, the surface depression is configured such that the user holds the HIPD 900 upright when held in a single hand (e.g., such that the imaging devices or cameras 914A and 914B are pointed toward a ceiling or the sky). Additionally, the surface depression is configured such that the user's thumb rests within the first touch-input surface 904.
In some embodiments, the different touch-input surfaces include a plurality of touch-input zones. For example, the second touch-input surface 906 includes at least a first touch-input zone 908 within a second touch-input zone 906 and a third touch-input zone 910 within the first touch-input zone 908. In some embodiments, one or more of the touch-input zones are optional and/or user-defined (e.g., a user can specific a touch-input zone based on their preferences). In some embodiments, each touch-input surface and/or touch-input zone is associated with a predetermined set of commands. For example, a user input detected within the first touch-input zone 908 causes the HIPD 900 to perform a first command and a user input detected within the second touch-input zone 906 causes the HIPD 900 to perform a second command distinct from the first. In some embodiments, different touch-input surfaces and/or touch-input zones are configured to detect one or more types of user inputs. The different touch-input surfaces and/or touch-input zones can be configured to detect the same or distinct types of user inputs. For example, the first touch-input zone 908 can be configured to detect force touch inputs (e.g., a magnitude at which the user presses down) and capacitive touch inputs, and the second touch-input zone 906 can be configured to detect capacitive touch inputs.
The HIPD 900 includes one or more sensors 951 for sensing data used in the performance of one or more operations and/or functions. For example, the HIPD 900 can include an IMU sensor that is used in conjunction with cameras 914 for three-dimensional object manipulation (enlarging, moving, destroying an object, for instance) in an AR or VR environment. Non-limiting examples of the sensors 951 included in the HIPD 900 include a light sensor, a magnetometer, a depth sensor, a pressure sensor, and a force sensor. Additional examples of the sensors 951 are provided below in reference to
The HIPD 900 can include one or more light indicators 912 to provide one or more notifications to the user. In some embodiments, the light indicators are LEDs or other types of illumination devices. The light indicators 912 can operate as a privacy light to notify the user and/or others near the user that an imaging device and/or microphone are active. In some embodiments, a light indicator is positioned adjacent to one or more touch-input surfaces. For example, a light indicator can be positioned around the first touch-input surface 904. The light indicators can be illuminated in assorted colors and/or patterns to provide the user with one or more notifications and/or information about the device. For example, a light indicator positioned around the first touch-input surface 904 can flash when the user receives a notification (e.g., a message), change red when the HIPD 900 is out of power, operate as a progress bar (e.g., a light ring that is closed when a task is completed (0% to 100%)), or operate as a volume indicator.
In some embodiments, the HIPD 900 includes one or more additional sensors on another surface. For example, as shown in
The side view 925 of the of the HIPD 900 shows the sensor set 920 and camera 914B. The sensor set 920 includes one or more cameras 922A and 922B, a depth projector 924, an ambient light sensor 928, and a depth receiver 930. In some embodiments, the sensor set 920 includes a light indicator 926. The light indicator 926 can operate as a privacy indicator to let the user and/or those around them know that a camera and/or microphone is active. The sensor set 920 is configured to capture a user's facial expression such that the user can puppet a custom avatar (e.g., showing emotions such as smiles or laughter on the avatar or a digital representation of the user). The sensor set 920 can be configured as a side stereo RGB system, a rear indirect time-of-flight (iToF) system, or a rear stereo RGB system. As the skilled artisan will appreciate upon reading the descriptions provided herein, the novel HIPD 900 described herein can use different sensor set 920 configurations and/or sensor set 920 placement.
In some embodiments, the HIPD 900 includes one or more haptic devices 971 (
The HIPD 900 is configured to operate without a display. However, in optional embodiments, the HIPD 900 can include a display 968 (
As described above, the HIPD 900 can distribute and/or provide instructions for performing the one or more tasks at the HIPD 900 and/or a communicatively coupled device. For example, the HIPD 900 can identify one or more back-end tasks to be performed by the HIPD 900 and one or more front-end tasks to be performed by a communicatively coupled device. While the HIPD 900 is configured to offload and/or hand off tasks of a communicatively coupled device, the HIPD 900 can perform both back-end and front-end tasks, e.g., via one or more processors such as CPU 977 (
The HIPD computing system 940 can include a processor (e.g., a CPU 977, a GPU, and/or a CPU with integrated graphics), a controller 975, a peripherals interface 950 that includes one or more sensors 951 and other peripheral devices, a power source (e.g., a power system 995), and memory (e.g., memory 978) that includes an operating system (e.g., an operating system 979), data (e.g., data 988), one or more applications (e.g., applications 980), and one or more modules (e.g., a communications interface module 981, a graphics module 982, a task and processing management module 983, an interoperability module 984, an AR processing module 985, a data management module 986, or a dimming control module 987). The HIPD computing system 940 further includes a power system 995 that includes a charger input and output 996, a PMIC 997, and a battery 998, all of which are defined above.
In some embodiments, the peripherals interface 950 can include one or more sensors 951. The sensors 951 can include sensors analogous to those described above in reference to
Analogous to the peripherals described above in reference to
Similar to the watch body computing system 760 and the watchband computing system 730 described above in reference to
Memory 978 can include high-speed random-access memory and/or non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state memory devices. Access to the memory 978 by other components of the HIPD 900, such as the one or more processors and the peripherals interface 950, can be controlled by a memory controller of the controllers 975.
In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 978 include, analogous to the software components described above in reference to
In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 978 include a task and processing management module 983 for identifying one or more front-end and back-end tasks associated with an operation executed by the user, performing one or more front-end and/or back-end tasks, and/or providing instructions to one or more communicatively coupled devices that cause performance of the one or more front-end and/or back-end tasks. In some embodiments, the task and processing management module 983 uses data 988 (e.g., device data 990) to distribute the one or more front-end and/or back-end tasks based on communicatively coupled devices' computing resources, available power, thermal headroom, ongoing operations, and/or other factors. For example, the task and processing management module 983 can cause the performance of one or more back-end tasks (of an operation performed at communicatively coupled AR device 800) at the HIPD 900 in accordance with a determination that the operation is utilizing a predetermined amount (e.g., at least 70%) of computing resources available at the AR device 800.
In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 978 include an interoperability module 984 for exchanging and utilizing information received and/or provided to distinct communicatively coupled devices. The interoperability module 984 allows for different systems, devices, and/or applications to connect and communicate in a coordinated way without user input. In some embodiments, software components stored in the memory 978 include an AR module 985 that is configured to process signals based at least on sensor data for use in an AR and/or VR environment. For example, the AR processing module 985 can be used for 3D object manipulation, gesture recognition, facial and facial expression recognition, etc.
The memory 978 can also include data 988, including structured data. In some embodiments, the data 988 can include profile data 989, device data 990 (including device data of one or more devices communicatively coupled with the HIPD 900, such as device type, hardware, software, or configurations), sensor data 991, media content data 992, application data 993, and dimming control data 994 that stores data related to the performance of the features described above in reference to
It should be appreciated that the HIPD computing system 940 is an example of a computing system within the HIPD 900, and that the HIPD 900 can have more or fewer components than shown in the HIPD computing system 940, combine two or more components, and/or have a different configuration and/or arrangement of the components. The various components shown in HIPD computing system 940 are implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, including one or more signal-processing and/or application-specific integrated circuits.
The techniques described above in
Any data collection performed by the devices described herein and/or any devices configured to perform or cause the performance of the different embodiments described above in reference to any of the Figures, hereinafter the “devices,” is done with user consent and in a manner that is consistent with all applicable privacy laws. Users are given options to allow the devices to collect data, as well as the option to limit or deny collection of data by the devices. A user is able to opt in or opt out of any data collection at any time. Further, users are given the option to request the removal of any collected data.
It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” and so forth may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the claims. As used in the description of the embodiments and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
As used herein, the term “if” can be construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in accordance with a determination” or “in response to detecting” that a stated condition precedent is true, depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined [that a stated condition precedent is true]” or “if [a stated condition precedent is true]” or “when [a stated condition precedent is true]” can be construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “in accordance with a determination” or “upon detecting” or “in response to detecting” that the stated condition precedent is true, depending on the context.
The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claims to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain principles of operation and practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63582814 | Sep 2023 | US |
