Apple has been granted yet another patent — one of dozens — for an “Apple Ring.” This one (number US 12061680 B1) is dubbed “Electronic Device System With Ring Devices.”
About the patent
Apple apparently thinks that ring devices could offer a complementary, perhaps even superior, method of controlling electronic devices such as displays and speakers than current controllers.
According to the patent, a user may have one or more wearable devices and/or other electronic devices that include sensors for gathering input and output devices such as displays, speakers, and haptic output components. The wearable devices could include an Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and an Apple Ring.
Per the patent, a system may include one or more items that interact with each other. The items may be electronic devices that interact with each other. As an example, the system may have a device with a display such as a cellular telephone, computer, television, or head-mounted device, a pair of headphones or other device with a speaker, a voice-controlled countertop speaker, earbuds, a television, a computer, a head-mounted device with speakers, or other devices that produce audio output, lights, thermostats, household appliances, or other household devices, and/or other electronic devices.
The system may include wearable devices such as a wristwatch, ring device, head-mounted device, or other equipment worn on a user’s finger, wrist, arm, head, or other body part. The devices in the system may communicate with each other. For example, wireless communications circuitry may be used to convey information between devices in the system. This allows devices to control each other.
Apple says that devices with displays may display content for a user. Devices with audio components may provide audible output. Equipment that contains haptic output devices may use the haptic output devices to provide a user with haptic output. Environmental data (ambient light measurements, environmental temperature measurements, humidity readings, etc.) and user input may be gathered using sensors. And while all the wearable devices can be used in tandem, if desired, a device may be operated in isolation.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “Electronic devices in a system may be controlled by a user. The user may have one or more wearable devices or other devices. A user’s device may be used by the user in identifying a target electronic device of interest among the electronic devices in the system.
“The target electronic device may be identified using a gaze tracking sensor that senses the user’s point-of-gaze, an orientation sensor that detects a direction in which the user’s device is pointed, or other sensor circuitry. Visual feedback, audio feedback, and/or haptic feedback may be provided to the user to confirm which electronic device has been identified as a target electronic device of interest.
“User input may be gathered by sensors and used in adjusting operating parameters in the target electronic device of interest. Health monitoring operations and other operations may also be performed.”
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