Apple files for a patent for navigating a virtual reality setting with ‘Apple Glasses’

Apple has filed for a patent (number 20210232288) for “moving about a setting.” It involves “Apple Glasses,” the rumored augmented reality/virtual reality head-mounted display (HMD).

About the patent filing

In the patent filing, Apple notes that conventional electronic devices include a screen that displays a view of a computer simulated reality (CSR) setting and include input mechanisms to receive user input. Responsive to receiving user input, the displayed view of the CSR setting changes. As perceived by a user of the electronic device, such changing can represent movement about the CSR setting. 

Apple wants this to be a seamless experience for those wearing Apple Glasses. For example, a user immersed in a virtual reality setting (e.g., a house) may wish to move to a different portion of the setting or to a different virtual setting altogether (e.g., an underwater setting). To enhance movement experience, the present disclosure presents techniques allowing for efficient, natural, seamless, and/or comfort-preserving movement between locations in CSR settings. Apple says that, in this way, an improved CSR experience is provided to users. 

Here’s the summary of the patent filing

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent filing: “Techniques for moving about a computer simulated reality (CSR) setting are disclosed. An example technique includes displaying a current view of the CSR setting, the current view depicting a current location of the CSR setting from a first perspective M corresponding to a first determined direction. 

“The technique further includes displaying a user interface element, the user interface element depicting a destination location not visible from the current location, and, in response to receiving input representing selection of the user interface element, modifying the display of the current view to display a destination view depicting the destination location, wherein modifying the display of the current view to display the destination view includes enlarging the user interface element.”

About Apple Glasses

When it comes to Apple Glasses, such a device will arrive this year or 2022, depending on which rumor you believe. The Sellers Research Group (that’s me) thinks Apple will at least preview it before the end of the year. 

It will be a head-mounted display. Or may have a design like “normal” glasses. Or it may be eventually be available in both. The Apple Glasses may or may not have to be tethered to an iPhone to work. Other rumors say that Apple Glasses could have a custom-build Apple chip and a dedicated operating system dubbed “rOS” for “reality operating system.”