Apple granted patent for realistic augmented reality environment features

Apple has been granted a patent (number 11,302,086) for “providing features of an electronic product in an augmented reality environment.” It involves the rumored “Apple Glasses,” an augmented reality/virtual reality device.

About the patent

The patent related generally to augmented reality (AR) environments, and more specifically to representations of electronic products in such environments. Apple wants Apple Glasses (or whatever the product is eventually dubbed) to offer realistic depictions of physical, real-world products, such as mobile phones, computers, televisions, etc.

Summary of the patent

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent with technical details: “The present disclosure relates to providing a software feature of an electronic product in an augmented reality (AR) environment. In some embodiments, images are obtained using one or more image sensors, a determination is made whether the obtained images include printed media depicting the electronic product, when the obtained images include the printed media depicting the electronic product, a virtual object corresponding to the electronic product is displayed in the AR environment, and the software feature of the electronic product is provided with the virtual object.”

About Apple Glasses

When it comes to Apple Glasses, such a device will arrive in late 2022 or 2023, depending on which rumor you believe. 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.”