Apple patent filing involves a wireless connection between iPhones and ‘Apple Glasses’

Apple has filed for another patent (number 10,530,915) regarding the rumored “Apple Glasses.” It involves using an iPhone as the wireless “engine” of the augmented reality head-mounted display.

In the patent filing, Apple notes that a wired connection between two such devices is “inconvenient and cumbersome” as the user must separately hold multiple devices and deal with cables).  In addition to being unwieldy, the coupled system often utilizes redundant features, which are not necessary when using the devices together.

Apple says there’s a need for an improved head-mounted display system, particularly a system that temporarily integrates or merges both mechanically and electronically a head-mounted device with a portable electronic device. 

The idea: The iPhone may be physically coupled to the Apple Glasses such that the portable electronic device can be worn on the user’s head. The smartphone may be operatively coupled to the head-mounted device such that they can communicate and operate with one another. Each device may be allowed to extend its features and/or services to the other device for the purpose of enhancing, increasing and/or eliminating redundant functions between the head-mounted device and the portable electronic device.

Here’s the summary of the patent filing: “Head-mounted display systems and methods of operation that allow users to couple and decouple a portable electronic device such as a handheld portable electronic device with a separate head-mounted device (e.g., temporarily integrates the separate devices into a single unit) are disclosed. 

“The portable electronic may be physically coupled to the head-mounted device such that the portable electronic device can be worn on the user’s head. The portable electronic device may be operatively coupled to the head-mounted device such that the portable electronic device and head mounted device can communicate and operate with one another. Each device may be allowed to extend its features and/or services to the other device for the purpose of enhancing, increasing and/or eliminating redundant functions between the head-mounted device and the portable electronic device.”