Apple patent is for ‘devices with display operation based on eye activity’

Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,802,585) for “electronic devices with display operation based on eye activity.” It relates to the rumored “Apple Glasses,” an augmented reality/virtual reality/mixed reality head-mounted display (HMD).

According to the patent details, head-mounted support structures may be provided in the HMD and may be used to support the display and other device components. An eye monitoring system may be supported by the head-mounted support structures. 

The eye monitoring system may be used in detecting eye movements, rotations, and eye blinks of a user. During movements, rotations, and blinks, the HMD would take advantage of momentary suppression of the user’s visual sensitivity to make adjustments to the operation of the display. For example, the control circuitry could coordinate operation of the display with periods of suppressed visual sensitivity that are associated with the eye movements and blinks to reduce power consumption and/or to make potentially obtrusive image changes. By making adjustments during periods of suppressed visual sensitivity, these adjustments can be hidden from the user of the electronic device, according to Apple.

When it comes to Apple Glasses, such a device will arrive next year or 2022, 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 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.”