Under the newly approved patent application, Apple is working on charging brackets for one-way mirror trim, wireless charging systems and headphone devices.
Patented headphone charging system
First discovered by Patently Apple in a patent filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office called a "display system," Apple outlined how head-mounted display devices can be charged wirelessly through an induction coil placed inside the headband.
Apple explained how the headset's adjustable headband contains some spaced receive coils that are connected to the device's power storage or battery. The headband continues to function as expected, with its left and right sides adjustable to comfortably support the display unit in front of the user's face. Apple also describes a separate charging mode so that wireless charging can also be used this method when the user wears the headset.
The patent describes a "power device" that goes with the headset, including a base connected to a transmission coil. In some embodiments, the power supply device is a charging bracket, through the headband to hang the headphones on it, while in others, it is a flat charging base, simply put the headphones on it.
Headphone charging system Patent 2
Apple says that "the head-mounted display and the power supply device are cooperatively configured to align the transmission coil" to charge to prevent users from needing to manually and carefully align the charging coil. This may simply be related to the layout of the charging system, as is the case with the bracket configuration, but it may also extend even to alignment systems similar to MagSafe.
In another patent application approved earlier this week, titled "Electronic Devices with Infrared Transparent Unidirectional Mirrors," Apple described how head-mounted display devices can have a mirror effect like some sunglasses or ski goggles. Unidirectional mirrors allow optics in the interior area, such as cameras and infrared sensors, to function properly but are obscured by a reflective finish on the outside of the headset.
Apple's rumored mixed reality headsets are often the focus of the company's patent applications, which included finger-mounted controls, adjustable lenses, eye tracking, and even software. While patent filings can't serve as concrete evidence of the exact hardware Apple plans to sell, it's hard to see that the company's large number of patent applications could fit into the big picture surrounding its rumored headset project.
Late last year, analysts at Morgan Stanley noted that Apple's patent portfolio related to mixed reality headsets is now reflecting the size of the company's patent portfolio directly related to the smartwatch before the Launch of the Apple Watch, suggesting that the device may be "close to being released."
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