Recently, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published an interesting application for Apple's patent, which could be applied to Apple's future smart glasses.
In this patent application, Apple has demonstrated a unique "triple display system". Rather than three separate displays, the system is a clever blend of three displays: a primary display, a secondary display, and a tertiary display in the form of an LED light ring.
This patent was actually published back in 2021, and Apple has mainly perfected it this time.
At the heart of this system is the main display, which occupies the user's main field of view at the highest resolution and delivers excellent clarity. Whether it's browsing pictures, watching videos, or performing complex interactive operations, the main display is responsible for the core visual presentation task with its best display effect.
The secondary display has a lower resolution than the primary display and is physically and electronically coupled to the primary display. It is responsible for the initial presentation of virtual objects, which are then taken over by the main display when the user needs to interact deeply with a specific object, such as an application.
The third-level display acts as an indication system in the form of an array of LEDs that surround the inner frame of the glasses. It can provide basic reminders and indications, as well as change colors and flashing patterns for various application scenarios, providing more intuitive and rich feedback.
Among them, the secondary display may not be physically separated from the main display, and its existence may be similar to the current Vision Pro. Today's Vision Pro uses "foveated rendering" technology to reduce rendering pressure. The system selects to render only the most detailed areas where the user is looking, and lowers the resolution outside of the viewing area, creating a balance between display quality and energy efficiency.
The patent document mentions multiple use cases for the smart glasses, which cover all aspects of daily life.
For example, when a user is looking for a key or other item, glasses can direct the user to the right place by lighting up part of the LED array. By working with a UWB chip, the glasses can achieve precise spatial positioning. Of course, only when an item is connected to a device such as an AirTag can you have an interactive experience.
When a user receives a new message or email, the notification message will appear first on the secondary display, providing an unobtrusive prompt. The user can then move the notification to the home screen by touching the sensor or using Siri. This enables message viewing and convenient interaction without immediately interrupting the user's gaze or activity, reducing the distraction of extraneous information.
For travel scenarios, smart glasses can provide users with visual assistance. The system zooms in on the target vehicle or adds a highlighted outline to help the user determine which vehicle they are riding in with precision and speed.
The secondary display can also be used as a stopwatch or timer. For example, when working, cooking, or exercising, the user's timer is permanently on the secondary display.
It can even be paired with an array of LEDs to alert the user to their physical condition. For example, when a user's heart problem is detected, the LED array lights up red, providing the user with real-time health attention.
Interestingly, this patent also shows a "mood cue" scenario. When on a FaceTime call, the LED array can glow in different colors depending on the person's emotional state, allowing the user to know how the other person is feeling.
The application scenarios of this feature need to be further explored, after all, most of the time we can discern each other's emotions with the naked eye.
The addition of LED arrays brings a touch of "aura" to Apple's smart glasses. However, it is still unknown whether these features will actually come in handy in actual use.
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