In 2008, Apple had first introduced a various advanced set of HMDS or head-mounted display that had been continuing its journey after receiving popularity at a surging speed altogether.
It seemed to be a great venture for Apple to shift a home theatre experience right into a more live and 3D experience. A simple accessory tool like eyeglasses could bring a cinema or a video or performance right in front of us with its 3D module using these head-mounted glass devices was exactly what Apple was trying to focus on.
Finally, it had gotten implemented in its 2008 patent of this glass-like similar to the AR Glasses device that could be connected to the smartphone comprising an accelerometer that could detect head movement and receive a command. Even without using the touch screen, one could shift and move its head in a certain direction to give command regarding whether or not to swipe/scroll or play music or even a video. It even had a microphone for recognizing voice commands as per the patent application.
Now, the patent still seems to continue its journey, and as per a recent patent that surfaces on the United States Trademark and Patent Office, this optical glass-like wearable iPhone accessory is about to receive a new feature with a camera option. As this June 2020 patent goes, it says,
A camera configured to capture an image of the surroundings; a lens adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and a processor configured to automatically switch from an internal viewing mode in which the image is not displayed to an external viewing mode in which the image is displayed in response to information regarding the surroundings.
This AR glass will come with an integrated camera and the AI-Siri that will make the commanding easier. This is also a very thoughtful patent that can benefit those with disabilities, like paralysis. They can easily access the Siri app and make the possible commanding.
Coming to the camera part, the patent mentions that the camera comes in the front panel or is specifically placed adjacent to the corner in the front panel. Claim 11 elaborates on this aim to be:
A head-mounted apparatus comprising: a support structure; a display supported by the support structure; a camera configured to capture an image; a lens adjacent to the display through which the display is viewable; and a processor configured to switch from a first mode in which the image is not displayed to a second mode in which the image is displayed in response to receiving a voice command.
In total, the patent has got 20 different claims describing the variety of the camera device, its usability, and other linkable features. For now, no further news has resurfaced. Still, this continuity to the earlier patent seems to be quite an elaborate venture that Apple has embraced, and possibly it will harbor something outstanding soon.