Apple patent exposure: Vision Pro head display can install auxiliary battery to improve balance and battery life
CTOnews.com, Nov. 21 (Xinhua)-- Apple has filed a new patent for its head-mounted display (HMD) Vision Pro to address neck fatigue and battery life problems that users may experience when wearing the device, PatentlyApple reported. The patent relates to a base that can be mounted on a HMD bracket that can be used to connect auxiliary batteries or other accessories and to provide a cable management system.
CTOnews.com previously reported that Apple unveiled its first HMD product, the Vision Pro, at its WWDC23 event in June, but received some complaints about neck fatigue during the testing phase. To address this problem, Apple has submitted a patent application to the European Patent Office describing a pedestal design that improves the balance of the HMD, thereby reducing discomfort when wearing the device.
According to the patent document, because the HMD needs to be worn in front of the user's eyes, this means that the center of gravity of the HMD is usually in front of the user's face, which can cause rotational torque on the user's head and neck, resulting in muscle fatigue or neck strain. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a kind of HMD with improved balance to reduce the fatigue of users when using the equipment.
The patent document also mentioned that due to the power consumption requirements of the HMD and the current battery technology limitations, users may need to charge the HMD several times a day, which will interrupt the use and cause inconvenience to users. Therefore, the patent provides a method of installing an auxiliary battery on the rear headband of the HMD and establishing electrical communication with the HMD.
The structure and function of the base are also described in the patent document, including two accessory interfaces for connecting headbands and accessories, as well as a cable management system or cable dresser for securing cables or cables, thereby eliminating or reducing cable slack.
Although the focus of the patent is on the auxiliary battery as an accessory, the document also points out that the base can be used for a variety of movable components and accessories.
The patent may not necessarily be used in Apple's actual products, but it demonstrates Apple's innovation in the HMD field and its focus on the user experience.
