PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10492346-B2
Application Number: US-201816118526-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Thermal regulation for head-mounted display

Abstract:
A head-mounted display to be worn by a user includes a housing, a component chamber defined in the housing, and electronic components that generate heat. The electronic components are located in the component chamber of the housing. The head-mounted display also includes a first fan for causing air to flow through the component chamber.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A head-mounted display to be worn by a user, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a component chamber defined in the housing; 
 electronic components that generate heat, wherein the electronic components are located in the component chamber of the housing; and 
 a first fan for causing air to flow through the component chamber; and 
 an electromechanical flow control component that is operable to move between first and second positions to vary air flow through the housing. 
 
     
     
       2. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , wherein the first fan directs air out of an upper part of the component chamber. 
     
     
       3. The head-mounted display of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second fan that directs air into a lower part of the component chamber. 
 
     
     
       4. The head-mounted display of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an eye chamber defined in the housing; and 
 a first vent that allows air to pass from the eye chamber into the component chamber. 
 
     
     
       5. The head-mounted display of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second vent that allows air to enter the eye chamber from outside of the housing. 
 
     
     
       6. The head-mounted display of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second fan that directs air into the component chamber. 
 
     
     
       7. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , wherein operation of the first fan is controlled based on a temperature of the electronic components. 
     
     
       8. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , wherein operation of the first fan is controlled based on an air temperature in the component chamber. 
     
     
       9. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an eye chamber defined in the housing, and 
 an air temperature sensor operable to sense air temperature in the eye chamber, wherein operation of the first fan is controlled based on the air temperature in the eye chamber. 
 
     
     
       10. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an eye chamber defined in the housing, and 
 a humidity sensor operable to sense humidity in the eye chamber, wherein operation of the first fan is controlled based on the humidity in the eye chamber. 
 
     
     
       11. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a skin temperature sensor operable to sense a skin temperature of the user, wherein operation of the first fan is controlled based on the skin temperature of the user. 
 
     
     
       12. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a perspiration sensor operable to sense perspiration by the user, wherein operation of the first fan is controlled based on the perspiration by the user. 
 
     
     
       13. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a headband that is connected to the housing and configured to support the housing relative to the user; 
 display devices that are operable to display content output by the electronic components; 
 an eye chamber defined by the housing; and 
 a face seal that extends around the eye chamber. 
 
     
     
       14. A head-mounted display to be worn by a user, comprising:
 a housing; 
 an eye chamber defined by the housing; 
 a face seal that has an interior portion that is formed from an air-permeable material and a cover portion formed from an air impermeable material, wherein openings are formed through the cover portion to allow airflow out of the interior portion of the face seal; and 
 a fan that directs air into the interior portion of the face seal such that the interior portion conducts the air along a portion of a length dimension of the face seal to the openings. 
 
     
     
       15. The head-mounted display of  claim 14 , wherein the air is conducted through the interior portion of the face seal along a length dimension of the face seal from the fan to the openings. 
     
     
       16. The head-mounted display of  claim 14 , wherein the openings are spaced apart in an array on the cover portion. 
     
     
       17. The head-mounted display of  claim 14 , wherein the air exits through the openings at locations that are adjacent to the user&#39;s skin. 
     
     
       18. A head-mounted display to be worn by a user, comprising:
 a housing; 
 an eye chamber defined by the housing; 
 a display; 
 electronic components that cause content to be output by the display; 
 a fan that causes air to flow through the eye chamber, wherein the fan is controlled by the electronic components such that the air flow through the eye chamber changes to correspond to the content that is output by the display, and 
 an electromechanical flow control component that is operable to move between first and second positions to vary air flow through the eye chamber. 
 
     
     
       19. The head-mounted display of  claim 18 , wherein the fan is controlled to vary an air flow speed to correspond to the content that is output by the display. 
     
     
       20. The head-mounted display of  claim 18 , wherein the fan is controlled to vary an air flow direction to correspond to the content that is output by the display.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/555,122, filed on Sep. 7, 2017, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The application relates generally to thermal regulation for head-mounted displays. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Head-mounted displays are worn on a user&#39;s head and incorporate one or more optical display devices. Head-mounted displays incorporate electronic components such as processors, and these components generate heat. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the disclosure is a head-mounted display to be worn by a user. The head-mounted display includes a housing, a component chamber defined in the housing, and electronic components that generate heat. The electronic components are located in the component chamber of the housing. The head-mounted display also includes a first fan for causing air to flow through the component chamber. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure is a head-mounted display to be worn by a user. The head mounted display includes a housing, an eye chamber defined by the housing, a face seal, and a fan that causes air to flow through the face seal. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure is a head-mounted display to be worn by a user. The head-mounted display includes a housing, an eye chamber defined by the housing, a display, electronic components that cause content to be output by the display, and a fan that causes air to flow through the eye chamber. The fan is controlled by the electronic components based on the content. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustration showing a head-mounted display. 
         FIG. 2A  is a side view showing the head-mounted display worn by a user. 
         FIG. 2B  is a top view showing the head-mounted display worn by the user. 
         FIG. 3  is a side cross-section view of the head-mounted display taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2B  including thermal regulation components according to a first example. 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a second example. 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a third example. 
         FIG. 6  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a fourth example. 
         FIG. 7  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a fifth example. 
         FIG. 8  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a sixth example. 
         FIG. 9  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a seventh example. 
         FIG. 10  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components side according to an eighth example. 
         FIG. 11  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a ninth example. 
         FIG. 12  is a front cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a tenth example. 
         FIG. 13  is a side cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to an eleventh example. 
         FIG. 14  is a front cross-section view of a head-mounted display including thermal regulation components according to a twelfth example. 
         FIG. 15  is a block diagram that shows an example of a hardware configuration for electronic components of a head-mounted display. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Components included in head-mounted displays can generate heat. During use of a head-mounted display, the heat generated by a head-mounted display may be noticeable to the user, and detract from the user&#39;s ability to enjoy use of the device. The disclosure herein is directed to head-mounted displays that incorporate thermal regulation components to reduce heat levels and enhance the user experience. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustration showing a head-mounted display  100 . The head-mounted display includes a housing  102 , a face seal  104 , and a headband  106 . The face seal  104  and the headband  106  are connected to the housing  102 . The face seal  104  is configured to engage and conform to the user&#39;s head in the area around the user&#39;s eyes. The headband  106  is configured to support the housing  102  relative to the user&#39;s head. In the illustrated example, the housing  102  is a generally rectangular structure, and headband  106  is a structure such as a strap or a rigid member that connects to the lateral sides of the housing  102  to extend peripherally around a user&#39;s head. The housing  102  may be a single-piece structure or may be a multi-piece structure, and is either rigid or semi-rigid. The headband  106  may include adjustment features, such as variable length strap assemblies that are adjusted using fasteners such as buttons, buckles, or hook-and-loop fasteners. The housing  102  and the headband  106  are shown and described using a “goggles” type headband configuration to provide context, and it should be understood that the features described herein can be utilized with head-mounted displays that utilize a broad range of configurations. As one example, the headband  106  could include an additional strap that extends over the center of the user&#39;s head. As another example, the housing  102  and the headband  106  could utilize a “halo” type headband configuration in which the headband engages the user&#39;s forehead, and is the headband is connected to an upper part of the housing such that the housing is suspended form the headband. Other headband configurations can also be used. 
       FIG. 2A  is a side view showing the head-mounted display  100  worn by a user  208 , and  FIG. 2B  is a top view showing the head-mounted display  100  worn by the user  208 . The face seal  104  contacts an upper part of the face  210  of the user  208 . As an example, the face seal  104  may contact the forehead, the temples, the cheeks, and/or the nose of the user  208 , and extend around the eye area  212  of the user  208 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of the head-mounted display  100  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 2B . The head-mounted display  100  includes the housing  102 , which includes a lower wall  314 , an upper wall  315 , and a divider wall  316 . The head-mounted display  100  also includes lenses  318  (e.g. two lenses that are each paired with one of the user&#39;s eyes), display devices  320 , and electronic components  322 . 
     The housing  102  includes an external structure of the head-mounted display  100  and may include parts of an internal structure of the head-mounted display  100 . The housing  102  is connected to the headband  106  ( FIGS. 1-2B ) or other support structure. Internal spaces of the head-mounted display  100  are defined by the housing  102 , in order to support and/or enclose portions of the head-mounted display  100  such as the divider wall  316 , the lenses  318 , the display devices  320 , and the electronic components  322 . The housing  102  may be a multi-part structure, or may be a single part structure. The housing  102  may be rigid or semi rigid, and with respect to multi-part structures for the housing  102 , may include various portions having differing material properties inclusive of rigid portions and flexible portions. 
     A front end of the housing  102  includes a peripheral portion  324 , which is adjacent to the user  208  when worn. The peripheral portion  324  extends around part or all of the housing  102  at the front end, and provides a support surface or support structure for the face seal  104 . Other components and/or structures may be formed on or supported by the peripheral portion  324 , such as sensors. 
     The divider wall  316  has a first side that is exposed the exterior, and is adjacent to an eye chamber  326 . The eye chamber  326  is defined within the housing  102  between the divider wall  316  and the face seal  104 . When the head-mounted display  100  is worn by the user  208 , the eyes of the user  208  are positioned adjacent to the eye chamber  326 . By engagement of the face seal  104  with the face  210  of the user  208 , the face seal  104  is operable to reduce or eliminate the amount of light from the environment outside the face seal  104  that enters the eye chamber  326 . The face seal  104  may, in some implementations, be porous to allow air to flow into and/or out of the eye chamber  326 , while still blocking light. 
     The divider wall  316  may support the lenses  318 , either directly or indirectly. In the illustrated example, the lenses  318  are connected to the divider wall  316  and are located in apertures  328  that are formed in the divider wall  316 . Other implementations of the head-mounted display  100  may connect the lenses  318  to the divider wall  316  indirectly. As one example, the lenses  318  can be supported by an interpupillary distance adjustment mechanism that is operable to move the lenses  318  laterally toward or away from each other. As another example, the lenses  318  can be supported by an eye relief adjustment mechanism that is operable to adjust the position of the lenses  318  in the front-to-rear direction of the housing  102  to change the distance between the eyes of the user  208  and the lenses  318 . 
     The lenses  318  focus, redirect, and reshape the images from the display devices  320  to achieve a desired focal length and other optical properties. The display devices  320  are located in the housing  102  and are oriented such that they emit light (e.g., in patterns that form images) toward the lenses  318 . The lenses  318  direct the images emitted by the display devices  320  toward the eyes of the user  208  in a manner that simulates the way the light from a three-dimensional environment reaches the eyes of the user  208 . As one example, the lenses  318  may be biconvex lenses. As another example, the lenses  318  may be Fresnel lenses. Focal lengths for the lenses  318  may be, for example, between 25 mm and 50 mm. 
     On a second side of the divider wall  316 , opposite the eye chamber  326 , a component chamber  330  is formed between the divider wall  316  and the housing  102 . The component chamber  330  is an internal chamber having a substantially enclosed spaced defined by the housing  102  and the divider wall  316 . In some implementations, multiple internal chambers are present. In the illustrated example, the display devices  320  and the electronic components  322  are located in the internal chamber. The display devices  320  may be supported by the divider wall  316  (as illustrated), by the housing  102 , or by other structures that are located in the component chamber  330 . 
     The electronic components  322  are located in the component chamber  330  and may be supported by the housing  102  or by other structures that are present in the component chamber  330 . The electronic components  322  are connected to the display devices  320  and include components that generate or receive content, in the form or signals or data. The content is provided by the display devices to be output for display by the display devices  320  as images defined by emitted light. The electronic components  322  may also include sensors that detect conditions that are relevant to operation of the head-mounted display  100 , such as the position and orientation of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The head-mounted display  100  includes thermal regulation components that can be utilized to reduce heat levels. For example, the thermal regulation components can help control an air temperature within the eye chamber  326 . In the illustrated example, the thermal regulation components include an exhaust fan  340  and an intake vent  350 . The exhaust fan  340  is located on the upper wall  315  of the housing  102  above the component chamber  330 , and is in direct communication with the component chamber  330  to receive air from the component chamber  330 . The intake vent  350  is located on the lower wall  314  of the housing  102  below the component chamber  330 , and is in direct communication with the component chamber  330  to provide air to the component chamber  330 . 
     The exhaust fan  340  can be located in a fan housing  341  that defines an inlet  342  and outlet ports  343 . The inlet  342  may be an opening that is formed in the upper wall  315  of the housing  102  to receive air from inside the housing  102 . The inlet  342  may be provided with a filter  344  to reduce entry of foreign particles (e.g., dust) into the housing  102 . As an example, the filter  344  may be or include a layer of fabric. The exhaust fan  340  includes a propulsion component such as an electric motor  345  and one or more air moving components, such as fan blades  346 . In the illustrated example, the exhaust fan  340  is an axial inlet/axial outlet type fan. Other configurations may be used for the exhaust fan  340 , such as an axial inlet/radial outlet configuration. 
     The intake vent  350  is a passive component that allows air to enter the housing  102 . In the illustrated example, the intake vent  350  includes an opening  352  and a filter  354 . The opening  352  is formed in the lower wall  314  of the housing  102  to admit air from outside the housing  102  into the interior of the housing  102 , such as into the component chamber  330  in this example. The filter  354  is positioned in or over the opening  352  to reduce entry of foreign particles into the housing  102  as described with respect to the filter  344 . 
     The exhaust fan  340  can be controlled to achieve desired thermal characteristics. The exhaust fan  340  can be controlled based on temperature, as detected by one or more sensors. Control of the exhaust fan  340  may also be based on other factors, such as noise generation and battery use. The content output by the head-mounted display  100  can also be considered during fan control, such as by increasing or decreasing fan speed based on audio volume. Simple control logic can be utilized, such as by operating the exhaust fan  340  when one or more values cross thresholds, or more complicated control logic can be utilized, such as a trained machine learning model that controls temperature based on observed user behaviors. 
     As one example, a temperature can be detected by measuring the temperature of one of the electronic components  322  using a sensor included in the electronic components  322 . A temperature measurement can be obtained from the output signal of a temperature sensor, such as a temperature sensor included in a processor or a system on a chip. As another example, a temperature sensor can be included in the component chamber  330  to detect an air temperature in the component chamber  330 . As another example, a temperature sensor can be included in the eye chamber  326  to detect an air temperature in the eye chamber  326 . 
     In some implementations, contacting or non-contacting sensors can be utilized to measure user characteristics that are indicative of user thermal comfort. As one example, infrared sensors can be utilized to measure temperature of the user&#39;s skin. As another example, infrared sensors can be utilized to detect presence of perspiration on the user&#39;s skin. As another example, humidity can be measured in the eye chamber  326  to estimate user comfort based on changes in humidity in the eye chamber  326 . 
     In some implementations, air flow sensors are located in the housing  102 , for example, positioned at the inlet  342  of the exhaust fan  340  and at the opening  352  of the intake vent  350 . The air flow sensors can be used to control and establish a desired air flow rate through the component chamber  330 . 
     In operation temperature of the head-mounted display  100  can be regulated by circulating outside (i.e., ambient) air through the component chamber. The exhaust fan  340  is activated and operated at a fixed speed or a variable speed based on a sensed temperature and/or other characteristic. Operation of the exhaust fan  340  causes warm air to be expelled from the component chamber  330 , which in turn causes ambient air to be drawn into the component chamber  330  through the intake vent  350 . Since ambient air will typically be much cooler than the air temperature in the component chamber  330 , heat is removed from the component chamber. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  400 . The head-mounted display  400  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  400  includes a housing  402 , a face seal  404 , a lower wall  414 , an upper wall  415 , a divider wall  416 , lenses  418 , display devices  420 , electronic components  422 , a peripheral portion  424  of the housing  402 , an eye chamber  426 , apertures  428 , and a component chamber  430 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  400  include an exhaust fan  440  and an intake fan  450 . The intake fan  450  actively supplies air from outside the housing  402  into the component chamber  430 , at a temperature that is cooler than that of air inside the component chamber  430 . The exhaust fan  440  expels warm air out of the component chamber  430  to the exterior of the housing  402 . 
     The exhaust fan  440  is configured in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340  of the head-mounted display  100 , and is mounted to the housing  402  at the same location in order to receive warm air from the component chamber  430 . The intake fan  450  is configured in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340  of the head-mounted display  100  and is connected to the lower wall  414  to draw air into the component chamber  430  through an opening in the lower wall  414 . 
     The exhaust fan  440  and the intake fan  450  are operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340 , but can be independently controlled. In addition, the air pressure within the component chamber  430  can be controlled by varying the fan speed of the exhaust fan  440  relative to the fan speed of the intake fan  450 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  500 . The head-mounted display  500  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  500  includes a housing  502 , a face seal  504 , a lower wall  514 , an upper wall  515 , a divider wall  516 , lenses  518 , display devices  520 , electronic components  522 , a peripheral portion  524  of the housing  502 , an eye chamber  526 , apertures  528 , and a component chamber  530 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  500  include an exhaust vent  540  and an intake fan  550 . The intake fan  550  actively supplies air from outside the housing  502  into the component chamber  530  at a temperature that is cooler than that of air inside the component chamber  530 . The exhaust vent  540  passively allows warm air to be expelled out of the component chamber  530  to the exterior of the housing  502 . 
     The intake fan  550  is configured in the manner described with respect to the intake fan  450  of the head-mounted display  400 , and is mounted to the housing  502  at the same location to provide exterior air to the component chamber  530  through an opening in the lower wall  514 . The exhaust vent  540  allows warm air to pass through an opening formed in the upper wall  515  to exit the component chamber  530 . 
     The intake fan  550  is operated in the manner described with respect to the intake fan  450 . 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  600 . The head-mounted display  600  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  600  includes a housing  602 , a face seal  604 , a lower wall  614 , an upper wall  615 , a divider wall  616 , lenses  618 , display devices  620 , electronic components  622 , a peripheral portion  624  of the housing  602 , an eye chamber  626 , apertures  628 , and a component chamber  630 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  600  include an exhaust fan  640  and one or more air flow passages between the eye chamber  626  and the component chamber  630 , such as a first divider vent  660  and a second divider vent  662 . 
     The first divider vent  660  is a passive component that allows air to pass between the eye chamber  626  and the component chamber  630 . As an alternative, divider vents with controllable variable size openings could be utilized to regulate airflow based on operating conditions. The first divider vent  660  can be configured similar to the intake vent  350 , but is positioned on the divider wall  616  to allow air to pass through an opening in the divider wall  616 . In the illustrated example, the first divider vent  660  is positioned closer to the upper wall  615  of the housing  602  than to the lower wall  614  of the housing  602 . The first divider vent  660  may be above a height-wise midpoint of the housing  602 , and may be adjacent to the upper wall  615  of the housing  602 . 
     The second divider vent  662  is a passive component that allows air to pass between the eye chamber  626  and the component chamber  630 . The second divider vent  662  is configured similar to the intake vent  350 , but is positioned on the divider wall  616  to allow air to pass through an opening in the divider wall  616 . In the illustrated example, the second divider vent  662  is positioned closer to the lower wall  614  of the housing  602  than to the upper wall  615  of the housing  602 . The second divider vent  662  may be below a height-wise midpoint of the housing  602 , and may be adjacent to the lower wall  614  of the housing  602 . 
     The exhaust fan  640  is configured in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340  of the head-mounted display  100 , and is mounted to the housing  602  at the same location in order to receive warm air from the component chamber  630  and expel the warm air to the exterior of the head-mounted display  600 . 
     The exhaust fan  640  is operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340 . When air is expelled from the component chamber  630  by the exhaust fan  640 , cooler air is drawn into the component chamber  630  from the eye chamber  626 . Air is in turn drawn into the eye chamber  626  from outside of the housing  602 , such as by flowing past the face seal  604 , such as in areas where the face seal  604  does not contact the user, for example, near the user&#39;s nose. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  700 . The head-mounted display  700  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  700  includes a housing  702 , a face seal  704 , a lower wall  714 , an upper wall  715 , a divider wall  716 , lenses  718 , display devices  720 , electronic components  722 , a peripheral portion  724  of the housing  702 , an eye chamber  726 , apertures  728 , and a component chamber  730 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  700  include an exhaust fan  740 , one or more air flow passages between the eye chamber  726  and the component chamber  730 , such as a first divider vent  760  and a second divider vent  762 , and an intake vent  764 . The exhaust fan  740 , the first divider vent  760 , and the second divider vent  762  are configured the same as the exhaust fan  640 , the first divider vent  660 , and the second divider vent  662 . The intake vent  764  is similar to the intake vent  350  but is positioned on the lower wall  714  to allow air to enter the eye chamber  726 . 
     The exhaust fan  740  is operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340 . When air is expelled from the component chamber  730  by the exhaust fan  740 , cooler air is drawn into the component chamber  730  from the eye chamber  726 . Air is in turn drawn into the eye chamber  726  from outside of the housing  702  through the intake vent  764 . 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  800 . The head-mounted display  800  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  800  includes a housing  802 , a face seal  804 , a lower wall  814 , an upper wall  815 , a divider wall  816 , lenses  818 , display devices  820 , electronic components  822 , a peripheral portion  824  of the housing  802 , an eye chamber  826 , apertures  828 , and a component chamber  830 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  800  include an exhaust fan  840 , one or more air flow passages between the eye chamber  826  and the component chamber  830 , such as a first divider vent  860  and a second divider vent  862 , a first intake vent  850  and a second intake vent  864 . The exhaust fan  840 , the first divider vent  860 , the second divider vent  862 , and the second intake vent  864  are configured the same as the exhaust fan  740 , the first divider vent  760 , the second divider vent  762 , and the intake vent  764 . The first intake vent  850  is similar to the intake vent  350  and is positioned on the lower wall  814  to allow air to enter the component chamber  830 . 
     The exhaust fan  840  is operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340 . When air is expelled from the component chamber  830  by the exhaust fan  840 , cooler air is drawn into the component chamber  830  from the exterior through the first intake vent  850  and from the eye chamber  826  through the first divider vent  860  and the second divider vent  862 . Air is in turn drawn into the eye chamber  826  from outside of the housing  802  through the second intake vent  864 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  900 . The head-mounted display  900  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  900  includes a housing  902 , a face seal  904 , a lower wall  914 , an upper wall  915 , a divider wall  916 , lenses  918 , display devices  920 , electronic components  922 , a peripheral portion  924  of the housing  902 , an eye chamber  926 , apertures  928 , and a component chamber  930 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  900  include an exhaust fan  940 , one or more air flow passages between the eye chamber  926  and the component chamber  930 , such as a first divider vent  960  and a second divider vent  962 , a first intake vent  950 , a second intake vent  964 , a first flow control component  951  that is connected to the first intake vent  950 , and a second flow control component  965 . The exhaust fan  940 , the first divider vent  960 , the second divider vent  962 , the first intake vent  950 , and the second intake vent  964  are configured the same as the exhaust fan  840 , the first divider vent  860 , the second divider vent  862 , the first intake vent  850  and the second intake vent  864 . 
     The first flow control component  951  and the second flow control component  965  are active components that can be controlled, for example, by signals received from the electronic component  922 . The first flow control component  951  and the second flow control component  965  are operable to change the amount of air that flows through the first intake vent  950  and the second flow control component  965  by movement between closed and open positions, optionally including intermediate positions between the closed and open positions. The closed positions restrict air flow either completely or to a high degree, and the open positions restrict air flow minimally. The first flow control component  951  and the second flow control component  965  can be externally controllable electromechanical devices such as dampers in which doors or louvers are rotated by an electric motor, valves that seal and unseal an interface between components to open and close, or variable-size openings such as iris valves. 
     The exhaust fan  940  is operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340 . When air is expelled from the component chamber  930  by the exhaust fan  940 , cooler air is drawn into the component chamber  930  from the exterior through the first intake vent  950  and from the eye chamber  926  through the first divider vent  960  and the second divider vent  962 . Air is in turn drawn into the eye chamber  926  from outside of the housing  902  through the second intake vent  964 . The amount of air drawn into the component chamber  930  from each of the first intake vent  950  and the second intake vent  964  is controlled by the positions of the first flow control component  951  and the second flow control component  965 . 
     In an additional implementation, flow control components similar to the first flow control component  951  and the second flow control component  965  can be provided at other locations, such as at the first divider vent  960  and the second divider vent  962 . 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  1000 . The head-mounted display  1000  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  1000  includes a housing  1002 , a face seal  1004 , a lower wall  1014 , an upper wall  1015 , a divider wall  1016 , lenses  1018 , display devices  1020 , electronic components  1022 , a peripheral portion  1024  of the housing  1002 , an eye chamber  1026 , apertures  1028 , and a component chamber  1030 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  1000  include an intake vent  1064  and an exhaust fan  1066 . The intake vent  1064  is configured and positioned the same as the second intake vent  964  to allow air to enter the eye chamber  1026 . The exhaust fan  1066  has a configuration that is similar to that of the exhaust fan  340 , but is positioned on the upper wall  1015  at an opening that extends through the upper wall  1015  to the eye chamber  1026  in order to draw air out of the eye chamber  326  directly to the exterior of the head-mounted display  1000 . 
     The exhaust fan  1066  is operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340 . When air is expelled from the eye chamber  1026  by the exhaust fan  1066 , cooler air is drawn into the eye chamber  1026  from the exterior through the intake vent  1064 . 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  1100 . The head-mounted display  1100  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  1100  includes a housing  1102 , a face seal  1104 , a lower wall  1114 , an upper wall  1115 , a divider wall  1116 , lenses  1118 , display devices  1120 , electronic components  1122 , a peripheral portion  1124  of the housing  1102 , an eye chamber  1126 , apertures  1128 , and a component chamber  1130 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  1100  include an intake fan  1164  and an exhaust fan  1166 . The intake fan  1164  is configured similar to the intake fan  450  but is positioned to actively draw air into the eye chamber  326  through an opening that extends through the lower wall  1114 . The exhaust fan  1166  is the same as the exhaust fan  1066  of the head-mounted display  1000 . 
     The exhaust fan  1166  is operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340 . The intake fan  1164  is operated in the manner described with respect to the intake fan  450 . Air is expelled from the eye chamber  1126  by the exhaust fan  1166 , and cooler air is actively drawn into the eye chamber  1126  from the exterior by the intake fan  1164 . 
       FIG. 12  is a front cross-section view of a head-mounted display  1200  taken along line B-B of  FIG. 2B . The head-mounted display  1200  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  1200  may include components analogous to those discussed in connection with the head-mounted display  100 , including a housing  1202 , a lower wall  1214 , an upper wall  1215 , lenses  1218 , display devices  1220 , electronic components  1222 , and an eye chamber  1226 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  1200  include a first intake fan  1264   a , a second intake fan  1264   b , a first exhaust fan  1266   a , and a second exhaust fan  1266   b . The first intake fan  1264   a  and the second intake fan  1264   b  are configured similar to the intake fan  1164 . The first intake fan  1264   a  and the second intake fan  1264   b  both are able to actively draw air into the eye chamber  326  through openings that extend through the lower wall  1214 . The first exhaust fan  1266   a  and the second exhaust fan  1266   b  are configured the same as the exhaust fan  1166  of the head-mounted display  1100 . 
     The first intake fan  1264   a  and the first exhaust fan  1266   a  are positioned near a left side wall  1268  of the housing  1202 . The first intake fan  1264   a  and the first exhaust fan  1266   a  may be located laterally outward from the center of the lens  1218  on the left side of the housing  1202 , or may be laterally outward from an outer periphery of the lens  1218  on the left side of the housing  1202 . The first intake fan  1264   a  and the first exhaust fan  1266   a , in combination, define a first air flow path within the eye chamber  326 . The first air flow path is located laterally outward from the lens  1218  on the left side of the housing  1202 , adjacent to the left side wall  1268  of the housing  1202 , in order to allow air movement in the eye chamber  326  without having a high-speed air stream that crosses the eyes or nose of the user. 
     The second intake fan  1264   b  and the second exhaust fan  1266   b  are positioned near a right side wall  1269  of the housing  1202 . The second intake fan  1264   b  and the second exhaust fan  1266   b  may be located laterally outward from the center of the lens  1218  on the right side of the housing  1202 , or may be laterally outward from an outer periphery of the lens  1218  on the right side of the housing  1202 . The second intake fan  1264   b  and the second exhaust fan  1266   b , in combination, define a second air flow path within the eye chamber  326 . The second air flow path is located laterally outward from the lens  1218  on the right side of the housing  1202 , adjacent to the right side wall  1269  of the housing  1202 , in order to allow air movement in the eye chamber  326  without having a high speed air stream that crosses the eyes or nose of the user. 
     The first exhaust fan  1266   a  and the second exhaust fan  1166   b  are operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340 . The first intake fan  1264   a  and the second intake fan  1264   b  are operated in the manner described with respect to the intake fan  450 . Air is expelled from the eye chamber  1226  by first exhaust fan  1266   a  and the second exhaust fan  1166   b , and cooler air is actively drawn into the eye chamber  1226  from the exterior by the first intake fan  1264   a  and the second intake fan  1264   b.    
       FIG. 13  is a front cross-section view of a head-mounted display  1300  taken along line B-B of  FIG. 2B . The head-mounted display  1300  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  1300  may include components analogous to those discussed in connection with the head-mounted display  100 , including a housing  1302 , a lower wall  1314 , an upper wall  1315 , lenses  1318 , display devices  1320 , electronic components  1322 , and an eye chamber  1326 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  1300  include a first fan  1370  and a second fan  1372 . The first fan  1370  and the second fan  1372  are configured similar to the intake fan  1164  of the head-mounted display  1100 , but differ in position and mode of operation. The first fan  1370  is positioned on the left side wall  1368  of the housing  1302  to force air into or draw air out of the eye chamber  1326  through an opening formed in the left side wall  1368  of the housing  1302 . The second fan  1372  is positioned on the right side wall  1369  of the housing  1302  to force air into or draw air out of the eye chamber  1326  through an opening formed in the right side wall  1369  of the housing  1302 . 
     The first fan  1370  and the second fan  1372  may be operated in the manner described with respect to the exhaust fan  340  and the intake fan  450 . The first fan  1370  and the second fan  1372  can each be operated in an intake mode or an exhaust mode. By operating the first fan  1370  in the intake mode and operating the second fan  1372  in the exhaust mode, left-to-right air flow is established in the eye chamber  1326 . By operating the first fan  1370  in the exhaust mode and operating the second fan  1372  in the intake mode, right-to-left air flow is established in the eye chamber  1326 . 
     In some implementations, air flow in the eye chamber of a head-mounted display, such as the eye chamber  1226  of the head-mounted display  1200  or the eye chamber  1326  of the head-mounted display  1300 , can be controlled to correspond to content displayed by the head-mounted display, such as by causing a high air flow speed to correspond to windy conditions seen in displayed content, or to move air in a particular direction in correspondence with displayed content. For example, the displayed content may depict a right-to-left wind, and an equivalent right-to-left air flow may be established using the first fan  1370  and the second fan  1372 . 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-section view of a head-mounted display  1400 . The head-mounted display  1400  is similar to the head-mounted display  100  except as described herein. The head-mounted display  1400  includes a housing  1402 , a face seal  1404 , a lower wall  1414 , an upper wall  1415 , a divider wall  1416 , lenses  1418 , display devices  1420 , electronic components  1422 , a peripheral portion  1424  of the housing  1402 , an eye chamber  1426 , apertures  1428 , and a component chamber  1430 , all of which are analogous to similarly-named components of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The thermal regulation components of the head-mounted display  1400  include a lower intake fan  1464  and an upper intake fan  1466 . The lower intake fan  1464  is configured similar to the intake fan  450  but is positioned to actively draw air through an opening that extends through the lower wall  1414 . The upper intake fan  1466  is configured similar to the intake fan  450  but is positioned to actively draw air through an opening that extends through the upper wall  1415 . The lower intake fan  1464  and the upper intake fan  1466  each supply air to the face seal  1404 . The face seal  1404  is cooled by air that flows through it. The face seal  1404  may also incorporate structures that direct air flow toward the user, to cool the user&#39;s skin. 
     In the illustrated example, the face seal  1404  includes an interior portion  1474 , a cover portion  1476 , and openings  1478 . The interior portion  1474  defines an air flow path through the face seal  1404 . In one implementation, the interior portion  1474  is made from an air-permeable material such as an open-cell foam material that allows air to flow through it. The cover portion  1476  is generally air-impermeable, such that air does not flow through it, and instead is conducted along the length of the face seal  1404 . The openings  1478  are formed through the cover portion  1476  to allow air flow from the interior portion  1474  to exit the face seal  1404 . As examples, the openings  1478  may be holes or perforations that are spaced from one another in a pattern or array on the cover portion  1476 . 
     The lower intake fan  1464  and the upper intake fan  1466  each actively draw air into the housing  1402  and direct the air into the face seal  1404 . Air flows through the interior portion  1474  of the face seal  1404 . In implementations that include the openings  1478 , the air flow then exits through the openings  1478 , such as at locations that are adjacent to the user&#39;s skin. 
       FIG. 15  is a block diagram that shows an example of a hardware configuration for the electronic components  1500  of the head-mounted display  100 . In the illustrated example, the electronic components  1500  include a processor  1502 , memory  1504 , storage  1506 , input devices  1508 , output devices  1510 , an external device interface  1512 , a motion tracking system  1514 , sensors  1516 , a camera  1518 , and a battery  1520 . In some embodiments, some or all of the electronic components  1500  are implemented as a system on a chip. 
     The processor  1502  is operable to execute computer program instructions and perform operations described by the computer program instructions. As an example, the processor  1502  may be a conventional device such as a central processing unit. The memory  1504  may be a volatile, high-speed, short-term information storage device such as a random-access memory module. The storage  1506  may be a non-volatile information storage device such as a hard drive or a solid-state drive. The input devices  1508  may include any type of human-machine interface such as buttons, switches, motion sensitive controllers, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen input device, a gestural input device, or an audio input device (e.g., a microphone). The output devices  1510  may include any type of device operable to provide an indication to a user regarding an operating state, such as the display devices  320  of the head-mounted display  100 , or an audio output device (e.g., speakers). 
     The external device interface  1512  is a wired or wireless interface using any type of protocol. As one example, the external device interface  1512  may include a wired connection to an external computing device that is utilized to generate content, such as content that is displayed by the display devices  320  of the head-mounted display  100 , such as by rendering the content. As another example, the external device interface  1512  can allow wireless connection to internet access to utilize server-based resources during operation of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The motion tracking system  1514  can detect three axis rotations and accelerations of the head-mounted display  100 , and provide this information as inputs to the processor  1502  or to other systems. As an example, information output by the motion tracking system  1514  can be utilized to implement view tracking in certain software applications, and the information output by the motion tracking system  1514  can be used by the software application during generation of content. The motion tracking system  1514  can include, for example, an inertial measuring unit that utilizes accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers to output information that describes motion. The motions tracking system can also include other types of motion tracking technologies, such as structured-light stereo devices, depth cameras, LIDAR devices, radar devices, ultrasonic devices, infrared detectors that measure signals from external infrared sources, and infrared beacons that emit signals that can be measured by external infrared detectors. 
     The sensors  1516  various types of sensors in addition to those in the motion tracking system. Examples include biometric sensors, temperature sensors, light sensors and force sensors. Some of the sensors  1516  may be included in other components. For example, a temperature sensor may be incorporated in the processor  1502 . 
     The camera  1518 , which can include a single camera or multiple cameras, can be included to capture video of the environment surrounding the head-mounted display  100  or can be used to sense features in the environment or features of the user. As one example, the camera  1518  can be mounted in an eye chamber of a head-mounted display and used for eye tracking, such as in the eye chamber  326  of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The battery  1520  supplies electrical power to various components of the head-mounted display  100 , including the electronic components  1500 . As an example, the battery  1520  can be a rechargeable battery of any suitable type. 
     As described above, one aspect of the present technology is the gathering and use of data available from various sources to improve thermal comfort during use of a head-mounted device. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances, this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, twitter ID&#39;s, home addresses, data or records relating to a user&#39;s health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information. 
     The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to adjust thermal regulation based on stored profiles. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure. For instance, health and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user&#39;s general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals. 
     The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country. 
     Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the case personalized thermal regulation, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app. 
     Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user&#39;s privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods. 
     Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, thermal regulation can be performed without stored user information, for example, by regulating temperature based on non-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information, such as the content being requested by the device associated with a user, other non-personal information available to the head-mounted device or publicly available information.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180831
Publication Date: 20191126
Grant Date: 20191126
Priority Date: 20170907
Inventors: SELVAKUMAR, SIVESH
CAMPO, Laura M.
CHANG, TIMOTHY Y.
GERHARD, HOLLY E.
ROTHKOPF, FLETCHER R.
LEE, JAE HWANG
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G02B27/0176", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/0006", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/017", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20972", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/017", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/0176", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20209", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20972", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/0006", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20136", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20209", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/0006", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20972", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/017", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/0176", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/20136", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 63638393