PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11774768-B2
Application Number: US-201816118504-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Face seal for head-mounted display

Abstract:
A head-mounted display to be worn by a user includes a housing, a compressible material, and a support member. The compressible material is connected to the housing and is configured for contact with the user. The support member is disposed in the compressible material. The support member is movably connected to the housing.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A head-mounted display to be worn by a user, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a support member connected to the housing, the support member having a front surface, wherein the front surface of the support member is formed from a rigid material; 
 a sensor located directly on the front surface of the support member to maintain a consistent distance between the sensor and the user; and 
 a foam face seal including a front portion configured for contact with the user and an interior surface that is positioned adjacent to the front surface of the support member, wherein the foam face seal is formed from a compressible foam structure, and the front surface of the support member defines an adjustable reaction surface for the foam face seal so that the foam face seal can be compressed between the user and the front surface of the support member when the user contacts the front portion of the foam face seal. 
 
     
     
       2. The head-mounted display of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is adjustable relative to the housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/558,401, filed on Sep. 14, 2017, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The application relates generally to face seals for head-mounted displays. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Head-mounted displays are devices that are worn on a user&#39;s head and incorporate one or more optical display devices. Some head-mounted displays have an open design in which the user&#39;s eyes are not shielded from the outside environment. Other head-mounted displays have a closed design that incorporates a face seal. The face seal is a portion of the head-mounted display that contacts the user&#39;s face around their eyes to block exterior light. In some designs, the face seal also helps support the head-mounted display relative to the user&#39;s head. One typical design for a face seal is a foam structure that contacts the user&#39;s forehead and extends around the outer sides of the user&#39;s eyes, with a gap or recess present in the area where the user&#39;s nose will be positioned. 
     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 compressible material, and a support member. The compressible material is connected to the housing and is configured for contact with the user. The support member is disposed in the compressible material. The support member is movably connected to the housing. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure is a head-mounted display to be worn by a user. The head-mounted display includes a housing that defines an eye chamber and a peripheral portion that extends around the eye chamber. A first seal support member is connected to the peripheral portion of the housing and defines a first adjustable reaction surface. A second seal support member is connected to the peripheral portion of the housing and defines a second adjustable reaction surface. A face seal covers the first seal support member and the second seal support member. 
     Another aspect of the disclosure is a head-mounted display to be worn by a user. The head-mounted display includes a housing and a support member that is connected to the housing. The support member has a front surface. A sensor is located on the front surface of the support member. A compressible material is connected to the front surface of the support member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view illustration showing a head-mounted display. 
         FIG.  2 A  is a side view showing the head-mounted display worn by a user. 
         FIG.  2 B  is a top view showing the head-mounted display worn by the user. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-section view of the head-mounted display taken along line A-A of  FIG.  2 B . 
         FIG.  4    is a front view of the head-mounted display showing the face seal  104 . 
         FIG.  5 A  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing one of the seal support members supported by a first hinge assembly in a first angular orientation. 
         FIG.  5 B  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member of  FIG.  5 A  supported by the first hinge assembly in a second angular orientation. 
         FIG.  5 C  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line C-C of  FIG.  5 A  showing one of the seal support members supported by the first hinge assembly. 
         FIG.  6 A  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing one of the seal support members supported by a second hinge assembly in a first angular orientation. 
         FIG.  6 B  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member of  FIG.  6 A  supported by the second hinge assembly in a second angular orientation. 
         FIG.  6 C  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line D-D of  FIG.  6 A  showing one of the seal support members supported by the second hinge assembly. 
         FIG.  7 A  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing one of the seal support members supported by a third hinge assembly in a first angular orientation. 
         FIG.  7 B  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member of  FIG.  6 A  supported by the third hinge assembly in a second angular orientation. 
         FIG.  7 C  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line E-E of  FIG.  7 A  showing one of the seal support members supported by the third hinge assembly. 
         FIG.  8 A  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing one of the seal support members supported by an adjustment assembly in a first angular orientation. 
         FIG.  8 B  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member of  FIG.  6 A  supported by the adjustment assembly in a second angular orientation. 
         FIG.  8 C  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line F-F of  FIG.  8 A  showing one of the seal support members supported by the adjustment assembly. 
         FIG.  9    is a block diagram that shows an example of a hardware configuration for electronic components of the head-mounted display. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The sizes and shapes of user&#39;s faces can vary widely. Some conventional face seal designs incorporate thick foam structures that are highly compressed in some areas by contact with the user&#39;s face, while remaining uncompressed or lightly compressed in other areas. For some face shapes and sizes, the foam structure may be unable to conform to the user&#39;s face, and ability of the foam structure to block light may be compromised. In implementations in which engagement of the face seal with the user&#39;s face is relied upon to support the head-mounted display, some users may experience uncomfortable areas of high pressure. 
     The disclosure herein is directed to face seals for head-mounted displays, components that can be incorporated in face seals for head-mounted displays, and components that can be used with face seals for head-mounted displays. The face seal designs disclosed herein include movable structures that conform the face shape of the user in order to enhance comfort and/or light-blocking, which improves 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 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. 
       FIG.  2 A  is a side view showing the head-mounted display  100  worn by a user  208 , and  FIG.  2 B  is a top view showing the head-mounted display  100  worn by the user. 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.  2 B . The head-mounted display  100  includes the housing  102 , a divider wall  316 , lenses  318  (e.g. two lenses that are each paired with one of the user&#39;s eyes), one or more 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 - 2 B ) 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  is positioned inside the housing  102 . The divider wall  316  has a first side that is exposed the exterior, and is adjacent to an eye chamber  326 , which 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 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 . As examples, the display devices  320  may be LED display panels, OLED display panels, or LCD display panels. In some implementation, the display devices  320  include two display panels that are each associated with one of the lenses  318 . In other implementations, the display devices  320  include a single display panel that is associated with both of 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 , an internal chamber  330  is formed between the divider wall  316  and the housing  102 . 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 internal chamber  330 . 
     The electronic components  322  are located in the internal chamber  330  and may be supported by the housing  102  or by other structures that are present in the internal chamber  330 . The electronic components  322  are connected to the display devices  320  and includes components that generate or receive content, in the form or signals or data, that are 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 . 
       FIG.  4    is a front view of the head-mounted display  100  showing the face seal  104 . The face seal  104  includes an upper portion  432   a , a left portion  432   b , a right portion  432   c , a lower-left portion  432   d , and a lower-right portion  432   e . The upper portion  432   a  is located on the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102  adjacent to an upper surface of the housing  102 . The left portion  432   b  is located on the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102  adjacent to a left-side surface of the housing  102 . The right portion  432   c  is located on the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102  adjacent to a right-side surface of the housing  102 . The lower-left portion  432   d  is located on the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102  adjacent to a lower surface of the housing  102  and to the left side of a nose-relief area  434  that is formed on the housing  102  to provide space for the nose of the user  208 . The lower-right portion  432   e  is located on the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102  adjacent to a lower surface of the housing  102  and to the right side of the nose-relief area  434 . 
     The face seal  104  is supported by one or more seal support members  436  that are each connected to the housing  102  in a manner than allows motion of each seal support member  436  relative to the housing  102 . In the illustrated example, the seal support members  436  are independent elements that are incorporated in the face seal  104  in each of the upper portion  432   a , the left portion  432   b , the right portion  432   c , the lower-left portion  432   d , and the lower-right portion  432   e . In other implementations, different numbers of the seal support members  436  are provided and different locations for the seal support members are provided. For example, the face seal  104  could incorporate two of the seal support members  436 , such as a first seal support member positioned at the left side of the upper portion  432   a  and a second seal support member positioned at the right side of the upper portion  432   a.    
     The face seal  104  is formed from a resilient compressible material that compresses in response to engagement with the face of the user  208 , and expands when engagement ceases. Examples of resilient compressible materials that can be used for the face seal  104  include synthetic rubber, closed cell foam materials, and open cell foam materials. The seal support members  436  are embedded in or under the resilient compressible material of the face seal  104  to limit the degree of compression of the face seal  104 . 
     The seal support members  436  conform to the geometry of the face of the user  208  relative to the housing  102  by moving, such as by rotation around an axis. Movement of the seal support members  436  disposes a fixed amount of the face seal  104  between the seal support members  436  and the user  208 . Thus, by conforming to the geometry of the face of the user  208 , users having various face shapes and head shapes can comfortably use the head-mounted display  100 . 
       FIGS.  5 A- 5 C  show one of the seal support members  436  from the upper portion  432   a  of the face seal  104 . In particular,  FIG.  5 A  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member  436  in a first angular orientation,  FIG.  5 B  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member  436  in a second angular orientation, and  FIG.  5 C  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line C-C of  FIG.  5 A  showing the seal support member  436  in the first angular orientation. 
     The seal support member  436  includes a primary portion  537  that supports a front portion  540  of the face seal  104 . The primary portion  537  of the seal support member  436  provides support for the face seal  104  and provides a reaction surface against which the face seal  104  can be compressed. The primary portion  537  is not compressible, and may be formed from an incompressible material that is rigid or substantially rigid. As an example, the primary portion  537  may be formed from plastic. 
     The seal support member  436  is an elongate member, and may extend from a first end  542   a  to a second end  542   b . As installed in the upper portion  432   a , the primary portion  537  is elongate in the lateral direction of the housing  102 . If installed in other locations, such as in the right portion  432   c  of the face seal  104 , the seal support member  436  would be oriented to conform to that portion of the face seal  104 , and could be vertically elongate. The primary portion  537  can be configured to conform to the shape of the face seal  104  and thus can be, as examples, straight or curved. 
     The seal support member  436  is connected to the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102  by a hinge assembly  538 . The hinge assembly  538  allows the seal support member  436  to move and thereby conform to the user  208 . In the illustrated example, the hinge assembly  538  is positioned at or near the lateral center point of the seal support member  436 , between the first end  542   a  and the second end  542   b . Other locations can be utilized. As an example, the hinge assembly  538  could be positioned at or near the first end  542   a  or the second end  542   b  of the seal support member  436 . 
     In the illustrated example, the hinge assembly  538  allows rotation on a single axis, such an axis that extends generally in an up-and-down direction relative to the housing  102 . This allows for face shape accommodation in the area of the forehead of the user  208 , to allow for differing head widths and differing degrees of roundness, by angling adjacent ones of the seal support members  436  at smaller angles relative to each other to accommodate smaller head sizes, and at larger angles relative to each other to accommodate larger head sizes. With respect to installation of the seal support member  436  at other locations, such as in the right portion  432   c  of the face seal  104 , the hinge assembly  538  would be oriented to allow rotation along an axis that extends generally in a side-to-side direction. Other orientations could be utilized. 
     As described above, the hinge assembly  538  is a passive component. In an alternative implementation, the hinge assembly  538  may include a controllable actuator to actively adjust the seal support member  436  or to apply tactile feedback. 
     The front portion  540  of the face seal  104  is located on and covers a front surface  544  of the seal support member  436 . The front portion  540  of the face seal  104  may be positioned adjacent to the front surface  544  of the seal support member  436 , but without attachment to the seal support member  436 . Alternatively, the front portion  540  of the face seal  104  may be connected to the front surface  544  of the seal support member  436 , such as by adhesives or by mechanical fasteners. 
     The face seal  104  may also include connecting portions  546  that extend from the front portion  540  of the face seal  104  to the housing  102 . The connecting portions  546  can be engaged with and/or connected to the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102 . The connecting portions  546  function to block ambient light from entering the eye chamber  326 , and can be formed from an opaque material to help block transmission of light. The connecting portions  546  may be formed both on an outer periphery of the face seal  104  (i.e., adjacent to the outer surface of the housing  102 ) and on an inner periphery of the face seal  104  (i.e., adjacent to the eye chamber  326 . 
     The connecting portions  546  may be formed from a flexible material to allow compression and expansion during movement of the seal support member  436 . In one implementation, the connecting portions  546  are formed from the same material as the front portion  540  of the face seal  104  and these portions may be formed as an integral structure. In another implementation, the connecting portions  546  are formed from a flexible material that is more flexible and/or more compressible than the material used for the front portion  540  of the face seal  104 . In another implementation, the connecting portions  546  are formed from a synthetic rubber material, and may include a bellows configuration. 
     As best seen in  FIG.  5 C , the hinge assembly  538  includes a first hinge part  548  that extends outward from a rear surface of the seal support member  436 , and a second hinge part  550  that extends outward from the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102 . In the illustrated example of the first hinge part  548  and the second hinge part  550  are overlapping and/or interlocking structures (e.g., alternating plates) that are connected by a pin  552  that extends through apertures in the first hinge part  548  and the second hinge part  550  along the rotation axis of the seal support member  436 . The pin  552  can be formed separately from the first hinge part  548  and the second hinge part  550  or can be an integrally formed projection located on one of the first hinge part  548  or the second hinge part  550 . In other implementations, the hinge assembly  538  can utilize other known designs, such as a linkage (e.g., a four-bar linkage). 
     The hinge assembly  538  can incorporate structures that bias the hinge assembly in a direction of rotation or toward a centered position. Examples of suitable biasing structures include springs and compressible members, (e.g., rubber or foam) that is placed between the seal support member  436  and the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102 . 
     In some implementations, sensors  554  can be incorporated in the face seal  104 . The sensors  554  are located on or adjacent to the front surface  544  of the seal support member  436 , which maintains a consistent distance between the skin of the user  208  and the sensors  554 , to allow information regarding the user to be sensed accurately. As one example, the sensors  554  can measure skin temperature. As another example, the sensors  554  can measure heart rate. Other types of sensors that measure other characteristics can be included. 
       FIGS.  6 A- 6 C  show the seal support member  436  supported by a hinge assembly  638  according to an alternative implementation. In particular,  FIG.  6 A  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member  436  and the hinge assembly  638  in a first angular orientation,  FIG.  6 B  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member  436  and the hinge assembly  638  in a second angular orientation, and  FIG.  6 C  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line D-D of  FIG.  6 A  showing the seal support member  436  and the hinge assembly  638  in the first angular orientation. 
     The hinge assembly  638  is a living hinge type connection, which in the illustrated example, allows rotation around an upright axis similar to the hinge assembly  538 . The hinge assembly  638  includes a hinge member  648 , which may be formed of the same material and/or may be formed integrally with the seal support member  436 . Alternatively, the hinge member  648  may be separately formed from a different more flexible material than the seal support member  436 . In the illustrated example, upright grooves  649  are formed on side surfaces of the hinge member  648  to enhance side-to-side bending over a desired angular range. 
       FIGS.  7 A- 7 C  show the seal support member  436  supported by a hinge assembly  738  according to an alternative implementation. In particular,  FIG.  7 A  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member  436  and the hinge assembly  738  in a first angular orientation,  FIG.  7 B  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member  436  and the hinge assembly  738  in a second angular orientation, and  FIG.  7 C  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line E-E of  FIG.  7 A  showing the seal support member  436  and the hinge assembly  738  in the first angular orientation. 
     The hinge assembly  738  includes a ball and socket type joint that allows three-axis rotation, subject to range-of-motion constraints placed on motion of seal support member  436  by engagement with the face seal  104 . In the illustrated example a ball joint  748  is connected to a rear surface of the primary portion  537  of the seal support member  436 , and a socket joint  750  is connected to and extends forward from the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102 . Alternatively, the positions of the ball joint  748  and the socket joint  750  can be reversed. 
       FIGS.  8 A- 8 C  show the seal support member  436  supported by an adjustment assembly  838  according to an alternative implementation. In particular,  FIG.  8 A  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member  436  and the adjustment assembly  838  in a first position,  FIG.  8 B  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line B-B of  FIG.  4    showing the seal support member  436  and the adjustment assembly  838  in a second position, and  FIG.  8 C  is a cross-section view illustration taken across line F-F of  FIG.  8 A  showing the seal support member  436  and the adjustment assembly  838  the first position. 
     The adjustment assembly  838  includes first portion  848  that is connected to the seal support member  436  and a second portion  850  that is connected to the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102 . The first portion  848  may be an elongate member such as a rod. The second portion  850  is connected to the first portion  848  in a manner that allows axial motion of the first portion  848  relative to the second portion  850 . The second portion  850  may be a receptacle, such as an opening that the first portion  848  is received in the second portion  850 . 
     Movement of the first portion  848  into and out of the second portion  850  changes the distance between the seal support member  436  and the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102 , in order to accommodate the face shape of the user  208  and/or to adjust the fit of the head-mounted display  100  on the head of the user  208 . As in the illustrated example, the adjustment assembly  838  may allow movement linearly (i.e., by translation) between the first position (FIG.  8 A) and the second position ( FIG.  8 B ). The first position may represent a maximum distance of the seal support member  436  from the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102 , and the second position may represent a minimum distance of the seal support member  436  from the peripheral portion  324  of the housing  102 . 
     The adjustment assembly  838  may include either or both of passive adjustment components and active adjustment components. One example of a passive adjustment mechanism is a spring that is located in the second portion  850  to urge the first portion  848  outward, and allow inward movement of the seal support member  436  in response to engagement with the user  208 . One example of an active adjustment mechanism is an electromechanical linear actuator (e.g., a lead screw). In implementations of the adjustment assembly  838  that include active adjustment components, adjustment of the fit of the seal support members  436  can be controlled by a computing device, such as by the electronic components  322 , and can be performed using inputs from the sensors  554  and/or other sensors such as temperature sensors or pressure sensors. In some implementations, active adjustment components may also be used to provide tactile feedback to the user  208 , for example, in the form of pressure or vibrations, where the tactile feedback is related to the content that is shown on the display devices  320 . In some implementations, active components of the adjustment assembly  838  are utilized to provide eye relief adjustment. 
     In some implementations, the adjustment assembly  838  is used in combination with a rotational adjustment mechanism, such as the hinge assembly  538 , the hinge assembly  638 , the hinge assembly  738 , or an active rotation adjustment mechanism that utilizes, for example, motors operable to adjust a rotational orientation in response to a control signal. 
     The implementations discussed above include the face seal  104 , which is configured to reduce or exclude light from the eye chamber  326 . In alternative implementations, the seal support members  436  are not disposed under the face seal  104 , and light is not excluded from the eye chamber  326 . Instead, the seal support members  436  may be spaced from the housing  102  by an air gap, and cushioning pads such as foam or rubber members can be placed on the front surfaces  544  of the seal support members  436 . 
       FIG.  9    is a block diagram that shows an example of a hardware configuration for the electronic components  322  of the head-mounted display  100 . In the illustrated example, the electronic components  322  include a processor  902 , memory  904 , storage  906 , input devices  908 , output devices  910 , an external device interface  912 , a motion tracking system  914 , sensors  916 , a camera  918 , and a battery  920 . 
     The processor  902  is operable to execute computer program instructions and perform operations described by the computer program instructions. As an example, the processor  902  may be a conventional device such as a central processing unit. The memory  904  may be a volatile, high-speed, short-term information storage device such as a random-access memory module. The storage  906  may be a non-volatile information storage device such as a hard drive or a solid-state drive. The input devices  908  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  910  may include any type of device operable to provide an indication to a user regarding an operating state, such as the display devices  320  or an audio output device (e.g., speakers). 
     The external device interface  912  is a wired or wireless interface using any type of protocol. As one example, the external device interface  912  may include a wired connection to an external computing device that is utilized to generate content that is displayed by the display devices  320 , such as by rendering content to be shown using the display devices  320 . As another example, the external device interface  912  can allow wireless connection to internet access to utilize server-based resources during operation of the head-mounted display  100 . 
     The motion tracking system  914  can detect three axis rotations and accelerations of the head-mounted display  100 , and provide this information as inputs to the processor  902  or to other systems. As an example, information output by the motion tracking system  914  can be utilized to implement view tracking in certain software applications, and the information output by the motion tracking system  914  can be used by the software application during generation of content to be output for display by the display devices  320 . The motion tracking system  914  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  916  various types of sensors in addition to those in the motion tracking system. Examples include biometric sensors, temperature sensors, light sensors and force sensors. The camera  918 , 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  918  can be mounted in the eye chamber  326  and used for eye tracking. 
     The battery  920  supplies electrical power to various components of the head-mounted display  100 , including the electronic components  322 . As an example, the battery  920  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 fit of the face seal 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 the positions and contours of the face seal based on stored user 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 of head-mounted device adjustment, 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, the face deal of the head mounted device can be adjusted using contemporaneously obtained information that is not stored.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180831
Publication Date: 20231003
Grant Date: 20231003
Priority Date: 20170914
Inventors: SAUERS, JASON C.
HOBSON, Phil M.
HUO, EDWARD S.
ROTHKOPF, FLETCHER R.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G02B27/0176", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B2027/0169", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/0176", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B27/0176", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G02B2027/0169", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 63668020