Apple Unveils Advanced Finger-Mounted Device and Ring Accessories to Help Future MR Headset Users Maneuver and Work in 3D Spaces

Today, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a patent application from Apple for its upcoming mixed reality headset that may initially or eventually offer users slip-on finger sensor accessory devices that provide a Precise manual feedback allowing users to work with content seen on a headset display using three-dimensional air gestures and more and/or work on a virtual workspace projected in front of them, as shown in our cover graphic which depicts the FIG patent. 28.

Overall, Apple’s invention covers a finger-mounted device that may include finger-mounted units coupled to driver circuitry. The control circuit can wirelessly transmit information collected with the finger-mounted units to an external device to control the external device.

The control circuit may also use the finger mounted units to provide a user’s fingers with feedback such as haptic feedback. Slip-on finger sensor devices that will provide precise hand feedback allowing users to work with content seen on a headset screen using three-dimensional air gestures and more.

Apple’s patent FIG. 1 below is a schematic diagram of an illustrative device such as a finger-mounted device; FIG. 2 is a top view of a user’s hand and illustrative finger-mounted device components on the fingertips of the user’s hand; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an illustrative finger-mounted device; FIGS. 14 and 15 are views showing illustrative mounting arrangements for finger-mounted devices.

Apple’s patent FIG. 26 below is a side view of an illustrative finger-mounted device worn on a finger at a location other than the fingertip; FIG. 27 is a side view of an illustrative finger-mounted device with optical sensors for collecting tactile input from the top surface of a user’s finger; and fig. 28 is a diagram showing how markers can be used in calibrating a system in which a finger-mounted device is used.

Apple’s patent FIG. 29 below is a diagram showing how visual elements can be manipulated by a user wearing a finger-mounted device; FIG. 30 is a diagram in which a user selects an item from a list using a finger-mounted device; and fig. 31 is a perspective view of an illustrative finger-mounted device with visual markers.

Apple’s patent FIG. 3 below is an alternative ring style device design. Apple notes that FIG. 3 may, for example, be formed of a soft elastomeric material, fabric, or other flexible material that allows the user to feel the surfaces through the ring (unit #22). If desired, sensors, haptics, and/or other components can be mounted under finger pad #32 in locations such as location #36.

Apple has listed 19 technical points regarding this invention as follows:

• A finger-mounted electronic device, comprising: a body having first and second side body portions coupled by an upper body portion; a force sensor in the first side body portion, wherein the force sensor comprises multiple components each of which produces a separate respective force sensor measurement based on different amounts of compression of the fingers along the first side body portion ; a haptic output device coupled to the body; and a control circuit configured to: collect input from the finger using the force sensor; providing haptic output using the haptic output device in response to finger input; and sending command signals to an external electronic device based on the finger input.
• A finger-mounted electronic device further comprising an accelerometer coupled to the body, wherein the control circuit is configured to collect pressure input from the finger with the accelerometer, and wherein the control circuit includes a wireless communication circuit configured to wirelessly transmit finger pressure input to an external electronic device.
• The finger-mounted electronic device further includes: an optical sensor coupled to the body; and a light emitting diode coupled to the body.
• The finger-mounted electronic device further includes a biasing structure coupled between the first and second side body portions that is configured to approximate the first and second side body portions.
• The finger-mounted electronic device body includes magnetic portions that couple the first and second side body portions together.
• The finger-mounted electronic device further includes visual markers with which the external electronic device tracks a location of the finger-mounted device.
• The finger-mounted electronic device includes visual markers that include passive visual markers.
• The visual markers include infrared light emitting diodes.
• The finger-mounted electronic device force sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a piezoelectric force sensor, a capacitive force sensor, and a strain gauge.
• The haptic output device includes a piezoelectric haptic output device.
• The haptic output includes a haptic output selected from the group consisting of: a virtual reality haptic output and an augmented reality haptic output.
• A finger-mounted electronic device, comprising: a body having first and second side body portions coupled by an upper body portion; visual markers on the body with which an external electronic device tracks a location of the electronic device mounted on the finger; a force sensor; a haptic output device; an accelerometer; and a control circuit configured to: collect finger input with the force sensor and the accelerometer; and providing a haptic output with the haptic output device, the haptic output being based on the finger input and the tracked location of the electronic device mounted on the finger.
• Finger-mounted electronic devices include passive visual markers.
• The finger-mounted electronic device includes multiple components each of which produces a separate respective force sensor measurement based on different amounts of compression of the finger along the first side body portion.
• The control circuit includes a wireless communication circuit with which the control circuit wirelessly transmits control signals to the external electronic device based on finger input.
• A finger-mounted device includes a U-shaped housing having first and second side housing portions coupled by an upper housing portion; a force sensor in the first side housing portion that is configured to measure compression of the finger; infrared light emitting diodes on the U-shaped case with which an external electronic device tracks a location of the electronic device mounted on the finger; and a control circuit configured to collect input from the finger with the force sensor and to send control signals to the external electronic device based on the input from the finger.
• The force sensors include multiple components each of which produces a separate respective force sensor measurement based on different amounts of finger compression along the first side housing portion.
• The force sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a piezoelectric force sensor, a capacitive force sensor and a strain gauge.
• The haptic output device, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide haptic output using the haptic output device, and wherein the haptic output is based on finger input and tracked location of the device electronics mounted on the finger.

For details, see Apple patent application number US 20220382376 A1.