IP Library Granted Patent US 12694807
Granted Patent B2
US 12694807 · App. 19/071,131 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Wearable device on which virtual object is displayed by using single display module or plurality of display modules, and control method thereof

Inventors: Seungnyun Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Dongil Son (Suwon-si, KR); Jongmin Yoon (Suwon-si, KR); Seungjoo Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Gisoo Lim (Suwon-si, KR); Kyusik Choi (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G09G3/003G02B27/0179G06F3/012G06F3/013G06F3/017G02B2027/0187G09G2320/0613G09G2320/08G09G2330/021G09G2354/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12694807
App. No.
19/071,131
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wearable device is provided. The wearable device includes a first display module, a second display module, memory storing one or more computer programs, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first display module, the second display module, and the memory, wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to output image data through the first display module and the second display module in a first mode, switch from the first mode to a second mode based on at least one of an occurrence of a notification event, a moving speed of the wearable device, or a type of an application executing on the wearable device, determine any one of the first display module or the second display module as an output display module in the second mode, and control the output display module to output the image data through the determined output display module.

Claims (57)

1 . A wearable device comprising:

a first display module;

a second display module;

memory storing one or more computer programs; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first display module, the second display module, and the memory,

wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to:

output image data through the first display module and the second display module in a first mode,

switch from the first mode to a second mode based on at least one of an occurrence of a notification event, a moving speed of the wearable device, or a type of an application executing on the wearable device,

determine any one of the first display module or the second display module as an output display module in the second mode, and

control the output display module to output the image data through the determined output display module,

wherein in the first mode, the image data is displayed as a three-dimensional virtual object by using the first display module to display the image data to a first eye of a user and the second display module to display the image data to a second eye of the user, and

wherein in the second mode, the image data is displayed as a two-dimensional virtual object by using any one of the first display module or the second display module to display the image data to a single eye of the user, the second mode configured to conserve power of the wearable device.

2 . The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one depth sensor,

wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to:

control the at least one depth sensor to activate a depth measurement function of the at least one depth sensor in the first mode, and

control the at least one depth sensor to deactivate a sensing function of the at least one depth sensor in the second mode.

3 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to determine any one of the first display module or the second display module as the output display module based on at least one of a use frequency of the first display module and the second display module, a position of a dominant eye of a user wearing the wearable device, or a degree of a visual fatigue.

4 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to:

identify the moving speed of the wearable device while outputting the image data in the first mode; and

determine whether a threshold speed for switching from the first mode to the second mode is exceeded.

5 . The wearable device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to, when the moving speed of the wearable device exceeds the threshold speed, switch from the first mode to the second mode and output the image data.

6 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to identify the type of the application executing on the wearable device and control the wearable device to operate in the first mode or the second mode based on the identified type of the application.

7 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to identify a type of an application corresponding to the notification event and switch from the first mode to the second mode based on the identified type of the application.

8 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to identify whether a distance from a virtual object or a real object is within a threshold distance or a user gesture is detected while outputting the image data in the second mode.

9 . The wearable device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to switch to the first mode and output the image data based on being within the threshold distance or detection of the user gesture.

10 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to control the output display module to provide a visual effect for a seamless switch for a virtual object shown to a user according to the output of the image data while an operation mode of the wearable device is switched.

11 . A method for controlling a wearable device, the method comprising:

outputting image data through a first display module of the wearable device and a second display module of the wearable device in a first mode;

switching from the first mode to a second mode based on at least one of an occurrence of a notification event, a moving speed of the wearable device, or a type of an application executing on the wearable device;

determining any one of the first display module or the second display module as an output display module in the second mode; and

controlling the output display module to output the image data through the determined output display module,

wherein in the first mode, the image data is displayed as a three-dimensional virtual object by using the first display module to display the image data to a first eye of a user and the second display module to display the image data to a second eye of the user, and

wherein in the second mode, the image data is displayed as a two-dimensional virtual object by using any one of the first display module or the second display module to display the image data to a single eye of the user, the second mode configured to conserve power of the wearable device.

12 . The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the wearable device further includes at least one depth sensor, and

wherein the method for controlling the wearable device further comprises controlling the at least one depth sensor to activate a depth measurement function of the at least one depth sensor in the first mode and controlling the at least one depth sensor to deactivate a sensing function of the at least one depth sensor in the second mode.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining any one of the first display module or the second display module as the output display module based on at least one of a use frequency of the first display module and the second display module, a position of a dominant eye of a user wearing the wearable device, or a degree of a visual fatigue.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying the moving speed of the wearable device while outputting the image data in the first mode; and

determining whether a threshold speed for switching from the first mode to the second mode is exceeded.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising, when the moving speed of the wearable device exceeds the threshold speed, switching from the first mode to the second mode and outputting the image data.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying the type of the application executing on the wearable device; and

controlling the wearable device to operate in the first mode or the second mode based on the identified type of the application.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising identifying a type of an application corresponding to the notification event and switching from the first mode to the second mode based on the identified type of the application.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising identifying whether a distance from a virtual object or a real object is within a threshold distance or a user gesture is detected while outputting the image data in the second mode.

19 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a wearable device individually or collectively, cause the wearable device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

outputting image data through a first display module of the wearable device and a second display module of the wearable device in a first mode;

switching from the first mode to a second mode based on at least one of an occurrence of a notification event, a moving speed of the wearable device, or a type of an application executing on the wearable device;

determining any one of the first display module or the second display module as an output display module in the second mode; and

controlling the output display module to output the image data through the determined output display module,

wherein in the first mode, the image data is displayed as a three-dimensional virtual object by using the first display module to display the image data to a first eye of a user and the second display module to display the image data to a second eye of the user, and

wherein in the second mode, the image data is displayed as a two-dimensional virtual object by using any one of the first display module or the second display module to display the image data to a single eye of the user, the second mode configured to conserve power of the wearable device.

20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 19 , the operations further comprising:

identifying the moving speed of the wearable device while outputting the image data in the first mode; and

determining whether a threshold speed for switching from the first mode to the second mode is exceeded.