IP Library Granted Patent US 12,372,791
Granted Patent B2
US 12,372,791 · App. 17/501,167 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Dual system on a chip eyewear

Inventors: Jason Heger (Louisville, CO); Gerald Nilles (Culver City, CA); Patrick Timothy Mcsweeney Simons (Redondo Beach, CA)
Assignee: Snap Inc.
G02B27/0172G02B2027/014G02B2027/0178
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,372,791
App. No.
17/501,167
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Eyewear devices that include two SoCs that share processing workload. Instead of using a single SoC located either on the left or right side of the eyewear devices, the two SoCs have different assigned responsibilities to operate different devices and perform different processes to balance workload. In one example, the eyewear device utilizes a first SoC to operate displays, and it performs three-dimensional graphics and compositing. A second SoC operates first and second color cameras, first and second computer vision (CV) cameras, an operating system (OS), CV algorithms, and visual odometry (VIO), and it performs hand gesture tracking of the user and provides depth from stereo images. This configuration provides organized logistics to efficiently operate various features, and balanced power consumption.

Claims (37)

1. Eyewear, comprising:

a frame having a first side and a second side;

a plurality of electronic components;

a first system on a chip (SoC) adjacent the first side of the frame, the first SoC coupled to a first set of the plurality of electronic components including three-dimensional (3D) graphics;

a singular second SoC adjacent the second side, the second SoC coupled to the first SoC and to a second set of the plurality of electronic components, wherein the first and second set of the plurality of electronic components are different, wherein the first SoC and the second SoC are connected via an interprocessor communication bus;

wherein the first set of the plurality of electronic components comprises a first display and a second display wherein the first SoC handles all output imaging via the displays; and

the second set of the plurality of electronic components comprises a memory, a first color camera and a second color camera, a first computer vision (CV) camera and a second CV camera, wherein the second SoC handles all input imaging from the first and second color cameras and from the first and second CV cameras, wherein the memory is not shared across the interprocessor communication bus.

2. The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein none of the electronic components in the first set of the plurality of electronic components are in the second set of the plurality of electronic components.

3. The eyewear of claim 1 , further comprising load balancing instructions for execution on the first and second SoCs, the load balancing instructions, when executed by the first and second SoCs, shift processing workload between the first and second SoCs.

4. The eyewear of claim 3 , further comprising:

a first temperature sensor adjacent the first SoC, the first temperature sensor generating a first temperature value;

a second temperature sensor adjacent the second SoC, the second temperature sensor generating a second temperature value;

wherein the load balancing instructions configure the first and second SoCs to shift the processing workload responsive the first and second temperature values.

5. The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein:

the first SoC is configured to render three-dimensional (3D) graphics and perform rendering functions.

6. The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein only the second SoC comprises an operating system (OS).

7. The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the second SoC is configured to perform CV and virtual input output (VIO).

8. The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the second SoC is configured to perform machine learning and video encoding, run application logic, and manage communications.

9. The eyewear of claim 1 , wherein the eyewear further comprises first display components adjacent the first side, second display components adjacent the second side, a passive thermal cooling capacity of approximately 2 to 3 Watts adjacent each of the first and second sides and wherein each of the first and second SoCs operates at approximately 1.5 Watts or less and each of the first and second display components operate at approximately 1 to 2 Watts.

10. A method for use of eyewear including a frame having a first side and a second side and a plurality of electronic components, the method comprising:

performing a first set of operations with a first system on a chip (SoC) positioned adjacent the first side of the frame, the first SoC coupled to and operating a first set of the plurality of electronic components including three-dimensional (3D) graphics;

performing a second set of operations with a singular second SoC positioned adjacent the second side of the frame, the second SoC coupled to and operating a second set of the plurality of electronic components, wherein the first and second set of the plurality of electronic components are different, wherein the first SoC and the second SoC are connected via an interprocessor communication bus;

wherein the first set of the plurality of electronic components comprises a first display and a second display wherein the first SoC handles all output imaging via the displays; and

the second set of the plurality of electronic components comprises a memory, a first color camera and a second color camera, a first computer vision (CV) camera, and a second CV camera, wherein the second SoC handles all input imaging from the first and second color cameras and from the first and second CV cameras, wherein the memory is not shared across the interprocessor communication bus.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein none of the electronic components in the first set of the plurality of electronic components are in the second set of the plurality of electronic components.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the first SoC is configured to render three-dimensional (3D) graphics and perform rendering functions.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein only the second SoC comprises an operating system (OS).

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second SoC is configured to perform CV and virtual input output (VIO).

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second SoC is configured to perform machine learning and video encoding, run application logic, and manage communications.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions for operating an eyewear device including a frame having a first side and a second side and a plurality of electronic components, the instructions when executed by the eyewear device configures the eyewear device to:

perform a first set of operations with a first system on a chip (SoC) positioned adjacent the first side of the frame, the first SoC coupled to and operating a first set of the plurality of electronic components including three-dimensional (3D) graphics;

perform a second set of operations with a singular second SoC positioned adjacent the second side of the frame, the second SoC coupled to and operating a second set of the plurality of electronic components, wherein the first and second set of the plurality of electronic components are different wherein the first SoC and the second SoC are connected via an interprocessor communication bus;

operate the first set of the plurality of electronic components comprising a first display and a second display wherein the first SoC handles all output imaging via the displays; and

operate the second set of the plurality of electronic components comprising a memory, a first color camera, a second color camera, a first computer vision (CV) camera, a second CV camera, and perform CV, wherein the second SoC handles all input imaging from the first and second color cameras and from the first and second CV cameras, wherein the memory is not shared across the interprocessor communication bus.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions when executed by the eyewear device further configures the eyewear device to:

operate the first set of the plurality of electronic components to render three-dimensional (3D) graphics and perform rendering functions.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2025
From: HEGER, JASON; NILLES, GERALD; MCSWEENEY SIMONS, PATRICK TIMOTHY
To: SNAP INC.
Reel/Frame 071551/0477 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230123344A1 · Apr 20, 2023
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