Apple’s Future Smart Glasses May Assist in Finding Things in Your House

A new patent granted to Apple by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) titled “Method for representing points of interest in a view of a real environment on a mobile device and mobile device therefor” details how an augmented reality (AR) based mapping system can point out important areas in a landscape for a user (via Apple Insider).

The patent illustrates how an AR mapping app could work on an iPad or an iPhone as well as on a pair of hypothetical smart glasses. It suggests that the system could be used for small environments as well as larger spaces. It also discusses the location of items in a house, like pinpointing where your iPhone is in your house, instead of using “Find my iPhone”.

One image shows an iPad showing off key features of a car’s interior, identifying and highlighting important items, whereas another illustration depicts a head-mounted display view that would be expected from the usage of smart glasses or a VR headset:

“The mobile device would capture an image of a view, likely one from a live camera feed, and overlay an indicator on the screen in the relative position of where a known point of interest is based. In a live video feed, the position of the indicator will change in relation to alterations in the view, so the indicator will continue to show the correct position.

With each indicator, extra supplemental information could also be offered in a separate and uncluttered part of the display, such as its name and distance.”

The patent was originally filed for by Apple back in April 2017.