HMD Phone Sharing for Calls Inside Computer-Generated Reality

The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary device that captures real-world visual information and transmits it to the user through the virtual reality system. This mediator bridges the gap between the immersive virtual environment and the physical world, allowing users to perceive and interact with real-world objects without removing their VR equipment. The camera acts as a window into the physical environment, enabling interactions such as answering phone calls or reading text messages while maintaining full immersion in the virtual world.

The patent enables continuous interaction with both virtual and real-world environments simultaneously. By integrating the camera feed into the virtual reality display, the system maintains the uninterrupted virtual reality experience while allowing ongoing interaction with real-world devices. Users can answer phone calls, read messages, or interact with physical objects without breaking immersion or leaving the virtual environment, thus maintaining the continuity of the useful action of experiencing virtual reality.

The patent makes the head-mounted display device universal by integrating multiple functions into a single system. The HMD not only provides virtual reality experiences but also serves as a communication device for phone calls, text messaging, and accessing contacts. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate phone devices and reduces the overall system complexity from a user perspective, as one device performs the roles of both VR headset and smartphone.