# US 9,436,009 B1 · Modular accessories for head-mountable device

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- Number: US 9,436,009 B1
- Document ID: US9436009B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 13/930,626
- Filed: 2013-06-28
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-06-28
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Google Inc.
- Inventors: Ramesh Bhardwaj; Eliot Kim; Russell Norman Mirov
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436009B1

## CPC

- G02B 27/0176: {characterised by mechanical features}
- G02B 27/017: {Head mounted}
- G06F 1/163: {Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt}
- G06F 1/1635: {Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter}
- G06F 1/1656: {Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203)}
- G06F 1/1698: {the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone (details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266)}
- G02B 2027/0152: {involving arrangement aiming to get lighter or better balanced devices}
- G02B 2027/0156: {with optionally usable elements}
- G02B 2027/0161: {characterised by the relative positioning of the constitutive elements}
- G02B 2027/0178: {Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C)}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

An auxiliary component unit for use with a head-mounted device is disclosed. The device can have a first side arm with and an extension arm extending at least partially therealong and configured to present information to the user via a display extending therefrom, a second side arm opposite the first side arm, and an external connection feature. The auxiliary component includes a first housing containing a first electronic component therein and a first attachment member extending from the first housing and configured to removably affix the auxiliary component with a portion of the second side arm of the head-mounted device. The auxiliary component also includes a wiring component in electronic communication with the first electronic component and attachable with the external connection feature of the device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An auxiliary component removably attachable with a head-mounted device, the head-mounted device including a first side arm with and an extension arm extending at least partially therealong and configured to present information to a wearer via a display coupled to the extension arm, a second side arm opposite the first side arm, and an external connection feature connected with internal circuitry of the extension arm, the auxiliary component comprising:
a first attachment member configured to removably attach the auxiliary component with a portion of the second side arm of the head-mounted device, the first attachment member having a proximal end and a distal end;
a first housing containing a first electronic component therein, the first housing having a proximal end adjacent to the distal end of the first attachment member and a distal end; and
a wiring component in communication with the first electronic component, the wiring component having a proximal end adjacent to the distal end of the first housing and a distal end configured to attach with the external connection feature of the head-mounted device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the first electronic component is one of a battery, cellular communication circuitry, WiFi communication circuitry, a computer processor, or memory.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the first electronic component is a battery, the auxiliary component further including a second electronic component that includes communications circuitry.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the first attachment member includes a resiliently deformable channel sized to capture and maintain a portion of the second side arm therein.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein, when the auxiliary component is attached with the head-mounted device, the first housing extends from the attachment member at a position along and aligned with the second side arm of the device to a location alongside the head of the wearer on a side of an adjacent ear opposite an adjacent eye of the wearer, and wherein the auxiliary component further includes a second housing containing a second electronic component therein and positionable alongside the head of the wearer in a position between the adjacent ear and eye of the wearer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the wiring component is a connection cable at least partially external to the first housing and external to the head-mounted device, and wherein the connection cable includes a connection end configured to be received by the external connection feature of the head-mounted device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the wiring component includes a first conductive contact on a surface of the first attachment member, the first conductive contact being positioned to engage with a second conductive contact on a surface of the first side arm when the auxiliary component is affixed with the head-mounted device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the first attachment member includes a snap-fit feature configured to engage with a channel defined on an interior surface of the second side arm, and wherein the wiring component is on a surface defined within the snap-fit feature and is positioned to engage with the second conductive contact within the channel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the attachment member is positioned over an upper surface of the first housing such that, when the auxiliary component is attached to the head-mounted device, the attachment member extends along a portion of the second side arm and such that the first housing is positionable alongside the head of the wearer in a position between an adjacent ear and an adjacent eye of the wearer when the device is being worn.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the attachment member extends from an end of the first housing such that, when the auxiliary component is attached with the head-mounted device, the first housing extends away from an end of the second side arm and is positionable in a location alongside the head of the wearer on a side of an adjacent ear opposite an adjacent eye of the wearer when the head-mounted device is being worn.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the first housing is configured to have a first end disposed toward an end of the second side arm and to be laterally aligned with a first end of the extension arm that is disposed away from the display when the auxiliary component is assembled therewith, and wherein the first housing is configured to have a first height that is approximately equal to a height of the extension arm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The auxiliary component unit of claim 1, wherein the head-mounted device further includes a component housing extending from a free end of the first side arm to an end and having a first weight, and wherein the first housing is configured to be of a second weight that is approximately equal to the first weight, a similar shape and to be laterally aligned with the end of the component housing of the device.