Patent gives insight into Samsung's AR glasses and some of their features

We often talk about Apple and its rumored AR glasses, but Samsung is working on a pair of its own and has even demonstrated some of its features at CES 2020. And while working you with a virtual personal trainer might not be to everyone’s taste, we all have to go places. Luckily, Samsung’s smart glasses will be able to help with that as well.

At least that’s what a newly-released patent shows us. The patent was spotted by PatentlyApple on the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and shows a headset that has the ability to display directions on the built-in displays right in front of the user’s eyes.

That’s nothing unheard of, quite the contrary, most AR glasses demos include some sort of navigation UI. What’s curious, however, is the extra hardware that provides enhanced functionality to Samsung’s AR glasses.


The images accompanying the patent show that besides the AR glasses themselves, there are two standalone cameras that face the user while he’s driving and one that’s picking up information from outside the car. The two cameras are meant to track the user’s hands that can be used for gesture navigation.

Besides inserting arrows to navigate you through traffic, the patent also gives an example of the AR glasses superimposing gas prices when you look at a gas station. Hopefully, it will be able to do that before you’re close enough so that you can see them yourself.

The more physical elements you add to the AR experience, the more cumbersome it gets, so by the time this product reaches the market, Samsung would have probably streamlined the process significantly. Patents, after all, are often more about concepts rather than actual products.

Either way, it seems like sooner or later Samsung and Apple will clash on a whole new level and we can’t wait to see it happen.