Meta patents auto-pause for VR headsets when you take them off
This patent describes a method where a head-mounted device uses built-in motion sensors to detect when a user takes the headset off. It uses small, efficient machine-learning models to recognize this action and automatically pauses any media currently playing.
In the filing’s own words
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing signals from inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors of a head-mounted device associated with a user from the head-mounted device, wherein the head-mounted device is worn on the user's head, detecting a removal of the head-mounted device from the user's head by machine-learning models based only on the signals from the IMU sensors, determining a media file is playing on the head-mounted device, and providing instructions for pausing the playing of the media file to the head-mounted device.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method comprising: accessing, from a head-mounted device associated with a user, one or more signals from one or more inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors of the head-mounted device, wherein the head-mounted device is worn on the user's head; detecting, by one or more machine-learning models subject to a memory, computation, or binary size constraint to be executable on a computationally-constrained microcontroller unit of the head-mounted device, a removal of the head-mounted device from the user's head based on the one or more signals from the IMU sensors; determining a media file is playing on the head-mounted device; and providing, to the head-mounted device, instructions for pausing the playing of the media file.
Facts
- Company
- Meta (Meta Platforms, Inc.)
- Official title
- Proactively pausing media playing based on ambient motion for assistant systems
- Patent number
- US12756900B1
- Application number
- 18531392
- Filed
- Dec 6, 2023
- Granted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Inventors
- 6
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04N 21/47217 Electricity & electronicsG01P 15/02 Physics & computingG02B 27/017 Physics & computingMore from Meta in AR, VR & displays
- Meta patents VR avatars that mimic facial expressions from voice Sep 15, 2026
- Meta patents spatial mouse for pointing at and controlling real-world objects Sep 24, 2026
- Meta patents AR notifications that grow when you look at them Sep 1, 2026
- Meta patents AR glasses with antennas built into the lenses Sep 8, 2026
- Meta patents AR glasses that merge multiple cameras for sharper views Sep 17, 2026
Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.
