Eyewear with detachable adjustable electronics module

• US 10,120,646 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Jannard, James H., Reyes, Carlos D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander, William R
• Application Number:
  US15/483,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20170251315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 351158
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/00 Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof G02C7/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/06 Hearing aids construction of hearing aids H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 9/04 by fitting over or clamping on
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like

Abstract

A detachable adjustable electronics module may be removably or permanently connected to eyewear. The module may include electronics for processing audio and/or video input and/or output signals. The module may be provided with an adjustable arm, for adjustably carrying a speaker. The module and/or the speaker may be adjusted relative to the wearer in any of the anterior-posterior direction, the inferior-superior direction and laterally. Rotation adjustments may also be accomplished. Eyewear may be provided with only a single module, on a single side, or with two modules, one on each side, such as to provide stereo audio or dual mono sound.

Claims

1. An electronically-enabled eyewear configured to provide at least audio media to a wearer, the electronically-enabled eyewear comprising:

an eyeglass frame configured to support at least one lens, the eyeglass frame comprising a first lateral side and a second lateral side, wherein the second lateral side is laterally opposite the first lateral side;

a first electronics module separate from and supported by the first lateral side of the eyeglass frame, the first electronics module comprising a first speaker, a first transmitter, and a first receiver; and

a second electronics module separate from and supported by the second lateral side of the eyeglass frame, the second electronics module comprising a second speaker and a second receiver;

wherein;

the first electronics module is configured to receive data from a remote device via the first receiver; and

the second electronics module is configured to receive data from the first electronics module via a wireless link, the wireless link comprising the first transmitter and the second receiver.

2. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 1, wherein the eyeglass frame further comprises a first earstem forming part of the first lateral side of the eyeglass frame and a second earstem forming part of the second lateral side of the eyeglass frame.

3. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 2, wherein the first electronics module is separate from and supported by the first earstem and the second electronics module is separate from and supported by the second earstem.

4. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 1, wherein:

the first electronics module further comprises a first arm separate from and supported by the first lateral side of the eyeglass frame, the first arm being rotatable relative to the eyeglass frame; and

the second electronics module further comprises a second arm separate from and supported by the second lateral side of the eyeglass frame, the second arm being rotatable relative to the eyeglass frame.

5. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 1, wherein the first electronics module further comprises a first power source and the second electronics module further comprises a second power source.

6. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 1, wherein the wireless link utilizes Bluetooth protocol.

7. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 1, wherein the first electronics module further comprises electronics configured to stream audio data from the remote device.

8. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 1, wherein the first electronics module further comprises an audio player having an audio storage device.

9. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 1, wherein the remote device is a cell phone.

10. An electronically-enabled eyewear configured to provide at least audio media to a wearer, the electronically-enabled eyewear comprising:

an eyeglass frame configured to support at least one lens, the eyeglass frame comprising a first lateral side and a second lateral side, wherein the second lateral side is laterally opposite the first lateral side;

a first earstem supported by the first lateral side of the eyeglass frame, the first earstem configured to support a first speaker, a first transmitter, and a first receiver; and

a second earstem supported by the second lateral side of the eyeglass frame, the second earstem configured to support a second speaker and a second receiver;

wherein;

the first receiver is configured to receive data from a remote device; and

the second receiver is configured to receive data from the first transmitter, the data comprising at least part of the audio media.

11. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 10, wherein the first earstem supports a first housing, the first housing comprising the first speaker, the first transmitter, and the first receiver.

12. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 11, wherein the second earstem supports a second housing, the second housing comprising the second speaker and the second receiver.

13. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 10, wherein the first earstem supports a first power source and the second earstem supports a second power source.

14. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 10, wherein wireless communications between the first transmitter and the second receiver utilize Bluetooth protocol.

15. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 10, wherein the first earstem supports electronics configured to stream audio data from the remote device.

16. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 10, wherein the first earstem supports an audio player having an audio storage device.

17. The electronically-enabled eyewear of claim 10, wherein the remote device is a cell phone.