Eyewear including a detachable power supply and a display

• US 10,159,563 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e-vision Smart Optics, Inc. (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: e-vision Smart Optics, Inc. (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Kokonaski, William, Duston, Dwight P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tallman, Robert E
• Application Number:
  US15/613,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20170265992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 351 41, 351 51- 52, 351 57- 58, 351 59, 359 13- 14, 359618, 359629-633
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1613 having special lens configurations, e.g. multipart lenses; having particular optical properties, e.g. pseudo-accommodative lenses, lenses having aberration corrections, diffractive lenses, lenses for variably absorbing electromagnetic radiation, lenses having variable focus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1627 for changing index of refraction, e.g. by external means or by tilting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/061 with movable shutters, e.g. filter discs; Actuating means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/06 bifocal; multifocal ; progressive G02C7/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/16 Shades; shields; Obturators, e.g. with pinhole, with slot G02C5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

Eyewear is provided including a frame, and a camera connected with the frame, in which the camera is configured to be controlled by a remote controller. The camera may be configured to capture video and/or a photo. The eyewear may include data storage, and the camera may be connected to the data storage. A wrist watch may be configured to act both as a time piece and a controller of the camera. The eyewear may also include a heads up display and/or a video file player. The eyewear may also include an electro-active lens.

Claims

1. Eyewear comprising:

a frame;

an electronic docking station;

a rechargeable power source, detachably coupled to the electronic docking station, to provide electrical power to a controller;

a lens attached to the frame; and

a display, magnetically detachably coupled to the frame and powered via an attachment to the frame, to display at least one of a heart rate of the wearer of the eyewear, a pace of the wearer of the eyewear, or a distance.

2. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the electronic docking station comprises a female receptacle to receive at least one of a male electrical prong or a male electrical pin.

3. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the lens is configured to focus and/or attenuate light propagating through the lens towards an eye of a wearer of the eyewear.

4. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the display is a monocular display configured to pivot about a pivot point.

5. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of conductors disposed along at least a portion of the frame and in electrical communication with the electronic docking station.

6. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker, coupled to the frame, to provide an audio signal from the electronic device to the wearer of the eyewear.

7. The eyewear of claim 6, wherein the speaker is configured to enable a telephone conversation by the wearer of the eyewear.

8. The eyewear of claim 6, wherein the speaker is an earplug speaker.

9. The eyewear of claim 8, further comprising:

an audio cable connecting the earplug speaker to the frame.

30. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises a notification received via a phone.

10. A method of using electronic eyewear, the method comprising:

coupling a detachable power supply to an electronic docking station coupled to a frame of the electronic eyewear;

providing electrical power from the detachable power supply to an electronic component;

displaying information to a wearer of the eyewear with a display magnetically detachably coupled to the frame, the information comprising at least one of a heart rate of the wearer of the eyewear, a pace of the wearer of the eyewear, or a distance; and

providing electrical power to the display via an attachment to the frame.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein coupling the detachable power supply to the electronic docking station comprises inserting a male electrical prong or a male electrical pin into a female receptacle.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

recharging the detachable power supply.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

conducting an electrical signal from the electronic docking station via a pair of conductors disposed along at least a portion of the frame.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the display comprises a partial video graphics array (VGA) display.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

coupling the display to the frame.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

removing the display from the frame.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the display is a monocular display and further comprising:

pivoting the monocular display about a pivot point.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

focusing and/or attenuating light propagating towards an eye of the wearer of the eyewear with a lens attached to the frame.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing an audio signal from the electronic device to the wearer of the eyewear with a speaker coupled to the frame.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the audio signal enables a telephone conversation by the wearer of the eyewear.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the speaker is an earplug speaker.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

conveying the audio signal to the earplug speaker via an audio cable connecting the earplug speaker to the frame.

23. Eyewear comprising:

a frame;

a lens attached to the frame;

a hinge attached to the frame; and

a monocular display, attached to the hinge and powered via a magnetic attachment to the frame, to show information to the wearer of the eyewear,

wherein the hinge is configured to allow the wearer of the eyewear to adjust a position of the monocular display, and

wherein the information comprises at least one of a heart rate of the wearer of the eyewear, a pace of the wearer of the eyewear, or a distance.

24. The eyewear of claim 23, wherein the lens is configured to focus and/or attenuate light propagating towards an eye of the wearer of the eyewear.

25. The eyewear of claim 23, wherein the monocular display is on an opposite side of the lens from an eye of a wearer of the eyewear.

26. The eyewear of claim 23, wherein the monocular display comprises a monocular partial video graphics array (VGA) display.

27. The eyewear of claim 23, wherein the information further comprises a notification received via a phone.

28. The eyewear of claim 23, further comprising:

an enclosure coupled to the frame, the enclosure containing a power supply configured to power an electronic component coupled to the frame.

29. The eyewear of claim 23, further comprising:

a speaker, coupled to the frame, to provide an audio signal to the wearer of the eyewear.