Electric shaver with imaging capability

• US 10,456,933 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: May Patents Ltd.
• Original Assignee: May Patents Ltd.
• Inventors: Binder, Yehuda
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsu, Amy R
• Application Number:
  US15/825,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20180079092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 26/00 Hair-singeing apparatus; Apparatus for removing superfluous hair, e.g. tweezers removing hair using electrosurgical instruments A61B18/04, A61B18/18
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 19/00 Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges, e.g. hair clippers, dry shavers
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 19/3806 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 19/382 Built-in accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 19/3853 Housing or handle
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 19/3873 Electric features; Charging; Computing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 19/388 Sensors; Control
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 19/46 providing for illuminating the area to be shaved or clipped
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 19/48 Accessory implements for carrying out a function other than cutting hair, e.g. attachable appliances for manicuring massage means per se A61H7/00 - A61H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 21/405 Electric features; Charging; Computing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/548 the power on the line being DC arrangements for feeding power H04L12/10; extracting feeding power from signals H04L25/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 : Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 : Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 : for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 : Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 : for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/41 : Extracting pixel data from a plurality of image sensors simultaneously picking up an image, e.g. for increasing the field of view by combining the outputs of a plurality of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/709 : Circuitry for control of the power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 : Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/30 : Transforming light or analogous information into electric information scanning details H04N3/00; cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00; circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS] or control thereof H04N25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/015 : High-definition television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 : from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

System and method for improving the shaving experience by providing improved visibility of the skin shaving area. A digital camera is integrated with the electric shaver for close image capturing of shaving area, and displaying it on a display unit. The display unit can be integral part of the electric shaver casing, or housed in a separated device which receives the image via a communication channel. The communication channel can be wireless (using radio, audio or light) or wired, such as dedicated cabling or using powerline communication. A light source is used to better illuminate the shaving area. Video compression and digital image processing techniques are used for providing for improved shaving results. The wired communication medium can simultaneously be used also for carrying power from the electric shaver assembly to the display unit, or from the display unit to the electric shaver.

Claims

1. A display device for use with a cable concurrently carrying a (Direct Current) DC power signal and a video data, the display device comprising:

a LAN connector for connecting to the cable;

a video display component for displaying the video data;

a receiver coupled between the LAN connector and the video display component for receiving the video data from the cable via the LAN connector;

a processor for executing software, the processor is coupled between the receiver and the display component for processing the video data; and

a single enclosure housing the LAN connector, the display component, the processor, and the receiver,

wherein the video display component, the processor, and the receiver are coupled to the LAN connector for being powered only from the DC power signal.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the LAN connector is a Registered Jack (RJ) type connector.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the LAN connector is RJ-45 connector.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the cable comprises multiple wire pairs.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the wire pairs are Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) or Shielded Twisted Pair (STP).

6. The display device according to claim 4, wherein each one of the wire pairs is concurrently carrying part of, or whole of, the video data and part of, or whole of, the DC power signal.

7. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the cable is a Local Area Network (LAN) cable according to, substantially according to, or based on, EIA/TIA-569 or EIA/TIA-570.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the cable is a Category 3, 5, 5e, 6, 6e, or 7 cable.

9. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the cable includes 2 wire pairs.

10. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the cable includes 4 wire pairs.

11. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the cable is carrying, and the receiver is configured to receive, Ethernet 10BaseT, 100BaseTX, or 1000BaseT, according to, substantially according to, or based on, IEEE 802.3 standard.

12. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a power/data splitter coupled for passing only the DC power signal between the LAN connector and the video display component for powering the video display component, and the power/data splitter is coupled between the LAN connector and the receiver for passing only the video data therebetween.

13. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the DC power signal voltage level is nominally 48, 60, or 120 VDC.

14. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the DC power signal and the video data are carried over the cable according to, substantially according to, or based on, IEEE 802.3af or IEEE 802.3at standards.

15. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the cable comprises multiple wire pairs, and wherein the DC power signal is carried over at least one phantom channel over the wire pairs in the cable.

16. The display device according to claim 15, wherein the power/data splitter comprises at least one center-tap transformer.

17. The display device according to claim 12, wherein the DC power signal and the video data are carried over the cable using Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) where the video data is carried in a communication frequency band that is distinct from, and higher than, the DC power signal.

18. The display device according to claim 17, wherein the power/data splitter further comprising a Low Pass Filter (LPF) configured for substantially passing only the DC power signal between the LAN connector and the video display component for powering the display component.

19. The display device according to claim 17, further comprising a High Pass Filter (HPF) configured for substantially passing only the communication frequency band coupled between the LAN connector and the receiver for passing only the video data therebetween.

20. The display device according to claim 17, wherein the communication frequency band is above 100 Hz or above 4 MHz.

21. The display device according to claim 17, wherein the communication frequency band is below 10 MHz or below 30 MHz.

22. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a step-down DC-to-DC (DC/DC) converter coupled to the LAN connector for being powered from the DC power signal having a first voltage level, and for converting and supplying a regulated DC power having a second voltage level that is lower than the first voltage level.

23. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the video data is carried over the cable using a serial communication that is according to, based on, or uses, a wired PAN (Personal Area Network) or a wired LAN (Local Area Network) standard, and wherein the receiver is respectively a PAN or LAN receiver.

24. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the video data is carried unidirectionally over the cable.

25. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the communication over the cable is packet-based and is half-duplex or full-duplex.

26. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the cable is further concurrently carrying an additional video data.

27. The display device according to claim 26, further operative for concurrently displaying the video data and the additional video data using the video display component.

28. The display device according to claim 27, wherein the video data and the additional video data cooperatively form a 3-D image, and the video display device is further operative for displaying the 3-D image.

29. The display device according to claim 27, further operative for concurrently displaying the video data and the additional video data as side-by-side or one-at-a-time on the display component.

30. The display device according to claim 26, wherein the video data and the additional video data are concurrently carrying over the cable using time-multiplexing.

31. The display device according to claim 30, further comprising a data de-multiplexer coupled to the receiver for de-multiplexing the received time-multiplexed video data and additional video data from the cable into distinct a video data stream and an additional video data stream.

32. The display device according to claim 30, further comprising in the single enclosure an additional video display component for displaying the additional video data.

33. The display device according to claim 32, wherein the additional video display component is connected to be powered from the DC power signal.

34. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the video data is in a format that is according to, is substantially according to, is based on, or uses, TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), RAW format, AVI, DV, MOV, WMV, MP4, DCF (Design Rule for Camera Format), ITU-T H.261, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264, ITU-T CCIR 601, ASF, Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format), or DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) standard.

35. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the video data comprises High Definition (HD) video data.

36. The display device according to claim 35, wherein the video data comprises, uses, or is based on, HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface).

37. The display device according to claim 35, wherein the video data is using, or is based on, HDTV (High-Definition Television).

38. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the video data is in compressed form, and the display device further comprising a video de-compressor coupled between the video display component and the receiver for de-compressing the compressed video data received from the cable.

39. The display device according to claim 38, wherein the processor consists of, or comprises, the video de-compressor.

40. The display device according to claim 38, wherein the compression is according to, based on, or uses, intraframe or interframe compression.

41. The display device according to claim 38, wherein the compression is according to, based on, or uses, lossy or non-lossy compression, and is according to, based on, or uses, Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) or Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standard.

42. The display device according to claim 38, wherein the compression is according to, is based on, or uses, a standard compression that is JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) and MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), ITU-T H.261, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264, or ITU-T CCIR 601.

43. The display device according to claim 1, further operative for video ‘

freeze’

, wherein the display device is operative to stop the video data displayed by the video display component.

44. The display device according to claim 43, further operative to continuously display the video data in response to a user command.

45. The display device according to claim 1, further operative to store the video data.

46. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a digital image processor for processing the video data using an image-processing algorithm.

47. The display device according to claim 46, wherein the digital image processor is operative to reduce camera vibrations effects;

adjust color balance, gamma or luminance;

filter pattern noise;

filter noise using a Wiener filter;

change zoom factors;

recrop;

apply an enhancement filter;

apply a smoothing filter;

apply subject-dependent filters;

or apply a coordinate transformation;

generate greater pixel density;

adjust color balance;

adjust contrast;

or adjust luminance.

48. The display device according to claim 46, wherein the digital image processor is operative to detect or identify one or more elements in the video data, and the image-processing algorithm comprises object detection using pattern recognition.

49. The display device according to claim 48, further operative to display the video data and the detected or identified elements as marked.

50. The display device according to claim 48, wherein the one or elements are human body parts.

51. The display device according to claim 50, wherein the one or elements comprise a human face.

52. The display device according to claim 50, wherein the one or elements are individual hairs or a hairy area.

53. The display device according to claim 50, further operative to display as marked the detected or identified individual hairs or the detected or identified hairy area.

54. The display device according to claim 46, wherein the digital image processor is configured for scaling the video data for displaying a scaled digital image on the video display component.

55. The display device according to claim 46, wherein the digital image processor is configured for zooming the video data for displaying only a part of the video data by the video display component.

56. The display device according to claim 46, wherein the digital image processor is configured for length encoding, delta modulation, or dynamic dithering.

57. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the cable is simultaneously carrying the video data and a display command using time-multiplexing, and wherein a characteristic of the displaying of the video data by the video display component is responsive to the display command.

58. The display device according to claim 57, wherein the characteristic affected by the display command includes, or is based on, a zoom, freeze, contrast, brightness, or focus command.

59. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising a skin treatment component for treating a human skin area.

60. The display device according to claim 59, wherein the skin treatment component is an electrical hair remover for removing hair from the human skin area.

61. The display device according to claim 60, wherein the skin treatment component comprises an electric motor and a cutter driven by the motor.

62. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising an electric motor connected to be powered from the DC power signal.

63. The display device according to claim 62, further comprising lens attached to be moved by the electric motor.

64. The display device according to claim 63, wherein the lens and the electric motor are operative to zoom or focus the displayed image by the video display component.

65. A system comprising the display device according to claim 1 and the cable.

66. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the single enclosure is a hand-held enclosure.

67. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the video display component consists of, comprises, or uses, a plasma display, a flat panel display, or a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display.

68. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display component consists of, comprises, or uses, a Digital Light Processing (DLP) or a video projector.