System and method for displaying information on athletic eyewear

• US 20050225868A1
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew J. Nelson, Umar W. Ansari
• Original Assignee: Andrew J. Nelson, Umar W. Ansari
• Inventors: Nelson, Andrew J., Ansari, Umar W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/029 Additional functions or features, e.g. protection for other parts of the face such as ears, nose or mouth; Screen wipers or cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0666 worn on the head or face, e.g. combined with goggles or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/62 posture
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 33/004 comprising two separate lenses joined by a flexible bridge
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/06 Indicating or scoring devices for games or players , or for other sports activities
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings

Abstract

A system and method of displaying performance information on athletic eyewear. A display is formed and attached to or embedded in one or more lens of an article of athletic eyewear. The display is then activated to display the performance information.

Claims

1. A method of displaying performance information on athletic eyewear, comprising:

forming a lens, wherein forming includes embedding a display in the lens;

mounting the lens in the athletic eyewear; and

activating the display from a source outside the lens.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming includes pouring resin in a mold and wherein embedding includes suspending the display in the resin prior to hardening.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming includes pouring resin in a mold and wherein embedding includes suspending a plurality of light pipes in the resin prior to hardening.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the display is a segment display and wherein activating the display includes directing light into a light pipe associated with each segment to be lit.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein each light pipe is attached to a shutter and wherein directing the light into a light pipe includes opening the shutter attached to the light pipe.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the display is a segment display and wherein activating the display includes receiving information from a measuring device, determining which segments to light as a function of the information received from the measuring device and directing light into a light pipe associated with each segment to be lit.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein each light pipe is attached to a shutter and wherein directing the light into a light pipe includes opening the shutter attached to the light pipe.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming includes pouring resin in a mold and wherein embedding includes suspending a liquid crystal display (LCD) in the resin prior to hardening.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein activating the display includes driving the display with an LCD controller.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein activating the display includes receiving information from a measuring device and driving the display as a function of the information received from the measuring device.

11. A method of displaying performance information on athletic eyewear, comprising:

forming a display on a translucent tape;

attaching the tape to one or more lens of an article of athletic eyewear; and

activating the display to display the performance information.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein forming includes pouring resin in a mold and suspending the display in the resin prior to hardening.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein forming includes pouring resin in a mold and suspending a plurality of light pipes in the resin prior to hardening.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the display is a segment display and wherein activating the display includes directing light into a light pipe associated with each segment to be lit.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein each light pipe is attached to a shutter and wherein directing the light into a light pipe includes opening the shutter attached to the light pipe.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the display is a segment display and wherein activating the display includes receiving information from a measuring device, determining which segments to light as a function of the information received from the measuring device and directing light into a light pipe associated with each segment to be lit.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein each light pipe is attached to a shutter and wherein directing the light into a light pipe includes opening the shutter attached to the light pipe.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein forming includes pouring resin in a mold and suspending a liquid crystal display (LCD) in the resin prior to hardening.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein activating the display includes driving the display with a controller.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein forming includes pouring resin in a mold and suspending a suspended particle device (SPD) in the resin prior to hardening.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein activating the display includes driving the display with a controller.

22. The method according to claim 11, wherein forming includes pouring resin in a mold and suspending an electrochromatic film (ECF) in the resin prior to hardening.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein activating the display includes driving the display with an LCD controller.

24. The method according to claim 13, wherein activating the display includes receiving information from a measuring device and driving the display as a function of the information received from the measuring device.

25-28. -28. (canceled)

29. Athletic eyewear capable of displaying information, comprising:

a frame;

a lens, wherein the lens includes a display embedded within the lens, wherein the lens is mounted in the frame such that the display is viewable by a user wearing the eyewear; and

a display controller, wherein the display controller drives the display as a function of the information to be displayed.

30. The athletic eyewear of claim 29, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

31. The athletic eyewear of claim 29, wherein the display is a suspended particle device (SPD).

32. The athletic eyewear of claim 29, wherein the display is an electrochromatic film (ECF).

33. The athletic eyewear of claim 29, wherein the display is formed from a plurality of light pipes, wherein an end of each light pipe is attached to a shutter.

34. The athletic eyewear of claim 29, wherein the display is formed from a plurality of light pipes, wherein an end of each light pipe is attached to a shutter, wherein the shutter is formed by coating an end of the light pipe with a material which changes opacity under electrical charge.

35-42. -42. (canceled)

43. Athletic eyewear capable of displaying information, comprising:

a frame;

a lens, wherein the lens includes means for attaching a display to the lens, wherein the lens is mounted in the frame such that the display is viewable by a user wearing the eyewear; and

a display controller, wherein the display controller drives the display as a function of the information to be displayed.

44. The athletic eyewear of claim 43, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display, a suspended particle device (SPD), an electrochromatic film (ECF) or a display formed from a plurality of light pipes.

45. The athletic eyewear of claim 44, wherein means for attaching includes means for embedding the display in the lens.

46. The athletic eyewear of claim 44, wherein means for attaching includes translucent tape.

47. The athletic eyewear of claim 43, wherein the display is formed from a plurality of light pipes, wherein an end of each light pipe is attached to a shutter.

48. The athletic eyewear of claim 47, wherein the shutter is formed by coating an end of the light pipe with a material which changes opacity under electrical charge.

49. A method of displaying performance information on athletic eyewear, comprising:

attaching a display to one or more lens of an article of athletic eyewear; and

activating the display to display the performance information.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein activating the display includes receiving information from a measuring device and driving the display with a controller as a function of the information received from the measuring device.

51. The method according to claim 49, wherein attaching includes pouring resin in a mold and suspending the display in the resin prior to hardening.

52. The athletic eyewear of claim 51, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display, a suspended particle device (SPD), an electrochromatic film (ECF) or a display formed from a plurality of light pipes.

53. The method according to claim 49, wherein the display is a segment display and wherein activating the display includes directing light into a light pipe associated with each segment to be lit.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein each light pipe is attached to a shutter and wherein directing the light into a light pipe includes opening the shutter attached to the light pipe.

55. The method according to claim 54, wherein the display is a segment display and wherein activating the display includes receiving information from a measuring device, determining which segments to light as a function of the information received from the measuring device and directing light into a light pipe associated with each segment to be lit.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein each light pipe is attached to a shutter and wherein directing the light into a light pipe includes opening the shutter attached to the light pipe.