Eyeglasses with a clock or other electrical component

• US 20060001827A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IngenioSpec LLC
• Original Assignee: C. Douglass Thomas, David Chao, Peter P. Tong, Thomas A. Howell
• Inventors: Tong, Peter P., Thomas, C. Douglass, Chao, David, Howell, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,380,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/41
• 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 5/001 specially adapted for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for or not fully classifiable according to technical characteristics, e.g. therapeutic glasses

Abstract

A pair of glasses includes a clock that is at least partially embedded in the glasses. The clock can be in one of the temples of the glasses. In one implementation, the clock can be positioned at a region close to a hinge of the corresponding temple, with the clock facing inward towards the user. The clock can also be in a temple arrangement. Instead of or in addition to a clock, other types of electrical components can be at least partially embedded into a pair of glasses or a temple arrangement of a pair of glasses. For example, the other electrical components can pertain to a RFID tag, a temperature sensor or an eyewear finder.

Claims

1. A pair of glasses comprising:

a first lens holder for receiving lenses, the first lens holder having a first side and a second side;

a second lens holder for receiving lenses, the second lens holder having a first side and a second side;

a bridge element coupling the first side of the first lens holder to the second side of the second lens holder;

a first temple pivotally secured to the second side of the first lens holder through a first joint;

a second temple pivotally secured to the first side of the second lens holder through a second joint; and

a clock at least partially embedded in the glasses.

2. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 wherein the clock is located in first temple, close to the first joint, with the clock facing the user when the user is wearing the glasses.

3. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 wherein the clock is a digital clock with a liquid crystal display.

4. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising a switch, which can be used to adjust the time of the clock.

5. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising a battery to power the clock, and the battery is at least partially embedded in the first temple.

6. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 5 further comprising a hatch to replace the battery and the hatch faces the wearer of the glasses when the glasses are worn.

7. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 5 wherein once the power in the battery is depleted, the battery cannot be replaced without breaking the glasses.

8. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 wherein the clock is a programmable digital clock.

9. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 8 further comprising a speaker, wherein the clock can be programmed to audibly alert a user at a specific time with the speaker.

10. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising a switch,

wherein the clock is a digital clock with a display, and

wherein the switch can turn the display on and off, with the clock continuously operating.

11. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising a slidable lid that can cover the face of the clock.

12. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising a light source that helps to illuminate the face of the clock.

13. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 wherein the clock is a standalone device with its battery, and the clock is situated inside a cavity in the glasses.

14. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1,

wherein each temple has a first end and a second end, with the first end being the end that is pivotally secured to its corresponding joint,

wherein the second end of each temple has a temple arrangement, and

wherein the clock is in one of the temple arrangements.

15. A pair of glasses comprising:

a first lens holder for receiving lenses, the first lens holder having a first side and a second side;

a second lens holder for receiving lenses, the second lens holder having a first side and a second side;

a bridge element coupling the first side of the first lens holder to the second side of the second lens holder;

a first temple having a first end and a second end, with the first end pivotally secured to the second side of the first lens holder through a first joint, and with the second end having a first temple arrangement;

a second temple having a first end and a second end, with the first end pivotally secured to the first side of the second lens holder through a second joint, and with the second end having a second temple arrangement; and

a RFID tag at least partially embedded in one of the temple arrangements.

16. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 15 further comprising a switch, a display, a processor, a memory device, a battery and a thermal sensor.

17. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 15 wherein the RFID tag is a passive RFID tag.

18. A pair of glasses comprising:

a first lens holder for receiving lenses, the first lens holder having a first side and a second side;

a second lens holder for receiving lenses, the second lens holder having a first side and a second side;

a bridge element coupling the first side of the first lens holder to the second side of the second lens holder;

a first temple having a first end and a second end, with the first end pivotally secured to the second side of the first lens holder through a first joint, and with the second end having a first temple arrangement;

a second temple having a first end and a second end, with the first end pivotally secured to the first side of the second lens holder through a second joint, and with the second end having a second temple arrangement; and

a temperature sensor at least partially embedded in one of the temple arrangements.

19. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 18 further comprising another sensor located close to the joint of the corresponding temple, wherein both sensors are used to identify the temperature of the wearer of the glasses.

20. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 18 further comprising a beeper, which can produce a beeping tone when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor does not change by a threshold value within a preset amount of time.