Low battery indicator for electro-active spectacles

• US 20080106695A1
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pixeloptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pixeloptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Bochnowski, James, Kokonaski, William, Blum, Ronald, Haddock, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US11/976,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106695A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/172
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/08 Auxiliary lenses; Arrangements for varying focal length
• 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

Abstract

A low power indicator for electro-active spectacle lenses is presented in which the low power indicator is a part of a controller for the electro-active spectacle lenses or is operably connected to the controller. The low power indicator may generate a signal when the power of the power source for the electro-active spectacle lenses is low. The signal may be used by the controller, or other circuitry to activate an indication to a user of the lenses that the power is low. Such an indication may be periodically activating and deactivating one of an optical power of the electro-active lenses, a vibration source, a visible light source, or an audible sound source.

Claims

1. Spectacles housing an electro-active lens, comprising:

a power source;

a low power indicator for producing a signal indicating a low power condition of said power source; and

a controller for receiving said signal from said low power indicator and for periodically activating and deactivating an optical power of the electro-active lens based on said signal.

2. The spectacles of claim 1, wherein said low power indicator is associated with a frame of the spectacles.

3. The spectacles of claim 1, wherein said low power indicator is associated with the electro-active lens.

4. The spectacles of claim 1, wherein said low power condition is selected from the group consisting of a voltage of said power source below a voltage threshold, a current of said power source below a current threshold, a power of said power source below a power threshold, an impedance of said power source above an impedance threshold, and a time said power source is able to provide for operation of the electro-active lens less than a predetermined amount of time.

5. The spectacles of claim 1, wherein said low power condition is latched by said low power indicators.

6. Spectacles housing an electro-active lens, comprising:

a power source;

a low power indicator for producing a signal indicating a low power condition of said power source; and

a vibration source for receiving said signal from said low power indicator and for periodically vibrating based on said signal.

7. The spectacles of claim 6, wherein said low power indicator is associated with a frame of the spectacles.

8. The spectacles of claim 6, wherein said low power indicator is associated with the electro-active lens.

9. The spectacles of claim 6, wherein said low power condition is selected from the group consisting of:

a voltage of said power source below a voltage threshold, a current of said power source below a current threshold, a power of said power source below a power threshold, an impedance of said power source above an impedance threshold, and a time said power source is able to provide for operation of the electro-active lens less than a predetermined amount of time.

10. The spectacles of claim 6, wherein said low power condition is latched by said low power indicators.

11. The spectacles of claim 6, wherein said vibration source is a piezoelectric strip.

15. The spectacles of claim 10, wherein said low power condition is selected from the group consisting of a voltage of said power source below a voltage threshold, a current of said power source below a current threshold, a power of said power source below a power threshold, an impedance of said power source above an impedance threshold, and a time said power source is able to provide for operation of the electro-active lens less than a predetermined amount of time.

16. The spectacles of claim 10, wherein said low power condition is latched by said low power indicator.

17. The spectacles of claim 10, wherein said light source is at least one light emitting diode.

12. Spectacles housing an electro-active lens, comprising:

a power source;

a low power indicator for producing a signal indicating a low power condition of said power source; and

a light source for receiving said signal from said low power indicator and for periodically illuminating and extinguishing a light from said light source based on said signal.

13. The spectacles of claim 12, wherein said low power indicator is associated with a frame of the spectacles.

14. The spectacles of claim 12, wherein said low power indicator is associated with the electro-active lens.

18. Spectacles housing an electro-active lens, comprising:

a power source;

a low power indicator for producing a signal indicating a low power condition of said power source; and

a sound source for receiving said signal from said low power indicator and for periodically producing an audible sound from said sound source based on said signal.

19. The spectacles of claim 18, wherein said low power indicator is associated with a frame of said spectacles.

20. The spectacles of claim 18, wherein said low power indicator is associated with the electro-active lens.

21. The spectacles of claim 18, wherein said low power condition is selected from the group consisting of:

a voltage of said power source below a voltage threshold, a current of said power source below a current threshold, a power of said power source below a power threshold, an impedance of said power source above an impedance threshold, and a time said power source is able to provide for operation of the electro-active lens less than a predetermined amount of time.

22. The spectacles of claim 18, wherein said low power condition is latched by said low power indicator.

23. A charging station for electro-active spectacles having a power source, comprising:

a charging device for coupling the charging station with the power source of the electro-active spectacles and for charging the power source while coupled;

a low power indicator for producing a signal indicating a low power condition of the power source; and

an output device for receiving said signal from said low power indicator and indicating to a user whether said low power condition exists within the power source.

24. The charging station of claim 23, wherein said low power condition is selected from the group consisting of:

a voltage of said power source below a voltage threshold, a current of said power source below a current threshold, a power of said power source below a power threshold, an impedance of said power source above an impedance threshold, and a time said power source is able to provide for operation of the electro-active lens less than a predetermined amount of time.

25. The charging station of claim 23, wherein said output means is selected from the group consisting of a visual display device, one or more light emitting diodes, a liquid crystal display, an electro-chromatic device, and a sound source.