SUNGLASSES WITH SOUND ACTIVATED LIGHTS

• US 20110037606A1
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael William Boise
• Original Assignee: Michael William Boise
• Inventors: Boise, Michael William
• Granted Patent: US 8,514,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/815.45
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/04 Illuminating means
• 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: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

Glasses having a sound activated lighting system provide an engaging and entertaining display that is also interactive. The lighting system may activate one or more lights based on the loudness or other characteristic of a sound. The glasses may comprise a frame configured to support the lighting system. The lighting system may include a power source, one or more lights, a microphone, and a controller. The controller may receive sound input from the microphone and activate or deactivate a light based on the loudness or other characteristic of the sound input.

Claims

1. A lighting system for glasses comprising:

one or more lights mounted to a frame of the glasses, the one or more lights configured to emit light of one or more colors when activated;

a microphone mounted to the frame, the microphone configured to capture and convert sound to a sound signal;

a controller configured to receive the sound signal from the microphone and to activate and deactivate the one or more lights based on one or more characteristics of to the sound signal;

a power source mounted within a compartment of the frame, the power source configured to provide power to the one or more lights; and

a switch configured to turn on and turn off the lighting system.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the switch is further configured to be movable between a plurality of positions to adjust a sensitivity, wherein the sensitivity determines a sound level threshold at which one or more lights will activate.

3. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller activates the one or more lights based on a loudness of the sound.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller activates at least one but not all of the one or more lights based on the one or more characteristics of the sound.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the microphone is at a location of the frame selected from the group consisting of:

a front portion of the frame and a temple of the frame.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the one or more lights are mounted to one or more temples and a front frame of the frame.

7. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the power source is a solar panel.

8. The lighting system of claim 1 further comprising a wireless communications device coupled with the controller, the wireless communications device configured to receive one or more signals, wherein the controller activates and deactivates the one or more lights based on the one or more signals.

9. A pair of glasses comprising:

a frame comprising a front frame and one or more temples;

a microphone configured to capture sound and output an sound signal;

one or more lights mounted to the front frame, one or more temples, or both, the one or more lights configured to emit light when activated;

a controller configured to receive the sound signal from the microphone and to activate and deactivate the one or more lights based on one or more characteristics of the input from the microphone; and

a power source configured to power the one or more lights.

10. The glasses of claim 9 further comprising one or more tinted lenses supported by the front frame.

11. The glasses of claim 9 further comprising a dial switch attached to the frame, the dials switch movable between a plurality of positions to alter the sensitivity of the controller to the sound.

12. The glasses of claim 9 further comprising an additional microphone, wherein the microphone and the additional microphone capture sound at different locations on the frame, whereby the controller receives input from the microphone and the additional microphone.

13. The glasses of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to activate and deactivate the one or more lights based on a comparison of a loudness of the sound to one or more loudness thresholds.

14. The glasses of claim 9, wherein the pair of glasses comprise only a front frame configured to clip onto an existing pair of glasses.

15. The glasses of claim 9, wherein the lights comprise LED lights.

16. The glasses of claim 9, wherein the glasses are configured to maintain the lights in an unlit state when the glasses are not exposed to sound.

17. A method for using a pair of glasses and lights connected to the glasses comprising:

inserting a power source into a pair of lighted glasses, the power source providing power to one or more electrical components of the glasses;

placing the glasses on a head of a wearer, the glasses supported by one or more ears and a nose of the wearer;

activating a switch to provide power from the power source to the one or more electrical components of the glasses;

adjusting a sensitivity dial to selectively control when the lights connected to the glasses will light in response to different sound levels; and

exposing a microphone mounted on the glasses to one or more sounds, the microphone configured to convert the sound into sound signals and based on the sensitivity dial adjustment and a controller, thereby activate the at least one of the lights.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the power source comprises one or more batteries.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more electrical components of the glasses comprises a microphone, a controller, a sensitivity dial, and one or more lights.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein responsive to silence, the lights do not activate.