Method and Apparatus for an Attachable Unit for a Portable Wireless System

• US 20140375771A1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TrackThings LLC
• Original Assignee: Thaddeus Gabara
• Inventors: Gabara, Thaddeus John
• Granted Patent: US 9,736,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/47
• 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 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

Separable units comprising plenoptic cameras and eye ports can be attached to either the smart phone or to the eyeglasses by a mating surface. These separable units can be wireless coupled to a remote device, to a remote display, to other separable plenoptic cameras, or to other eyeglasses. The separable units can be mated to an eyeglass and positioned over the eye or eyes of the user. In addition, these separable cameras can be electrically wired through the mating device. The cameras can be placed at various distances apart from another offers greater flexibility in analyzing the depth of images. These images from these cameras are shared within the system. The smart phone can be in wireless contact with a remote system comprising another server, the Internet, another smart phone, another camera system, or the camera mounted on the eyeglass.

Claims

1. An attachable apparatus comprising:

a portable wireless unit having at least one first mating surface;

a first unit having at least one camera and a primary mating surface;

one of the first mating surfaces coupled to the primary mating surface, thereby coupling the portable wireless unit to the first unit; and

a first communication link couples the portable wireless unit to the first unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless interface coupling the portable wireless system to a remote device, wherein the portable wireless unit is a tablet, a smart phone, an eyeglass, a notebook, or a camera.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second unit having at least one second camera and a second primary mating surface;

a different one of the first mating surfaces coupled to the second primary mating surface, thereby coupling the portable wireless unit to the second unit; and

a second communication link couples the portable wireless unit to the second unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a magnetic or a mechanical contact to hold the mating surfaces together; and

an electrical path forming the first and second communication link.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a first Light Field Photograph (LFP) image generated by the at least one camera; and

a second LFP image generated by the at least one second camera.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

the first unit having a first eye port;

the second unit having a second eye port.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

an accommodation test system in the first eye port to automatically focus the first LFP image.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one far/near button to manually focus at least one of the LFP images.

9. An attachable apparatus comprising:

a eyeglass having at least one first mating surface;

a first unit having at least one camera and a primary mating surface;

one of the first mating surfaces coupled to the primary mating surface, thereby coupling the first unit to the eyeglass; and

a first communication link couples the eyeglass to the first unit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a second unit having at least one second camera and a second primary mating surface;

a different one of the first mating surfaces coupled to the second primary mating surface, thereby coupling the second unit to the eyeglass;

a second communication link couples the eyeglass to the second unit; and

a wireless interface coupling the portable wireless unit to a remote device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a magnetic or a mechanical contact to hold the mating surfaces together; and

an electrical path forming the first and second communication link.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a first Light Field Photograph (LFP) image generated by the at least one camera; and

a second LFP image generated by the at least one second camera.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

the first unit having a first eye port;

the second unit having a second eye port, wherein

at least one eye port is aligned with an eye of a user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

an accommodation test system in at least one eye port to automatically focus the first LFP image.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

at least one far/near button to manually focus at least one of the LFP images.

16. An attachable apparatus comprising:

a portable wireless unit having at least one first mating surface;

a first unit having at least one camera, at least one eye port and a primary mating surface;

one of the first mating surfaces coupled to the primary mating surface, thereby coupling the first unit to the portable wireless unit; and

a first communication link couples the portable wireless unit to the first unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a wireless interface coupling the portable wireless unit to a remote device, wherein the portable wireless unit is a tablet, a smart phone, an eyeglass, a notebook, or a camera.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a second unit having at least one second camera, at least one second eye port and a second primary mating surface;

a different one of the first mating surfaces coupled to the second primary mating surface, thereby coupling the second unit to the portable wireless unit; and

a second communication link couples the portable wireless unit to the second unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a first Light Field Photograph (LFP) image generated by the at least one camera; and

a second LFP image generated by the at least one second camera.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

an accommodation test system in the first eye port to automatically focus the first LFP image.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one far/near button to manually focus at least one of the LFP images.