Accessory for Wearable Computer

• US 20150016035A1
• Filed: 07/11/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tussy, Kevin Alan
• Original Assignee: Tussy, Kevin Alan
• Inventors: Tussy, Kevin Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,442,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution

Abstract

An accessory for a wearable computer includes a strap having a cover that covers a plurality of batteries; a first connector that joins a first end of the strap to a first end of the wearable computer; a second connector that joins a second end of the strap to a second end of the wearable computer, the second connector having a housing, and an electrical coupling; and an electronic control unit disposed within the housing, the electronic control unit being electrically connected to the plurality of batteries and being electrically connected to the electrical coupling. The electrical coupling is configured to be electrically connected to the wearable computer, and the batteries supply power to the wearable computer via the electronic control unit and the electrical coupling.

Claims

1. An accessory for a wearable computer comprising:

a flexible strap having an inner volume, the flexible strap having a first strap end and a second strap end;

one or more batteries that are electrically connected and contained within the inner volume of the flexible strap;

a first connector attached to the first strap end and having a first wearable computer connector, the first wearable computer connector configured to releasably connect to a wearable computer;

a second connector attached to the second strap end, the second connector including;

a second wearable computer connector configured to releasably connect to a wearable computer;

a housing formed as part of the second connector and the second wearable computer connector;

an electronic control unit contained within the housing, the electronic control unit in electrical communication with the one or more batteries and having one or more ports configured to electrically connect to a wearable computer to provide power to the wearable computer and electrically connect to a power source for charging of the one or more batteries.

2. The accessory for a wearable computer according to claim 1, wherein:

the wearable computer is implemented on glasses frame which is supported by a user'"'"'s face, and

the first and second connectors connect the first and second ends of the strap to temples of the frame of the glasses.

3. The accessory for a wearable computer according to claim 2, wherein:

the first connector and the second connector each include an extending portion that connects to the first end of the strap and second end of the strap, respectively, and

the extending portions extend obliquely with respect to an axis defined by the temples of the pair of glasses, such that an angle, on the nose piece side of the frame, formed by temples of the frame and the extending portion is greater than ninety degrees.

4. The accessory for a wearable computer according to claim 2, wherein the first and second connectors are configured to receive ends of the temples such that when the first and second connectors are connected to the temples, relative movement between the first and second connectors and the temples is inhibited.

5. The accessory for a wearable computer according to claim 1, further comprising:

wiring configured to electrically connect each of one or more of batteries to an adjacent battery, the wiring being flexible so as to allow relative angular movement between adjacent batteries to enable flexability of the strap, and

flexible shrink wrap surrounding the plurality of batteries and wiring.

6. The accessory for a wearable computer according to claim 1, wherein the strap comprises woven Kevlar fibers.

7. The accessory for a wearable computer according to claim 1, wherein

the strap is releasably connected to the first and second connectors.

8. The accessory for a wearable computer according to claim 1, wherein

the second connector includes a charging port that is electrically connected to the electronic control unit, the charging port being configured to receive electrical power from an external power supply, and

the electronic control unit is configured as a charge controller that controls an amount of electrical power supplied from the external power supply to charge the one or more batteries.

9. The accessory for a wearable computer according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic control unit further comprise a temperature sensor and an overcharge detection unit, and

the electronic control unit terminates charging of the batteries when the overcharge detection unit detects an overcharge or when the temperature sensor detects a temperature that exceeds a predetermined temperature.

10. An accessory for a wearable computing device comprising:

one or more batteries electrically connected to form a power source, the power source configured to electrically connect to a wearable computing device;

one or more covers covering the one or more batteries, such that the power source covered by the one or more covers is flexible;

one or more connectors physically attached to the strap and further configured to physically and realeasable attach to the wearable computing device; and

an electrical connector configured to electrically connect the power source to the wearable computing device.

11. The accessory of claim 10, further comprising an electronic control unit having a charging port, the electronic control unit electrically connected to the one or more batteries.

12. The accessory of claim 10, wherein the wearable computing device for use with the accessory is a data transceiver with a projection device mounted to a glasses frame.

13. The accessory of claim 12, wherein the one or more straps is one strap having a length that when worn by a user, extends across the back of the user'"'"'s neck and extends downward to a position between the users between a bottom of the user'"'"'s earlobes and a top of a shoulders of the user.

14. The accessory of claim 10, wherein the one or more batteries comprises three lithium ion batteries electrically connected with wires and the one or more covers comprises an inner cover and an outer cover.

15. The accessory of claim 10, wherein the one or more connectors releasably attach to the one or more straps to allow replacement of the one or more straps.

16. A method of powering a wearable computer with an accessory for a wearable computer, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a strap that includes a cover having one or more of batteries within the strap;

joining a first end of the strap to a first end of the wearable computer via a first connector;

joining a second end of the strap to a second end of the wearable computer via a second connector;

electrically connecting the one or more batteries to the wearable computer via an an electrical connection;

wearing the wearable computer, and supplying electric power to the wearable computer from the one or more batteries when wearing of the wearable computer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wearable computer is a glasses frame with an image display device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising charging the one or more batteries and one or more batteries inside the wearable computer by connecting a plug-in wall charger to a charging part associated with a charge controller that is in electrical communication with one or more batteries.