Optical lens system with electro-active lens having alterably different focal lengths

• US 6,619,799 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E-Vision Optics LLC
• Original Assignee: e-Vision, LLC (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Dustin, Dwight P.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US09/602,013
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 351/168, 351/41, 351/44, 351/159, 351/161, 351/163-165, 351/169, 351/176-177, 351/205, 351/209
• US Class Current: 351/168
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/028 for testing visual acuity; for determination of refraction, e.g. phoropters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0285 Phoropters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/04 Trial frames; Sets of lenses for use therewith lenses per se G02C7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2039/505 comprising antibodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/00 Medicinal preparations containing peptides peptides containing beta-lactam rings A61K31/00; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, A61K31/00; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type A61K31/48; containing macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units A61K31/74; medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00; medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients, e.g. peptides as drug carriers, A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00009 Production of simple or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0073 Optical laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00817 Producing electro-active lenses or lenses with energy receptors, e.g. batteries or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/5443 IL-15
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/244 Interleukins [IL]
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/2866 against receptors for cytokines, lymphokines, interferons
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0081 having one or more elements with analytic function to create variable power variable magnification in general G02B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/28 Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/285 including two or more different focus detection devices, e.g. both an active and a passive focus detecting device
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/12 Locally varying refractive index, gradient index lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/18 Cellular lens surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/20 : Diffractive and Fresnel lenses or lens portions
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/22 : Correction of higher order and chromatic aberrations, wave front measurement and calculation
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/02 : Lenses; Lens systems ; Methods of designing lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/022 : Ophthalmic lenses having special refractive features achieved by special materials or material structures G02C7/049 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/049 : Contact lenses having special fitting or structural features achieved by special materials or material structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/06 : bifocal; multifocal ; progressive G02C7/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/061 : Spectacle lenses with progressively varying focal power
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/066 : Shape, location or size of the viewing zones
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/102 : Photochromic filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133526 : Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/294 : Variable focal length devices

Abstract

An optical lens system that may include a lens with a first focal length and an electro-active region coupled to the lens, where activating the electro-active region alters a portion of the system to a second focal length such that the system has two different focal lengths.

Claims

1. An optical lens system comprising:

a lens having a first focal length; and

,

an electro-active region coupled to the lens,

the electro-active region, when activated, altering the focal length of a first portion of the lens system to a second focal length, the second focal length different from the first focal length, wherein the lens has two fixed focal lengths.

2. An optical lens system for refracting light passing through a lens comprising:

a lens having a first focal length; and

,

an electro-active region coupled to the lens,

the electro-active region, when activated, altering the focal length of a first portion of the lens system above a 180 degree meridian of the lens to a second focal length, the second focal length different from the first focal length,

the electro-active region positioned to refract less than all of the light passing through the lens when the lens system is in use,

wherein the electro-active region is releasably attached to the lens.

3. An optical lens system for refracting light passing through a lens comprising:

a lens having a first focal length; and

,

an electro-active region coupled to the lens,

the electro-active region, when activated, altering the focal length of a first portion of the lens system above a 180 degree meridian of the lens to a second focal length, the second focal length different from the first focal length,

the electro-active region positioned to refract less than all of the light passing through the lens when the lens system is in use,

wherein the lens system includes a polymer gel and a liquid crystal.

4. An optical lens system for refracting light passing through a lens comprising:

a lens having a first focal length; and

,

an electro-active region coupled to the lens,

the electro-active region, when activated, altering the focal length of a first portion of the lens system above a 180 degree meridian of the lens to a second focal length, the second focal length different from the first focal length,

the electro-active region positioned to refract less than all of the light passing through the lens when the lens system is in use,

wherein the electro-active region includes a metallic layer.

5. An optical lens system for refracting light passing through a lens comprising:

a lens having a first focal length; and

,

an electro-active region coupled to the lens,

the electro-active region, when activated, altering the focal length of a first portion of the lens system above a 180 degree meridian of the lens to a second focal length, the second focal length different from the first focal length,

the electro-active region positioned to refract less than all of the light passing through the lens when the lens system is in use,

wherein the lens is supported by a phoropter,

wherein the phoropter contains a plurality of fixed focal length lenses.

6. The optical lens system of claim 5 wherein light passing through the phoropter passes though one of the lenses from the plurality of fixed focal length lenses and the electro-active-region.