Ambient light display and system for displaying data

• US 7,675,683 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Patton, John David, Weber, David Andrew, Payea, Keith Bryant, Perry, David Joseph, Purdy, Peter, Rhoades, Matthew A., Dobson, Dominic
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrington, Alicia M
• Application Number:
  US11/233,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20060119540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 359630-634, 345 7- 9, 349/11
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0433 Detecting, signalling or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1336 Illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133618 for ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133626 providing two modes of illumination, e.g. day-night
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1603 Arrangements to protect the display from incident light, e.g. hoods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt

Abstract

A system for displaying data includes a display unit and a transmitting unit. A display unit has a housing that defines an ambient light window and a viewing window. A data display is positioned inside the housing, and optics are included for guiding light from the ambient light window through the display and out the viewing window.

Claims

1. A system for displaying data, comprising:

a display unit, comprising;

a housing defining an ambient light window and a viewing window;

a data display positioned inside the housing;

optics for guiding light from the ambient light window through the data display and out the viewing window, wherein the data display is illuminated by the light for viewing through the viewing window;

a first microcontroller in electrical communication with the data display for controlling an output of the data display; and

a receiver in electrical communication with the first microcontroller for receiving signals broadcast from a remote position and for communicating the signals to the first microcontroller; and

a transmitting unit separate from the display unit, the transmitting unit comprising;

a transmitter in electrical communication with a second power source; and

a second microcontroller in electrical communication with the transmitter to transmit signals to the display unit receiver;

wherein the housing is at least one of slidably and rotatably coupled to an article of headwear for movement between first and second positions relative to the article of headwear;

wherein the data display is viewable through the viewing window when the housing is at the first position; and

wherein the data display is not viewable through the viewing window when the housing is at the second position.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit includes a link for communicating between the second microcontroller and a user-supplied electronic device.

3. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a light source positioned with the housing wherein light emitted from the light source may pass through the data display and out the viewing window, the light source being selectively activatable.

4. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a light source positioned with the housing wherein light emitted from the light source may pass through the data display and out the viewing window, the light source being automatically activatable.

5. The system as in claim 4, wherein a sensor may activate the light source in low ambient light conditions.

6. The system as in claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit further comprises:

a cradle having a first area for receiving a user-supplied electronic device; and

a coupler for securing the user-supplied electronic device to the cradle first area.

7. The system as in claim 6, wherein the second microcontroller is in wireless communication with the user-supplied electronic device.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein the user-supplied electronic device is selected from the group consisting of an altimeter, a calculator, a clock, an environmental sensor, a financial monitor, a fuel sensor, a GPS device, a medical sensor, a mobile telephone, a multimeter, an odometer, a pager, a pedometer, a portable music player, a pressure gauge, a radar gun, a radar gun detector, a radiation detector, a rangefinder, a scale, a speedometer, a thermometer, a timer, a tripmeter, a quantity sensor, a videogame player, an airborne gas measurement sensor, a depth finder, an anemometer, a satellite telephone, a handheld email device, a personal digital assistant, and a laptop computer.

9. The system as in claim 6, wherein the coupler includes a plurality of oppositely-disposed walls.

10. A display unit, comprising:

a housing defining an ambient light window and a viewing window;

a data display positioned inside the housing; and

optics for guiding light from the ambient light window through the data display and out the viewing window, wherein the data display is illuminated by the light for viewing through the viewing window;

wherein the housing is at least one of slidably and rotatably coupled to an article of headwear for movement between first and second positions relative to the article of headwear;

wherein the data display is viewable through the viewing window when the housing is at the first position; and

wherein the data display is not viewable through the viewing window when the housing is at the second position.

11. The display unit as in claim 10, further comprising:

a power source in electrical communication with the data display; and

an artificial light source positioned within the housing, the artificial light source in electrical communication with the power source and selectively activatable;

wherein light emitted from the artificial light source passes through the data display and out the viewing window.

12. The display unit as in claim 10, wherein:

the optics include a first reflective member adjacent the ambient light window and a second reflective member adjacent the viewing window;

the data display being positioned between the first and second reflective members.

13. The display unit as in claim 12, further comprising a lens positioned between the data display and the viewing window for focusing or collimating light passing therethrough.

14. The display unit as in claim 12, wherein the first reflective member has a shape selected from the group consisting of flat, curved, spherical, and aspheric.

15. The display unit as in claim 14, wherein the second reflective member has a shape selected from the group consisting of flat, curved, spherical, and aspheric.

16. The display unit as in claim 10, further comprising a lens adjacent the viewing window for focusing or collimating light.

17. The display unit as in claim 10, wherein the data display is an LCD display.

18. The display unit as in claim 10, wherein the data display is an alphanumeric display.

19. The display unit as in claim 10, wherein the data display selectively defines indicia selected from the group consisting of letters, numbers, icons, arrows, enunciators, graphs, and charts.

20. The display unit as in claim 10, further comprising a microcontroller in electrical communication with the data display for controlling an output of the data display.

21. The display unit as in claim 10, wherein the viewing window includes a lens for focusing or collimating light.

22. The display unit of claim 10, wherein:

the article of headwear has a curved configuration;

the housing has a side adjacent the article of headwear;

the side has a curved configuration complementary to the curved configuration of the article of headwear; and

the housing side remains adjacent the headwear when the housing moves between the first and second positions.

23. The display unit of claim 22, further comprising:

a microcontroller in electrical communication with the data display for controlling an output of the data display; and

a receiver in electrical communication with the microcontroller for receiving signals broadcast from a remote position and for communicating the signals to the microcontroller.

24. The display unit of claim 23, wherein the housing is removably coupled to the article of headwear.