Telecommunications enabled eyeglass

• US 7,744,213 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2008
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Jannard, James H, Julian, Jeffrey J
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG XUAN
• Application Number:
  US12/273,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20090066910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 351/41, 351/155, 351/156, 351/157, 245/2, 381/187, 381/183, 381/327, 445/351, 445/350, 704/225, 704/270, 704/200
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 3/003 Arrangements for fitting and securing to the head in the position of use

Abstract

Disclosed is an eyewear retention system, which may include any of a variety of electronics, including telecommunications receivers, transmitters, electronic storage devices, and head-up display driving circuitry.

Claims

1. An eyeglass, comprising:

an eyeglass frame, adapted to be carried by the head of a wearer;

at least one lens carried by the eyeglass frame in an orientation such that the at least one lens is in the path of the wearer'"'"'s field of view;

a transmitter and a receiver supported by the eyeglass frame, the transmitter being configured to transmit a signal from the eyeglass to at least one device, and the receiver being configured to receive a signal from at least one device; and

at least a first earphone, the earphone being connected to the eyeglass frame so as to allow the earphone to be directed toward at least a first ear of a user when the user wears the eyeglass with the at least one lens in the path of the wearer'"'"'s field of view.

2. An eyeglass as in claim 1, further comprising circuitry configured to produce sound through the first earphone.

3. An eyeglass as in claim 2, wherein the circuitry is disposed in the eyeglass frame.

4. An eyeglass as in claim 2, wherein the eyeglass frame includes a nose bridge portion, the circuitry, and the first earphone being disposed rearwardly from the nose bridge portion.

5. An eyeglass as in claim 1, additionally comprising a power supply, wherein the eyeglass frame includes a nose bridge portion, the first earphone, and the power supply being disposed rearwardly from the nose bridge portion so as to provide a better balanced distribution of weight over a wearer'"'"'s head.

6. An eyeglass as in claim 1, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are configured to provide at least one of music and telecommunications.

7. An eyeglass as in claim 1 additionally comprising at least a second lens, the eyeglass frame being configured to position the second lens in the wearer'"'"'s field of view.

8. An eyeglass as in claim 1 additionally comprising at least a first earphone support configured to support the first earphone in an orientation in which the first earphone is facing toward the ear of a wearer when the at least one lens is disposed in the field of view of the wearer.

9. An eyeglass as in claim 1, further comprising a compressed audio source supported by the eyeglass frame.

10. An eyeglass as in claim 9, wherein the compressed audio source is an MP3 format memory device.

11. An eyeglass, comprising:

an eyeglass frame, adapted to be carried by the head of a wearer;

at least a first lens;

at least a first lens support portion of the frame being configured to position the first lens in the path of the wearer'"'"'s field of view;

a means for receiving and a means for transmitting supported by the eyeglass frame, the means for transmitting being configured to transmit a signal from the eyeglass to at least one device, and the means for receiving being configured to receive a signal from at least one device;

a power supply supported by the eyeglass frame;

at least a first earphone connected to the eyeglass frame so as to allow the first earphone to be directed toward a first ear of the wearer with the first lens disposed in the field of view of the wearer; and

means for playing music from an audio source through the first earphone.

12. An eyeglass as in claim 11, further comprising means for evenly distributing a weight of the at least one of the means for receiving and the means for transmitting music and telecommunications, means for playing music, and first earphone over a wearer'"'"'s head.

13. An eyeglass as in claim 12, wherein the means for evenly distributing comprises means for distributing the weight of the at least one of the means for receiving and the means for transmitting music and telecommunications, means for playing, and first earphone over a top of the wearer'"'"'s head.

14. An eyeglass, comprising:

at least a first lens;

an eyeglass frame, adapted to be carried by the head of a wearer and including a forward portion, the forward portion being configured to position the first lens in the path of the wearer'"'"'s field of view;

a power supply carried by the eyeglass frame;

at least a first earphone extending from the eyeglass frame and configured to be directed toward a first ear of the wearer; and

an electronic device supported by the eyeglass frame, wherein the eyeglass frame comprises a transmitter, a receiver, and circuitry, the transmitter being configured to transmit a signal from the eyeglass to at least one device, and the receiver being configured to receive a signal from at least one device, the circuitry being configured to produce sound through the first earphone.

15. An eyeglass as in claim 14, wherein the frame further comprises first and second support members extending rearwardly from the forward portion such that portions of each of the first and second support members are disposed above at least portions of a wearer'"'"'s left and right ears when wearing the eyeglass.

16. An eyeglass as in claim 14, further comprising a memory device, wherein the memory device and the circuitry are disposed inside the eyeglass frame and the circuitry is configured to play music from the memory device.

17. An eyeglass as in claim 16, wherein the forward portion of the eyeglass frame includes a nose bridge portion, the memory device, the circuitry and the first earphone being disposed rearwardly from the nose bridge portion.

18. An eyeglass as in claim 14, additionally comprising a power supply, wherein the forward portion of the eyeglass frame includes a nose bridge portion, the first earphone, and the power supply being disposed rearwardly from the nose bridge portion so as to provide a better balanced distribution of weight over a wearer'"'"'s head.

19. An eyeglass as in claim 18, further comprising a second earphone extending from the eyeglass frame, the second earphone being disposed rearwardly from the nose bridge portion, and wherein the second earphone is configured to be directed toward the ear of the wearer when the wearer wears the eyeglass on a head of the wearer with the first lens positioned in the wearer'"'"'s field of view.

20. An eyeglass, comprising:

at least a first lens;

an eyeglass frame, adapted to be carried by the head of a wearer;

a first lens support, carried by the eyeglass frame and configured to hold the first lens in the path of the wearer'"'"'s field of view;

a power supply, carried by the eyeglass frame;

at least a first earphone extending from the eyeglass frame, wherein the first earphone is configured to be directed towards a first ear of the wearer; and

an electronic device supported by the eyeglass frame, wherein the eyeglass frame comprises a means for transmitting and a means for receiving, and means for producing sound through the first earphone, the means for transmitting being configured to transmit a signal from the eyeglass to at least one device, and the means for receiving being configured to receive a signal from at least one device.

21. An eyeglass as in claim 20, further comprising means for storing music, the means for producing sound being configured to play music from the means for storing music.

22. An eyeglass as in claim 20, wherein the means for transmitting and means for receiving are configured to respectively transmit and receive at least one of telecommunications and music.

23. An eyeglass, comprising:

an eyeglass frame, adapted to be carried by the head of a wearer;

at least one lens carried by the eyeglass frame in an orientation such that the at least one lens is in the path of the wearer'"'"'s field of view;

a transmitter and a receiver supported by the eyeglass frame, the transmitter being configured to transmit a signal from the eyeglass to at least one device, and the receiver being configured to receive a signal from at least one device;

a heads-up display unit and circuitry supported by the eyeglass frame configured to drive the heads-up display unit; and

a global positioning unit supported by the eyeglass frame.

24. An eyeglass as in claim 23, further comprising at least a first earphone, the earphone being connected to the eyeglass frame so as to allow the earphone to be directed toward at least a first ear of a user when the user wears the eyeglass with the at least one lens in the path of the wearer'"'"'s field of view.

25. An eyeglass as in claim 24, wherein the transmitter and receiver are configured to communicate music and telecommunications to the first earphone.