Communication eyewear assembly

• US 8,243,973 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Energy Telecom Incorporated (PFO Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Energy Telecom Incorporated (PFO Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: RICKARDS, THOMAS M., PERSZYK, THOMAS H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Etesam, Amir
• Application Number:
  US12/283,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20100061579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 381/327, 381/376
• US Class Current: 381/327
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/05 Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

A frame assembly worn to maintain at least one transparent eye panel in front of a wearer'"'"'s eyes. A processor receives an incoming audio signal and wirelessly transmits it to an earpiece which audibly communicates the incoming signal to the wearer. An outbound microphone assembly picks up an outbound audio signal from the wearer and transmits it to the processor which transmits it to a remote recipient. An ambient microphone assembly picks up an ambient audio signal and transmits it to the processor. The processor is structured to enhance the incoming and/or the outbound audio signal based on the ambient audio signal. The processor transmits a voice component of the ambient audio signal to the earpiece. A camera assembly picks up an outbound visual signal and transmits it to the processor which further transmits it to a remote recipient. A display assembly displays an incoming visual signal.

Claims

1. A communication eyewear assembly comprising:

a frame assembly;

at least one substantially transparent eye panel coupled to said frame assembly;

said frame assembly structured to be supportably disposed on a wearer so as to maintain said at least one eye panel disposed in a generally shielding position in front of the wearer'"'"'s eyes;

a processor coupled to said frame assembly, said processor structured and disposed to receive an incoming audio signal;

at least one earpiece structured to be disposed in wireless communication with said processor and further structured to be disposed at one of the wearer'"'"'s ears;

said at least one earpiece further comprising a rechargeable earpiece power supply structured and disposed to provide power to at least said speaker assembly, and wherein said earpiece and said frame assembly are structured to be clipped to one another to define a stored orientation and are cooperatively structured to charge said rechargeable earpiece power supply when said at least one earpiece is disposed in said stored orientation;

said processor further structured to transmit said incoming audio signal to said at least one earpiece;

said at least one earpiece further comprising a speaker assembly structured and disposed to audibly communicate said incoming audio signal to the wearer;

an outbound microphone assembly disposed and structured to pick up an outbound audio signal from the wearer and transmit said outbound audio signal to said processor;

said processor further structured and disposed to transmit said outbound signal; and

an ambient microphone assembly disposed and structured to pick up an ambient audio signal and transmit said ambient audio signal to said processor.

2. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is further structured to enhance said incoming audio signal based on said ambient audio signal.

3. An assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said processor is structured to adjust a volume level of said incoming audio signal relative to a volume level of said ambient audio signal.

4. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is further structured to enhance said outbound audio signal based on said ambient audio signal.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said processor is structured to strengthen said outbound audio signal relative to said ambient audio signal.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said ambient microphone assembly is coupled to said at least one earpiece.

7. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said ambient microphone assembly is coupled to said frame assembly.

8. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one earpiece is further structured to substantially muffle ambient noise.

9. An assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said at least one earpiece is structured to be inserted into the wearer'"'"'s ear so as to substantially muffle ambient noise.

10. An assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said at least one earpiece comprises a disposable insert structured to substantially muffle ambient noise.

11. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is further structured to identify a voice component of said ambient audio signal.

12. An assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said processor is further structured to transmit said voice component of said ambient audio signal to said at least one earpiece, and wherein said speaker assembly is structured and disposed to audibly communicate said voice component to the wearer.

13. An assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a camera assembly, said camera assembly disposed and structured to pick up an outbound visual signal and transmit said outbound visual signal to said processor, said processor further structured and disposed to transmit said outbound visual signal.

14. An assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said processor is further structured to receive an incoming visual signal, and wherein said assembly further comprises a display assembly, said display assembly disposed and structured to display said incoming visual signal to the wearer.

15. A communication eyewear assembly comprising:

a frame assembly;

at least one substantially transparent eye panel coupled to said frame assembly;

said frame assembly structured to be supportably disposed on a wearer so as to maintain said at least one eye panel disposed in a generally shielding position in front of the wearer'"'"'s eyes;

a processor coupled to said frame assembly, said processor structured and disposed to receive an incoming audio signal;

at least one earpiece structured to be disposed in wireless communication with said processor and further structured to be disposed at one of the wearer'"'"'s ears;

an ambient microphone assembly disposed and structured to pick up an ambient audio signal and transmit said ambient audio signal to said processor;

said processor further structured to enhance said incoming audio signal based on said ambient audio signal;

said processor further structured to transmit said enhanced incoming audio signal to said at least one earpiece;

said at least one earpiece further comprising a speaker assembly structured and disposed to audibly communicate said enhanced incoming audio signal to the wearer, and a clip structured to removably secure said at least one earpiece to said frame assembly in a stored orientation;

an outbound microphone assembly disposed and structured to pick up an outbound audio signal from the wearer and transmit said outbound audio signal to said processor;

said processor further structured to enhance said outbound audio signal based on said ambient audio signal; and

said processor further structured and disposed to transmit said enhanced outbound signal.

16. An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said ambient microphone assembly is coupled to said at least one earpiece.

17. An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said ambient microphone assembly is coupled to said frame assembly.

18. An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said at least one earpiece is further structured to substantially muffle ambient noise.

19. An assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein at least a portion of said at least one earpiece is structured to be inserted into the wearer'"'"'s ear so as to substantially muffle ambient noise.

20. An assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein said at least one earpiece comprises a disposable insert structured to substantially muffle ambient noise.

21. An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said at least one earpiece further comprises a rechargeable earpiece power supply structured and disposed to provide power to at least said speaker assembly, and wherein said earpiece and said frame assembly are cooperatively structured to charge said rechargeable earpiece power supply when said at least one earpiece is disposed in said stored orientation.

22. An assembly as recited in claim 15 further comprising a camera assembly, said camera assembly disposed and structured to pick up an outbound visual signal and transmit said outbound visual signal to said processor, said processor further structured and disposed to transmit said outbound visual signal.

23. An assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said processor is further structured to receive an incoming visual signal, and wherein said assembly further comprises a display assembly, said display assembly disposed and structured to display said incoming visual signal to the wearer.

24. A communication eyewear assembly comprising:

a frame assembly;

at least one substantially transparent eye panel coupled to said frame assembly;

said frame assembly structured to be supportably disposed on a wearer so as to maintain said at least one eye panel disposed in a generally shielding position in front of the wearer'"'"'s eyes;

a processor coupled to said frame assembly, said processor structured and disposed to receive an incoming audio signal;

at least one earpiece structured to be disposed in wireless communication with said processor and further structured to be disposed at one of the wearer'"'"'s ears;

said at least one earpiece further comprising a rechargeable earpiece power supply structured and disposed to provide power to at least said speaker assembly, and wherein said earpiece and said frame assembly are cooperatively structured to charge said rechargeable earpiece power supply when said at least one earpiece is disposed in a stored orientation;

an earpiece microphone assembly disposed and structured to pick up an ambient audio signal and transmit said ambient audio signal to said processor;

said processor is further structured to enhance said incoming audio signal based on said ambient audio signal;

said processor further structured to transmit said enhanced incoming audio signal to said at least one earpiece;

said at least one earpiece further comprising a speaker assembly structured and disposed to audibly communicate said enhanced incoming audio signal to the wearer;

an outbound microphone assembly disposed and structured to pick up an outbound audio signal from the wearer and transmit said outbound audio signal to said processor;

said processor further structured to enhance said outbound audio signal based on said ambient audio signal; and

said processor further structured and disposed to transmit said enhanced outbound audio signal.

25. An assembly as recited in claim 24 comprising a first earpiece structured to be disposed at first one of the wearer'"'"'s ears and a second earpiece structured to be disposed at second one of the wearer'"'"'s ears.

26. An assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said at least one earpiece is further structured to substantially muffle ambient noise.

27. An assembly as recited in claim 26 wherein at least a portion of said at least one earpiece is structured to be inserted into the wearer'"'"'s ear so as to substantially muffle ambient noise.

28. An assembly as recited in claim 27 wherein said at least one earpiece comprises a disposable insert structured to substantially muffle ambient noise.

29. An assembly as recited in claim 24 further comprising an audio enhancement switch structured and disposed to permit selective control of said enhancement of said incoming audio signal.

30. An assembly as recited in claim 24 further comprising an audio enhancement switch structured and disposed to permit selective control of said enhancement of said outbound audio signal.

31. An assembly as recited in claim 24 further comprising a camera assembly, said camera assembly disposed and structured to pick up an outbound visual signal and transmit said outbound visual signal to said processor, said processor further structured and disposed to transmit said outbound visual signal.

32. An assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said processor is further structured to receive an incoming visual signal, and wherein said assembly further comprises a display assembly, said display assembly disposed and structured to display said incoming visual signal to the wearer.