Apparatus connectable to glasses

• US 8,902,303 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd
• Original Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd
• Inventors: Na'Aman, Erez, Shashua, Amnon
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAHI, SHAN E
• Application Number:
  US14/135,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 348/62
• US Class Current: 348/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/279 Recognition of textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/16 using multiple overlapping images; Image stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/17 using hand-held instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/235 based on user input or interaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/243 by compensating for image skew or non-uniform image deformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/25 Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/144 using a slot moved over the image; using discrete sensing elements at predetermined points; using automatic curve following means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1478 of characters or characters lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/226 of cursive writing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/414 Extracting the geometrical structure, e.g. layout tree; Block segmentation, e.g. bounding boxes for graphics or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/416 Extracting the logical structure, e.g. chapters, sections or page numbers; Identifying elements of the document, e.g. authors
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/418 : Document matching, e.g. of document images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/43 : Editing text-bitmaps, e.g. alignment, spacing; Semantic analysis of bitmaps of text without OCR
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 : Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 : Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 : using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 : Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/00 : Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04; devices or methods for replacing direct visual or auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08, A61F11/04; audible indication of meter readings or of colour G01D7/12; watches for blind persons G04B25/02; speech analysis, speech recognition G10L; sound-recording or reproducing, per se G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/001 : Teaching or communicating with blind persons G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 : using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 : using audible presentation of the information
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 : Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 : Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 : based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 : Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 : by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

An apparatus connectable to a pair of glasses provides information to a user by processing images captured from the environment of the user. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a support configured for mounting on the pair of glasses and a sensory unit. The sensory unit includes a housing configured for selective attachment to the support and an image sensor contained within the housing. The support and the housing are configured to enable selective aiming of the image sensor to establish a set aiming direction relative to the pair of glasses. The support and the housing are configured to cooperate with each other such that each time the sensory unit is attached to the support, the image sensor assumes the set aiming direction without need for directional calibration.

Claims

1. An apparatus connectable to a pair of glasses, the apparatus comprising:

a support removably mountable on the pair of glasses;

a sensory unit removably mountable to the support, the sensory unit including;

a housing; and

an image sensor contained within the housing;

wherein the support and the housing selectively aim the image sensor to establish a set aiming direction relative to the pair of glasses, and wherein the support and the housing cooperate with each other such that each time the sensory unit is attached to the support, the image sensor assumes the set aiming direction without need for directional calibration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support further couples the housing to the pair of glasses.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensory unit is connectable to at least one of the following:

a processor device, a memory including a database, and a mobile power source.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor device changes the aiming direction of the image sensor using image data retrieved from the image sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is engageable with more than one pair of glasses, each pair of glasses having a support mounted thereon.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensory unit further includes a wireless transceiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensory unit further includes a feedback outputting unit for providing audible feedback.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a quick release mechanism for disengaging the sensory unit from the support.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment component associated with at least one of the support and the housing to enable calibration of the aiming direction of the image sensor in a set position customized to a user wearing the pair of glasses.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the aiming direction of the image sensor coincides with a field of view of a user wearing the pair of glasses.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a U-shaped element.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein an inner distance between each side of the U-shaped element is larger than a width of one arm of the pair of glasses.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein an inner distance between each side of the U-shaped element is equal to a width of the support.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the image sensor is located on one side of the U-shaped element and a feedback outputting unit is located on another side of the U-shaped element.

15. An apparatus connectable to a pair of glasses, the apparatus comprising:

a support removably mountable on the pair of glasses;

an image sensor contained within the support, wherein when the support is initially mounted on the pair of glasses, the image sensor assumes a set aiming direction;

a sensory unit removably mountable to the support, the sensory unit including;

a housing providing an electrical connection to the image sensor;

at least one processor device;

a feedback outputting unit; and

wherein the housing is connectable to the support in a manner enabling power transmission to the image sensor, enabling data from the image sensor to be provided to the at least one processor device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the housing includes a connector for receiving power from a mobile power source.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensory unit further includes memory that retains information specific to a user.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the housing is engageable with more than one pair of glasses of the user, each pair of glasses having a support mounted thereon, to enable information in the memory to be used in connection with each pair of glasses.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a quick release mechanism for disengaging the sensory unit from the support.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an adjustment component associated with the support to enable calibration of the aiming direction of the image sensor customized to a user wearing the pair of glasses.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the aiming direction of the image sensor coincides with a field of view of a user wearing the pair of glasses.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor device changes the aiming direction of the image sensor using the image data retrieved from image sensor.