Eyewear including a heads up display

• US 8,915,588 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e-vision Smart Optics, Inc. (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: e-vision Smart Optics, Inc. (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald, Kokonaski, William, Duston, Dwight P.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/779,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20130242253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 351/41, 351/44, 351/45, 351/46, 351/47, 351/48, 351155-158, 351/159.39, 349/11, 349/13, 349/15, 2 1/0, 2 1/2, 2 1/3, 2 1/5, 348/794, 348/838
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/04 Illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/02 Magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/02 Bridges; Browbars; Intermediate bars nose engaging-surfaces G02C5/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/16 Shades; shields; Obturators, e.g. with pinhole, with slot G02C5/003 takes precedence

Abstract

Eyewear is provided including a frame, a visor attached to frame and a heads up display. The heads up display may be housed in the visor. The visor may be configured to be positioned in multiple positions relative to the pupil of a wearer'"'"'s eye, and/or adjustably positioned so that the heads up display may be transitioned between positions within the line of sight of the wearer and out of the line of sight of the wearer. The heads up display may be configured to be controlled by a remote controller, e.g. a wrist watch. The heads up display may be monocular or binocular. The eyewear may also include an electro-active lens.

Claims

1. Eyewear comprising:

a frame comprising at least one conductor;

a visor, attached to the frame, to shield eyes of the wearer of the eyewear; and

at least one electronic display, attached to the visor and in electrical communication with the at least one conductor, to display information to the wearer of the eyewear.

2. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the visor is configured to be positioned in multiple positions relative to the pupil of the wearer'"'"'s eye.

3. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the visor is configured to be adjustably transitioned between a first position with the at least one electronic display within the line of sight of the wearer and a second position with the at least one electronic display out of the line of sight of the wearer.

4. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic display comprises at least one of a partial video graphics array (VGA) display, a full VGA display, a monocular display, a binocular display, or a heads up display.

5. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

a light, supported by the eyewear frame, to provide illumination.

6. The eyewear of claim 5, wherein the light comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

7. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic display is configured to be controlled by a remote controller.

8. The eyewear of claim 7, wherein the remote controller comprises a display.

9. The eyewear of claim 7, wherein the remote controller is a wrist watch.

10. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the eyewear is configured to separate at a bridge of the eyewear.

11. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising;

a lens, connected with the eyewear frame, to focus and/or attenuate light propagating through the lens towards an eye of a wearer.

12. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

an earbud, mechanically coupled to the eyewear frame, to provide an audio signal to a wearer.

13. The eyewear of claim 12, wherein the earbud is affixed to an audio cable wound at least partially on a spring loaded spool of the eyewear.

14. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

a tether, attached to the frame, to hold the frame around the neck of a wearer; and

a power source, disposed within the tether, to provide electrical power to at least one electronic component supported by the frame.

15. The eyewear of claim 14, wherein the tether comprises:

an electrical connector, in electrical communication with the power source, to provide an electrical connection from the power source to the at least one electronic component supported by the eyewear frame.

16. The eyewear of claim 15, wherein the electrical connector has an asymmetric cross section to maintain proper polarity of the electrical connection from the power source to the at least one electronic component supported by the eyewear frame.

17. The eyewear of claim 15, wherein the tether further comprises:

a magnet, disposed at one end of the electrical connector, to attach the electrical connector to a corresponding electrical connection of the eyewear frame.

18. The eyewear of claim 14, wherein the frame comprises at least one magnetic hinge to provide an electrical connection between the power supply and the at least one electronic component supported by the frame.

19. The eyewear of claim 18, wherein the at least one magnetic hinge comprises:

a female hinge part having a first pair of insulated contacts and a first magnet; and

a male hinge part having a second pair of insulated contacts to mate with the first pair of insulated contacts and a second magnet to mate with the first magnet.

20. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source, attached to the frame and in electrical communication with the at least one conductor, to provide electrical power to the at least one electronic display.

21. The eyewear of claim 20, wherein the at least one conductor is affixed to an outer surface of the frame with an adhesive film.

22. The eyewear of claim 21, wherein the at least one conductor is disposed within the adhesive film.

23. A method of displaying information to a user, the method comprising:

providing eyewear comprising;

a frame comprising at least one conductor;

a visor attached to the frame; and

at least one electronic display attached to the visor and in electrical communication with the at least one conductor; and

displaying information to the user via the at least one electronic display.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

providing electrical power to the at least one electronic display, via the at least one conductor, from a power source attached to the frame.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

attaching a tether to the frame; and

providing electrical power to the at least one electronic display, via the at least one conductor, from a power source disposed within the tether.

26. Eyewear comprising:

an eyewear frame having at least one frame stem;

a power source, attached to the eyewear frame, to provide electrical power; and

at least one conductor, disposed along the outer surface of the at least one frame stem, to provide an electrical connection from the power source;

at least one electronic display, in electrical communication with the power source via the at least one conductor, to display information to a wearer of the eyewear; and

a visor, attached to the frame and supporting the at least one electronic display, to pivot, about a pivot point, from a first position in which the at least one electronic display is within a line of sight of the wearer of the eyewear and a second position in which the at least one electronic display is out of the line of sight of the wearer of the eyewear.

27. The eyewear system of claim 26, wherein the at least one conductor is affixed to the outer surface of the at least one frame stem with an adhesive film.

28. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the at least one conductor is disposed within the adhesive film.