Eyewear including a docking station

• US 8,931,896 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• 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:
  US13/779,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20130235332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 351/41, 351/124, 351/158
• 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 and an electronic docking station. The docking station may be configured to provide power to a docked electrical component, such as a camera, an audio player, a video player, etc. The electrical component docked into the docking station may provide a power source. The eyewear may also include an electro-active lens and/or a heads up display.

Claims

1. Eyewear comprising:

a frame; and

an electronic docking station, wherein the docking station is configured to provide power to a docked electrical component.

2. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the docked electrical component provides audio, video, and/or electrical power.

3. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the docking station is configured to connect with a power charger.

4. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the docked electrical component is configured to connect with a power charger.

5. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the docking station is located on the frame.

6. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the docking station is located on a temple of the eyewear.

7. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the electrical component comprises a transceiver, an MP3 player, a radio, a cell phone, a video player, and/or a camera.

8. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

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

9. The eyewear of claim 8, wherein the light comprises a light-emitting diode (LED).

10. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising

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

11. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

an earbud, mechanically coupled to the frame and operably coupled to the docking station, to provide an audio signal from the docked electronic component to a wearer of the eyewear.

12. The eyewear of claim 11, wherein the earbud is affixed to an audio cable wound at least partially on a spring loaded spool.

13. The eyewear of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic display, operably coupled to the docking station, to display information provided by the docked electronic component to a wearer of the eyewear.

14. The eyewear of claim 13, wherein the electronic display is comprises a partial video graphics array (VGA) display, a full VGA display, a monocular display, a binocular display, and/or a heads up display.

15. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the electrical component is configured to be controlled by a remote controller.

16. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the frame separates at a bridge of the frame.

17. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein electrical power provided to the docked electrical component is provided by a power source of the docked electrical component and by another power source of the eyewear.

18. 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 and/or the docking station.

19. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the docking station comprises a female receptacle to receive at least one of a male electrical prong and a male electrical pin.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source, attached to the frame, to provide electrical power to the docked electronic component via the docking station.

21. The system of claim 20, 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 docking station.

22. Eyewear comprising:

an eyewear frame comprising a frame stem and at least one temple;

a docking station, supported by the eyewear frame, comprising an audio port to receive an audio signal from an electronic device docked in the docking station, a video port to receive a video signal from the electronic device, and at least one pair of power terminal contacts to conduct electrical power to and/or from the electronic device;

at least one speaker, supported by the eyewear frame and in electrical communication with the docking station, to provide the audio signal from the electronic device to a wearer of the eyewear; and

at least one electronic display, supported by the eyewear frame and in electrical communication with the docking station, to provide the video signal from the electronic device to the wearer of the eyewear.

23. The eyewear of claim 22, wherein the electronic docking station is disposed on the frame stem.

24. The eyewear of claim 22, wherein the electronic docking station is disposed on the at least one temple.

25. The eyewear of claim 22, wherein the at least one electronic display comprises:

a first electronic display, in electrical communication with the video port, to display information to a first eye of a wearer of the eyewear; and

a second electronic display, in electrical communication with the video port, to display information to a second eye of the wearer of the eyewear.

26. The eyewear of claim 22, further comprising:

a power supply, in electrical communication with the docking station, to provide electrical power to the electronic device via the at least one pair of power terminal contacts.

27. The eyewear of claim 22, further comprising:

at least one electro-active lens, supported by the eyewear frame and in electrical communication with the docking station, to receive electrical power from the docking station.

28. A method of receiving audio information and/or video information, the method comprising:

docking an electronic component in a docking station disposed on an eyewear frame;

receiving audio information and/or video information from the electronic component via the docking station;

providing the audio information to a wearer of the eyewear via at least one speaker operably coupled to the docking station; and

providing the video information to the wearer of the eyewear via at least one electronic display operably coupled to the docking station.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

providing electrical power from a power source supported by the frame to the electronic component via the docking station.