Eyewear supporting electrical components and apparatus therefor

• US 9,033,493 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IngenioSpec LLC
• Original Assignee: IngenioSpec LLC
• Inventors: Howell, Thomas A., Tong, Peter P., Thomas, C. Douglass, Chao, David
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG XUAN
• Application Number:
  US13/367,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20120133885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 351/41, 345/8, 381/381, 446/26, 455/344
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/06 Hearing aids construction of hearing aids H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/08 Modular frames, easily exchangeable frame parts and lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/143 having special ear pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/146 having special front end
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

Techniques for providing eyewear with electrical components are disclosed. The electrical components can provide electrical technology to eyewear without having to substantially compromise aesthetic design principles of the eyewear. The electrical components can be partially or completely internal to eyewear. The electrical components can also be attached to the eyewear as an after-market enhancement. The electrical components can operate independently or together with other electrical components provided elsewhere. Apparatus for presenting after-market electrical components are also disclosed.

Claims

1. Eyewear, comprising:

an eyeglass frame having a front section, at least a first extended endpiece, and first and second side sections, the first and second side sections being provided on opposite sides of the eyeglass frame, the first and second side sections each having a forward end and a rearward end; and

a circuit board partially or fully embedded in the first extended endpiece, the circuit board supporting a first electronic system including at least one electronic device that is physically and electrically connected to the circuit board,

wherein the first extended endpiece connects the front section to the first side section.

2. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the first electronic system comprises a camera.

3. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the first electronic system comprises a display and a camera.

4. Eyewear as recited in claim 3, wherein the at least one electronic device includes at least the display or the camera.

5. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the first electronic system comprises a display, a camera, and at least one sensor.

6. Eyewear as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer.

7. Eyewear as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor includes a motion sensor.

8. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein said eyewear comprises a plurality of electrical components, including at least a display, a wireless transmitter and/or receiver, at least one sensor, a microphone, and an audio output device.

9. Eyewear as recited in claim 8, wherein the audio output device comprises a speaker.

10. Eyewear as recited in claim 8, wherein the audio output device comprises a bone conducting element.

11. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the circuit board has a non-rectangular shape, the circuit board having a plurality of sides, and at least one of the sides is structurally configured to conform at least in part to a shape of the first extended endpiece.

12. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the first side section internally includes a battery and a charging circuit electrically connected to the battery, and wherein the first side section includes a connector that is electrically connected with the charging circuit.

13. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein said eyewear further comprises an additional electronic device partially or fully embedded in the eyeglass frame but not within the first extended endpiece.

14. Eyewear as recited in claim 13,

wherein the additional electronic device comprises a sensor, and

wherein the sensor is electrically connected to the first electronic system by at least one conductive element provided from the first electronic system in the first extended endpiece to the sensor.

15. Eyewear as recited in claim 13, the additional electronic device comprises a wireless receiver and/or wireless transmitter to support wireless data transfer.

16. Eyewear as recited in claim 13, wherein said eyewear comprises at least one conductor to at least partially interconnect the first electronic system to the additional electronic device.

17. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the first extended endpiece has a cavity for receiving the first electronic system.

18. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein, the first extended endpiece has a cavity for receiving at least the at least one electronic device, the circuit board and an output device.

19. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the forward end of the first side section couples to the first extended endpiece at a connection point that is set back from the front section by about 1-5 centimeters.

20. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the first extended endpiece includes a user output device and a user input device.

21. Eyewear as recited in claim 20, wherein the user output device comprises a display, and the user input device comprises at least one detector for user input.

22. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein said eyewear comprises a user input device, a controller, a battery, a position detector and a wireless transceiver, and wherein the user input device, the controller, the battery, the position detector and the wireless transceiver are provided at one of the first and second side sections.

23. Eyewear as recited in claim 1,

wherein said eyewear comprises a controller,

wherein the controller is mounted on another circuit board, and

wherein the another circuit board with the controller mounted thereon is embedded in or coupled to one of the first and second side sections.

24. Eyewear as recited in claim 1,

wherein said eyewear comprises a controller, a position detector, a data storage device and a wireless receiver,

wherein the controller, the position detector, the data storage device and the wireless receiver are mounted on another circuit board, and

wherein the another circuit board is embedded in or coupled to one of the first and second side sections.

25. Eyewear as recited in claim 24, wherein said eyewear comprises a user input device.

26. Eyewear as recited in claim 1, wherein the first side section comprises a temple.

27. Eyewear, comprising:

an eyewear frame having a front section, at least a first extended endpiece, and first and second side sections, the first and second side sections being provided on opposite sides of the eyewear frame, the first and second side sections each having a forward end and a rearward end; and

a circuit board partially or fully embedded in the first extended endpiece, the circuit board supporting one or more integrated circuits that are (i) within the first extended endpiece and (ii) physically and electrically connected to the circuit board,

wherein the first extended endpiece is provided between the front section and the first side section.

28. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein the first extended endpiece comprises a camera coupled to the circuit board.

29. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein the first extended endpiece comprises a display and a camera which are electrically connected to the circuit board.

30. Eyewear as recited in claim 29, wherein the one or more integrated circuits support or implement at least a portion of the display and the camera.

31. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein the first extended endpiece comprises a display, a camera, and at least one sensor.

32. Eyewear as recited in claim 31, wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer.

33. Eyewear as recited in claim 31, wherein the at least one sensor includes a motion sensor.

34. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein said eyewear comprises a plurality of electrical components, including at least a display, a wireless receiver, at least one sensor, a microphone, and an audio output device.

35. Eyewear as recited in claim 34, wherein the audio output device comprises a speaker.

36. Eyewear as recited in claim 34, wherein the audio output device comprises a bone conducting element.

37. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein the circuit board has a non-rectangular shape, the circuit board having a plurality of sides, and at least one of the sides is structurally configured to conform at least in part to a shape of the first extended endpiece.

38. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein the first side section internally includes a battery and a charging circuit electrically connected to the battery, and wherein the first side section includes a connector that is electrically connected with the charging circuit.

39. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein said eyewear further comprises an electronic device partially or fully embedded in the eyewear frame but not within the first extended endpiece.

40. Eyewear as recited in claim 39,

wherein the electronic device comprises a sensor, and

wherein the sensor is electrically connected to the circuit board by at least one conductive element.

41. Eyewear as recited in claim 39, wherein the electronic device comprises a wireless receiver and/or wireless transmitter to support wireless data transfer.

42. Eyewear as recited in claim 39, wherein said eyewear comprises at least one conductor to at least interconnect the one or more integrated circuits to the electronic device.

43. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein the first extended endpiece has a cavity for receiving the circuit board and the one or more integrated circuits.

44. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein, the first extended endpiece has a cavity for receiving at least the one or more integrated circuits, the circuit board and an output device.

45. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein the forward end of the first side section couples to the first extended endpiece at a connection point that is set back from the front section by about 1-5 centimeters.

46. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein the first extended endpiece includes a user output device and a user input device.

47. Eyewear as recited in claim 46, wherein the user output device comprises a display, and the user input device comprises at least one detector for user input.

48. Eyewear as recited in claim 27, wherein said eyewear comprises a user input device, a controller, a battery, a position detector and a wireless transceiver, and wherein the user input device, the controller, the battery, the position detector and the wireless transceiver are provided at one of the first and second side sections.

49. Eyewear as recited in claim 27,

wherein said eyewear comprises a controller,

wherein the controller is mounted on another circuit board, and

wherein the another circuit board with the controller mounted thereon is embedded in or coupled to one of the first and second side sections.

50. Eyewear as recited in claim 27,

wherein said eyewear comprises a controller, a position detector, a data storage device and a wireless receiver,

wherein the controller, the position detector, the data storage device and the wireless receiver are mounted on another circuit board, and

wherein the another circuit board is embedded in or coupled to one of the first and second side sections.

51. Eyewear as recited in claim 50, wherein said eyewear comprises a user input device.