Method and apparatus for an attachable unit for a portable wireless system

• US 9,736,461 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TrackThings LLC
• Original Assignee: TrackThings LLC
• Inventors: Gabara, Thaddeus John
• Primary Examiner(s): Geroleo, Francis G
• Application Number:
  US13/922,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 348 47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

Plenoptic cameras and eye ports are separable units and can be attached to either the smart phone or to the eyeglasses by a mating surface. These separable units can be wireless coupled to a remote device, to a remote display, to other separable plenoptic cameras, or to other eyeglasses. The separable units can be mated to an eyeglass and positioned over the eye or eyes of the user. In addition, these separable cameras can be electrically wired through the mating device. The cameras can be separated and placed at various distances apart from one another to offer greater flexibility in analyzing the depth of images. These images from these cameras are shared within the system. The smart phone can be in wireless contact with a remote system. The remote system can be another server, the Internet, another smart phone, another camera system, or the camera mounted on the eyeglass.

Claims

1. A portable system comprising:

a smart phone or a cellphone;

a first unit having at least one first camera, the first unit is attached to the smart phone or the cellphone;

a second unit having at least one second camera, the second unit is attached to the smart phone or the cellphone, and the at least one second camera is located at a first distance from the at least one first camera, wherein

when the first unit is detached from the smart phone or the cellphone, and the at least one first camera is located at a second distance from the at least one second camera, the second distance is greater than the first distance, wherein

when the second unit is detached from the smart phone or the cellphone, the at least one second camera is located at a third distance from the at least one first camera, and the third distance is greater than the second distance, wherein

when the first unit is connected to the smart phone or the cellphone, images from the at least one first camera are shared with the smart phone or the cellphone, wherein

when the second unit is connected to the smart phone or the cellphone, images from the at least one second

camera are shared with the smart phone or the cellphone, wherein

images shared with the smart phone or the cellphone provide a first depth of resolution for the images, wherein

when one of the units is disconnected from the smart phone or the cellphone, the images from either one of the first unit or the second unit are wirelessly shared with the images from any remaining cameras to provide a second depth of resolution for the images.

2. The portable system of claim 1, wherein

a magnetic contact or a mechanical contact is configured to connect the second unit to the smart phone or the cellphone.

3. The portable system of claim 1, wherein

at least one electrical path formed between the second unit and the smart phone or the cellphone when they are connected to each other, wherein the at least one electrical path transfers signals between the smart phone or the cellphone and the second unit.

4. The portable system of claim 1, wherein

the second depth of resolution for the images is improved over the first depth of resolution for the images.

5. The portable system of claim 1, further comprising:

a magnetic contact or a mechanical contact configured to connect the smart phone or the cellphone to the first unit.

6. The portable system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one electrical path formed between the first unit and the smart phone or the cellphone when they are connected to each other, wherein the at least one electrical path transfers signals between the smart phone or the cellphone and the first unit.

7. The portable system of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless interface coupling the smart phone or the cellphone to a remote device, the remote device selected from the group consisting of the Internet, an intranet, a server, and another smart phone or another cellphone.

8. A portable system comprising:

a smart phone or a cellphone;

a first unit having two or more first cameras, the first unit is attached to the smart phone or the cellphone; and

a second unit having, at least one second camera, the second unit is attached to the smart phone or the cellphone, and the at least one second camera is located at a first distance from one of the two or more first cameras, wherein

when the first unit is detached from the smart. phone or the cellphone, the one of the two or more first cameras is located at a second distance from the at least one second camera, and the second distance is greater than the first distance, wherein

when the second unit is detached from the smart phone or the cellphone, the at least one second camera is located at a third distance from the one of the two Of more first cameras, and the third distance is greater than the second distance, wherein

when the first unit is connected to the smart phone or the cellphone, images from the one of the two or more first cameras are shared with the smart phone or the cellphone,

when the second unit is connected to the smart phone or the cellphone, images from the at least one second camera are shared with the smart phone or the cellphone, images shared with the smart phone or the cellphone provide a first depth of resolution for the images, wherein

when one of the units is disconnected from the smart phone or the cellphone, the images from either one of the first unit and the second unit are wirelessly shared with the images from any remaining cameras to provide a second depth of resolution for the images.

9. The portable system of claim 8, wherein

the second depth of resolution for the images is improved over the first depth of resolution for the images.

10. The portable system of claim 8, further comprising:

a first mating surface of the first unit,

a second mating surface of the second unit,

a mechanical contact or a magnetic contact in each of the first mating surface and the second mating surface, wherein

the first mating surface is connected to the second mating surface via the magnetic contact or the mechanical contact.

11. The portable system of claim 10, further comprising:

at least one electrical path formed between the first mating surface and the second mating surface that are connected to each other, wherein the at least one electrical path transfers signals between the first unit and the second unit.

12. The portable system of claim 8, further comprising:

a wireless interface coupling the smart phone or the cellphone to a remote device, the remote device selected from the group consisting of the Internet, an intranet, a server, and another smart phone or another cellphone.