Glasses with fluid-fillable membrane for adjusting focal length of one or more lenses of the glasses

• US 9,811,095 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ramirez Flores, Axel, Waltermann, Rod David, Hunt, James Anthony, Gress, Bruce Douglas, LaCroix, James Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Neurauter, George C
• Application Number:
  US14/453,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20160041406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 345 8, 3511591-15914, 35115968, 359630, 359665, 359666
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/004 based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0825 the reflecting element being a flexible sheet or membrane, e.g. for varying the focus flexible mirrors for cosmetic use A45D42/24
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/08 Auxiliary lenses; Arrangements for varying focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/085 Fluid-filled lenses, e.g. electro-wetting lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/086 Auxiliary lenses located directly on a main spectacle lens or in the immediate vicinity of main spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/088 Lens systems mounted to spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/294 Variable focal length devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

In one aspect, a device includes a frame, at least one lens coupled to the frame, at least one membrane at least partially covering at least one face of the lens, a reservoir in fluid communication with the membrane and containing fluid, and a fluid control assembly which controls fluid communication of the fluid between the reservoir and the membrane.

Claims

1. Eye glasses, comprising:

a frame;

at least one lens coupled to the frame;

at least one membrane at least partially covering at least one face of the lens, wherein the membrane covers less than half the area of the face at a lower half of the lens relative to the eye glasses being worn right side up;

a reservoir in fluid communication with the membrane and containing fluid;

a fluid control assembly which controls fluid communication of the fluid between the reservoir and the membrane;

a processor; and

storage accessible to the processor and bearing instructions executable by the processor to;

identify an object on which to focus;

determine a first focal length at which to focus on the object; and

actuate the fluid control assembly to provide fluid to the membrane to configure the portion of the lens bearing the membrane to have a combined focal length corresponding to the first focal length.

2. The eye glasses of claim 1, wherein the fluid control assembly comprises a pump to transfer fluid between the reservoir and the membrane.

3. The eye glasses of claim 2, wherein the fluid control assembly comprises a valve actuatable to block fluid flow between the reservoir and the membrane.

4. The eye glasses of claim 1, wherein the membrane has at least substantially the same index of refraction as the lens.

5. The eye glasses of claim 4, wherein the fluid has at least substantially the same index of refraction as the lens and membrane.

6. The eye glasses of claim 1, wherein the face establishes a surface at least substantially orthogonal to the principal axis of the lens.

7. The eye glasses of claim 1, wherein the face is convex.

8. The eye glasses of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

access lens power information pertaining to the power of the lens; and

actuate, based at least in part on the lens power information, the fluid control assembly to provide fluid to the membrane to configure the portion of the lens bearing the membrane to have the combined focal length.

9. The eye glasses of claim 1, comprising a camera in communication with the processor, wherein the instructions are executable to actuate the camera to determine the first focal length.

10. The eye glasses of claim 1, comprising a distance sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the instructions are executable to actuate the distance sensor to determine the first focal length, and wherein the distance sensor determines a distance from the eye glasses to the object at least in part using at least one of the group consisting of:

lasers, sonar.

11. The eye glasses of claim 1, comprising:

an element in communication with the fluid control assembly and manipulable by a user to control, using the fluid control assembly, fluid communication of the fluid between the reservoir and the membrane.

12. The eye glasses of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to actuate the fluid control assembly to provide fluid to the membrane based on one or more of:

time of day, ambient light, an activity being engaged in by a user.

13. A method, comprising:

determining a distance from a device to an object, wherein the device comprises at least one lens, at least one membrane at least partially covering at least one face of the lens at a first area, and a reservoir in fluid communication with the membrane; and

controlling the at least one membrane to at least partially fill with fluid from the reservoir to configure the first area to have a focal length corresponding to the distance;

wherein the membrane covers no more than half the area of the face at a lower half of the lens relative to the device being worn right side up.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising:

using a distance sensor on the device to determine the distance.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the membrane is controlled to fill with fluid to configure the first area to have the focal length based at least in part on a power associated with the lens.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the device comprises at least two lenses comprising a first lens and a second lens, and wherein the device comprises at least two membranes comprising a first membrane and a second membrane, the first membrane covering no more than half the area of the face of the first lens at a lower half of the first lens relative to the device being worn right side up, the second membrane covering no more than half the area of the face of the second lens at a lower half of the second lens relative to the device being worn right side up, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the first and second membranes, the method comprising:

independently controlling each of the at least first and second membranes to at least partially fill with fluid from the reservoir to configure the first area and the second area to both have focal lengths corresponding to the distance.

17. The method of claim 13, comprising:

controlling the at least one membrane to at least partially fill with fluid from the reservoir based on one or more of;

time of day, an activity being engaged in by a user.

18. A device, comprising:

a frame;

at least one lens coupled to the frame;

at least one compartment at least partially covering at least one face of the lens, wherein the compartment covers no more than half the area of the face at a lower half of the lens relative to the device being worn right side up;

a reservoir in fluid communication with the compartment and containing fluid;

a processor; and

storage accessible to the processor and bearing instructions executable by the processor to;

control the device to manage fluid transfer between the reservoir and the compartment based on at least one of;

input from a person, a determination using the processor that pertains to fluid transfer.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

control the device to manage fluid transfer between the reservoir and the compartment based on an activity being engaged in by a user.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the determination at least in part using the processor is a determination of distance to an object.