Methods and apparatus regarding electronic eyewear applicable for seniors

• US 10,777,048 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2019
• Issued: 09/15/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C. Douglass Thomas, Peter P. Tong
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Howell, Thomas A., Chao, David, Thomas, C. Douglass, Tong, Peter P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haile, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US16/382,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20190318589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/125 by using a video camera to detect fire or smoke
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Novel methods and apparatus regarding electronic eyewear are disclosed. Different embodiments can be applicable for seniors. One embodiment includes an eyewear that can charge when placed in an eyewear case. A user can access a live operator by tapping a button at the eyewear. The live operator can connect the user to a person. The eyewear can detect falls. In another embodiment, the eyewear with a digital assistant can be voice activated, and can provide assistance via the digital assistant. In yet another embodiment, the eyewear includes a position identifying system to identify a position of the eyewear. In one embodiment, the eyewear could wirelessly interact with a device coupled to an apparatus in the vicinity of the eyewear.

Claims

1. An eyewear system for a user comprising:

an eyewear frame comprising;

a first wireless communication component;

a switch; and

a fall detector, which is configured to help detect if the user has fallen; and

a casing for the eyewear frame comprising an electrical component in the casing, which is configured to help charge a battery in the eyewear frame when the frame is placed in the casing,

wherein the switch is configured to enable the user to wirelessly send at least a message to at least a person via at least the first wireless communication component.

2. The eyewear system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical component in the casing is configured to help charge the battery at least via inductive charging.

3. The eyewear system as recited in claim 1, wherein the eyewear frame comprises:

a microphone for receiving at least a voice input; and

a memory storing at least a portion of voice-recognition software code to enable recognizing at least the voice input.

4. The eyewear system as recited in claim 3,

wherein the eyewear frame comprises a speaker, and

wherein the memory stores at least a portion of software code to help produce an audio output from the speaker to respond to the recognized voice input.

5. The eyewear system as recited in claim 1:

wherein the eyewear frame comprises;

a speaker; and

a memory storing at least software code;

wherein the eyewear frame is configured to be wirelessly coupled to an electronic device coupled to an apparatus in a dwelling of the user, the electronic device comprising a second wireless communication component configured to send another message to the first wireless communication component in view of a change of a status of the apparatus, and

wherein in view of the another message, at least a portion of the software code is configured to provide a voice output via the speaker to the user.

6. The eyewear system as recited in claim 1, wherein the eyewear frame comprises a position-identifying system configured to identify positions of the eyewear frame.

7. The eyewear system as recited in claim 6,

wherein the eyewear frame comprises a speaker, and

wherein the eyewear frame comprises a memory to store at least a portion of software code to help produce an audio output from the speaker, with the audio output using data at least from the position-identifying system regarding at least a position of the eyewear frame.

16. The eyewear system as recited in claim 1, wherein the message is an emergency message to an interested party.

17. An eyewear system as recited in claim 16,

wherein the eyewear frame comprises a position-identifying system configured to identify at least where the eyewear frame is at, and

wherein the eyewear frame is configured to wirelessly send data at least from the position-identifying system regarding at least where the eyewear frame is at to the interested party.

8. An eyewear system for a user comprising:

an eyewear frame comprising;

a first wireless communication component;

a switch;

a speaker; and

a memory storing at least a portion of a digital assistant software code,

wherein the eyewear frame is configured to be wirelessly coupled to an electronic device coupled to an apparatus in a dwelling of the user, the electronic device comprising a second wireless communication component configured to send a message to the first wireless communication component in view of a change of a status of the apparatus, and

wherein in view of the message, at least a first portion of the digital assistant software code is configured to provide a voice output via the speaker to the user.

9. The eyewear system as recited in claim 8, wherein the apparatus includes a burner of a stove.

10. The eyewear system as recited in claim 8, wherein the eyewear frame comprises a microphone for receiving at least a voice input, wherein the software code includes at least a portion of voice-recognition software code to enable recognizing at least the voice input.

11. The eyewear system as recited in claim 10, wherein at least a second portion of the software code is configured to enable producing an audio output from the speaker to respond to the recognized voice input.

12. The eyewear system as recited in claim 8, wherein the eyewear frame comprises a position-identifying system configured to identify positions of the eyewear frame.

13. The eyewear system as recited in claim 8, wherein at least a second portion of the software code is configured to send another message to an interested party in view of the message from the electronic device.

14. The eyewear system as recited in claim 8,

wherein the eyewear frame comprises a position-identifying system configured to identify at least where the eyewear frame is at, and

wherein at least a second portion of the software code is configured to send data at least from the position-identifying system regarding at least where the eyewear frame is at to an interested party.

15. The eyewear system as recited in claim 14, wherein at least a third portion of the software code is configured to send an emergency message to the interested party in view of the message from the electronic device.