Eyewear including a remote control camera and a docking station

• US 10,795,411 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2019
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Tallman, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US16/454,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20190317551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 351 41, 351 51- 52, 351 57- 59, 359 13- 14, 359618, 359629-633
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1613 having special lens configurations, e.g. multipart lenses; having particular optical properties, e.g. pseudo-accommodative lenses, lenses having aberration corrections, diffractive lenses, lenses for variably absorbing electromagnetic radiation, lenses having variable focus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1627 for changing index of refraction, e.g. by external means or by tilting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/061 with movable shutters, e.g. filter discs; Actuating means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/06 bifocal; multifocal ; progressive G02C7/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/16 Shades; shields; Obturators, e.g. with pinhole, with slot G02C5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

Eyewear is provided including a frame, and a camera connected with the frame, in which the camera is configured to be controlled by a remote controller. The camera may be configured to capture video and/or a photo. The eyewear may include data storage, and the camera may be connected to the data storage. A wrist watch may be configured to act both as a time piece and a controller of the camera. The eyewear may also include a heads up display and/or a video file player. The eyewear may also include an electro-active lens.

Claims

1. An eyewear assembly, comprising:

a frame;

an electronic lens, held in place at least in part by a bridge in a nose region of the frame, to present a virtual image that appears to a wearer of the eyewear assembly as if the virtual image is floating in space in front of the wearer;

a controller, operably coupled to the electronic lens, to adjust the one or more optical characteristics of the electronic lens;

a tether attached to the frame;

an enclosure attached to the tether; and

a power source, disposed in the enclosure, to provide power to the controller.

2. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is disposed in the enclosure.

3. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein the tether is removably attached to the enclosure.

4. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein the tether is removably attached to the frame.

5. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic lens includes a tinted region.

6. The eyewear assembly of claim 5, wherein the tinted region includes a fixed and embedded tint.

7. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a speaker associated with the frame to deliver an audio signal to the wearer.

8. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein the power source is rechargeable.

9. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a microphone.

10. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic member in the nose region of the frame.

11. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fixed lens removably coupled to the electronic lens.

12. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, the frame including a temple piece.

13. The eyewear assembly of claim 12, wherein the temple piece has a hinged connection with the frame.

14. The eyewear assembly of claim 12, wherein the temple piece is a first temple piece, and further comprising a second temple piece, and wherein the tether is attached to the first temple piece.

15. The eyewear assembly of claim 14, wherein the tether is attached to the second temple piece.

16. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a remote controller configured to be communicatively coupled to at least one of the controller and the power source.

17. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic lens comprises at least one of:

an electro-chromic tinted lens, electro-active-lens, electro-fluid lens, electro-pressure lens, electromechanically moving lens, micro-optical display, spectacle lens, or a dynamic focusing lens.

18. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein an optical power of the electronic lens can be varied by application of an electrical signal.

19. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein a tint of the electronic lens can be varied by application of an electrical signal.

20. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein the virtual image is a 3D image.

21. The eyewear assembly of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is composed of at least one of:

fabric, plastic, or rubber.

22. An eyewear assembly, comprising:

a frame including a first temple piece and a second temple piece connected to a frame front configured to rest on a bridge of a nose of a wearer;

a speaker associated with the frame to deliver an audio signal to the wearer;

an electronic lens, held in place at least in part by the frame front, to present a virtual image that appears to the wearer of the eyewear assembly as if the virtual image is floating in space in front of the wearer;

a controller, operably coupled to the electronic lens, to adjust the one or more optical characteristics of the electronic lens;

a tether attached to the first temple piece;

an enclosure removably attached to the tether, wherein the controller is disposed in the enclosure; and

a power source, disposed in the enclosure, to provide power to the controller.

23. The eyewear assembly of claim 22, wherein the speaker is connected to the frame through an electrical tether.

24. The eyewear assembly of claim 22, wherein the speaker is an earplug speaker.