Electronically enabled eyewear

• US 7,004,582 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Oakley, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Reyes, Carlos, Baden, Colin, Jannard, James, Saderholm, Davin
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US10/628,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 381/150, 381/381
• 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: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1066 Constructional aspects of the interconnection between earpiece and earpiece support earpiece support for monophonic headphones H04R1/105; earpiece support for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/103 Combination of monophonic or stereophonic headphones with audio players, e.g. integrated in the headphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

A wearable audio interface includes a support for positioning the plurality of speakers juxtaposed to and spaced from the ears of a wearer. The audio device can include wireless networking electronics so as to allow the device to interact with other wireless network devices.

Claims

1. An eyeglass frame, comprising:

at least one microphone supported by the frame, the microphone being arranged to face towards a head of a wearer of the eyeglass frame;

a wind sock disposed over the at least one microphone, the wind sock having a shape complimentary to a shape of an outer surface of the frame surrounding the microphone; and

a transceiver supported by the frame, the transceiver being configured to wirelessly transmit a digital signal representative of an output of the microphone.

2. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, further comprising a baffle configured to attenuate wind turbulence in the vicinity of the microphone.

3. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein said transceiver is positioned within at least one of the support, the first ear stem, and the second ear stem.

4. An eyeglass frame as in claim 3, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a readable signal no more than about twenty yards.

5. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the microphone is configured to face upwardly and toward a head of a wearer.

6. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the microphone is configured to face horizontally and toward a head of a wearer.

7. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the microphone is configured to face downwardly and toward a head of a wearer.

8. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the microphone is supported on a lower edge of the support, below the lens.

9. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1, wherein the support comprises a pair of orbitals supporting the at least one lens and a second lens, respectively, a bridge connecting the orbitals, the microphone being supported by the bridge.

10. An eyeglass frame as in claim 1 additionally comprising a support for supporting at least one lens in the path of a wearer'"'"'s field of view, a first ear stem attached to the support, for extending in a posterior direction along a first side of the wearer'"'"'s head, a second ear stem attached to the support, for extending in a posterior direction along a second side of the wearer'"'"'s head, wherein the microphone is disposed in at least one of the support, first ear stem, and second ear stem.

11. An eyeglass frame, comprising:

a support including first and second orbitals supporting first and second lenses, respectively, and a bridge connecting the orbitals;

a first ear stem attached to the support, for extending in a posterior direction along a first side of the wearer'"'"'s head;

a second ear stem attached to the support, for extending in a posterior direction along a second side of the wearer'"'"'s head;

at least one microphone supported by the bridge, the microphone being arranged to face away from a wearer of the eyeglass; and

a wind sock disposed over the microphone, wherein the wind sock includes an outer surface shaped complimentarily to the bridge.

12. An eyeglass frame as in claim 11, wherein the outer surface of the wind sock does not protrude outwardly from a surface of the bridge surrounding the wind sock.