Eyeglasses with a clock or other electrical component

• US 7,380,936 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IngenioSpec LLC
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Howell, Thomas A., Chao, David, Thomas, C. Douglass, Tong, Peter P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG XUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/183,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20060001827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 351/41, 351/51, 351/52, 351/121, 248/442
• 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: G02C 5/001 specially adapted for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for or not fully classifiable according to technical characteristics, e.g. therapeutic glasses

Abstract

A pair of glasses includes a clock that is at least partially embedded in the glasses. The clock can be in one of the temples of the glasses. In one implementation, the clock can be positioned at a region close to a hinge of the corresponding temple, with the clock facing inward towards the user. The clock can also be in a temple arrangement. Instead of or in addition to a clock, other types of electrical components can be at least partially embedded into a pair of glasses or a temple arrangement of a pair of glasses. For example, the other electrical components can pertain to a RFID tag, a temperature sensor or an eyewear finder.

Claims

1. A pair of glasses comprising:

a first lens holder for receiving a first lens, the first lens holder having a first side and a second side;

a second lens holder for receiving a second lens, the second lens holder having a first side and a second side;

a bridge element coupling the first side of the first lens holder to the second side of the second lens holder;

a first temple pivotally secured to the second side of the first lens holder through a first joint;

a second temple pivotally secured to the first side of the second lens holder through a second joint;

a first temperature sensor at least partially embedded in the glasses; and

a clock at least partially embedded in the glasses.

2. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1,

wherein the clock is located in one of the temples, with the clock facing the user when the user is wearing the glasses, and

wherein the glasses further comprises at least one solar cell adapted to provide power to at least the clock.

3. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1,

wherein the clock is a digital clock with a liquid crystal display,

wherein the glasses further comprises a switch, which can turn the display on and off, with the clock continuously operating, and

wherein the glasses further comprises a power source adapted to provide power to at least the clock, and the power source is at one of the temples.

4. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 3 further comprising a hatch to replace the battery and the hatch faces the wearer of the glasses when the glasses are worn.

5. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 3, wherein the power source cannot be replaced without breaking the glasses.

6. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1.

wherein the first temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the wearer of the glasses.

wherein the clock is a programmable digital clock,

wherein the glasses further comprise a sneaker, and

wherein the clock can be programmed to audibly alert a user at a specific time with the sneaker.

7. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a slidable lid that can cover the face of the clock; and

a light source that helps to illuminate at least the face of the clock.

8. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 wherein the clock is a standalone device with its battery, and the clock is situated inside a cavity in the glasses.

9. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1,

wherein each temple has a first end and a second end, with the first end being the end that is pivotally secured to its corresponding joint,

wherein the second end of each temple has a temple arrangement,

wherein each temple arrangement can be removed from and re-inserted back onto the corresponding temple, and

wherein the clock is in one of the temple arrangements.

10. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1, wherein a change of temperature measured by the first temperature sensor over a preset period of time is identified.

11. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising a processor and a memory device,

wherein, the memory device is configured to store at least some of the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor, and

wherein the first temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the wearer of the glasses.

12. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 11 further comprising a speaker and a display, wherein to measure the temperature of the wearer of the glasses,

the processor is configured to keep track of the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor,

the processor is configured to determine the change of the measured temperature by the first temperature sensor over a preset period of time, and

if the change of the measured temperature of the first temperature sensor over the preset period of time is less than a predetermined threshold, the speaker is configured to produce at least an audible tone.

13. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 12,

wherein the clock is a digital clock with a liquid crystal display, and

wherein if the change of the measured temperature of the first temperature sensor over the preset period of time is less than a predetermined threshold,

the temperature is identified using at least the most recent temperature measured, and

the display shows the identified temperature.

14. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising a thermal mass to reduce the change of temperature of the first temperature sensor over a period of time.

15. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a memory device, which is configured to store the temperatures measured by the first temperature sensor; and

an electrical connector, which is configured to allow electrical connection to the glasses.

16. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 1, wherein the first temperature sensor is at least partially embedded in one of the temples.

17. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 16,

wherein the glasses further comprises a second temperature sensor,

wherein the first and the second temperature sensors are configured to measure a temperature of the wearer of the glasses, and

wherein the temperature of the wearer of the glasses is identified using the difference in the measured temperatures of the two temperature sensors.

18. A pair of glasses as recited in claim 17,

wherein the first temperature sensor is located close to a joint of one of the temples, and

wherein the second temperature sensor is located close to the temple tip of one of the temples.

19. A method to operate a pair of glasses that bas a clock, a temperature sensor, a display and a processor, with the clock, the temperature sensor, the display and the processor being at least partially embedded in the glasses, the method, as implemented by the processor, comprising:

monitoring the temperatures measured by the temperature sensor

determining the change of the measured temperature of the temperature sensor over a preset period of time;

if the change of the measured temperature of the temperature sensor over the preset period of time is less than a predetermined threshold,

identifying the temperature using at least one temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and

showing the identified temperature of the wearer by the display.

20. A method as recited in claim 19,

wherein the glasses further comprise a speaker, which is at least partially embedded in the glasses, and

wherein if the change of the measured temperature of the temperature sensor over the preset period of time is less than the predetermined threshold, the method further comprises producing an audible sound by the speaker.

21. A method as recited in claim 20,

wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the wearer of the glasses,

wherein the glasses further comprises a memory device, and

wherein the method further comprises storing at least some of the measured temperatures by the temperature sensor in the memory device.