Eyeglasses with electrical components

• US 7,500,747 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IngenioSpec LLC
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Howell, Thomas A., Thomas, C. Douglass, Chao, David, Tong, Peter P.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US11/183,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20060023158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 381/309, 381/310, 381/327, 381/330, 381/381, 381/FOR.135, 455/569.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.6
• 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

Abstract

A pair of glasses with one or more electrical components partially or fully embedded in the glasses is disclosed. In one embodiment, a pair of glasses includes a speaker and an electrical connector, both at least partially embedded in the glasses, with the speaker and the connector electrically coupled together by an electrical conductor. In another embodiment, a pair of glasses includes a storage medium and an electrical connector. In yet another embodiment, a pair of glasses includes a speaker, a coder/decoder, a processor and a storage medium. The glasses can serve as a multimedia asset player. In a further embodiment, some of the electrical components are in a base tethered to a pair of glasses. Instead of just receiving signals, in one embodiment, a pair of glasses also has a microphone and a wireless transceiver. In another embodiment, a pair of glasses includes a preference indicator that allows a user to indicate the user'"'"'s preference regarding, for example, what is being output by the glasses. In yet another embodiment, there can be one or more control knobs on the glasses. In a further embodiment, a pair of glasses includes a camera and electrical components for wireless connection. In yet a further embodiment, a pair of glasses includes a sensor.

Claims

1. An eyeglass frame for supporting lenses therein, the eyeglass frame for a user, comprising:

at least one temple, the temple having an inside surface, which is the surface facing the user when the frame is worn;

a speaker at least partially embedded in the eyeglass frame;

an electrical connector at least partially embedded on the inside surface of the at least one temple to receive a removable electronic device;

an input mechanism that allows the user to enter a preference of the user to be stored in a storage medium at the frame; and

an electrical conductor electrically coupling the speaker to the connector.

2. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1, wherein

the speaker and the electrical conductor are at least partially embedded in the at least one temple.

3. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1 further comprising a tube, the tube extending from the speaker to guide sound generated by the speaker to one of the ears of the user.

4. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is in the shape of a card.

5. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is a memory card.

6. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the frame further includes a cover, which is located over the removable electronic device after the removable electronic device is attached to the connector.

7. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1 wherein the user'"'"'s preference is related to what is output by the speaker.

8. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1 wherein the shape of the removable electronic device is flat at least in the vicinity where it is attached to the connector.

9. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1,

wherein a piece of asset can be identified by an attribute, and

wherein the user indicates the preference regarding the piece of asset via the attribute.

10. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 9,

wherein the piece of asset is a piece of music, and

wherein the attribute is selected from the group of the name of the singer of the piece of music, the name of the piece of music and the type of music that the piece of music belongs to.

11. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 9,

wherein the piece of asset includes meta data, and

wherein the attribute is in the meta data.

12. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 9,

wherein the piece of asset is categorized based on the attribute, and

wherein the categorization helps subsequent retrieval of the piece of asset.

13. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1,

wherein the eyeglass frame further comprises voice recognition electronics, and

wherein the preference is entered verbally via the voice recognition electronics.

14. An eyeglass frame for a user, comprising:

a pair of temples, one on each side of the frame; and

an electrical connector being located on an inside or an outside surface of the one of the temples,

wherein the connector is for receiving a removable electronic device having a plurality of electrical components and a counterpart connector,

wherein the connector and the counterpart connector operate to removably secure the electronic device to the eyeglass frame so that when secured the electronic device is substantially fixed in position relative to the eyeglass frame,

wherein the eyeglass frame includes at least one electrical component internal to the one of the temples, and

wherein the connector on the inside or the outside surface of the one of the temples is electrically connected to the at least one electrical component.

15. An eyeglass frame for a user comprising:

a pair of temples, one on each side of the frame; and

an electrical connector being located on an inside or an outside surface of the one of the temples,

wherein the electrical connector is for receiving a removable electronic device having a plurality of electrical components and a counterpart connector,

wherein the electrical connector and the counterpart connector operate to removably secure the electronic device to the eyeglass frame so that when secured the electronic device is substantially fixed in position relative to the eyeglass frame,

wherein the eyeglass frame includes a functional module with a plurality of electrical components that are electrically interconnected through a substrate, and

wherein the electrical connector on the inside or the outside surface of the one of the temples is electrically connected to the components through the substrate.

16. An eyeglass frame for supporting lenses therein, the eyeglass frame for a user, comprising:

at least one temple, the temple having an inside and an outside surface;

a speaker at least partially embedded in the eyeglass frame;

an attachable and detachable storage medium located on the inside or the outside surface of the at least one temple;

an input mechanism that allows the user to enter a preference of the user to be stored in the storage medium at the eyeglass frame; and

an electrical conductor electrically coupling the speaker to the storage medium when the storage medium is attached to the eyeglass frame,

wherein the information regarding the preference can be subsequently retrieved from the storage medium.

17. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 16,

wherein the eyeglass frame further comprises a wireless receiver that is configured to receive wireless signals, and

wherein the preference is regarding the received wireless signals.

18. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 17, wherein the received wireless signals pertain to a piece of music.

19. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 18, wherein the piece of music is stored in the storage medium in view of the preference indicated by the user.

20. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 16, wherein the eyeglass frame is configured to operate as a multimedia asset player.

21. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 20, wherein the preference is regarding an attribute of the multimedia asset player.

22. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 16, wherein the eyeglass frame further comprises a wireless transmitter that is configured to wirelessly transmit information regarding the preference to another entity to allow the other entity to track the preference of the user.

23. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 16,

wherein the eyeglass frame is configured to play a piece of music, and

wherein the preference identifies the piece of music.

24. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 23, wherein in view of the preference, the piece of music is stored in the storage medium to allow the user to subsequently retrieve the piece of music.

25. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 24, wherein the storage medium is a flash memory.