Tethered electrical components for eyeglasses

• US 7,621,634 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• 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): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US12/074,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20080151179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 351/41, 351/158, 351/156, 351/157, 381/381
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/00 Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof G02C7/16 takes precedence

Abstract

Tethered electrical components coupled to electrical components in or attached to a pair of eyeglasses are disclosed. Tethered electrical components, alone or in combination with eyeglass electrical components, can be used for a variety of different applications and uses. As examples, the tethered electrical components can support signal capturing, signal processing, signal transmission, data acquisition, data processing, and/or data storage.

Claims

1. An eyewear system for a user, comprising:

an eyeglass frame including a first and a second temple and at least one electrical component;

a cord; and

a base device having at least one sensor,

wherein when the eyewear system is worn by the user, the cord is configured to be connected to at least one of the temples, with the base device being connected to the cord and being able to slide along the cord, and with the sensor configurable to be electrically coupled to the at least one electrical component of the eyeglass frame, and

wherein the eyeglass frame can be separately worn by the user without the cord and the base device.

2. An eyewear system for a user, comprising:

an eyeglass frame including a first temple, a second temple, and at least a first electrical circuit;

a cord; and

a base device having at least a second electrical circuit operable for wireless communication,

wherein the base device via at least the second electrical circuit is configurable to wirelessly interact with a portable communication device, and

wherein when the eyewear system is worn by the user, the cord is configured to be connected to at least one of the temples, with the base device connected to the cord, and with the second electrical circuit of the base device configurable to be electrically coupled to the first electrical circuit of the eyeglass frame,

wherein the eyeglass frame can be separately warn by the user without the cord and the base device,

wherein the eyewear system further comprises at least call processing electrical components that are configured

to have the communication device, without the base device, handle an incoming call to the communication device if the call processing electrical components determine that the base device is not present, and

to have the base device assist In handling the incoming call to the communication device if the call processing electrical components determine that the base device is present.

3. An eyewear system for a user, comprising:

an eyeglass frame including a first temple, a second temple, and at least a first electrical circuit;

a cord; and

a base device having at least a second electrical circuit,

wherein when the eyewear system is worn by the user, the second electrical circuit of the base device and the first electrical circuit of the eyeglass frame are configurable to be electrically coupled,

wherein when the eyewear system is worn by the user, the cord is configured to be connected to bath the first temple and the second temple, with the base device connected to the cord about the head of the user, and with the cord configurable to be tightened about the head of the user, and

wherein the eyeglass frame can be separately worn by the user without the cord and the base device.

4. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3,

wherein the second electrical circuit is configured to operate as a sensor, and

wherein the eyeglass frame includes an indicator configured to provide an indication related to data obtained by the sensor.

5. An eyewear system as recited in claim 4, wherein the sensor is configured to be wirelessly coupled to the first electrical circuit of the eyeglass frame.

6. An eyewear system as recited in claim 4,

wherein the eyeglass frame includes at least one electrical connector, and

wherein the cord is configured to provide electrical connection between the sensor of the base device to the first electrical circuit of the eyeglass frame via the electrical connector.

7. An eyewear system as recited in claim 4 wherein the sensor is configured to sense a physical condition of the user.

8. An eyewear system as recited in claim 7, wherein the base device includes fitness monitoring circuitry operatively connected to the sensor.

9. An eyewear system as recited in claim 7, wherein the base device includes health monitoring circuitry operatively connected to the sensor.

10. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3,

wherein the second electrical circuit is configured to operate as a sensor, and

wherein the base device includes radiation monitoring circuitry operatively connected to the sensor.

11. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3, wherein the second electrical circuit is configured to operate as a temperature sensor.

12. An eyewear system as recited in claim 11, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the user.

13. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3,

wherein the second electrical circuit is configured to operate as a sensor, and

wherein the sensor is configured to measure an emotional condition of the user.

14. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3,

wherein the second electrical circuit is configured to operate as a sensor, and

wherein the sensor is a position sensor configured to sense the position of the base device.

15. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3 wherein the eyeglass frame includes a microphone.

16. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3 wherein the base device includes a power source to at least provide power for the first electrical circuit of the eyeglass frame.

17. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3, wherein the base device includes a connector configured to connect to a portable electronic device, which is not the eyeglass frame.

18. An eyewear system as recited in claim 17, wherein the portable electronic device includes a memory device.

19. An eyewear system as recited in claim 3 wherein the second electrical circuit is configured to operate as wireless communication circuitry.

20. An eyewear system as recited in claim 19, wherein the wireless communication circuitry Is configured to connect to a portable electronic device.

21. An eyewear system as recited in claim 19, wherein the wireless communication circuitry is configured to operate in a Bluetooth network.

22. An eyewear system as recited in claim 19, wherein the wireless communication circuitry is configured to operate in a WiFi network.