Eyewear supporting bone conducting speaker

• US 8,905,542 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IngenioSpec LLC
• Original Assignee: IngenioSpec LLC
• Inventors: Howell, Thomas A., Chao, David, Thomas, C. Douglass, Tong, Peter P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG XUAN
• Application Number:
  US13/955,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20130308089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 351/41, 351/159
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/14 Side-members

Abstract

Techniques for providing eyewear with electrical components are disclosed. The electrical components can provide electrical technology to eyewear (e.g., eyeglasses) without having to substantially compromise aesthetic design principles of the eyewear. Often, the electrical components can be attached to the eyewear as an after-market enhancement. The electrical components can operate independently or together with other electrical components provided elsewhere.

Claims

1. An eyewear frame, comprising:

a front section;

at least one side section having at least a rearward portion;

a battery embedded in the rearward portion;

a bone conducting element at least partially embedded in or coupled to the at least one side section;

a motion detector embedded in or coupled to the at least one side section; and

an electronic device physically embedded in or coupled to the at least one side section, and electrically interconnected with the battery that is embedded in the rearward portion of the at least one side section.

2. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device is electrically interconnected with the battery, the bone conducting element and the motion detector.

3. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1,

wherein the electronic device comprises an integrated circuit device, and

wherein said eyewear frame comprises a microphone provided at the at least one side section.

4. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1,

wherein the electronic device is a controller,

wherein the controller is mounted on a circuit board, and

wherein the circuit board with the controller mounted thereon is embedded in or coupled to the at least one side section.

5. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one side section comprises a temple.

6. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises at least a plurality of electrical components, and wherein at least one of the electrical components comprises an indicator to indicate an operational status.

7. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the eyewear frame comprises:

a condition sensor to sense one or more conditions associated with a user of the eyewear frame.

8. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 7, wherein the one or more conditions are selected from the group of:

distance traveled, location, speed, calories consumed, temperature and vital signs.

9. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises an environmental sensor to sense one or more environmental conditions proximate to the eyewear frame.

10. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more environmental conditions are selected from the group of:

radiation, temperature, pressure, humidity and toxins.

11. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises wireless communication circuitry.

12. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the eyewear frame comprises:

a thermal sensor to sense whether the eyewear frame is being worn by a user.

13. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the eyewear frame comprises:

a stress sensor to sense whether the eyewear frame is being worn by a user.

14. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the motion detector is electrically coupled to the electronic device and used to provide motion data to the electronic device so that the electronic device is able to react to the motion data.

15. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the eyewear frame comprises:

a condition sensor to sense an emotional condition associated with a user of the eyewear frame.

16. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the eyewear frame comprises:

at least one electrical connector provided at the at least one side section, the at least one electrical connector being accessible to receive a counterpart electrical connector externally provided to the eyewear frame.

17. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one electrical connector is at least partially embedded in the at least one side section.

18. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises at least a plurality of electrical components, and wherein at least one of the electrical components comprises an indicator to indicate an operational status of at least another of the electrical components.

19. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the bone conducting element is at least partially embedded in the at least one side section and is positioned just forward of the battery.

20. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the bone conducting element is at least partially embedded in the at least one side section at or proximate to the rearward portion.

21. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 20, wherein the eyewear frame comprises:

a first microphone embedded in the at least one side section, the first microphone being spaced apart from the bone conducting element by at least one inch.

22. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 21, wherein the eyewear frame comprises:

a second microphone embedded in the eyewear frame spaced apart from the first microphone.

23. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 22, wherein the electronic device comprises a flexible circuit board.

24. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1,

wherein the electronic device comprises at least a plurality of electrical components,

wherein at least one of the electrical components comprises an indicator to indicate an operational status, and

wherein the indicator provides an audio output via the bone conducting element.

25. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 24, wherein the audio output is in a natural language.

26. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the motion detector is electrically coupled to the electronic device.

27. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the motion detector is electrically coupled to at least an electrical component on a circuit board embedded in the at least one side section.

28. An eyewear frame, comprising:

a front section;

at least one side section having at least a rearward portion;

a battery embedded in the rearward portion;

a bone conducting element at least partially embedded in or coupled to the at least one side section;

a circuit board embedded in or coupled to the at least one side section;

a controller mounted on the circuit board and electrically interconnected with the battery that is embedded in the rearward portion of the at least one side section; and

a motion detector embedded in the eyewear frame and electrically connected to the circuit board.

29. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 28, wherein the bone conducting element is provided in the vicinity of an ear of a user when the eyewear frame is being worn by the user.

30. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 28, wherein the circuit board comprises a flexible circuit board.