Electric shaver with imaging capability
System and method for improving the shaving experience by providing improved visibility of the skin shaving area. A digital camera is integrated with the electric shaver for close image capturing of shaving area, and displaying it on a display unit. The display unit can be integral part of the electric shaver casing, or housed in a separated device which receives the image via a communication channel. The communication channel can be wireless (using radio, audio or light) or wired, such as dedicated cabling or using powerline communication. A light source is used to better illuminate the shaving area. Video compression and digital image processing techniques are used for providing for improved shaving results. The wired communication medium can simultaneously be used also for carrying power from the electric shaver assembly to the display unit, or from the display unit to the electric shaver.
1. A system for use with a wireless network, the system comprising an oral hygiene device and a display device that communicates with the oral hygiene device over the wireless network, the oral hygiene device comprising:
a toothbrush for brushing teeth surface;
an electric motor attached for moving the toothbrush;
a sensor for generating an output in response to a physical phenomenon;
a first wireless transceiver coupled to the sensor for transmitting a first data that is responsive to the sensor output over the wireless network; and
an handheld casing housing the toothbrush, the electric motor, the sensor, and the first wireless transceiver,
and the display device comprising:
a second wireless transceiver coupled for receiving the first data from the oral hygiene device over the wireless network;
a display component having a screen for displaying data, the display is coupled to the second wireless transceiver for displaying information in response to the received first data; and
an enclosure housing the second wireless transceiver, and the display component.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless network uses license-free Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio frequency band.
3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the ISM radio frequency band consists of, or comprises, 902-928 MHz, 2.4-2.484 GHz, or 5.725-5.875 GHz.
4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless network is a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), the first antenna consists of, or comprises, a WPAN antenna and the first wireless transceiver consists of, or comprises, a WPAN transceiver.
5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the WPAN is using, is according to, or is compatible with, Bluetooth that is based on, is according to, or is compatible with, IEEE 802.15.1.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the first antenna consists of, or comprises, a WLAN antenna and the first wireless transceiver consists of, or comprises, a WLAN transceiver.
7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the WLAN is using, is according to, or is compatible with, WiFi that is based on, is according to, or is compatible with, IEEE 802.11, IEEE802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, or IEEE 802.11g standard.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a digital camera for capturing an image.
9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first data comprises the captured image, and wherein the display device is operative to display the captured image on the screen of the display component.
10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the display component is operative for freezing or zooming the captured image on the screen of the display component.
11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the oral hygiene device or the display device further comprises an image processor, for processing the captured image.
12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the image processor is operative to identify an element in the captured image, and to display the captured image having the identified element is marked by the display component.
13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the display component is operative to visualize a mouth cavity, teeth, or gums.
14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a portable or handheld enclosure, and wherein the screen is a flat screen that uses, or is based on, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or Thin-Film Transistor (TFT), or Field Emission Display (FED).
15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the display device consists of, or comprises, a cellular telephone operative for a cellular communication.
16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the cellular communication that is based on, using, or is compatible with, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), 2.5 Generation (2.5G), Third Generation (3G), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), iDEN (Integrated Digital enhanced Network), or Code Division Multiple Access (DCMA).
17. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a first antenna connected to the first wireless transceiver for coupling to the wireless network using Radio-Frequency (RF) waves.
18. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second antenna connected to the second wireless transceiver for coupling to the wireless network using Radio-Frequency (RF) waves.
19. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising in the casing a light source powered by the rechargeable battery for providing an illumination.
20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the light source is mounted for illumination of at least part of the teeth surface.
21. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the light source consists of, or comprises, a LED (Light Emitting Diode).
22. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor consists of, or comprises, a digital camera for capturing an image of the teeth surface or of a mouth cavity.
23. The system according to claim 22 , wherein the digital camera comprises an optical lens for focusing received light mechanically oriented to focus the image of at least part of the teeth surface; and wherein the sensor comprises, or consists of, a photosensitive image sensor array disposed approximately at an image focal point plane of the optical lens for capturing the image, and wherein the first data comprises the captured image.
24. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the image sensor comprises, is using, or is based on, Charge-Coupled Devices (CCD) or Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS).
25. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the image sensor is operative to capture images in a non-visible spectrum.
26. The system according to claim 25 , wherein the non-visible spectrum is in an infrared or ultraviolet spectrum.
27. The system according to claim 22 , wherein the digital camera is a video digital camera that produces a digital data video, and wherein the first data comprises the digital data video in a digital video format.
28. The system according to claim 27 , wherein the digital video format uses, or is based on, one out of: TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), RAW format, AVI, DV, MOV, WMV, MP4, DCF (Design Rule for Camera Format), ITU-T H.261, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264, ITU-T CCIR 601, ASF, Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) and DP*OF (Digital Print Order Format) standards.
29. The system according to claim 27 , further comprising in the casing a video compressor coupled between the video digital camera and the first wireless transceiver for compressing the digital data video, and wherein the first data comprises compressed digital data video, and wherein the compression is based on intraframe or interframe compression and is lossy or non-lossy.
30. The system according to claim 29 , wherein the compression is based on a standard compression algorithm that JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), ITU-T H.261, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264, or ITU-T CCIR 601.