IP Library Granted Patent US 11,803,069
Granted Patent B2
US 11,803,069 · App. 18/129,660 · Granted Oct 31, 2023

Eyewear with connection region

Inventors: Thomas A. Howell (Palo Alto, CA); David Chao (Saratoga, CA); C. Douglass Thomas (Saratoga, CA); Peter P. Tong (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: IngenioSpec, LLC
G02C11/10G02C5/001G02C5/14G02C5/143
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,803,069
App. No.
18/129,660
Granted
Oct 31, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, an eyewear frame for a user includes at least a front portion with two side portions; two speakers, one in each side portion; a connection region at one side portion, with an electrical connector having two conductive pads to connect to corresponding conductive contacts of a counterpart connector; a rechargeable battery; a microphone in the frame; and wireless communication circuitry in the frame. The connection region can be provided at an inside surface of one of the side portions. The eyewear frame can also include a touch-sensitive input surface on the eyewear frame configured to provide an input to the frame to perform a function. Another embodiment includes a headset at least with a touch-sensitive input surface and an electrical connector having a conductive pad to connect to a corresponding conductive contact of a counterpart connector.

Claims (38)

1. An eyewear frame for a user comprising:

a first side portion;

a second side portion;

a lens holder having a left side and a right side, with the first side portion coupled to the left side of the lens holder, and the second side portion coupled to the right side of the lens holder;

a first speaker in the first side portion;

a second speaker in the second side portion;

a connection region at the eyewear frame;

an electrical connector at the connection region,

wherein the electrical connector includes at least two conductive pads provided at the connection region, with the at least two conductive pads both on a surface of the connection region, and

wherein the at least two conductive pads are configured to removably couple to corresponding conductive contacts of a counterpart connector external to and separate from the eyewear frame, at least via spring-force to at least enable each of the at least two conductive pads electrically connected to its corresponding conductive contact;

a rechargeable battery in the eyewear frame; and

a microphone in the eyewear frame.

2. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the surface faces the head of the user when the eyewear frame is worn.

3. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1 comprising a touch-sensitive input surface on the eyewear frame, wherein the touch-sensitive input surface is configured to facilitate generating at least an electrical signal for an operation of the eyewear frame based on receiving at least a touch input.

4. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 3 comprising a controller configured to identify a sliding action across at least a portion of the touch-sensitive input surface, and to facilitate a first or a second operation of the eyewear frame based on identifying whether the sliding action is in a first direction or a direction opposite from the first direction across the at least a portion of the touch-sensitive input surface.

5. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1 comprising at least another microphone in the eyewear frame,

wherein the microphone is configured to be positioned closer to mouth of the user and the another microphone is configured to be positioned further from the mouth of the user, when the headset is worn by the user.

6. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 5 comprising a storage medium configured to store at least computer program codes for facilitating voice recognition,

wherein at least the microphone is configured to receive at least a word, and

wherein the computer program codes for facilitating voice recognition are configured to facilitate recognizing at least the word for an operation of the eyewear frame.

7. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 6 comprising a touch-sensitive input surface,

wherein each of the side portions includes a first end and a second end, with the first end closer to the lens holder than the second end,

wherein the touch-sensitive input surface is configured to be on an outside surface of the first side portion, which is a surface not facing the user when the eyewear frame is worn by the user, and

wherein the touch-sensitive input surface is closer to the first end than the second end of the first side portion.

8. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 7 comprising a controller configured to identify a sliding action across at least a portion of the touch-sensitive input surface, and to facilitate a first or a second operation of the eyewear frame based on identifying whether the sliding action is in a first direction or a direction opposite from the first direction across the at least a portion of the touch-sensitive input surface.

9. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 7 comprising a motion sensor.

10. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 6 comprising a camera at least partially in the eyewear frame, wherein an exposure of the camera is configured to be determined by the eyewear frame based on light in vicinity of the eyewear frame, sensed by the eyewear frame.

11. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1 comprising a storage medium configured to store at least computer program codes for facilitating voice recognition,

wherein at least the microphone is configured to receive at least a word, and

wherein the computer program codes for facilitating voice recognition are configured to facilitate recognizing at least the word for an operation of the eyewear frame.

12. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1 comprising:

a motion sensor; and

wireless communication circuitry in the eyewear frame configured for coupling to at least a Bluetooth network.

13. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1 comprising a camera at least partially in the eyewear frame, wherein an exposure of the camera is configured to be determined by the eyewear frame based on light in vicinity of the eyewear frame, sensed by the eyewear frame.

14. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 13 , wherein the camera is configured to auto-focus.

15. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1 comprising a satellite-signal receiver configured to receive signals from at least a plurality of satellites for identifying locations,

wherein the eyewear frame is configured to produce data regarding locations of the eyewear frame based on the signals received.

16. An eyewear frame as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connection region is at one of the side portions.

Continuity (17)
Continuation 16424018 · May 28, 2019
Continuation 13831419 · Mar 14, 2013
Continuation 13291020 · Nov 7, 2011
Continuation 12803732 · Jul 1, 2010
Continuation 11546685 · Oct 11, 2006
Continuation In Part 11183256 · Jul 15, 2005
Provisional Application 60846150 · Sep 20, 2006
Provisional Application 60787850 · Apr 1, 2006
Provisional Application 60725999 · Oct 11, 2005
Provisional Application 60725896 · Oct 11, 2005
Provisional Application 60647826 · Jan 31, 2005
Provisional Application 60647836 · Jan 31, 2005
Provisional Application 60620238 · Oct 18, 2004
Provisional Application 60618107 · Oct 12, 2004
Provisional Application 60605191 · Aug 28, 2004
Provisional Application 60592045 · Jul 28, 2004
Related Publication 20230236444A1 · Jul 27, 2023
Cited By (9)
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