Head-worn structure with fitness monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12535698-B2
Application number	US-202418991006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2024
Priority date	Oct 11, 2005
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

Techniques for providing eyewear or other head-worn personal electronic apparatus with electrical components are disclosed. The electrical components can provide electrical technology to eyewear or other head-worn personal electronic apparatus without having to substantially compromise aesthetic design principles. The electrical components can be partially or completely internal to eyewear or other head-worn personal electronic apparatus. The electrical components can operate independently or together with other electrical components provided elsewhere. Apparatus for presenting after-market electrical components are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus, comprising:
a head-worn structure configured to be worn by a user, the head-worn structure being configured to be worn on the user's head; a speaker at least partially contained within the head-worn structure, the speaker being configured to be worn proximate to an ear of the user when the head-worn structure is being worn by the user; a first microphone at least partially contained within the head-worn structure, the first microphone being positioned to pick up at least audio input from at least the user; a second microphone at least partially contained within the head-worn structure; heart beat sensing circuitry contained within the head-worn structure and configured to acquire information pertaining to heart beat of the user, the heart beat sensing circuitry including at least a light emitting device and a light sensing device, the light emitting device configured to emit light towards a portion of the head of the user while the head-worn personal electronic apparatus is being worn by the user, and the light sensing device configured to sense a portion of the emitted light that is reflected back from the user's head to the light sensing device; a rechargeable battery contained within the head-worn structure; electronic circuitry contained within the head-worn structure, the electronic circuitry being electrically connected to at least the rechargeable battery; and wireless communication circuitry at least partially contained within the head-worn structure.

2 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus comprises:
a temperature sensor at least partially contained within the head-worn structure and configured to sense a temperature pertaining to the user.

3 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus comprises:
at least one conductive element at least partially included within the head-worn structure, the at least one conductive element being at least partially exposed to enable interconnection therewith, the at least one conductive element being electrically connected to at least the rechargeable battery.

4 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus comprises:
vibration element contained within the head-worn structure, the vibration element being configured to relate electrical signals to vibrations associated with the user of the head-worn structure; and a plurality of circuit boards contained within the head-worn structure, each of the plurality of circuit boards including at least one electrical component mounted thereto, at least one of the plurality of circuit boards being a flexible printed circuit board, at least one of the plurality of circuit boards has at least one integrated circuit mounted on a first side of the at least one of the plurality of circuit boards, and at least one integrated circuit mounted on a second side of the at least one of the plurality of circuit boards.

5 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus is configured to (i) receive a voice input from the user via at least the first microphone, (ii) support or receive determination of a requested operation from the voice input using voice recognition, and (iii) control operation by the head-worn personal electronic apparatus based on the requested operation.

6 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 5 ,
wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes at least a wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive audio output signals for audio output to the user via the speaker, and wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to:
determine an ambient noise level based on at least signals picked-up via at least the second microphone; and
modify at least a portion of the audio output signals, with the modification being at least in part dependent on the ambient noise level.

7 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus comprises:
a force sensing device configured to receive a user input based on a force induced on the force sensing device, the force sensing device being at least partially contained within the head-worn structure, wherein the received user input operating to at least alter an operation of the head-worn personal electronic apparatus.

8 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the light emitting device comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

9 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the light sensing device comprises at least a portion of an optical sensor.

10 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the heart beat sensing circuitry comprises at least a portion of a heart beat sensor.

11 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus comprises:
an accelerometer.

12 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus comprises:
a vibration element contained within the head-worn structure, the vibration element being configured to relate electrical signals to vibrations associated with the user of the head-worn structure.

13 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry includes at least a controller, and wherein the controller is operatively connected to at least a portion of the heart beat sensing circuitry.

14 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein the second microphone is configured to at least pick-up an environmental audio input, wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes at least a wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive audio output signals for audio output to the user via the speaker, and wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to modify the audio output signals to cancel at least a portion of environmental noise, the modification of the audio output signals being dependent at least in part on the environmental audio input picked-up via the second microphone.

15 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus comprises:
at least one conductive element at least partially included within the head-worn structure, the at least one conductive element being at least partially exposed to enable interconnection therewith, the at least one conductive element being electrically connected to at least the rechargeable battery.

16 . A head-worn personal electronic apparatus as recited in claim 15 , wherein the head-worn personal electronic apparatus comprises:
a bone conducting electronic element at least partially contained within the head-worn structure, the bone conducting electronic element being associated with vibrations, and the bone conducting electronic element utilizing electrical signals associated with the vibrations; and a plurality of circuit boards contained within the head-worn structure, each of the plurality of circuit boards including at least one electrical component mounted thereto, at least one of the plurality of circuit boards being a flexible printed circuit board, at least one of the plurality of circuit boards has a

Assignees

• Ingeniospec Llc

Inventors

• Howell Thomas A
• Chao David
• Thomas C Douglass
• Tong Peter P

Classifications

• G02C2200/08

  Modular frames, easily exchangeable frame parts and lenses · CPC title

• H02J7/0045

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G02C11/06

  Hearing aids (construction of electric hearing aids H04R25/00) · CPC title

• G02C5/146

  having special front end · CPC title

• G02C5/143

  having special ear pieces · CPC title