Eyewear with touch-sensitive input surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016246075-A9
Application number	US-201313831419-A
Country	US
Kind code	A9
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Oct 9, 2003
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one embodiment, an eyewear for a user includes an eyewear frame, electrical circuitry at least partially in the eyewear frame, and a touch sensitive input surface on the eyewear frame configured to provide an input to the electrical circuitry to perform a function via touching the touch sensitive input surface. In another embodiment, the eyewear includes a switch with at least two operational states. The operational states of the switch can be configured to be changed by sliding a finger across the touch sensitive input surface of the frame.

First claim

1 . An eyewear for a user comprising:
an eyewear frame; and a touch sensitive input surface on the eyewear frame configured to provide an electrical input at least to an electronic component in the eyewear frame to perform a first function, the electrical input being induced in response to at least touching on the touch sensitive input surface.

2 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive input surface is configured to operate as at least a switch.

3 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein the eyewear includes a temple, wherein the temple includes an outside surface facing away from the user when the eyewear is being worn, and wherein the touch sensitive input surface is at least a portion of the outside surface of the temple.

4 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein the eyewear frame includes an adjacent surface provided adjacent to the touch sensitive input surface, wherein at least a portion of the touch sensitive input surface has a texture different from the texture of the adjacent surface, and wherein the difference in texture is configured to provide a different tactile perception when the touch sensitive input surface and the adjacent surface are touched.

5 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensitive input surface is configured to provide at least two operational states.

6 . An eyewear as recited in claim 5 , wherein the touch sensitive input surface is configured to change from one operational state to another operational state through a change in capacitive effect in response to touching on the touch sensitive input surface by the user.

7 . An eyewear as recited in claim 5 , wherein the touch sensitive input surface is configured to change from one operational state to another operational state through a change in resistive effect in response to touching on the touch sensitive input surface by the user.

8 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 , wherein electronics in the eyewear are configured to be able to sense direction of a movement of the touching on the touch sensitive input surface.

9 . An eyewear as recited in claim 8 ,
wherein the first function to be performed is dependent on the sensed direction of the movement of the touching on the touch sensitive input surface.

10 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 further comprising a motion sensor at least partially in the eyewear frame, wherein the motion sensor is configured to provide an electrical input at least to an electronic component in the eyewear frame to perform a second function, the electrical input being induced in response to at least a motion of the eyewear.

11 . An eyewear as recited in claim 10 , wherein the motion sensor includes an accelerometer.

12 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 further comprising a microphone for receiving a voice input, and a memory storing at least voice-recognition software codes for recognizing the voice input,
wherein a third function performed by the eyewear is initiated by the voice input received by the microphone.

13 . An eyewear as recited in claim 12 further comprising a display at the eyewear frame, the display being configured to display a set of choices to the user, wherein the third function depends on selecting at least one of the choices via voice input received by the microphone.

14 . An eyewear as recited in claim 13 , wherein the set of choices includes a set of songs, and the third function is to initiate playing of a selected at least one of the songs via voice input received by the microphone.

15 . An eyewear as recited in claim 12 , wherein a set of choices is provided to the user; and the third function includes selecting at least one of the choices via voice input received by the microphone.

16 . An eyewear as recited in claim 12 , wherein the third function includes performing an electronic search for information regarding the voice input received by the microphone.

17 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein the touch sensitive input surface is configured to provide at least two operational states, wherein electronics in the eyewear are configured to be able to sense movement of the touching on the touch sensitive input surface, and wherein the selection of an operational state from the at least two operational states is based on a direction of the movement of the touching on the touch sensitive input surface.

18 . An eyewear as recited in claim 10 further comprising a microphone for receiving a voice input, and a memory storing at least voice-recognition software codes for recognizing voice,
wherein a third function performed by the eyewear is initiated by the voice input received by the microphone.

19 . An eyewear as recited in claim 18 , wherein at least one of the three functions includes performing an electronic search.

20 . An eyewear as recited in claim 18 , wherein a set of choices is provided to the user; and at least one of the three functions includes selecting at least one of the choices.

21 . An eyewear as recited in claim 20 further comprising a display at the eyewear frame, the display being configured to display at least the set of choices to the user.

22 . An eyewear as recited in claim 18 ,
wherein electronics in the eyewear are configured to be able to sense a direction of movement of the touching on the touch sensitive input surface, and wherein the first function is performed also depending on the sensed direction of the movement of the touching on the touch sensitive input surface.

23 . An eyewear as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein the eyewear frame includes an arm, wherein the touch sensitive input surface is on the arm, and wherein the electronic component is provided internal to the arm.

24 . An eyewear as recited in claim 23 , wherein the eyewear further comprises an accelerometer.

25 . An eyewear as recited in claim 24 , wherein the accelerometer is embedded in the arm.

Assignees

• Ingeniospec Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G02C5/14

  Side-members · CPC title

• G02C5/143

  having special ear pieces · CPC title

• G02C5/001

  specially adapted for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for or not fully classifiable according to technical characteristics, e.g. therapeutic glasses · CPC title

• G02C11/10 Primary

  Electronic devices other than hearing aids · CPC title