Remote control of illuminating headlamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE46463-E
Application number	US-201615281051-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2007
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A remote control operation of an illuminated unit attached to a headset consisting of a headband and at least one optical device providing illumination at a known distance from the optical device attached to the headband is disclosed. The remote control unit incorporates a sensing unit that causes power to be switched on and off by the detection of motion in front of the sensing unit. In addition, the illumination may be increased or decreased based on a signal strength of a detected remote sensing signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for remotely controlling an illumination unit attached to one of: an eyewear, a headband and a headset, said apparatus comprising:
a battery unit electrically connected to said illumination unit, said illumination unit comprising:
at least one light source generating a narrow-beam light; and
a focusing means, corresponding to each of said at least one light source, for focusing said light into a substantially uniform light pattern onto a target area at a known distance from said illumination unit;
a sensing unit comprising: at least one transmitting unit transmitter configured to:
transmit a signal;
a receiving unit receiver, in communication with the battery unit, said receiving unit receiver configured to: detectingdetect a signal representing a reflected element of the signal generated by said at least one transmitting unit,transmitter; generatinggenerate a battery control signal in response to said detected reflected element of the signal generated by said at least one transmitting unit transmitter; providingprovide the battery control signal to said battery unit, wherein, the battery unit alters a voltage provided to the illumination unit in response to the battery control signal, the alteration comprising:
removing the voltage from the illumination unit in response to the detection of the reflected element after determining said illumination unit is turned on.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said alteration occurs when the signal detected reflected element of the signal by the receiving unit receiver is greater than a threshold value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the voltage provided by the battery unit is between 0 volts and a maximum voltage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the receiving unit further receiver is configured to:
determinesdetermine a magnitude of the detected reflected element of the signal; and
generatesgenerate a level of the battery control signal based on the magnitude of the detected reflected element of the signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the level of the battery control signal is proportional to the level of the detected reflected element of the signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the threshold value is determined based on one of a plurality of preset values.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detected reflected element of the signal is determined within a predetermined period of time.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the detected reflected element of the signal represents an average of a plurality of received signals detected reflected elements of the signal within a predetermined period of time.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transmitting unit transmitter and the receiving unit receiver are selected from the a group consisting of: RF devices, infra-red devices, and ultra-sonic devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said receiving unit further receiver is configured to:
determinesdetermine a direction of motion transmitting unitof an object in front of said at least one transmitter based on a change in theof a magnitude of the detected reflected element of the signal magnitude; and
generatesgenerate a level of the battery control signal based on the determined direction of motion.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein receiving unit is the at least one transmitter and said receiver are contained within said battery unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said receiving unit receiver is configured to:
wirelessly connected connect to said at least one transmitting battery unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said receiving unit said receiver and said at least one transmitting unit transmitter are contained within a single unit.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said receiving unit receiver and said transmitting unit at least one transmitter are infra-red devices.

15. An apparatus for remotely controlling an illumination unit attached to a headset, said apparatus comprising:
a transmitting unit transmitting an RF signal; a receiving unit:
receiving said RF signal;
determining whether a strength of said RF signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and
generating a control signal when said strength of said RF signal exceeds said predetermined threshold value; and
a battery unit:
receiving said control signal; and
altering a voltage applied to said illumination unit to change said illumination unit from one state to another state in response to said control signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the illumination unit is changed from one of: an on-state to an off-state and an off-state to an on-state.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said receiving unit is contained within said battery unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said transmitting unit and said receiving unit are connected through a wireless connection.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said wireless connection is one of: a BLUETOOTH connection, a WIFI connection, and a proprietary connection.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said receiver is configured to:
determine a time duration of the detected reflected element of the signal; and generate a level of the control signal based on the time duration of the detected reflected element of the signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises:
a plurality of detector units, at least two of the plurality of said detector units detecting the reflected element of the signal; determining a time of detection of the reflected element of the signal by each of the at least two detector units, said reflected element of the signal being generated by an object passing before said at least one transmitter; determining a direction of movement of said object based on the determined times of detection; and generating the control signal in response to said determined direction.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for focusing comprises one of: a lens, a reflector and a collimator.

23. An apparatus for remotely controlling an illumination unit, the apparatus comprising:
a battery unit electrically connected to said illumination unit; at least one transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal; a receiving unit in communication with the battery unit, said receiving unit configured to:
detect a reflection of the signal generated by said at least one transmitting unit;
determine a magnitude of the detected signal,
generate a control signal in response to said detected signal, wherein a level of the control signal is based on the determined magnitude of the detected signal; and
provide the control signal to said battery unit, wherein the battery unit alters a voltage provided to the illumination unit in response to the control signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said illumination unit comprises:
at least one light source; and a means for focusing a light projected from said at least one light source into a substantially uniform light pattern on a working field a known distance from said illumination unit.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said means for focusing comprises one of: a lens, a reflector and a collimator.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said signal is one of: an IR signal, an RF signal and an ultrasonic signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said

Assignees

• Designs For Vision

Inventors

• Fienbloom Richard E
• Braganca Ken N
• Koscheka Kenneth

Classifications

• A61B2090/502

  Headgear, e.g. helmet, spectacles · CPC title

• F21V23/0471

  the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person · CPC title

• F21V21/084 Primary

  Head fittings · CPC title

• F21W2131/20

  Lighting for medical use · CPC title

• F21V23/0442

  activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors · CPC title