Patent Publication Number: US-2013241927-A1

Title: Computer device in form of wearable glasses and user interface thereof

Description:
The current application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/504,210, filed 3 Jul. 2011, incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of computer devices and user interface thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to a user interface for a computer device that is configured as wearable glasses. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The term user interface refers to facilities and functionality for allowing interaction between a human user and a computerized machine. The purpose of a user interface is to allow a human user to monitor and/or control the computerized machine. For these purposes, a user interface may include inputting facilities such as keyboard and mouse, and/or to display the output from the computer, such as video signals and audio signals. 
     Video glasses (also known as data glasses or visor) are a recently developing output facility. It comprises two displays, embedded in a glasses form device. Thus, a user that wears video glasses can watch a video display, such as a movie. Video glasses are common as an output device for video games and military simulators. However, when a human user wears such glasses there is an obstacle to using a keyboard with hands or to perform other tasks, as this video glasses block the vision their through. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art. 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to facilitate the reading to follow, the following terms are defined: 
     The terms “desktop computer”, “computer device” or shortly “computer” refer herein to any computer that employs a user interface comprising an output facility such as a display and input facility in the form of an alphanumeric keyboard, whether real or virtual. 
     The present invention relates to a computer device that is configured as wearable glasses and a user interface thereof, which comprises:
         at least one transparent optical lens adapted to display, whenever desired, visual content on at least a portion of said lens, for enabling a user wearing said glasses to see said visual content, wherein said lens enables a user to see there through, in an optical manner, also a real-world view;   a wearable frame for holding said lens; and   a portable computerized unit for generating said visual content and displaying or projecting said visual content on said portion, wherein said computerized unit is embedded within said frame or mounted thereon.       

     According to an embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises a keyboard substitute which includes: a virtual keyboard ( 20 ) (and/or other virtual input device, such as a computer mouse) displayed on said portion; and at least one sensor ( 14 ) for indicating the state and position of each of the fingers of a user, with reference to an image that represent said virtual keyboard; thereby providing a user interface in the form of video glasses for the computer device. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least one sensor ( 14 ) is embedded within a glove ( 12 ). 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises built-in earphones ( 60 ), connected to the wearable frame, for being used as an output facility of the computer device. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises a microphone ( 24 ) embedded in the wearable frame, for being used as an input facility to the computer device. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises a pointing device (e.g., in form of a computer mouse or trackball) in a wired or wireless communication with the portable computerized unit. 
     According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a substantial part of the circuitry of the portable computerized unit is embedded in an external device, wherein said external device is connected to said computer device via a wired or wireless communication channel (e.g., I/O port, USB connection, Bluetooth, etc.). 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the computer device may further comprise circuitry and/or computer code for analyzing human speech and translating thereof to computer instructions. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the computer device enable to see their through, in a digital manner, a real-world view (e.g., a camera allows to take a video stream and display or superimpose it on the lens). 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device adapted to generate stereoscopic images (i.e., a different image is displayed to each eye), thereby allowing presenting 3D images. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises a projector ( 22 ), for projecting visual content generated by the portable computerized unit on an essentially flat surface in front of the computer device. According to an embodiment of the invention, the projected visual content includes at least one virtual input device such as a virtual keyboard and/or a virtual computer mouse. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises at least one sensor for indicating the state and position of each of the fingers of a user, with reference to the projected virtual input device(s). 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprise an I/O port (e.g., a USB connector and circuitry), for allowing connecting additional peripherals to said computer device (e.g., via the portable computerized unit). 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises a memory slot ( 30 ) and circuitry, for allowing connecting a memory ( 28 ), such as a an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information, to said computer device. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises at least one camera (whether stills or video), for inputting video signals. According to one embodiment of the invention the camera is a rear camera (i.e., internal camera) for transmitting multimedia information that shows at least portion of the face of the user wearing the computer device. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device further comprises a cellular module (e.g., a cellular telephone circuitry), embedded in the wearable frame, thereby providing said computer device the ability of cellular communication (e.g., allowing using the computer device as a cellular telephone). 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, the computer device is powered by one or more rechargeable batteries, wherein said batteries can be recharged by solar energy via solar panel or manually via a charger with manual hand ankle. 
     The reference numbers have been used to point out elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments and features of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings: 
         FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a computer device that is configured as wearable glasses and a user interface thereof, according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  schematically illustrates peripheral devices that can be connected to the computer device of  FIG. 1 , according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  schematically illustrates further peripheral devices that can be connected to the computer device of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  schematically illustrates a usage of the computer device of  FIG. 1  as a part of a cellular telephone, according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail. 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a computer device  10  that is configured as wearable glasses and a user interface thereof, according to one embodiment of the invention. The computer device  10  comprises: at least one transparent optical lens  11 , a wearable frame  13  for holding lens  11  and a portable computerized unit  15 . 
     The at least one transparent optical lens  11  adapted to display, whenever desired, visual content on at least a portion of lens  11 , for enabling a user wearing the computer device  10  to see the visual content on the portion of the lens  11  that is directed to the user&#39;s eyes. In addition, lens  11  enables the user to see there through, in an optical manner, also a real-world view. The lens  11  is used as a display of the computer device  10 . 
     Portable computerized unit  15  is used for generating the visual content and for displaying or projecting the generated visual content on the portion of lens  11 . Portable computerized unit  15  can be embedded within the wearable frame  13  or mounted thereon as shown in the figures. According to one configuration (not illustrated), the portable computerized unit is embedded in the wearable frame  13 . Of course, such configuration requires ultimate minimization of the components thereof. The ear bars of the wearable frame  13  may be used as housing for batteries. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, portable computerized unit  15  may include all the computer&#39;s components (e.g., graphic card, CPU, memory, etc.) required for generating the visual content and for displaying or projecting the generated visual content on the portion of lens  11 . In this embodiment, portable computerized unit  15  combines the computer&#39;s components (e.g., in a suitable circuitry form) into the same wearable frame  13  that holds the lens  11 . As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, portable computerized unit  15  may combine only part of the computer&#39;s components, as described in further details hereinafter. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, substantial part of the circuitry of the portable computerized unit  15  is embedded in an external device (not shown). The external device is connected to the computer device  10  (i.e., to the corresponding circuitry of the portable computerized unit  15  that remains embedded with frame  13 ) via a wired or wireless communication channel (e.g., I/O port, USB connection, Bluetooth, etc.). For example, the external device can be implemented as a portable device (e.g., a desktop computer embedded in a chip in a similar manner as shown with respect to a portable device  34  in  FIG. 3  hereinafter), or as a connection box (e.g., similar to a desktop computer  26  as shown with respect to  FIG. 3  hereinafter). 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the computer device  10  further comprises a keyboard substitute which includes: a virtual keyboard ( 20 ) displayed on the portion of lens  11  (or projected as described hereinafter in further details with respect to projector  22  of  FIG. 4 ), and at least one sensor ( 14 ) for indicating the state and position of each of the fingers of a user&#39;s hand ( 16 ), with reference to an image that represent the virtual keyboard  20 . The keyboard substitute can provide a user interface in the form of video glasses for the computer device  10 . As per the keyboard, as a user may not see the real world through prior-art video glasses, a “real” keyboard (i.e., tangible keyboard) cannot be useful. 
     For example, as a substitute to a real keyboard, computer device  10  displays (or projects) a virtual keyboard  20  and at least one virtual glove  18  (or alternatively other virtual pointing device, such as a virtual computer mouse). In addition, the user wears a real glove  12  on his palm, which comprises sensors  14  on each of the fingers thereof, for sensing (a) the state of each of the fingers of the glove, and (b) the absolute and/or relative position of each of the fingers thereof with reference to an imaginary keyboard (not illustrated). 
     As the user moves glove  12  with reference to the imaginary keyboard, the virtual glove  18  imitates this movement. As a user “hits” by the finger of the glove (e.g., performs a sudden movement downwards), the computer interprets this event as hitting the key of the virtual keyboard  20  at which the virtual finger of virtual glove  18  points. The display of the virtual glove  18  may animate the key hit, e.g., by a blink. 
     The imaginary keyboard may be embodied as a landmark device  62  placed in front of the user. The landmark device  62  and the glove  12  comprise circuitry for indicating the location of each of the sensors  14  on the glove  12  with reference to the landmark device  62 . 
     It should be noted that if the landmark device  62  would have been a part of the computer device  10 , the mechanism for indicating the location and state of each of the sensors  14  on the fingers of the glove  12  would have been more complicated, as the computer device is not stationary. A landmark device  62  placed in a stationary location simplifies the mechanism. 
     Although in the figures only one glove is displayed, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, two gloves can be used, as typing on a keyboard is usually effected by two hands. Alternatively, the user may use sensors  14  without gloves (e.g., a sensor implemented as a wearable finger ring). 
       FIG. 2  schematically illustrates peripheral devices that can be connected to the computer device  10 , according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     The computer device  10  may comprise built-in earphones  60 , connected to the ear bars of frame  13 . 
     Additionally or alternatively, the computer device  10  may comprise external earphones  44  connected to the computer device  10  through a corresponding connector  52  embedded within frame  13 . 
     The computer device  10  may also comprise a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector  36 , through which a USB camera  42  and the like can be connected. 
     Glove  12  can communicate with the computer device  10  by Bluetooth communication  48 . 
     Computer device  10  can be connected to a wireless network  50 , to a laptop computer  46 , and so on. 
       FIG. 3  schematically illustrates further peripheral devices that can be connected to the computer device  10 , according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     A slot  30  on the frame of computer device  10  may be used for connecting external memory to computer device  10 , and also therefrom (e.g., via a wired or wireless communication link) to a desktop computer  26  thereof. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, computer device  10  further comprises a camera (whether stills or video), for inputting video signals. In this figure, an Internet camera  32  and built-in microphone  24  are connected to the front of the computer device  10 , thereby allowing transmitting multimedia information sensed by the individual wearing the computer device  10 . In other embodiment, an additional camera (not shown), can be connected to the internal side of computer device  10  (i.e., a rear camera), thereby allowing transmitting multimedia information that shows at least portion of the face of the individual wearing the computer device  10  (e.g., this can be used for videoconferencing). 
       FIG. 3  also schematically illustrates some configurations of a desktop computer system that employs the computer device  10 . 
     According to a first configuration, the computer device  10  is a user interface output facility of desktop computer  26 . For this purpose, the computer device  10  is connected with desktop computer  26  via RF (Radio Frequency) signal  38 , such as Bluetooth communication, Wi-Fi communication, digital network interface for wireless High-Definition signal transmission (e.g., WirelessHD), and the like. Bluetooth is an open specification for short-range wireless communication between various types of communication devices, such as cellular telephones, pagers, hand-held computers, and personal computers. In such configuration, the display of the desktop computer  26  can be replaced by the computer device  10 . For example, the such configuration can be used as media streaming system, where multimedia content from desktop computer  26  streamed to computer device  10 . 
     According to a second configuration, the desktop computer system is a portable device  34 , which connects to the computer device via USB connector  36 . In such configuration, device  34  can be used instead of the portable computerized unit  15  of  FIG. 1 . 
     According to a third configuration (not illustrated), the desktop computer is embedded in the wearable frame  13 . Of course, such configuration requires ultimate minimization of the components thereof. The ear bars of the wearable frame  13  may be used as housing for batteries. According to one embodiment, the batteries can be recharged by solar energy via solar panel (not shown) or manually via a charger with manual hand ankle such as the Sony CP-A2LAS Charger. 
     According to a fourth configuration (not illustrated), the computer device  10  is connected to desktop computer  26  by wired communication means. 
       FIG. 4  schematically illustrates a usage of computer device  10  as a part of a cellular telephone, according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     A cellular telephone circuitry (not illustrated) is embedded in the frame  13  of computer device  10 . The cellular telephone circuitry uses the display of computer device  10  (i.e., lens  11 ), built-in microphone ( 24 ) and built-in earphones ( 60 ). Thus, a user wearing computer device  10  can engage in a cellular telephone conversation with a user of cellular telephone  54 . 
     The cellular telephone embedded in computer device  10  communicates with cellular telephone  54  via cellular network  56 . 
     Actually, cellular telephones are presently designed to perform operations of desktop computing, and vice versa. As such, there is no point in distinguishing between a cellular telephone that provides only telephone functionality and a cellular telephone that also provides functionality of a desktop computer. 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, computer device  10  may further comprise a projector ( 22 ), for projecting the visual content generated by the portable computerized unit  15  on an essentially flat surface (e.g., movies, media files or documents in front of the computer device). For example, in such configuration the computer device  10  can be used as a media streamer. Projector  22  may also be used to project visual content such as images that simulate the required devices to operate computer application manually, such as a virtual computer mouse (not shown), the virtual keyboard  20  described hereinabove with respect to  FIG. 1 , etc. For example, designated software adapted to recognize the user&#39;s hand(s) or fingers in a surface defined as an auxiliary device surface can be used. This can be done by using motion sensors backed by a configuration recognition software and/or surface locating and mapping for surface part software, while addressing the location of the projected virtual mouse (or virtual keyboard) and translating them for various operations commands for the computer device  10 . 
     In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals have been mentioned:
     numeral  10  denotes computer device in form of wearable glasses, used as a computer and a display thereof;   numeral  11  denotes a transparent optical lens;   numeral  12  denotes a glove having thereon sensors  14 ;   numeral  13  denotes a wearable glasses frame;   numeral  14  denotes a sensor (either on a finger of glove  12  or not), used for indicating the position (i.e., on which key of a keyboard it points) and state (pressed or not) thereof;   numeral  15  denotes a portable computerized unit;   numeral  16  denotes a user&#39;s hand;   numeral  18  denotes a virtual glove (or palm) displayed on a display of computer glasses  10 ;   numeral  20  denotes a virtual keyboard displayed on a display of computer glasses  10 ;   numeral  22  denotes a projector, for projecting the content displayed on the display of computer glasses  10 , on a flat surface;   numeral  24  denotes a microphone embedded in a frame of computer glasses  10 ;   numeral  26  denotes a desktop computer;   numeral  28  denotes a memory card;   numeral  30  denotes a slot and circuitry, through which a memory can be added to a desktop computer connected to or embedded in the computer glasses  10 ;   numeral  32  denotes an Internet camera;   numeral  34  denotes a desktop computer embedded in a chip, such as a smart card;   numeral  36  denotes a USB connector in a frame of computer glasses  10 ;   numeral  38  denotes an RF (Radio Frequency) signal, such as a Bluetooth signal;   numeral  40  denotes an RF transceiver;   numeral  42  denotes a camera;   numeral  44  denotes external earphones connected to computer glasses  10  through a corresponding connector  52 ;   numeral  46  denotes a laptop computer, connected to computer glasses  10 ;   numeral  48  denotes a Bluetooth communication signal;   numeral  50  denotes a wireless network;   numeral  52  denotes an earphones connector;   numeral  54  denotes a cellular telephone;   numeral  56  denotes a cellular network;   numeral  58  denotes a cellular transceiver, embedded in computer glasses  10 ;   numeral  60  denotes built-in earphones; and   numeral  62  denotes a landmark device to be placed in front of a user.   

     The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form. 
     Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition. 
     The reference numbers in the claims are not a part of the claims, but rather used for facilitating the reading thereof. These reference numbers should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any form.