Patent ID: 12216338

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with some examples, an eyewear device is described that includes a tether capable of power transmission, data transmission, or both. The tether attaches to the temples of the eyewear and passes behind the head of the user when worn to create power or data connections between the left and right sides of the eyewear to supplement or replace power or data transmission between the left and right sides of the eyewear through the frame. Electronics positioned in the left/right sides of the eyewear include, by way of non-limiting examples, batteries, light emitting diodes (LEDs), cameras, speakers, microphones, or other electro-mechanical component necessary. The tether enables power/data to flow between electronics positioned in a left side of the eyewear (e.g., left half of frame or respective temple) and a right side of the eyewear (e.g., right half of frame or respective temple) without having to go through the bridge area of the frame, thereby freeing designers from mechanical constraints, which expand aesthetic options. Additionally, the tether creates manufacturing options. The tether may include a flexible PCB (FPC) or ribbon cable connecting the two sides around the wearer's head from the back. The FPC or cable may additionally include a sheath, e.g., of fabric, woven fabric, flexible plastic, or rubber) to protect the FPC or cable from environmental conditions, as well as prevent it from kinking and damaging the electrical traces/wires/components on the FPC. These and other examples are described below.

Numerous specific details are set forth herein by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.

FIG.1depicts an example eyewear device100. The eyewear device100includes a frame102, a first temple104aextending from a first edge110aof the frame102, a second temple104bextending from a second edge110bof the frame102, and a tether106coupling the first temple104ato the second temple104b. The tether106can provide power, data, and synchronization signal transmission between the temples104.

The frame102supports one or more optical elements108within a field of view of a user/wearer when worn by the user. As used herein, the term “optical elements” refers to lenses, transparent pieces of glass or plastic, projectors, screens, displays and other devices for presenting visual images or through which visual images may be perceived by a wearer. The frame102includes a bridge112for receiving a nose of the wearer. The frame102supports two optical elements108, one on each side of the bridge112. The frame102additionally supports a first camera114aand a second camera114bfor capturing images/video.

The first temple104aincludes a proximate end116aadjacent a first edge110aof the frame102and a distal end118a. Likewise, the second temple104bincludes a proximate end116badjacent a second edge110bof the frame102and a distal end118b. In an example, the first temple104ais coupled to the first edge110aof the frame102(e.g., by an articulated joint/hinge) and the second temple104is coupled to the second edge110bof the frame102in the same manner. In another example, the temples104are integrally formed with frame102.

In an example, the frame102and temples104are constructed of a plastics material, cellulosic plastic (e.g., cellulosic acetate), an eco-plastic material, a thermoplastic material, or the like. Core wires (not shown) may be embedded within the frame102or temples104. The core wires provide structural integrity and act as a heat sink to transfer heat generated by electronic components (described below) with the frame/temples to reduce the likelihood of localized heating adjacent electronic components. The core wires may be constructed of a relatively flexible conductive metal or metal alloy material such as one or more of an aluminum, an alloy of aluminum, alloys of nickel-silver, and a stainless steel, for example. In other examples, the frame102, temples104, or both are formed substantially of metal or a metal alloy.

FIG.2Adepicts a front view of the frame102. The frame102includes a transmission line200. The transmission line200includes one or more conductive lines (e.g., traces on a flexible printed circuit board) extending through the bridge112between electronic components (e.g., cameras114and associated processing circuitry) adjacent the edges110of the frame102. In some examples, all power and communications between the edges110of the frame102pass through the temples104(FIG.1). In these examples, the transmission line200may be omitted.

FIG.2Bis a top view of the frame102. The frame102supports electrical/electronic components202aand202bnear respective edges110aand110bof the frame. Example components202includes cameras114, projectors, indicators, processors, memory, transceivers (TX/RX, with both TX and RX combined in a single component or implemented as separate components), etc. Suitable cameras, projectors, indicators, processors, memory, and TX/RXs will be understood by one of skill in the art from the description herein. In an example, the processors are configured to communicate with one another through the transceivers via the tether.

The frame102supports a first hinge component204aand a second hinge component204bfor mating with hinge components on respective temples104. The frame102additionally includes a first electrical contact206aand a second electrical contact206b. The first electrical contact206ais coupled to transmission line200and components202aand the second electrical contact206bis coupled to transmission line200and components202b. The electrical contacts are configured and positioned to engage mating electrical contacts (contacts304;FIG.3) on the respective temples104when the temples104are rotated about the hinges204in a wearable condition.

FIG.3depicts an example temple104. The temple104includes a transmission line300including one or more conductive lines (e.g., traces on a flexible printed circuit board) extending through the temple104. The temple104also includes a mating hinge component302configured to mate with respective hinge components204on the frame102and a fitting306(e.g., magnetic or friction fit component) configured and positioned to physically engage an end of the tether106. The temple104additionally includes an electrical contact304coupled to the transmission line300adjacent the proximate end116of the temple104and an electrical contact308coupled to the transmission line300adjacent the distal end118of the temple104such that the electrical contacts304/308are interconnected via the transmission line300.

In the illustrated example, the mating hinge component302and electrical contact304are configured and positioned such that electrical contact is established between the contact206of the frame and the contact304of the temple104when the temple104is rotated into a wearable condition about the hinge components204/302. In alternative examples, the electrical contacts206/304may be interconnected by a ribbon cable or other conductor such that they are in contact in both the wearable condition and a folded condition. Additionally, althoughFIGS.1,2A,2B, and3show electrical/electronic components202positioned in and supported by the frame102, some or all of the electrical/electronic components202may be positioned in and supported by the temples104. Furthermore, although one transmission line and contact is illustrated, additional transmission lines and contacts may be present (e.g., a power transmission line/contact, a ground transmission line/contact, a positive (+) data transmission line/contact, a negative (−) data transmission line/contact, and a clock synchronization transmission line/contact).

FIG.4Adepicts a cross-section of an example tether106. The tether106includes a sheath400. The sheath400may be flexible material such as fabric, woven fabric, flexible plastic, or rubber, to protect transmission lines surrounded by the sheath400. A first connector402aof the tether106is positioned on the sheath400adjacent a first end of the tether106, e.g., to engage a fitting306of a temple104of an eyewear device100. Likewise, a second connector402bof the tether106is positioned adjacent on the sheath400adjacent a second end of the tether106, e.g., to engage a fitting306of the other temple104of the eyewear device100.

The tether106includes five transmission lines404a-esurrounded by the sheath400. Each transmission line404a-eincludes respective first electrical contacts406a-eadjacent a first end of the tether106for engaging corresponding contacts308of a temple104and respective second electrical contacts408a-efor engaging corresponding contacts308of the other temple104. A first transmission line404amay be a power transmission line, a second transmission line404bmay be a ground transmission line, a third transmission line404cmay be a positive (+) data transmission line, a fourth transmission line404dmay be a negative (−) data transmission line, and a fifth transmission line404emay be a clock synchronization transmission line. More or fewer transmission lines may be included within the sheath400.

The electrical contacts304/306may be grouped within a connector. The connector may be a standard connector such as a universal serial bus (USB) type B or type C connector or a proprietary connector. The corresponding connectors308of the temples104are configured to mate with the connectors of the tether106.

In one example, the tether106is permanently affixed to the temples104. In accordance with this example, the contacts may be the transmission line carrying the power/signal. In other examples, at least one of the ends of the tether106may be removed from a respective temple104. In accordance with this example, the tether can be completely removed or one end of the tether106may be removed to expose the corresponding contacts, e.g., for providing access for charging electrical/electronic components within the eyewear temple104or frame102.

FIG.4Billustrates another example tether106. The illustrated tether106includes a first tether portion106aand a second tether portion106b. The two portions may include mating connectors410a/410b(e.g., magnetic or friction fit for interconnecting the sheath400) and respective contacts414a-e/416a-efor interconnecting the transmission lines. The electrical contacts414a-e/416a-emay be grouped within mating connectors, e.g., standard connector such as USB type B or type C connector or a proprietary connector. In accordance with this example, a portion of the tether106a, bmay be permanently fixed to the respective temples104and connected/disconnected by the wearer to facilitate putting on and removal of the eyewear device100.

FIGS.5-7depict example methods500for identifying proper installation of a tether for the eyewear device100. Although shown as occurring serially, the blocks ofFIGS.5-7may be reordered or parallelized depending on the implementation. Additionally, one or more of the blocks may be omitted. Furthermore, although the methods are described with reference to the eyewear device100described herein, the methods may be implemented using other eyewear devices.

At block502, detect tether connection to the eyewear device. In an example, a processor (e.g., processor822or processor832;FIG.8) detects connection of the tether (e.g., the first mating connector of the tether to a first connector of a temple of the eyewear). The processor detects the connection responsive to a signal from a connector in the temple adjacent the distal end of the temple. In one example, the detector may be electro-magnetic detector that detects a change in the magnetic field when the mating connector of the tether is brought into contact with the temple. In another example, the detector may be a pair of wires that are interconnected to complete a circuit when the mating connector of the tether is brought into contact with a connector in the temple. In accordance with this example, the processor may periodically measure resistance and detect connection when the measured resistance matches a known value or may periodically send a signal and detect connection when a responsive signal is received.

FIG.6depicts an example method for detecting connection of a tether in the method ofFIG.5. At block602, a connection signal is generated. A detector (such as an electromagnetic sensor) positioned adjacent the distal end of a temple may generate a signal when the tether is brought into contact with the tether in the vicinity of the detector. At block604, receive the connection signal. The processor of the eyewear device may receive the generated connection signal from the detector. At block606, compare the connection signal to a known affirmative connection value or range of values. The processor may compare the connection signal to a value or range of values stored in a memory accessible to the processor. At block608, identify the tether is connected responsive to a match with the affirmative connection value or range of values. The processor may identify the connection in response to identifying a match with the affirmative connection value or range of values.

Referring back toFIG.5, at block504, send a communication signal from the first side of the eyewear device to the tether. In an example, the processor in a first side of the eyewear (e.g., the left or the right side) sends (via a corresponding transceiver) to the tether, a communication signal responsive to detection of the connection of the tether.

At block506, receive the communication signal at the second side of eyewear device from the tether. In an example, the processor in a second side of the eyewear (e.g., the right or the left side) receives (via a corresponding transceiver) the communication signal from the tether.

At block508, send a responsive communication from the second side of the eyewear to the tether. In an example, the processor in the second side sends (via the corresponding transceiver) a responsive communication to the tether. In accordance with this example, the processor processes and compares the received communication signal from the first side of the eyewear, generates a responsive communication, and sends the responsive communication.

At block510, receive the responsive communication at the first side of eyewear device from the tether. In an example, the first processor in the first side receives (via the corresponding transceiver) the responsive communication from the tether.

At block512, process the responsive communication to identify proper installation of the tether. In an example, the first processor processes the responsive communication from the tether to identify proper installation. Identification of proper installation may include comparing the responsive communication to an anticipated communication value(s) (blocks702;FIG.7) and identifying proper installation of the tether if there is a match between the responsive communication and the anticipated communication values(s) (block704). If there is not a match between the responsive communication and the anticipated communication values(s) it may be determined by the processor that the installation was unsuccessful/improper.

At block514, notify the user of the proper installation of the tether. In an example, the processor controls the notifications to the user. Notification of proper installation may include illuminating a green LED on the eyewear or the tether, verbally presenting dialog such as “tether properly installed” via a speaker (not shown), or presenting an image or text indicating proper installation on the optical element108. Notification of improper installation may also be presented. Notification of improper installation may include illuminating a red LED, verbally presenting dialog such as “tether not properly installed” via a speaker (not shown), or presenting an image or text indicating improper installation on the optical element108.

FIG.8depicts a high-level functional block diagram including example electronic components disposed in the eyewear device100. The illustrated electronic components include a processor832and a memory834, which includes static memory, dynamic memory, or a combination thereof. Each side of the eyewear device100may include one or more of the electronic components. Some of the components (such as a processor) may or may not be present in both sides while other components (such as wireless circuitry) may or may not be present only in one side.

Memory834includes instructions for execution by processor832to implement functionality of eyewear device100including instructions for processor832to detect connection of a tether and identify proper installation of the tether. Processor832receives power from battery (not shown) and executes instructions stored in memory834, or integrated with the processor832on-chip, to perform functionality of eyewear device100such as image processing for optical element108, controlling operation of eyewear device100, and communicating with external devices via wireless connections.

The eyewear device100may form part of a system800by communicating with a mobile device890and a server system898connected via various networks. Mobile device890may be a smartphone, tablet, laptop computer, access point, or any other such device capable of connecting with eyewear device100using both a low-power wireless connection825and a high-speed wireless connection837. Mobile device890is connected to server system898and network895. The network895may include any combination of wired and wireless connections.

Eyewear device100includes at least two visible light cameras114A, B (one associated with the left side and one associated with the right side). Eyewear device100further includes two optical elements108A, B (one associated with the left side and one associated with the right side) and an indicator840such as one or more light emitting diodes (LED). Eyewear device100also includes image display driver842, image processor812, low-power circuitry820, and high-speed circuitry830. The components shown inFIG.8for the eyewear device100are located on one or more circuit boards, for example a PCB or flexible PCB, in the temples. Alternatively, or additionally, the depicted components can be located in the housings, frames, hinges, or bridge of the eyewear device100. Left and right visible light cameras114A, B can include digital camera elements such as a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, charge coupled device, a lens, or any other respective visible or light capturing elements that may be used to capture data, including images of scenes with unknown objects.

As shown inFIG.8, high-speed circuitry830includes high-speed processor832, memory834, and high-speed wireless circuitry836. In the example, the image display driver842is coupled to the high-speed circuitry830and operated by the high-speed processor832in order to drive the left and right optical elements108A, B. High-speed processor832may be any processor capable of managing high-speed communications and operation of any general computing system needed for eyewear device100. High-speed processor832includes processing resources needed for managing high-speed data transfers on high-speed wireless connection837to a wireless local area network (WLAN) using high-speed wireless circuitry836. In certain examples, the high-speed processor832executes an operating system such as a LINUX operating system or other such operating system of the eyewear device100and the operating system is stored in memory834for execution. In addition to any other responsibilities, the high-speed processor832executing a software architecture for the eyewear device100is used to manage data transfers with high-speed wireless circuitry836. In certain examples, high-speed wireless circuitry836is configured to implement Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)802.11communication standards, also referred to herein as Wi-Fi. In other examples, other high-speed communications standards may be implemented by high-speed wireless circuitry836.

Low-power wireless circuitry824and the high-speed wireless circuitry836of the eyewear device100can include short range transceivers (Bluetooth™) and wireless wide, local, or wide area network transceivers (e.g., cellular or WiFi). Mobile device890, including the transceivers communicating via the low-power wireless connection825and high-speed wireless connection837, may be implemented using details of the architecture of the eyewear device100, as can other elements of network895.

Memory834includes any storage device capable of storing various data and applications, including, among other things, color maps, camera data generated by the left and right visible light cameras114A, B and the image processor812, as well as images generated for display by the image display driver842on the optical elements108. While memory834is shown as integrated with high-speed circuitry830, in other examples, memory834may be an independent standalone element of the eyewear device100. In certain such examples, electrical routing lines may provide a connection through a chip that includes the high-speed processor832from the image processor812or low-power processor822to the memory834. In other examples, the high-speed processor832may manage addressing of memory834such that the low-power processor822will boot the high-speed processor832any time that a read or write operation involving memory834is needed.

Server system898may be one or more computing devices as part of a service or network computing system, for example, that include a processor, a memory, and network communication interface to communicate over the network895with the mobile device890and eyewear device100. Eyewear device100may be connected with a host computer. For example, the eyewear device100is paired with the mobile device890via the high-speed wireless connection837or connected to the server system898via the network895.

Output components of the eyewear device100include visual components, such as the left and right optical elements108A, B (e.g., see-through display, a display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), a light emitting diode (LED) display, a projector, or a waveguide). The optical elements108may be driven by the image display driver842. The output components of the eyewear device100further include acoustic components (e.g., speakers), haptic components (e.g., a vibratory motor), other signal generators, and so forth. The input components of the eyewear device100, the mobile device890, and server system898, may include alphanumeric input components (e.g., a keyboard, a touch screen configured to receive alphanumeric input, a photo-optical keyboard, or other alphanumeric input components), point-based input components (e.g., a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a joystick, a motion sensor, or other pointing instruments), tactile input components (e.g., a physical button, a touch screen that provides location and force of touches or touch gestures, or other tactile input components), audio input components (e.g., a microphone), and the like.

Eyewear device100may optionally include additional peripheral device elements. Such peripheral device elements may include biometric sensors, additional sensors, or display elements integrated with eyewear device100. For example, peripheral device elements may include any I/O components including output components, motion components, position components, indicators, or any other such elements described herein.

For example, biometric components may be used to detect expressions (e.g., hand expressions, facial expressions, vocal expressions, body gestures, or eye tracking), measure biosignals (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, perspiration, or brain waves), identify a person (e.g., voice identification, retinal identification, facial identification, fingerprint identification, or electroencephalogram based identification), and the like. The motion components include acceleration sensor components (e.g., accelerometer), gravitation sensor components, rotation sensor components (e.g., gyroscope), and so forth. The position components include location sensor components to generate location coordinates (e.g., a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver component), WiFi or Bluetooth™ transceivers to generate positioning system coordinates, altitude sensor components (e.g., altimeters or barometers that detect air pressure from which altitude may be derived), orientation sensor components (e.g., magnetometers), and the like. Such positioning system coordinates can also be received over wireless connections825and837from the mobile device890via the low-power wireless circuitry824or high-speed wireless circuitry836.

According to some examples, an “application” or “applications” are program(s) that execute functions defined in the programs. Various programming languages can be employed to create one or more of the applications, structured in a variety of manners, such as object-oriented programming languages (e.g., Objective-C, Java, or C++) or procedural programming languages (e.g., C or assembly language). In a specific example, a third party application (e.g., an application developed using the ANDROID™ or IOS™ software development kit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendor of the particular platform) may be mobile software running on a mobile operating system such as IOS™, ANDROID™, WINDOWS® Phone, or another mobile operating systems. In this example, the third-party application can invoke API calls provided by the operating system to facilitate functionality described herein.

The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises or includes a list of elements or steps does not include only those elements or steps but may include other elements or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

Unless otherwise stated, any and all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. Such amounts are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain. For example, unless expressly stated otherwise, a parameter value or the like may vary by as much as ±10% from the stated amount.

In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various examples for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed examples require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, the subject matter to be protected lies in less than all features of any single disclosed example. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as separately claimed subject matter.

While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best mode and other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that they may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present concepts.