Eyewear spectacle with audio speaker in the temple

Abstract

Audio eyewear includes a front frame and at least one side frame member secured to the front frame for engaging a user's ear. The side frame members have speakers therein that are oriented to direct an audio port of the speaker face downwardly at an angle away from at least one side frame member, thereby directing sound downwardly and rearwardly into the users ear generally along the vertical plane. Embodiments of the invention include microphones for use in, for example, noise cancellation.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 912,844, filed on Dec. 6, 2013. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 780,108, filed on Mar. 13, 2013. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 839,211, filed on Jun. 25, 2013. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 839,227, filed on Jun. 25, 2013.[0002]This application is being co-filed on the same day, Feb. 14, 2014, with “Eye Glasses With Microphone Array” by Dashen Fan, Attorney Docket No. 0717.2220-001. This application is being co-filed on the same day, Feb. 14, 2014, with “Sound Induction Ear Speaker For Eye Glasses” by Dashen Fan, Attorney Docket No. 0717.2221-001. This application is being co-filed on the same day, Feb. 14, 2014, with “Noise Cancelling Microphone Apparatus” by Dashen Fan, Attorney Docket No. 0717.2216-001.[0003]The entire teachings of the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]The present invention has many advantages. For example, the eyewear spectacle of the invention is relatively compact, unobtrusive, and durable. Further, the device and method can be integrated with noise cancellation apparatus and methods that are also, optionally, components of the eyewear itself. In one embodiment, noise cancellation apparatus, including microphones, electrical circuitry, and software can be integrated with and, optionally, on board the eyewear worn by the user. In another embodiment, microphones mounted on board the eyewear can be integrated with the speakers and with circuitry, such as a computer, receiver or transmitter to thereby process signals received from an external source or the microphones, or to process and transmit signals from the microphone, and to selectively transmit those signals, whether processed or unprocessed, to the user of the eyewear through the speakers mounted in the eyewear. For example, human-machine interaction through the use of a speech recognition user interface is becoming increasingly popular. To facilitate such human-machine interaction, accurate recognition of speech is useful. It is also useful as a machine that can present information to the user through spoken words, for example by reading a text to the user. Such a machine output presentation facilitates hands-free activities of a user, which is increasingly popular. Users also do not have to hold a speaker or device in place, nor do they need to have electronics behind their ear, or earbuds blocking their ear. There are also no flimsy wires, and users do not have to tolerate the skin contact or pressure associated with the bone conduction speakers.

Problems solved by technology

However, the aforementioned techniques all have drawbacks, namely, they are either bulky, cumbersome or unreliable.

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