Hardware architecture for modular eyewear systems, devices and methods

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods for providing a reconfigurable component for an eyewear device are taught. A reconfigurable component for use in an eyewear device includes an embedded electronic system. The embedded electronic system is configured for wireless communication and processing sensor signals. The embedded electronic system is embedded in a component of the eyewear device. A plurality of sensors are embedded in one or more of the reconfigurable component and the eyewear device. The plurality of sensors are in electrical communication with the embedded electronic system. The embedded electronic system further includes a processor. The processor is configured to receive outputs from the plurality of sensors and determine a system control parameter based on an output of at least one of the plurality of sensors.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 16 / 711,340, filed on December 11, 2019, entitled "MODULAR EYEWEAR SYSTEMS, APPARATUS, AND METHODS." This patent application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 778,709, filed on December 12, 2018, entitled "MODULAR EYEWEAR SYSTEMS WITH INTERCHANGEABLE FRAME AND TEMPS WITH EMBEDDED ELECTRONIC DEVICES FOR MOBILE AUDIOVISUAL AUGMENTATION AND ASSISTANT REALITY." The reference to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 778,709, entitled "MODULAR EYEWEAR SYSTEMS WITH INTERCHANGEABLE FRAME AND TEMPS WITH EMBEDDED ELECTRONIC DEVICES FOR MOBILE AUDIOVISUAL AUGMENTATION AND ASSISTANT REALITY," is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This patent application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 873,889, filed on July 13, 2019, entitled "WEARABLE DEVICE APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHODS." The entirety of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 873,889, entitled "Wearable Device Apparatus, Systems, and Methods," is hereby incorporated by reference. The entirety of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 711,340, entitled "Modular Eyewear Systems, Apparatus, and Methods," is hereby incorporated by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates generally to eyewear devices, and more particularly to apparatus, methods, and systems for providing information to a user via a modular eyewear device. Background Art

[0004] Modern life moves at a fast pace. An individual is often constrained by time and he or she is often in situations where both hands are occupied and information is not available. This poses problems. Currently available glasses, such as prescription glasses for reading or prescription sunglasses, are expensive and cannot be easily reconfigured to suit the needs of different users. This poses problems. Personalized sound delivery is usually accomplished through closed in-ear devices called headphones or earbuds. Such devices block the ear canal and prevent the user from hearing far-field sounds. This poses problems. Therefore, there are problems that require technical solutions that use technical means that produce technical effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The best understanding of the present invention may be obtained by referring to the following description and accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments of the present invention. The present invention is described by way of example in various embodiments and is not limited by the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements.

[0006] Figure 1is a schematic diagram of a modular reconfigurable eyeglass system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0007] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a reconfigurable component for an eyewear device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a plurality of reconfigurable components for an eyeglass device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another reconfigurable modular eyewear system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 5 According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 Perspective and top views of the modular eyewear system.

[0011] Fig. 6A is a schematic diagram of a system structure for a modular eyewear device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 6B According to an embodiment of the present invention Fig. 6A Schematic diagram of a wireless network corresponding to the system structure for a modular eyewear device.

[0013] Figure 7 According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 Schematic diagram of another system structure of the modular eyewear device.

[0014] Figure 8 is a block diagram of a temple insertion module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a modular eyewear device equipped with a rear neck module assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Fig.10 is a perspective view of a rear neck module assembly configured with a wearable device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram of interlockingly coupling temples to temples according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Fig.12 is a schematic diagram of coupling the rear neck module assembly with the electronic devices contained in the temple according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Fig.13 Schematic diagram of combining a rear neck module assembly with temple electronic components according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Fig.14 is a schematic diagram of a user interface on a rear neck module assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Fig.15 is a block diagram of a back neck electronic unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Fig.16 is a schematic structural block diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Fig.17 is a schematic structural block diagram of wake-up control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Fig.18 4 is a schematic diagram of button operation states according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Fig.19 4 is a schematic diagram of the operation state of the touch sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Fig. 20 4 is a schematic diagram of the operation state of the proximity sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figures 21A-21D is a schematic diagram of the positions of buttons according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In the following detailed description of multiple embodiments of the present invention, reference is made to multiple drawings, in which similar reference numerals indicate similar elements, and specific embodiments in which the present invention can be practiced are shown in the drawings by way of illustration. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present invention. In other examples, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques are not shown in detail to avoid blurring the understanding of this specification. Therefore, the following detailed description will not be understood as limiting, and the scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, methods, devices, and systems are described for providing modularity of eyewear systems for users. As described in the following embodiments, various combinations and configurations of electronic devices are described as being incorporated into eyewear devices. Configurations of certain electronic devices are removably coupled to eyewear devices. In some embodiments, configurations of electronic devices are built into eyewear devices. In other embodiments, the rear neck module assembly is detachably coupled to the eyewear device. In various embodiments, the modular reconfigurable eyewear device provides information to the user through the eyewear device. As described in the embodiments, the information includes streaming audio in the form of music, and the information also includes biological parameters of the user (e.g., physiological biometrics, biomechanics, etc.), such as but not limited to: heart rate, breathing rate, posture, number of steps, rhythm, etc. The information also includes information of interest to the user, such as but not limited to: information of the vehicle the user is using, such as: bicycle revolutions per minute (RPM), engine parameters such as RPM, oil pressure, cooling water temperature, wind speed, water depth, air speed, etc. In various embodiments, the information is presented to the user through, for example, an audio broadcast heard by the user and a video broadcast played on a display seen by the user on the eyewear device, or an image projected onto the user's pupil. Therefore, within the scope of the embodiments taught herein, the information will have a broad meaning.

[0030] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a modular reconfigurable eyewear system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 , the modular eyeglass device shown in the perspective view is represented by 100. The modular eyeglass device 100 has a frame 102. In various embodiments, the frame 102 is ophthalmologically constructed to provide a rim portion that supports lenses 120 and lenses 122. Lenses 120 and 122 can provide any function provided by the eyeglass device, such as but not limited to, safety glass lenses, prescription lenses, sunglass lenses, welding glass lenses, etc. The eyeglass device can also include a single lens instead of the double lenses shown in the figure. In some embodiments, a nose pad is provided to provide a cushion for the contact area with the user's nose. In some embodiments, the nose pad is made of a flexible material such as silicone rubber.

[0031] Temple 104 (left temple) and temple 114 (right temple) are coupled to frame 102. Temples 104 and 114 may be flexibly coupled to frame 102 by hinges as shown, or temples 104 and 114 may have a fixed orientation relative to frame 102.

[0032] In various embodiments, one or more temples (104 and 114) and the frame 102 may be equipped with electronic devices as described below. In view 100, the left temple insert module (TIM) 106 is configured with the left temple 104, and the right temple insert module (TIM) 116 is configured with the right temple 114. The temple insert modules (TIMs) are described more fully below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Continue to refer Figure 1 , a modular eyewear device is represented by 130 in a perspective view. The frame 132 is ophthalmologically configured to surround the lens 140 and the lens 142 with a frame edge, thereby fixing the lens 140 and the lens 142 thereon. The brow bar 146 is fixed to the frame 132 in various ways by assembly fasteners, adhesives, etc. The temple 144 includes a left temple connector 152, which is rotatably coupled to the left frame connector 150. The left frame connector 150 and the left temple connector 152 together form a rotatable mechanical and electrical connection between the frame 132 and the left temple 144, thereby providing one or more electrical pathways to connect the frame 132 to the left temple 144. Similarly, the right temple 134 is rotatably coupled to the frame 132 by the right hinge assembly 148.

[0034] It should be noted that in some embodiments, the modular eyewear device is configured so that each temple can be removed from its hinge via an electrical / mechanical connector having one or more electrical contacts, which are not shown for clarity of illustration. These electrical contacts can be made using, for example, pins, points, pads, slots, contact devices, etc. For example, the line indicated by 154 demarcates the boundary where the right temple connector is assembled with the right temple 134. Similarly, the line indicated by 156 demarcates the boundary where the left temple connector 152 is assembled with the left temple 144.

[0035] By providing an electrical / mechanical connector between each temple, such as 134, 144, and the frame 132, the temple can be interchangeable with the eyeglass device. This function allows the user to interchange one temple with another temple. Different temples can be configured to have different electronic devices to provide different functions as described herein. Any temple can be configured to adapt to various electronic device configurations. For example, in one or more embodiments, the right interchangeable temple accommodates an electronic component, which may include a biosensor, a biomechanical sensor, a vehicle sensor, an environmental sensor, a temperature sensor, an acoustic sensor, a motion sensor, a light sensor, a touch sensor, a proximity sensor, a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a rotation sensor, a magnetic field sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a cable, a microphone, a micro speaker, a power source (battery), a camera, a micro display, a head-up display (HUD) module, a multi-axis inertial measurement unit, and a wireless communication system. It should be noted that the TIM may also include the above-mentioned electronic components and sensors. In various embodiments, one or more wireless communication systems are provided that use, for example, near field communication (NFC) using the Industrial-Scientific-Medical (ISM) 13.56 MHz frequency, Adaptive Network Topology (ANT) ANT+ wireless standards, wireless communication using the Bluetooth standard, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard, wireless communication using the Wi-Fi standard, and wireless communication using mobile phone standards, such as 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, etc. standards or other wireless standards. In some embodiments, the electrical path from the electronic device is led from the temple through the sheath cavity, then into the temple sheath and continued into the brow bar sheath cavity. The right interchangeable temple includes a hinge connector 148, which is fixed to the brow bar 146 and the frame 132.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the right interchangeable temple is secured to the front of the frame by a hinge connector that allows power and data to be transferred to the left interchangeable temple through a modular brow bar. The hinge connector mechanically interlocks with the frame and allows power / data connection to the electrical pin conductor. In one or more embodiments, when in the open orientation for wearing, the hinge connector senses the open state of the device, allowing power or data transfer. When in the closed position (the temples are folded inward), the hinge connector, combined with signals received from one or more proximity sensors and motion sensors, will allow the system to sense the user-device interaction state and shut down power or data transfer. This feature reduces power consumption when folding and stowing, and can automatically power on when the user wears the device on his or her head. In addition to switchable data or power transmission, the hinge connector can also provide a flexible circuit and a wired micro connector to provide stable, uninterrupted power and / or data transmission.

[0037] In some embodiments, it is convenient to route electrical pathways within the volume of the brow bar 146. In some embodiments, the brow bar 146 is configured to provide a channel along its length in which the electrical pathways are routed. Therefore, the brow bar 146 provides one or more sheaths, channels, etc., along its length, in which electrical pathways and sensors can be contained. Examples of electrical pathways are, but are not limited to: wires, printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuit boards, etc. In various embodiments, it is preferred to mount one or more sensors to the brow bar 146 to form an electrical subassembly for the frame 132. In some embodiments, additional electrical pathways from the frame 132 are connected to the electrical pathways contained in the brow bar 146. In some embodiments, a flexible electronic circuit is attached to the lower top surface of the brow bar and is led out of the brow bar via the left and right sheath cavities. Alternatively, or in combination, a fully embedded flexible electronic device can be cast into the brow bar, and integrated contact points can be led out of the brow bar near each hinge. These integrated contact points located on both sides of the brow bar allow data or power to be transmitted when in contact with the integrated contact points of the left and right temples. In addition to facilitating connection to electronics, the brow bar can also conceal an optional pupil module via a fixed flange and allow the user to view the microdisplay through the brow bar pupil hole.

[0038] In a similar manner, the left temple is configured as a left interchangeable temple, connected to the front frame of the glasses via a left hinge connector. In various embodiments, the left interchangeable temple may include the same electronic device configuration / functionality as the right interchangeable temple, or the interchangeable temple may include a different electronic device configuration and different functionality.

[0039] Continue to refer Figure 1, the left temple 164 and the right temple 174 are configured as shown at 160. Each of the temples 164 and 174 contains an electronic device that is configured to provide information and functions to the user of the eyeglass system. As shown at 160, the left temple 164 has a temple door (not shown), which is removed to expose the electronic assembly represented by 186. The temple door protects the electronic device from environmental exposure and hazards. For specific applications, the temple door is fastened to the temple assembly using a suitable mechanical fastener. In some embodiments, the temple door provides a level of water intrusion through the IP code from the international protection mark IEC standard 60529. The power supply (battery) is represented by 184, and the audio speaker and port are represented by 182. The audio speaker and port 182 are generally located at the end of the temple, and in some embodiments are integrated directional projection speakers that can privately direct sound to the user's ears. The projection stereo speaker can transmit various audio signals to the user, such as but not limited to voice prompts, streaming music, smart audio assistance, data, etc. It is worth noting that the projection speaker design does not block the user's ears. Therefore, the user can hear far-field sound, and the sound quality of this far-field sound is not degraded as when using currently available earbud headphones that block the user's ears.

[0040] The right temple 174 is also provided with an electronic assembly (not shown), which is contained in the right temple 174. The right temple is provided with an audio speaker having an audio speaker port 184, which can be an integrated directional projection speaker. In one or more embodiments, the right temple 174 is configured to accommodate an external assembly 190 including a microdisplay assembly 192. Similarly, the left temple can also be configured for the external assembly 190 and the microdisplay assembly 192.

[0041] In various embodiments, the microdisplay assembly, such as 192, is a head-up display (HUD) pupil TM The optical module contains the optical devices, electronic devices and micro displays that constitute the optical system. The pupil mechanism can also accommodate cables, flexible circuit boards or wires that are led out of the housing and into the electronic device contact paths. In one or more embodiments, these electrical paths are connected to one side of the left temple 174 to enable the user to have a transparent head-up display external accessory to enhance the visual component of the mobile reality experience.

[0042] In one or more embodiments, the wiring leading out from the brow bar is hidden in the left and right sheaths of the temples and enters the left and right temples through the sheath cavities, thereby protecting the wiring from environmental hazards. The vicinity of the contact point passage can also accommodate a movement mechanism for customizing the pupil distance of the head-up micro-display module.

[0043] In various embodiments, the front frame portion, such as 102 or 132 ( Figure 1 ) or any similar structure in the following figure, and right and left temple portions, such as 104, 114, 134, 144, 164, 174 ( Figure 1 ) or any similar structure in the figure below, can be part of a set of interchangeable front frame parts and temple parts, each of which has the same or different combinations of devices, accessories, capabilities and / or functions. At least one of an electronic board, a microphone, a speaker, a battery, a camera, a head-up display module, a wireless Wi-Fi radio, a GPS chipset, an LTE cellular radio, a multi-axis inertial measurement unit, a motion sensor, a touch sensor, a light and proximity sensor, etc. can be included in the desired combination. It can further include an electronic device that allows a user to perform at least one of the following: wirelessly connect to a cellular service, a smart phone, a smart watch, a smart bracelet, a mobile computer, and a sensor peripheral device. The electronic device can further include the following capabilities: viewing a perspective augmented reality image through a modular head-up display (HUD), providing stereo audio content, and providing voice and audio notifications including music through one or more integrated projection micro speakers. The front frame electrical contact means and the temple electrical contact means may include electrical contacts located in or near the respective hinge connectors for removable electrical contact with each other to electrically transmit at least one of: power, electrical signals and data between the temple portion and the front frame portion when the contacts are in an electrically closed position. In some embodiments, when assembled together, the front frame hinge connector, the front frame electrical contact means, the temple hinge connector and the temple electrical contact means may form an electromechanical hinge, hinge connector, assembly or device. In some embodiments, the system power can be turned off by folding the temple portion into a storage position thereby disconnecting the contacts.

[0044] In some embodiments, at least one of the front frame electronics and the temple electronics may include a battery, a camera, a heads-up display module, a controller, digital storage electronics, a CPU, a projected micro speaker, a microphone, a wireless Wi-Fi radio, a GPS chipset, an LTE cellular radio, a multi-axis inertial measurement system or unit, and at least one of a sense, motion, touch, light, proximity, temperature and pressure sensor, etc.

[0045] In some embodiments, at least one temple may include a temple module insert (TIM) containing selected temple electronics mounted thereon. In other embodiments, a neck smart cord is electrically connected to the back neck electronics module. The neck smart cord has right and left connectors or connector ends for mechanically and / or electrically interconnecting the back neck electronics module with the right and left temples of the eyewear device.

[0046] Figure 2According to an embodiment of the present invention, a reconfigurable component for an eyewear device is shown. Figure 2 At 200 in the figure, a joint 204 is provided on the temple 202. In the description of the present embodiment, the temple insert module indicated by 210 is referred to as a "TIM", which is configured to be detachably coupled to the joint 204 of the temple 202. As shown by arrows 212a and 212b, the TIM 210 is installed in the temple 202. In various embodiments, the joint 204 is implemented by a mechanical connection, such as but not limited to: press fit, clips, mechanical interlocking, hooks and loops, magnetic surfaces, external clamps of the temple, flanges and mechanical connections with the temple, etc. In other embodiments, the joint 204 and the TIM 210 utilize a magnetic surface, thereby fixing the TIM 210 by magnetic force. The appearance of the joint shown at 204, as well as the appearance of any joint shown elsewhere in the drawings given herein, is for illustration only and does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present invention. In the view shown in 200 , the TIM 210 is only mechanically connected to the temple 202 , and there is no electrical connection between the TIM 210 and the temple 202 .

[0047] In some embodiments, a speaker and a speaker port 214 are provided on the TIM 210, which may be a miniature projection speaker. The speaker provides information to the user through audio broadcasting. It should be noted that the speaker provided herein is a speaker located outside the user's ear, and therefore does not insert into the user's ear like an insert earplug. The TIM 210 is configured with an electronic component that includes a processor, a memory, a power supply, and one or more wireless communication protocols that enable the TIM 210 to communicate 222 wirelessly with one or more devices 220. The device 220 may be an external sensor, such as, but not limited to: a biosensor or a vehicle sensor, a local user device, a network node, such as a wireless router, a remote network or a remote user device such as a mobile phone accessed through a network. The following is a more comprehensive description of different sensors, networks, and remote devices in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0048] follow Figure 2In the structure shown by 200, in some embodiments, a second temple and a second TIM are provided. The two TIMs in such a system can participate in wireless communication between the device 220 and between themselves as needed to provide a certain degree of design functionality to the user. For example, in one embodiment, the left TIM includes a wireless network capability that is sufficient to communicate with the remote device 220 using a first network protocol. In addition, the left TIM and the right TIM have wireless network capabilities that support communication using a second network protocol. In order to save power, the first network protocol has a greater range than the second network protocol because the distance between the left TIM and the remote device is greater than the separation distance between the left TIM and the right TIM (nominal The width of the user's head). The structure represented by 200 is called true wireless because there is no wired connection between the left TIM and the right TIM. In one or more embodiments, an audio stream is provided from a user device to the first TIM using a first wireless network. Then, a second wireless audio stream is provided from one TIM to another TIM using a second wireless network so that the audio stream is provided to each of the left and right projection speakers of the eyeglass device.

[0049] As described in conjunction with the figures herein, the temples and TIMs described at 200 provide a reconfigurable assembly for an eyeglass device. The front end 206 of the temple 202 engages with the frame of the eyeglass device as described above, with or without a connector between the temple and the frame. Thus, depending on the intended design of the eyeglasses, the temple 202 can achieve a fixed position relative to the frame, or the temple can be rotatably coupled to the frame.

[0050] refer to Figure 2250, a junction 254 is provided on the temple 252. The temple insertion module TIM at 260 is configured to be detachably coupled to the junction 254 of the temple 252. As shown by arrows 262a and 262b, the TIM 260 is installed in the temple 252. In various embodiments, the junction 204 is implemented by a combination of electrical and mechanical connections. The mechanical connection can be as described in combination 210 / 204, for example but not limited to: press fit, clip, mechanical interlock, hook and loop, etc. In other embodiments, the junction 254 and the TIM 260 utilize magnetic surfaces, thereby fixing the TIM 260 by magnetic force. For illustration, a plurality of electrical contacts 280 are provided, but this is not meant to be limiting. The electrical contacts 280 cooperate with corresponding electrical contacts in the temple 252 to provide an electrical connection with one or more electrical paths (not shown) in the temple 252. The electrical pathways within the temple 252 facilitate electrical connection between the TIM 260 and one or more sensors 272 and 274, which may also represent sources of signals provided to a display. The sensors 272 and 274 may be acoustic sensors, such as microphones or any of the sensors described herein, for use in conjunction with electronic components configured with the eyewear device. In one or more embodiments, one or more of 272 and 274 provide signals to a display, such as a HUD.

[0051] In some embodiments, a speaker and speaker port 264 are provided on the TIM 260, which may be a miniature projection speaker. The speaker provides information to the user through open-ear audio broadcasting.

[0052] follow Figure 2 The structure shown by 250 in some embodiments provides the following Figure 3 The second temple and the second TIM shown. The two TIMs in such a system participate in wireless communication between the device 220 and between themselves as needed to provide a certain degree of design functionality to the user. As described in conjunction with the figures herein, the temple and TIMs described at 250 provide a reconfigurable component for the eyeglass device. For example, the front end 256 of the temple 252 engages with the frame of the eyeglass device as described above, with or without a connector between the temple and the frame. Therefore, depending on the established design of the eyeglasses, the temple 252 can obtain a fixed position relative to the frame, or the temple can be rotatably connected to the frame.

[0053] Figure 3 According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of reconfigurable components for eyewear devices are indicated by 300. Figure 3 300 of them come from Figure 2 The left reconfigurable assembly 250 is shown with a companion right reconfigurable assembly for an eyewear device. The right temple 352 has Figure 3360 is configured to be detachably coupled to the joint of the temple 352. As shown by arrows 362a and 362b, TIM 360 is coupled to the temple 352. In various embodiments, the joint of the temple 352 is realized by a combination of electrical and mechanical connection. The mechanical connection can be provided in combination with 210 / 204 as described above, such as but not limited to: press fit, clip, mechanical interlock, hook and loop, etc. In other embodiments, the joint of the temple 352 and TIM 360 utilize magnetic surfaces, thereby fixing TIM 360 by magnetic force. For illustration, multiple electrical contacts 380 are provided, but this does not mean limitation. The electrical contacts 380 cooperate with corresponding electrical contacts in the temple 352 to provide electrical connection with one or more electrical paths (not shown) in the temple 352. The electrical pathways within the temple 352 facilitate electrical connections between the TIM 360 and one or more sensors 372 and 374. The sensors 372 and 374 can be acoustic sensors, such as microphones or any of the sensors or displays described herein, for use in conjunction with an electronic assembly configured with the eyewear device. In various embodiments, the TIM 360 is configured with an electronic assembly that includes a processor, a memory, a power supply, and one or more wireless communication systems that use a protocol that enables the TIM 360 to wirelessly communicate with one or more devices 220 as shown by the wireless transmission at 222. In addition, the TIM 360 and the TIM 260 can be configured to have wireless communication capabilities that allow wireless communication between the TIMs as shown by the wireless transmission at 382. In some embodiments, a speaker and speaker port 364 are provided on the TIM 360, which can be a miniature projection speaker. The speaker provides information to the user through an audio broadcast.

[0054] refer to Figure 3 390, a schematic diagram of the electrical connections of each TIM 260 and TIM 360 is shown. TIM 260 is electrically coupled to sensor 272 via electrical pathway 394. Similarly, TIM 260 is electrically coupled to sensor 274 via electrical pathway 392. The connectivity shown between TIM 260 and each sensor constitutes a left temple electrical schematic diagram 384. It should be noted that the left temple electrical schematic diagram 384 can be more or less complex than shown. Therefore, the provision of the left temple electrical schematic diagram is only for illustration and is not intended to be limiting.

[0055] Similarly, TIM 360 is electrically coupled to sensor 372 via electrical pathway 398. TIM 260 is electrically coupled to sensor 374 via electrical pathway 396. The connectivity shown between TIM 360 and the sensors constitutes a right temple electrical schematic 386. It should be noted that the right temple electrical schematic 386 can be more or less complex than shown. Therefore, the right temple electrical schematic is provided for illustration only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0056] The two TIMs in such a system participate in wireless communications between the devices 220 and between themselves as needed to provide a degree of designed functionality to the user. For example, in one embodiment, the left TIM includes wireless networking capabilities that are sufficient to communicate with the remote device 220 using a first network protocol. In addition, the left TIM and the right TIM have wireless networking capabilities that support wireless communications as shown at 382. The wireless communications 382 may be performed using a second network protocol that is different from the protocol used at 222. To save power, the first network protocol (222) has a greater range than the second network protocol (382) because the separation distance between the left TIM 260 and the remote device 220 is greater than the separation distance between the left TIM 260 and the right TIM 360, the latter being nominally the width of a user's head, while the former may be as far as the distance to a mobile phone cellular tower.

[0057] Figure 4 According to an embodiment of the present invention, another reconfigurable modular eyewear system is shown. Figure 4 , one or more of the sensors, power supply components and computing units are distributed throughout the eyeglass device, including throughout the frame such as 402. The frame 402 is ophthalmologically configured to surround the lens 440 with a frame edge, thereby fixing the lens 440 thereon. The left lens 404 is coupled to the frame 402 with the right lens 414, thereby forming the eyeglass device. The left lens 404 is configured to have a joint represented by 408. The left temple insert module (TIM) 406 is configured to engage with the joint 408 as described above, thereby providing mechanical and electrical connections between the TIM 406 and the temple 404. Similarly, as shown in the figure, the right temple 426 engages with the joint of the right temple 414. The TIM 406 includes an audio speaker and an audio port represented by 410, and the TIM 426 includes an audio speaker and an audio port represented by 430. In various embodiments, the audio speakers 410 and 430 are projection speakers. The eyewear device includes a plurality of sensors or displays, 462, 464, 466, 468 and 470, which are integrated into an electrical path that passes through the left temple 404 and then extends through the frame 402 to the right temple 414. In various embodiments, there may be more than Figure 4 More sensors or fewer sensors are shown. Figure 4 The sensors and sensor locations shown in are provided as examples only and do not constitute limitations on embodiments of the present invention. As described above in conjunction with the previous figures, at least one of the temple insert modules 406 and / or 426 is provided with a set of electronic devices necessary to provide the wireless connection 222 to the device 220.

[0058] In the eyeglass device 400, a high-level view of an electrical pathway diagram is shown at 480. Referring to 480, the left TIM 406 and the right TIM 426 are electrically coupled to sensors 462, 464, 466, 468, and 470 through electrical pathway elements 482, 484, 486, 488, 490, and 492. Electrical pathway elements, such as 484, electrically connect sensor 464. The components shown in 480 collectively provide a modular, reconfigurable set of components for the eyeglass device. In one or more embodiments, one or more acoustic sensors are located in at least one of the frame 402, the left temple 404, and the right temple 414. Thus, the acoustic sensor can be located anywhere on the temple (left or right) or the frame of the eyeglass device.

[0059] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 Generally, at 500, the Figure 4 Perspective and top views of the modular eyewear system. Figure 5 , a modular eyewear device is shown at 502 in a perspective view. A modular nose pad 504 is detachably coupled to the modular eyewear device 502, as shown at 506. The modularity of the nose pad allows the user to replace the nose pad to improve the fit between the eyewear and the user's nose and facial structure. Higher comfort can be achieved through the modularity of the nose pad of the eyewear device. In addition, other sensors, such as biosensors, can be disposed in the nose pad.

[0060] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 6A A system architecture for a modular eyewear device is shown generally at 600. Fig. 6AIn various embodiments, the modular reconfigurable eyewear device may include more than one wireless communication system. In various embodiments, the eyewear device 602 has a high-level block diagram structure as shown in 604. In various embodiments, the eyewear device 602 is configured to communicate with a wireless sensor 640 and a mobile device 670. The wireless sensor 640 may include a single sensor or multiple sensors. The wireless sensor 640 may include any one or more sensors listed herein without limitation. For example, the wireless sensor 640 may include a biometric sensor or a biomechanical sensor configured for use with a user, or a sensor configured for use with a vehicle or a building. Some examples of biosensors are, but are not limited to: a heart rate monitor, a perspiration sensor, a temperature sensor, etc. Some examples of vehicle sensors are, but are not limited to: a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a global positioning system signal, a vehicle engine parameter, a wind speed indicator, etc. Some examples of sensors used with buildings are, but are not limited to: a temperature reading of a thermostat, a water pressure value, etc. Some non-limiting examples of vehicles are, but are not limited to: a scooter, a bicycle, a car, a boat, a yacht, a ship, an airplane, a military vehicle, a wing suit, etc. In some embodiments, data is received from a special purpose network at 640 and / or 616. For illustration and not by way of imitation, an example of a special purpose network is the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) NMEA 2000 network, which is designed for vessels such as yachts (powered or sailing). NMEA 2000, also referred to in the art as "NMEA2k" or "N2K", is standardized as International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61162-1. NMEA 200 is a plug-and-play communication standard for connecting marine sensors and display units in ships, boats, yachts, etc. The mobile device 670 can be any one or more of the mobile devices listed herein without limitation. For example, the mobile device can be a mobile phone, a watch, a wristband, a bracelet, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a car computer, etc.

[0061] The eyewear device 602 has a high-level structure represented by 604, which includes a speaker 606, a central processing unit 608, a power supply 610, an acoustic sensor 608, a storage device 614, and a wireless communication system 616. The wireless communication system 616 may include one or more of the following wireless communication systems, for example, a near field communication system 618, a wireless communication system using a Bluetooth communication protocol 620, a wireless communication system using a Wi-Fi communication protocol at 624, and a mobile phone communication protocol 622. The wireless communication protocol indicated by LTE at 622 is given only as an example of a wireless device, and it does not constitute a limitation of the embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that one or more antennas are included in the wireless communication system block 616, but are not shown for clarity.

[0062] The wireless sensor 640 has a high-level structure represented by 642, which includes one or more sensors 644 and a wireless communication system 646. The wireless communication system 646 can be a low data rate communication system, such as a near field communication system, BLE, ANT+, or a similar system. Alternatively, the wireless communication system 646 can be provided as a higher data rate system required by the sensor 644.

[0063] The mobile device 670 has a high-level structure represented by 672, which includes a central processing unit 674, a power supply 676, a memory 678, and one or more wireless communication systems shown in block 680. The mobile device 670 can optionally be configured to reach a remote network shown in cloud 689. The wireless communication block 680 can include one or more of the following wireless communication systems, such as a near field communication system 682, a wireless communication system using a Bluetooth communication protocol 684, a wireless communication system using a Wi-Fi communication protocol at 686, and a mobile phone communication protocol at 688. The wireless communication protocol indicated by LTE at 688 is given only as an example of a communication system for a mobile device, and it does not constitute a limitation of the embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that one or more antennas are included in the wireless communication system blocks 680 and 642, but are not shown for clarity.

[0064] In some embodiments, the wireless sensor system 642 and the eyeglass device 602 are initially configured by a user of the mobile device 670 and the mobile device user interface, as shown in paths 652a and 652b. In operation, the eyeglass device 602 wirelessly receives data from an appropriate wireless communication system, such as a near field communication system 618, as shown in 650. The wireless data obtained from the wireless sensor system 642 can be transmitted to the user device 670 / 672 via another wireless communication system as shown in 654. The wireless communication shown in 654 can be completed with a higher data rate channel using, for example, the Bluetooth protocol at 620 / 684, or the Wi-Fi network protocol at 624 / 686, or the mobile phone communication protocol shown in 622 / 688. In various embodiments, the data transmitted from the eyeglass device 602 can be stored and analyzed on the user device 670 and have different applications.

[0065] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6B Generally shown at 690 is Fig. 6A The wireless network corresponding to the system architecture for the modular eyewear system in . Figure 6B, the wireless communication block 616 can be connected to multiple devices as shown. For example, one or more wireless sensors 640 can be connected to the wireless communication module 616 using a low data rate near field communication network as shown in 618. One or more user devices 670 can use the Bluetooth communication protocol as shown in 620 to communicate wirelessly with the wireless communication block. As shown in 624, one or more wireless nodes, such as the Wi-Fi node shown in 692, can communicate wirelessly with the wireless communication block 616. One or more remote networks 694 can use the cellular communication protocol as shown in 622 to communicate wirelessly with the wireless communication block 616. Therefore, the reconfigurable eyeglass device can include one or more wireless communication systems shown at 690. The eyeglass device can be reconfigured for different wireless communications by, for example, replacing one TIM module with another. Alternatively, one or more temples can be interchangeable with the above-mentioned frame to provide customized functionality to the eyeglass device.

[0066] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7 Generally shown at 700 is a Figure 4 Another system structure of the modular eyewear device in. Figure 7 , the wireless communication module 616 of the eyeglass device 602 can be configured to perform cellular communication directly via a mobile phone network without the need for a user device to act as an intermediary. For example, in 700, the eyeglass device 602 is configured to communicate with a remote device 702 through a wireless communication system 622, wherein the remote device 702 can be a mobile phone, thereby directly connecting to the remote device 702 through an external network shown in the cloud 704. No intermediate user mobile device is required to support such a communication line. This configuration of the eyeglass device allows a user of the eyeglass device to make a call from the eyeglass device with the help of an interface, such as a voice interface, one or more tactile interfaces similar to buttons, etc. The voice interface provides command and control of the phone call by converting the user's voice signal into a command that the device uses to cause the wireless network operation for the phone call. Examples of such commands are, but are not limited to: selecting a caller, making a call, turning up the volume, turning down the volume, ending the call, etc.

[0067] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 8 A block diagram of a temple insertion module (TIM) is shown generally at 800. Figure 8As used in the description of this embodiment, the TIM may be based on a device such as a computer, in which embodiments of the present invention may be used. The block diagram is a high-level conceptual representation that may be implemented in various ways and with various architectures. The bus system 802 interconnects a central processing unit (CPU) 804 (also referred to herein as a processor), a read-only memory (ROM) 806, a random access memory (RAM) 808, a memory 810, an audio 822, a user interface 824, and a communication 830. The RAM 808 may also represent a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or other form of memory. In various embodiments, the user interface 824 may be a voice interface, a touch interface, a physical button, or a combination thereof. It should be understood that a memory (not shown) may be included in the central processing unit block 804. The bus system 802 may be, for example, one or more such buses, such as a system bus, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI), an advanced graphics port (AGP), a small computer system interface (SCSI), an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard No. 994 (FireWire), a universal serial bus (USB), a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), an integrated circuit (I2C), etc. The central processor 804 may be a single, multiple, or even distributed computing resource. The memory 810 may be a flash memory, etc. It should be noted that, depending on the actual implementation of the TIM, the TIM may include some, all, more, or rearranged components in the block diagram. Therefore, Figure 8 Many variations of the system are possible.

[0068] A connection to one or more wireless networks 832 is obtained through communication (COMM) 830, which enables TIM 800 to wirelessly communicate with local sensors, local devices, and remote devices on remote networks. In some embodiments, 832 / 830 provides access to a remote speech-to-text conversion system, which can be located at a remote location such as a cloud-based system. 832 and 830 flexibly represent wireless communication systems in various implementations, and can represent various forms of telemetry, general packet radio service (GPRS), Ethernet, wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), Internet connection, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, ZigBee, infrared, Bluetooth, near field communication, mobile phone communication systems, such as 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, etc., and combinations thereof. In various embodiments, a touch interface is optionally provided at 824. Signals from one or more sensors are input to the system via 829 and 828. At 826, global positioning system (GPS) information is received and input to the system. Audio can represent a speaker, such as a projection speaker or projection micro speaker described herein.

[0069] In various embodiments, different wireless protocols are used in the network to provide the system described in the above-mentioned figures, depending on the hardware configuration. A non-limiting embodiment of the technology for wireless signal transmission is the Bluetooth wireless technology standard, which is also commonly referred to as the IEEE 802.15.1 standard. In other embodiments, a wireless signal transmission protocol called Wi-Fi is used, which uses the IEEE 802.11 standard. In other embodiments, the ZigBee communication protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard is used. These examples are given only for illustration, and they do not constitute limitations on different embodiments. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) are also used in different embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to the data communication protocols listed herein, and are easy to use with other data communication protocols not specifically listed herein.

[0070] In various embodiments, components in the system and the system described in the previous figures (e.g., temple insertion module (TIM)) are implemented in an integrated circuit device, which may include an integrated circuit package containing an integrated circuit. In some embodiments, the components in the system and the system are implemented in a single integrated circuit die. In other embodiments, the components in the system and the system are implemented in more than one integrated circuit die of an integrated circuit device, which may include a multi-chip package containing the integrated circuit.

[0071] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 9 A modular eyewear device equipped with a rear neck module assembly is shown. Fig. 9 , at 900, a back neck module assembly is mounted to a pair of passive glasses. Passive glasses mean that there are no electronics in the glasses. Alternatively, the glasses can be active or powered glasses, as described herein, configured with electronic components packaged into one or more temples or temple insert modules (TIMs). The glasses have a frame 902 including a lens 906. A left temple 904 and a right temple 914 are connected to the frame 902. The back neck module assembly includes a back neck electronic pod (ePOD) 924, a left temple interlock 920, a right temple interlock 922, a left smart cord 926, and a right smart cord 928. The left smart cord 926 electrically and mechanically couples the ePOD 924 to the left temple interlock 920, and the right smart cord electrically and mechanically couples the ePOD 924 to the right temple interlock 922.

[0072] The left temple interlock 920 includes an acoustic cavity, an audio speaker, and an acoustic port. The acoustic port of the left audio speaker is indicated by 930. The left smart cord 926 includes an electrical conductor that provides an audio signal to the audio speaker contained in the left temple interlock 920. In one or more embodiments, the audio speaker contained in the left temple interlock is a miniature projection speaker. Similarly, the acoustic port of the right audio speaker is indicated by 932. The right smart cord 928 includes an electrical conductor that provides an audio signal to the audio speaker contained in the right temple interlock 922. In one or more embodiments, the audio speaker contained in the right temple interlock is a miniature projection speaker.

[0073] In various embodiments, the ePOD 924 includes an electronics unit. The electronics unit includes the electronic components and functions described herein for the temple insert module (TIM). In other words, the electronics unit is a mechanical and electrical packaged TIM for the back neck module assembly.

[0074] Electronic units having different electronic configurations and functions can be swapped in and out of the ePOD similar to the way different TIMs are swapped in and out of the temples of an eyewear device.

[0075] At 950, length adjustment is provided to shorten or lengthen the right and left smart cords. A back neck electronic pod (ePOD) 954 is configured with a left smart cord 956 and a right smart cord 958 leading from the same end of the ePOD 954. This configuration of the smart cords 956 and 958 allows a slider 960 to be moved away from or toward the ePOD. Moving the slider 960 away from the ePOD 954 shortens the available free length of the smart cords 965 / 958. Moving the slider 960 toward the ePOD 954 increases the available free length of the smart cords 956 / 958.

[0076] In one or more embodiments, in operation, when in the "on" state, audio data is streamed to the electronic unit in the ePOD 924 and directed to the left speaker and the right speaker for broadcasting the audio data to the user when the rear neck module assembly is mounted on the eyewear device and the user wears the eyewear device.

[0077] Fig.10 A rear neck module assembly configured with a wearable device according to an embodiment of the present invention is generally shown in perspective view at 1000. Fig.10, a first sensor 1050 is shown on the ePOD 924. A second sensor 1052 is shown incorporated into the right temple interlock 922. A third sensor 1054 is shown incorporated into the left temple interlock 920. Sensors 1050, 1052, and 1054 can be any of the sensors previously described herein for use with a TIM or directly with electronics built into the temple.

[0078] exist Fig.10 In the illustrated embodiment, each temple interlock module, i.e., 920 and 922, includes a through hole into which the temple of the glasses is inserted. In this embodiment, the temple interlock modules 920 and 922 are made of a flexible material, such as an elastomer or rubber, which allows sufficient elongation to allow the temple to be inserted therein. For example, the left temple interlock 920 includes a through hole 1040 into which the left temple 904 is inserted. The right temple interlock 922 includes a through hole 1042 into which the right temple 914 is inserted. Each temple interlock 920 and 922 is located on a pair of compatible glasses so that each speaker port 930 and 932 is located in front of and close to the user's ear. Compatible glasses are glasses that are compatible with the mechanical attachment provided by the temple interlock.

[0079] Fig.11 An interlocking coupling of a temple to a temple according to an embodiment of the present invention is generally shown at 1100 and 1150. Fig.11 , a magnetic temple interlock is shown at 1100. The magnetic temple interlock includes a magnetic region 1108 on a temple 1102 of an eyeglass device. Temple interlock 1104 has a corresponding magnetic region 1106. In operation, magnetic regions 1106 and 1108 are brought together, thereby causing magnetic regions 1106 and 1108 to attract each other, thereby providing a clamping force between temple interlock 1104 and temple 1102. A port of an acoustic cavity containing a speaker is indicated by 1110.

[0080] Another clamping method is shown by 1150. The temple interlock 1152 includes a slot 1158 between a first side 1156a and a second side 1156b of the flexible material. The geometry of 1158, 1156a, and 1156b forms a U-shape into which the temple of the eyeglass device can be inserted. The elasticity of the material 1152 provides a removable coupling between the temple interlock 1152 and the temple of the eyeglasses (not shown). The acoustic port of the acoustic cavity that houses the speaker is shown by 1154.

[0081] Fig.12 Coupling the back neck module assembly to the electronics in the temple according to an embodiment of the present invention is generally shown at 1200. Fig.12, the back neck module assembly is coupled to the electronics contained in the temple. A portion of the back neck module assembly is shown as having a back neck electronic pod (ePOD) 1220, a left smart cord 1222, and a left temple interlock 1210. As previously described, any electronics contained in the temple can be directly contained in the temple without the temple insertion module (TIM). Alternatively, the electronics contained in the temple can be an electronics that is part of the TIM, optionally as shown in 1204. In either case, a plurality of electrical contacts are provided on the temple 1202, as shown in 1206. A corresponding number of electrical contacts 1208 are provided in the left temple interlock 1210. A mechanical interlock is provided between the temple 1202 and the left temple interlock 1210 so that the connection between 1210 and 1202 is detachably coupled. In one or more embodiments, a magnetic coupling is provided near or at a position of 1206 / 1208 to provide a detachable coupling.

[0082] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of combining a rear neck module assembly with temple electronics is generally shown at 1300 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.13 , the outline of the eyeglass device is represented by 1302. The eyeglass device 1302 contains electronic devices and / or electronic pathways in the left temple, the right temple and the frame. The outline 1302 includes the frame, the left temple and the right temple. In the system shown in the figure, the electronic pathway 1308 extends between the left temple and the right temple of the eyeglass device 1302.

[0083] The eyeglass device includes a left temple insert module (TIM) 1304 located at the left temple and a right temple insert module 1306 located at the right temple. A back neck module assembly configured with an electronic unit (ePOD) is represented by 1310. A left smart cord 1312 provides an electrical path between the ePOD 1310 and the left TIM 1304. A right smart cord 1314 provides an electrical path between the ePOD 1310 and the right TIM 1306. In various embodiments, both the left TIM 1304 and the right TIM 1306 are configured with one or more wireless communication network systems that allow wireless communication between the left TIM 1304 and the right TIM 1306, as shown in 1316. Remote device 1320 represents one or more wireless sensors or wireless user devices, as described above in conjunction with the aforementioned figures. Wireless communication 1322 is accomplished between the remote device 1320 and at least one of the left TIM 1304, the right TIM 1306, and the ePOD 1310. All of the above descriptions of electronic system functions with respect to the TIM are applicable to the ePOD, such as the ePOD 1310.

[0084] In some embodiments, the left temple is not electrically connected to the right temple, such as if electrical pathway 1308 were removed from the electrical schematic shown in 1300 .

[0085] Fig.14 A user interface on a rear neck module assembly is generally shown at 1400 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.14 , represented by 1402 as a back neck electronic pod (ePOD). The ePOD 1402 has a display interface 1404. In different embodiments, the display interface 1404 can be implemented in various ways. In some embodiments, the user interface is a tactile surface button. In some embodiments, the user interface is implemented using a touch screen, such as a capacitive touch screen that presents one or more controls to the user. In some embodiments, the user interface communicates information to the user. In other embodiments, the user interface communicates information to a person viewing the user interface 1404 from behind the user wearing the ePOD 1402. An example of this information is, but is not limited to, an emoticon, an emotional state, an icon, etc., as shown in 1406.

[0086] Fig.15 A block diagram of a neck back electronics unit is generally shown at 1500 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.15, as used in the description of this embodiment, the back neck electronic unit can be based on a device such as a computer, and the embodiment of the present invention can be used in this device. The block diagram is a high-level concept representation, which can be implemented in various ways and various architectures. The bus system 1502 interconnects a central processing unit (CPU) 1504 (also referred to as a processor), a read-only memory (ROM) 1506, a random access memory (RAM) 1508, a memory 1510, an audio 1522, a user interface 1524, and a communication 1530. RAM 1508 can also represent a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or other forms of memory. In various embodiments, the user interface 1524 can be a voice interface, a touch interface, a physical button, or a combination thereof. It should be understood that a memory (not shown) can be included in the central processing unit block 1504. The bus system 1502 may be, for example, one or more such buses, such as a system bus, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI), an advanced graphics port (AGP), a small computer system interface (SCSI), an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard No. 994 (FireWire), a universal serial bus (USB), a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), an inter-integrated circuit (I2C), etc. The central processor 1504 may be a single, multiple, or even distributed computing resource. The memory 1510 may be a flash memory, etc. It should be noted that, depending on the actual implementation of the TIM, the TIM may include some, all, more, or rearranged components in the block diagram. Therefore, Fig.15 Many variations of the system are possible.

[0087] A connection to one or more wireless networks 1532 is obtained through communication (COMM) 1530, which enables the TIM 1500 to wirelessly communicate with local sensors, local devices, and remote devices on remote networks. In some embodiments, 1532 / 1530 provides access to a remote speech-to-text conversion system, which can be located at a remote location such as a cloud-based system. 1532 and 1530 flexibly represent wireless communication systems in various implementations, and can represent various forms of telemetry, general packet radio service (GPRS), Ethernet, wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), Internet connection, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, ZigBee, infrared, Bluetooth, near field communication, mobile phone communication systems, such as 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, etc., and combinations thereof. In various embodiments, a touch interface is optionally provided at 1524. An optional display is provided at 1520. Signals from one or more sensors are input to the system via 1529 and 1528. At 1526, global positioning system (GPS) information is received and input to the system. The audio may represent a speaker, such as a projection speaker or projection micro speaker as described herein.

[0088] In various embodiments, different wireless protocols are used in the network to provide the system described in the above-mentioned figures, depending on the hardware configuration. A non-limiting embodiment of the technology for wireless signal transmission is the Bluetooth wireless technology standard, which is also commonly referred to as the IEEE 802.15.1 standard. In other embodiments, a wireless signal transmission protocol called Wi-Fi is used, which uses the IEEE 802.11 standard. In other embodiments, the ZigBee communication protocol based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard is used. These examples are given only for illustration, and they do not constitute limitations on different embodiments. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) are also used in different embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to the data communication protocols listed herein, and are easy to use with other data communication protocols not specifically listed herein.

[0089] In various embodiments, components in the system and the system described in the previous figures (e.g., the back neck electronic unit) are implemented in an integrated circuit device, which may include an integrated circuit package containing an integrated circuit. In some embodiments, the components in the system and the system are implemented in a single integrated circuit die. In other embodiments, the components in the system and the system are implemented in more than one integrated circuit die of an integrated circuit device, which may include a multi-chip package containing the integrated circuit.

[0090] In various embodiments, the description of the embodiments provided herein provides a reconfigurable component for a head wearable device. The reconfigurable components for the head wearable device include, but are not limited to, detachable temples, detachable temple insertion modules (TIMs), a rear neck module assembly, an electronic pod ePOD for the rear neck module assembly, and a detachable electronic unit for the ePODs.

[0091] Fig.16 According to an embodiment of the present invention, a schematic structural block diagram of a system architecture is generally shown at 1600. Fig.16 , embodiments of the present invention are applied to a system architecture customized for a head wearable device, such as, but not limited to, smart glasses or other eye-wearing devices or head-mounted devices. The system architecture described in conjunction with the following figures is used in conjunction with the reconfigurable components of the head wearable device, the reconfigurable components of the head wearable device including, but not limited to: removable temples, removable temple insertion modules (TIMs), a back neck module assembly, an electronic pod ePOD for the back neck module assembly, and a removable electronic unit for the ePODs, etc.

[0092] refer to Fig.16 , mobile communication unit (MCU), in Fig.16In the embodiment, an MCU with a digital signal processor (DSP) is shown by 1602. In various embodiments, the system 1600 includes one or more of the following submodules:

[0093] Central processing unit (CPU) + DSP chip 1634.

[0094] Voice wake-up chip 1608.

[0095] Universal Serial Bus (USB) for battery charging and signal path to connect to a computer or mobile device

[0096] Type A magnetic spring pin connector 1610.

[0097] Multi-function button 1614.

[0098] • A two-color light source, such as a light emitting diode (LED) (eg, red and blue) 1620 .

[0099] Stereo power amplifier 1630 for driving two speakers 1628.

[0100] Two microphones 1604 / 1606.

[0101] ·sensor:

[0102] οTouch sensor 1616.

[0103] οProximity sensor 1618.

[0104] o 6-axis sensor (3-axis accelerometer + 3-axis gyroscope) 1622.

[0105] o3-axis magnetometer 1620.

[0106] In some embodiments, the core of the hardware architecture is a single chip with a CPU, a digital signal processor, and a Bluetooth RF module inside the device. The CPU and DSP (1634) can be independent chips or integrated into a single chip. In some embodiments, the DSP is integrated into the CPU to reduce costs. Please note that the list of submodules given above is only for illustration, and the embodiment of the present invention may include more submodules or fewer submodules than listed above. The interfaces shown in this article, such as general purpose input and output (GPIO), IC (I2C), universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter (UART), etc., are shown by way of example and do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are easy to implement using different interface and bus standards.

[0107] The tasks of the CPU include task scheduling, GPIO control, sensor control data acquisition and processing, Bluetooth radio frequency (RF) management, and power management. In various embodiments, the DSP handles signal processing tasks such as noise cancellation, echo cancellation, crosstalk correction, and all time-consuming signal processing algorithms. The Bluetooth (BT) radio frequency module 1632 handles the BT wireless communication protocol. In some embodiments, in addition to the Bluetooth module 1632, a cellular communication module is added to provide direct cellular telephone communication from the system 1600 embedded in the head wearable device. In other embodiments, the Bluetooth module 1632 is replaced by a cellular communication module. Therefore, the system 1600 can have many different wireless communication configurations. The system 1600 can be configured to have various sensors, such as those listed below. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the system 1600 can be configured to have more or fewer sensors than the sensors listed below:

[0108] LED 1620 - via GPIO output pin.

[0109] • Button 1614—via GPIO input pin.

[0110] • Touch sensor 166—input and output pins via GPIOs.

[0111] Voice wake-up chip 1608—via GPIO and UART.

[0112] • Proximity sensor 1618—via I2C bus.

[0113] Microphone 1604 / 1606 & speaker 1628 —via analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 1640 and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 1636 .

[0114] · 6+3 axis sensors—via I2C bus.

[0115] Fig.17 According to an embodiment of the present invention, a schematic block diagram for wake-up control is shown. Fig.17 , the system 1702 will enter sleep mode 1704 to save battery power. The voice wake-up chip, such as 1608, is used to detect the wake-up word 1710 (e.g., "SOLOS" spoken by the user and received on the microphone, such as 1604). If the wake-up word 1710 is detected at 1608, the CPU / system is powered on and is transferred to the "Run" state as shown in 1706.

[0116] Combination Fig.16 and Fig.17The illustrated system 1700, 1702, or 1600 utilizes an embedded speech recognition system 1608. Examples of embedded speech recognition systems used in embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, embedded speech recognition systems from NUANCE such as VoCon Hybrid, or embedded speech recognition systems from other manufacturers. The data sheet for the NUANCE VoCon Hybrid included herein is provided in Appendix 1.

[0117] Also refer to Figure 16 to Figure 17 In operation, when idle, the system 1702 is in a "sleep" mode, however the DSPVoCon 1608 is always in an "on" state so that it can detect a wake-up word 1710 via input from a connected microphone 1604. When the DSP VoCon system 1608 detects the wake-up word 1710, a wake-up control signal 1714 is sent to change the system 1702 from the "sleep" mode 1704 to the "run" mode 1706.

[0118] The embedded speech recognition system 1608 is used to process the wake-up word 1710 and is also used to command and control the head wearable device based on the commands extracted from the user's voice.

[0119] In various embodiments, Fig.16 and / or Fig.17 The components in the illustrated system are implemented in an integrated circuit device, which may include: an integrated circuit package containing an integrated circuit. In some embodiments, the components in the system are implemented in a single integrated circuit die. In other embodiments, the components in the system are implemented in more than one integrated circuit die of an integrated circuit device, which may include: a multi-chip package containing the integrated circuit.

[0120] In various embodiments, the six (6) axis sensor shown at 1624 and the three (3) axis sensor shown at 1622 are used to perform navigation, tracking, and electronic compass functions. In one embodiment, for illustration only and not intended to be limiting, the sensor collects data on the following nine (9) axes (at a rate of 10 samples / second), which can be used by the mobile communication unit (MCU) 1602 to calculate the movement of the user's head. The nine (9) axis data includes, but is not limited to, acceleration data from an accelerometer measuring along the X, Y, and Z axes; gyroscope data from the X, Y, and Z axes; and magnetometer data from the X, Y, and Z axes. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the X, Y, and Z axes represent an orthogonal coordinate system. In some embodiments, these sensor data are used to track the movement trajectory of a user wearing a head wearable device.

[0121] Fig.18A state diagram of button operation according to an embodiment of the present invention is generally shown at 1800. A button such as Fig.16 1614 in is designed to support multi-purpose functions. In one or more embodiments, the functions supported by a single button, touch slider, and proximity sensor are described by way of example. Buttons, touch sensors, and proximity sensors may provide other functions. Different numbers of buttons, sliders, and sensors may also be provided in various embodiments to provide the desired functionality for a given head wearable device. The functions and state diagrams shown herein are provided as examples only and do not constitute limitations on embodiments of the present invention. The power on / off functions 1802 / 1804 are as follows:

[0122] a) Enter the power "on" state at 1802 by briefly pressing the "power button" for a predetermined time (in one or more embodiments, the predetermined time is two (2) seconds) until the "on" indicator light is activated. In one or more embodiments, the "on" indicator light is a blue light. In the "on" state 1802, the user can ask the system what the battery power level is through voice commands. For example, the system can be configured to return battery power levels quantized to different granularities. One example is quantization to three (3) battery power levels, namely, low, medium, and high. Other quantifications are also possible, and this example using three battery power levels is given for illustration only and is not meant to be limiting. Alternatively, the system can be configured to notify the user of the current battery power level through a machine-generated audible voice message.

[0123] b) Entering the power "off" state at 1804 by pressing and holding the "power button" for a predetermined time (in one or more embodiments, the predetermined time is three (3) seconds) until the "off" indicator light is activated. In one or more embodiments, the "off" indicator light is a red light. The system can be configured to notify the user that the system is powering down to the "off" state through a machine-generated audible voice message.

[0124] The pairing / unpairing functions 1806 / 1807 with a device such as a mobile phone are as follows:

[0125] i. Pressing the "power button" longer than the time required to enter the off state will cause the system to "pair" with the mobile device. For example purposes, 5 seconds is a suitable time to configure the system for "pairing", noting that 5 seconds is longer than the time required to turn the system into the off state (2 seconds). Therefore, in operation, the user presses the "power button" until the blue and red lights flash alternately, which will cause the system to pair with the mobile device, as shown in 1806. After pairing, the system will play a machine-generated voice prompt to inform the user that the pairing is successful. At 1807, the system can be turned into the "unpairing" state by pressing the power for a longer time than the time required for pairing. Therefore, at 1807, eight (8) seconds can complete the process of turning the system into the "unpairing" state. Different times can be selected, and those predetermined times given herein are given as examples only and do not constitute limitations on embodiments of the present invention.

[0126] ii. After the pairing is successful, the user can play music at 1808 and make a phone call at 1810 using the wireless connection between the head wearable device and the mobile phone or MCU (generally referred to as the device). If the connection fails, the head wearable device, such as smart glasses, will automatically turn off after a preset time. In one embodiment, the preset time is illustratively three (3) minutes.

[0127] iii. When music is playing through the smart glasses at 1808, a short press of the button will advance to the next song at 1812. In one embodiment, for illustration only, and not intended to be limiting, advancing to the next song requires a short press of the button for less than two (2) seconds.

[0128] iv. When there is an incoming call during music playing or when in idle state, a short press of the button for less than a predetermined time will answer the call at 1814. For the purpose of illustration, and not intended to be limiting, the predetermined time for a short press of the button is less than 2 seconds. If the user presses the button for more than the predetermined time, the call is rejected at 1816.

[0129] Fig.19 A state diagram of touch sensor operation is generally shown at 1900 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one or more embodiments, the touch sensor is configured to have concurrent "slider" and "click" functions. An example of a touch sensor is Fig.16 1616 of them.

[0130] In one or more embodiments, by way of example and not by way of limitation, the touch sensor supports two functions: touch slider, single click and double click operations. In other embodiments, the touch sensor may be configured to support more or less functions than those supported by the above sensors. Fig.19, shows a state diagram corresponding to the touch sensor operation. The volume control through the slider 1930 is configured on the eyeglass device 1940. The slider 1930 is configured to receive a "slide" input recorded by the user sliding a finger along the sensor area. In this example, the volume control has 8 levels (level 1...level 8). Depending on the direction of the "quick slide", the "quick slide" of the touch slider will increase or decrease the volume by 1 level. For example, if the current volume is at level 3, a quick slide forward 1952 / 1954 will increase the volume 1904, changing the volume from level 3 to level 4, where 1 represents the minimum volume and 8 represents the maximum volume. Similarly, a quick slide backward from level 3 will cause a decrease in the volume 1906, thereby changing the volume from level 3 to level 2.

[0131] A "slow slide" applied by the user to the touch slider means to continuously increase or decrease the volume. For example, if the current volume is at level 3, a slow slide forward to the end of the touch sensor area will increase the volume 1904, changing it from level 1 to level 8. A slow slide forward to the middle of the touch sensor area will increase the volume 1904, changing it from level 1 to level 4.

[0132] If the volume is at level 4, sliding 1962 / 1964 backwards slowly to the end of the touch sensor area will decrease the volume 1906, changing it from level 4 to level 1.

[0133] From the incoming call state 1920, sliding forward 1952 / 1954 results in answering the incoming call at 1924. From the incoming call state 1920, sliding backward 1962 / 1964 results in rejecting the incoming call at 1922.

[0134] A double click performed by the user on the touch slider area 1930 of the smart glasses 1940 is used to activate or deactivate the wake-up chip. In one or more embodiments, if the voice wake-up is in the "off" state, double clicking the touch slider area will turn the voice wake-up to the "on" state 1910. Similarly, if the voice wake-up is in the "on" state 1910, double clicking the touch slider area will turn the voice wake-up to the "off" state 1902.

[0135] In various embodiments, a single click is used to play music by changing the system to a music "playing" state 1902, or to enter a music "paused" state 1908, where music playback is paused while waiting for further input from the user. While in the "paused" state, a subsequent single click by the user returns control to the "playing" state and resumes music playback at 1902. Additional state changes are achieved by subsequent single clicks to transition back and forth between "playing" and "pausing" as needed.

[0136] Fig. 20 A state diagram of proximity sensor operation is generally shown at 2000 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In various embodiments, a proximity sensor (e.g., Fig.16 1618 in ) is used to detect whether the user is wearing a head wearable device or has taken off the head wearable device (glasses). In one example, for illustration only and not intended to be limiting, the logic of the sensor operation is as follows. If the output of the proximity sensor is "1", it means that the user is wearing glasses 2002. If the output of the proximity sensor is "0", it means that the user has taken off the glasses 2004.

[0137] The logic is configured to "turn off" the music playback when the user takes the glasses off the user's head. For example, if the user has put on the glasses 2002, the music will be controlled to "play" at 2006 through any of the sensors that control the music playback function described above. If the user takes off the glasses 2004, the proximity sensor will output "0", and when the "0" output continues for more than a predetermined time, the music will "stop" and the system will enter the "pause" state 2008 for music playback. In one or more embodiments, the predetermined time required for the music to stop playing is five (5) seconds. If the user puts on the glasses again, the music will resume the "playing" state 2006, in which case the output of the proximity sensor becomes "1".

[0138] If the glasses are away from the user's head for more than a predetermined time, the system is powered off at 2010 and enters an "off" state. In one or more embodiments, when the user is not wearing the glasses, the predetermined time required to shut down the system is ten (10) seconds or longer. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the predetermined times given above are examples and that different predetermined times may be used in various embodiments. The times selected in the examples given herein are not meant to be limiting.

[0139] FIG. 21A to FIG. 21D Shows the location of the touch sensor and multifunction button. Fig.21A , the eyewear device is shown in a perspective view from behind by 2102. The multi-function button 2106 is shown as being located on the underside of the right temple 2108. The touch sensor area 2104 is shown as being located on the outer surface of the right temple 2108. Both the multi-function button 2106 and the touch sensor area 2104 provide the functions described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0140] refer to Fig. 21B, the eyeglass device 2252 is shown in a front perspective view by 2200 and in a side view by 2275. A multi-function button 2276 is shown as being located on the underside of a right temple 2278 of the eyeglass device 2252. A touch sensor area 2254 is shown as being located on the outer surface of the right temple 2278. Both the multi-function button 2276 and the touch sensor area 2254 provide the functions described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0141] refer to Fig. 21C , an eyewear device is shown in side view by 2300. The touch sensor area 2304 is shown as a rectangular area on the outside of the right temple 2378. It is noted that the touch sensor area 2304 can be other shapes besides a rectangle. The rectangle 2304 is only used for illustration and is not intended to be limiting. The user slides forward or backward with finger 2306 to control the volume and starts clicking as described above in conjunction with the previous figures.

[0142] refer to Fig.21D , a glasses device 2402 is shown in side view by 2400. A multi-function button 2404 is shown on the underside of the right temple 2478. The user presses the button 2404 with a finger 2406 to control the functions in the glasses system in 2402 as described above in conjunction with the previous figures.

[0143] It should be noted that the multi-function button and / or touch sensor area may be located at other locations on the head wearable device, such as, for example, on the outer surface of the temple, on the top surface of the temple, or on the left temple.

[0144] For example, in one or more embodiments, the multi-function button is located on the top surface of the right temple. In use, the user grasps the right temple with two fingers, one finger is placed on the bottom surface of the temple, and the other finger is pressed against the top surface of the temple. For example, in one application scenario, the user places the thumb of the right hand against the underside of the right temple and the middle finger of the right hand on the top surface of the right temple to grasp the right temple. The user can operate the multi-function button with the index finger of the right hand. The multi-function button arranged in this way is set behind the plane of the front frame so that when the temple is grasped as described above, the button is aligned with the index finger of the user and can be operated by the index finger of the user.

[0145] In various embodiments, this arrangement of the multi-function button is easier to operate when the user is performing an activity such as riding a bicycle and the user is operating the multi-function button.

[0146] In some embodiments, raised, recessed, or otherwise shaped alignment marks are formed in the temple to serve as alignment locations for the position of one or more fingers of the user relative to the position of the multi-function button. Placing the multi-function button at a specified distance from the alignment location allows the user to quickly find the multi-function button when the glasses are worn on the user's head. In some embodiments, alignment is provided when the user grasps the temple with the thumb and middle finger at the junction of the temple and the front frame.

[0147] Although the multi-function button is shown on the right temple, the multi-function button may also be located on the left temple of the eyewear device. Left-handed users may prefer the multi-function button and touch sensor to be located on the left temple, while right-handed users may prefer the multi-function button and touch sensor to be located on the right temple. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention are configured in a button / temple configuration.

[0148] Posture Detection

[0149] In various embodiments, the hardware architecture includes the above-mentioned touch sensor and a multi-axis motion sensor. In some embodiments, a nine (9) axis motion sensor is used. The sensor data is used to detect various head postures. Once the head posture is detected, the system will take corresponding actions. In one example, when a call comes in, the user can point his or her head in a direction, such as nodding up and down to answer the call. Similarly, shaking the head from left to right or right to left is understood by the system as a refusal to answer the call. For example, if a call comes in, the user can place his or her finger on the touch sensor and then point his or her head down to answer the call. Or place the finger on the touch sensor and the user shakes his or her head to refuse to answer the call.

[0150] In some embodiments, a multi-axis sensor is used for posture detection of a user. In various embodiments, the sensor collects accelerometer data, gyroscope data, and magnetometer data, and then transmits the data to the system for processing using a software algorithm running on a central processing unit (CPU), DSP, etc. as described in conjunction with the above figures. In some embodiments, the sensor is configured using three orthogonal axes. These data are processed using one or more of the following: software algorithms, CPU, and DSP to detect the posture of the user's head. In various embodiments, when the user's head is not in the proper position for a long time, a voice message is generated and broadcast to the user through a speaker. For example, this communication with the user allows the user to take corrective measures and improve posture.

[0151] Audio content

[0152] As described above, in various embodiments, the head wearable device is used in conjunction with a mobile device to facilitate a telephone call with a system configured in the head wearable device (glass device). Content, such as music, can be streamed to the head wearable device via the mobile device. The content stream can also originate from the "cloud", i.e., the Internet or a local area network, and be streamed to the head wearable device. In addition, the system ( Fig.16 ) or configured on a head wearable device for system use ( Fig.16 ) can be used to provide a source of content played to the user through a speaker combined with the head wearable device. Therefore, in various embodiments, content is played to the user through the head wearable device in combination with the mobile device or in a standalone configuration without the mobile device.

[0153] Answering a call

[0154] Various methods can be used in various embodiments to answer the phone. A phone call can be answered and / or terminated using a voice interface that utilizes a local voice recognition system, using control words such as "answer" to receive the call and control words such as "goodbye" to end the call. Alternatively, the phone call can be answered using one or more physical sensors such as "touch sensors" and / or "buttons". Alternatively, the phone call can be answered by analyzing the head posture using data output from an accelerometer, gyroscope, etc. It should be noted that a combination of one or more of the above (i.e., voice recognition, sensor output, and gesture recognition) can be combined to answer the phone call. Similarly, one or more of the above can be combined to provide the user with selection and / or playback of audio content through a system incorporated into a head wearable device.

[0155] Command and Control

[0156] System control—use a wake-up word to wake up the system from sleep mode, for example, the wake-up word "SOLOS". Content control—"Play running music", "Skip songs", "Turn up the volume", "Turn down the volume", etc. Phone control—for example: "Call 'name'" (the phone number corresponding to 'name', for example, can be selected from the address book), "Turn up the volume", "Turn down the volume". Information control—for example: "Internet browsing", checking "temperature", checking "weather", "navigation", etc. These examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a limitation of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0157] Magnetometer

[0158] In various embodiments, a magnetometer is incorporated into the head wearable device. In some embodiments, the magnetometer is a three-axis magnetometer. The magnetometer in the head wearable device is used for navigation to determine the orientation of the user relative to the earth's magnetic field. The magnetometer mounted in the head wearable device, when on the user, has a fixed pointing direction that is consistent with the user's movements. Therefore, the output of the magnetometer from the head wearable device will provide a more useful signal than a magnetometer that may be incorporated into the user's mobile phone, because the mobile phone is not necessarily consistent with the direction the user is pointing.

[0159] In various embodiments, for example, the output of a magnetometer is used in an application that utilizes a map to display a user's direction and rotates the digital map as the user changes direction toward north.

[0160] Accelerometer

[0161] In various embodiments, one or more accelerometers are provided in the head wearable device. In some embodiments, a three-axis accelerometer is provided.

[0162] Gyroscope

[0163] In various embodiments, one or more gyroscopes are provided in the head wearable device. In some embodiments, a three-axis gyroscope is provided.

[0164] Batteries housed in one or more temples

[0165] In various embodiments, one or more batteries are provided to power the system, and the one or more batteries are housed in the space of one or more temples. The battery is composed of a battery chemistry such as lithium ion or other to support a longer life and allow multiple charging cycles over the life of the battery. Depending on the expected power requirements of the head wearable device, several different sizes of temples can be provided for different applications. For example, some sports activities may require six hours or more of "on" time for a system. In this case, a large temple contains a long-life battery. A smaller temple will contain a smaller battery with a shorter life between charging cycles. The head wearable device is configured for a variety of uses, such as sports activities, business uses, home and commercial uses. Some non-limiting examples of sports activities are, but are not limited to, cycling, running, skiing, rowing, hiking, etc.

[0166] System distribution across head wearable devices

[0167] In one or more embodiments, the electronic system of the head wearable device is distributed in the left temple, the front frame, and the right temple. In one or more embodiments, the left temple accommodates a battery, one or more microphones, and at least one speaker. The right temple accommodates a battery, system electronics, one or more microphones, and at least one speaker. In some embodiments, the electrical connection between the system components (temples and front frame) is provided in the form of detachable connectors. In some embodiments, these connectors can be hinged.

[0168] For the purpose of discussing and understanding different embodiments, it should be understood that various terms are used by those skilled in the art to describe technology and methods. In addition, in the process of description, for the purpose of explanation, many specific details are set forth, so as to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, for those of ordinary skill in the art, it is obvious that the embodiments can be implemented without these specific details. In some instances, known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than being shown in detail, to avoid confusing various embodiments. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present invention, and it should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized and can be changed logically, mechanically, electrically and other without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0169] Some parts of the description can be represented by algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits in, for example, computer memories. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means by which those of ordinary skill in the field of data processing most effectively convey the essence of their work to other persons of ordinary skill in the art. Algorithms herein generally refer to self-consistent sequences of behaviors that result in desired results. These behaviors require physical operations on physical quantities. Usually, although not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals that can be stored, transmitted, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has been shown that it is often convenient to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, etc., mainly for general reasons.

[0170] It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms will be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless otherwise noted, it will be apparent from the discussion that throughout the description, discussions using terms such as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or "determining" or "displaying" can refer to the actions and processes of a computer system or similar electronic computing device that manipulates data represented as physical (electronic) quantities in computer system registers and memories and converts it to other similar data represented as physical (electronic) quantities in computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

[0171] The invention may be implemented by a device for performing the operations described herein. This device may be specifically constructed for the desired purpose, or it may include a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. The computer program may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk, including floppy disks, hard disks, optical disks, optical disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), magneto-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), dynamic random access memories (DRAM), electrically programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), flash memory, magnetic or optical cards, RAID, etc., or any type of medium suitable for storing local or remote electronic instructions for a computer.

[0172] The algorithm proposed herein is not inherently related to any particular computer or other device with display. According to the description herein, various general-purpose systems can be used together with programs, or it is proved to be convenient to construct more specialized equipment to perform the required method. For example, any method according to the embodiment can be realized by the hard-wired circuit obtained by programming a general-purpose processor, or can be realized by any combination of hardware and software. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the embodiment can be realized by other computer system configurations outside the description, and the computer system configuration includes: handheld device, multiprocessor system, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronic device, digital signal processing (DSP) device, set-top box, network personal computer, minicomputer, mainframe computer, etc. These embodiments can also be implemented in a distributed computing environment, where the task is performed by a remote processing device linked by a communication network.

[0173] Methods herein can be implemented using computer software. If written in a programming language that meets recognized standards, then a sequence of instructions designed to implement these methods can be compiled to execute on various hardware platforms and interface with various operating systems. In addition, the embodiments are described without reference to any specific programming language. It should be understood that various programming languages ​​can be used to implement the embodiments described herein. In addition, software in one form or another form (e.g., program, process, application program, driver program ...) is often described in the art as taking a certain action or causing a certain result. These expressions are merely a brief statement that the computer executes software so that the processor of the computer performs an action or produces a result.

[0174] It should be understood that those skilled in the art use various terms and techniques to describe communications, protocols, applications, implementations, mechanisms, etc. A similar technique is to describe the implementation of a technique using an algorithm or mathematical expression. That is, although the technique can be implemented, for example, as a code on an executing computer, the expression of the technique can be more appropriately and concisely conveyed or communicated as a formula, algorithm, or mathematical expression. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that A+B=C is represented as a block of an addition function, and its implementation in hardware and / or software will take two inputs (A and B) and produce a summed output (C). Therefore, the use of a formula, algorithm, or mathematical expression as a description should be understood to have a physical representation at least in hardware and / or software (e.g., a computer system, in which the technique of the present invention can be implemented and implemented as an embodiment).

[0175] A non-transitory machine-readable medium is understood to include any mechanism for storing information (e.g., program code, etc.) in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, machine-readable media, synonymously referred to as computer-readable media, include read-only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory devices; electrical, optical, acoustic or other information transmission forms other than those that transmit information via propagation signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.); and the like.

[0176] As used in this specification, "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" or similar phrases mean that the described features are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. The "one embodiment" mentioned in this description does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but these embodiments are not mutually exclusive. "One embodiment" also does not mean that the present invention has only one embodiment. For example, features, structures, actions, etc. described in "one embodiment" may also be included in other embodiments. Therefore, the present invention may include various combinations and / or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0177] Although the present invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but can be implemented by modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Therefore, this description should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0178] Appendix 1

[0179]

[0180]

Claims

1. A reconfigurable component for use in an eyewear device, characterized in that: include: an embedded electronic system configured for wireless communication and processing sensor signals, the embedded electronic system being embedded in a component of the eyewear device; as well as a plurality of sensors embedded in one or more of the reconfigurable component and the eyewear device, the plurality of sensors being in electrical communication with the embedded electronic system; The embedded electronic system further comprises: A processor, the processor being configured to: receiving outputs from the plurality of sensors; and determining a system control parameter based on an output of at least one sensor among the plurality of sensors; The eyeglass device includes a left temple, a right temple, and a frame, wherein the left temple and the right temple are coupled to the frame via a hinge connector, and the hinge connector allows power and data to be transmitted from one temple to another; when the hinge connector senses that the eyeglass device is in an open state, power or data transmission is allowed; when the eyeglass device is in a closed position, the hinge connector combines signals received from one or more proximity sensors and motion sensors to turn off power or data transmission.

2. The reconfigurable component according to claim 1, characterized in that: The processor extracts user head motion data from the multiple sensors, and the user head motion data is used by the system as a system control parameter.

3. The reconfigurable component according to claim 2, characterized in that: The system control parameters are used to answer an incoming call.

4. The reconfigurable component according to claim 2, characterized in that: The system control parameters are used to reject incoming calls.

5. The reconfigurable component according to claim 2, characterized in that: The system control parameters are used to control music playback.

6. The reconfigurable component according to claim 2, characterized in that: At least one sensor is an accelerometer, at least one sensor is a gyroscope, and at least one sensor is a magnetometer.

7. The reconfigurable component according to claim 6, characterized in that: The plurality of sensors further comprises: a sensor configured to measure acceleration along three mutually orthogonal axes x, y and z; a sensor configured for gyroscopic output along three mutually orthogonal axes x, y and z; and A sensor configured for magnetometer output along three mutually orthogonal axes x, y and z.

8. The reconfigurable component according to claim 1, wherein: The embedded electronic system further comprises: The embedded speech recognition system is configured to receive an audio signal from a microphone and change the embedded electronic system into an operating state when a wake-up word is detected.

9. The reconfigurable component according to claim 8, characterized in that: The embedded voice recognition system is configured to receive audio signals from the microphone and the processor to facilitate wireless voice communication when a command is recognized by the embedded voice recognition system.

10. The reconfigurable component according to claim 8, characterized in that The embedded voice recognition system is configured to receive audio signals from the microphone to facilitate content control when commands are recognized by the embedded voice recognition system.

11. The reconfigurable component according to claim 8, wherein: The embedded voice recognition system is configured to receive audio signals from the microphone to facilitate information control when commands are recognized by the embedded voice recognition system.

12. A reconfigurable component for use in an eyewear device, characterized in that: include: A temple insertion module, the temple insertion module being detachably coupled to an engagement portion of a temple, the temple being configured to be used with the eyeglass device, the temple insertion module further comprising: an embedded electronic system configured for wireless communication and processing sensor signals, the embedded electronic system being embedded in a component of the eyewear device; and a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors being embedded in one or more of the temple insert module, the temple, and the eyeglass device, the plurality of sensors being in electrical communication with the embedded electronic system, the embedded electronic system further comprising: A processor, the processor being configured to: receiving outputs from the plurality of sensors; and determining a system control parameter based on an output of at least one sensor among the plurality of sensors; The eyeglass device includes a left temple, a right temple, and a frame, wherein the left temple and the right temple are coupled to the frame via a hinge connector, and the hinge connector allows power and data to be transmitted from one temple to another; when the hinge connector senses that the eyeglass device is in an open state, power or data transmission is allowed; when the eyeglass device is in a closed position, the hinge connector combines signals received from one or more proximity sensors and motion sensors to turn off power or data transmission.

13. The reconfigurable component according to claim 12, characterized in that: Also includes: A multi-function button, wherein the processor is configured to receive a signal from the multi-function button, the processor is configured to determine a duration for which a user presses the multi-function button, the duration being used by the processor to initiate one or more of the following: a.) Pairing mobile devices; b.) Unpairing the mobile device; c.) Play content; d.) Select the next song; e.) Make phone calls; d.) answering telephone calls; and e.) Refuse to answer the phone call.

14. The reconfigurable component according to claim 12, wherein: Also includes: A touch sensor, wherein the processor is configured to receive a signal from the touch sensor, the processor is configured to process a click input from a user on a surface of the touch sensor or a slide input from the user on the surface of the touch sensor, and the processor is configured to start one or more click actions after receiving the click input, the click action comprising: a.) Play content; b.) Pause the playing content; c.) voice controlled audio input; and The processor is configured to initiate one or more of the following sliding actions after receiving a sliding input from a user, the sliding actions comprising: d.) Answering incoming calls; e.) Refuse to answer incoming calls; f.) Turn down the volume; and g.) Turn up the volume.

15. The reconfigurable component according to claim 14, characterized in that: The tap input that switches between playing content and pausing the content is a single tap input.

16. The reconfigurable component according to claim 14, wherein: The tap input with voice control turned on is a double tap input.

17. The reconfigurable component according to claim 14, wherein: Short slide inputs result in incremental changes in volume.

18. The reconfigurable component according to claim 14, wherein: Long sliding input results in a continuous change in volume.

19. The reconfigurable component according to claim 12, wherein: Also includes: a proximity sensor, the processor being configured to receive a signal from the proximity sensor, the processor being configured to determine the presence of a user based on the proximity sensor output and perform one of the following actions; a.) if the user has taken off the eyewear device from the user's head, pausing the content playback; b.) when the user puts the eyeglass device back on the user's head, resuming content playback; c.) after the eyewear device is continuously away from the user's head for a first predetermined amount of time, turning off content playback; as well as d.) turning off the eyeglass apparatus after the eyeglass apparatus is continuously away from the user's head for a second predetermined amount of time.

20. A method for providing information to a user through an eyewear device, characterized in that: include: receiving outputs from a plurality of sensors at a processor, the processor being included in a temple insert module, the temple insert module being included in a temple of the eyeglass device, the plurality of sensors being configured with the eyeglass device; determining a system control parameter using at least one output from the plurality of sensors; controlling at least one function of the eyewear device using the system control parameter; The eyeglass device comprises a left temple, a right temple, and a frame, wherein the left temple and the right temple are coupled to the frame via a hinge connector, wherein the hinge connector allows power and data to be transmitted from one temple to the other temple; When the hinge connector senses that the eyeglass device is in an open state, power or data transmission is allowed; when the eyeglass device is in a closed position, the hinge connector combines signals received from one or more proximity sensors and motion sensors to turn off power or data transmission.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that One of the plurality of sensors is a button and the processor is configured to associate a length of time that the user presses the button with a system action, the system action being one or more of: Pairing with mobile device; unpairing from the mobile device; Play content; Select the next song; Make a phone call; Answer telephone calls; and Reject the phone call.

22. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that One of the plurality of sensors is a touch sensor and the processor is configured to receive a signal from the touch sensor, the processor is configured to process a click input from a user on a surface of the touch sensor or a slide input from the user on the surface of the touch sensor, and the processor is configured to start one or more click actions after receiving the click input, the click action comprising: Pairing with a mobile device; and Unpairing from the mobile device.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that The processor is configured to initiate one or more click actions upon receiving a sliding input to the touch sensor surface, the click actions comprising: Answer incoming calls; Refuse to answer incoming calls; reducing the volume of an audio broadcast from the eyewear device; and The volume of the audio broadcast from the eyewear device is increased.

24. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that One of the plurality of sensors is a proximity sensor, the processor is configured to receive a signal from the proximity sensor and determine the presence of a user and perform an action based on the signal, the action further comprising: If the user has taken off the eyewear device from the user's head, pausing the content playback; When the user puts the eyeglass device back on the user's head, resuming content playback; After the eyeglass device is continuously away from the user's head for a first predetermined amount of time, turning off content playback; and After the eyewear apparatus is continuously away from the user's head for a second predetermined amount of time, the eyewear apparatus is turned off.

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