HK1172694A - Electronic adapter for electro-active spectacle lenses - Google Patents

Description

Electronic adapter for electro-active spectacle lenses

The application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application with the international application date of 2007, 6, 11 and 6, and the application number of 200780023484.X, and the invention name of the invention is "electronic adapter for electro-active spectacle lens".

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Serial No.60/815,870 (entitled Electronic Adapter For Electro-Active spectra legs, thin energies Near Universal Frame Compatibility), filed on 23/6/2006, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to an adapter for a spectacle frame (space frame) that houses electro-active lenses. In particular, the invention relates to an adapter configured to enable a spectacle frame to operate and control an electro-active lens housed therein without requiring neither any unique design and manufacturing of the spectacle frame nor any undue modification to existing spectacle frames. In particular, the eyeglass frame may allow for focusing of an electro-active lens contained therein and control of the electro-active lens both automatically and manually with heretofore unrealized results.

Background

With the present invention of electro-active spectacle lenses providing dynamically changing focal points, engineers desire that these lenses be compatible with most, if not all, pre-existing spectacle frame designs. In order to accomplish such a task, all the elements required for operating the electro-active function must be incorporated inside or outside the lens body, so that the lens can be mounted in any unmodified spectacle frame and still have both satisfactory aesthetics and sufficient practicality.

In the past, the eyewear industry has been constructed in such a way that: the patient selects his or her eyeglasses based primarily on aesthetic considerations related to the comfort and appearance of the eyeglass frame. Typically, the eyeglass frame is the first item to be selected in choosing prescription eyeglasses. While the lens, including tint, coating and optical design, is usually placed in the second place. Given the considerable number of available spectacle frame styles, sizes and colors, the way the industry has operated in the past, and the desire of customers or patients to be able to select from a large number of spectacle frames, it is desirable to provide a device and system for near complete compatibility between new electro-active lenses and existing spectacle frame designs.

Accordingly, the present invention now seeks to provide an improved eyeglass frame adapted to receive electro-active lenses which effectively overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties and the long-standing problems inherent in the art. These problems have been solved in a simple, convenient and extremely efficient way by which to control electro-active lenses.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the invention, an adapter suitable for an electro-active lens is disclosed, wherein the electro-active lens is housed in a spectacle frame and the electro-active lens has a first set of electrical contacts. The adapter is a separate element from the electro-active lens having a second set of electrical contacts for providing electrical signals to the electro-active lens through the first set of electrical contacts.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the greatest advantage of the present invention is that it enables the frame to operate and control the electro-active lenses contained therein without requiring the frame to be uniquely designed and manufactured, and without requiring undue modifications to existing frames. The eyeglass frame may allow the electro-active lenses contained therein to be focused and controlled both automatically and manually with heretofore unrealized results. Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

The methods and apparatus of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed discussion of specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings that illustrate and exemplify these embodiments.

Drawings

Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an electro-active lens and its drive assembly.

Fig. 2A is a front view of a spectacle frame housing the adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 2B is a top view of a spectacle frame housing the adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 3A is a top view of the left temporal side of an embodiment of an electro-active spectacle lens of the present invention.

Fig. 3B is a top view of the superior left temporal side of an embodiment of an adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 3C is a top view of the left superior temporal side of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 3D is a top view of the left superior temporal side of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 3E is a top view of the left superior temporal side of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 3F is a top view of the left superior temporal side of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 3G is a top view of the left superior temporal side of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 3H is a top view of the left superior temporal side of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention.

Figure 3I is a top view of the left temporal side of another embodiment of an electro-active spectacle lens of the present invention.

Fig. 3J is a top view of the left superior temporal side of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the right side of the electro-active spectacle lens and adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a front view of another embodiment of the right side of the electro-active spectacle lens and adapter of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a front view of another embodiment of the right side of the electro-active spectacle lens and adapter of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The following preferred embodiments, illustrated by the drawings, are illustrative of the invention and are not intended to be limiting thereof, which is encompassed by the claims of the present application.

In all embodiments of the invention, as shown in fig. 1, an electro-active spectacle lens 100 comprises an electro-active lens element 101 and drive electronics including one or more focus sensors 102, all focus sensors 102 being embedded within the body of the lens 103, said lens 103 being used to correct refractive errors of the eye not associated with hyperopia. The drive electronics are contained within the driver. The driver may include all necessary control components for providing a suitable electrical signal to provide the correct optical power in the electro-active lens. The lens body can be a finished blank (two optical quality surfaces) or a semi-finished blank (one optical quality surface). The focus sensors, drive electronics, and electro-active lens elements may typically be attached to the front and/or back surfaces of a flexible but transparent star substrate 104, with electrical connections (electrical connections) at the star substrate 104 being made via thin film transparent electrical leads 105 (such as, for example only, indium tin oxide, ITO). These thin film transparent electrical leads include connections 106 for a power source. These thin film transparent electrical conductors may also include connections for digital or analog signal transmission. In certain other embodiments, the power and signal connections may be of different designs where they are connected to a flexible substrate but contain non-thin film conductors, such as, for example only, fine metal lines. This alternative design is such that the connection does not significantly interfere with the user's view or the aesthetics of the lens. These power and signal connections and focus sensor and drive electronics are all disposed near the edge of the lens where eye-wire and temple wire connections are located so that when the lens is fitted in the eyeglass frame, the power, drive electronics and focus sensor do not interfere with the user's line of sight. Alternatively, the drive assembly may be arranged at the end of said electro-active lens, or in a spectacle frame, a temple or an adapter of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in fig. 2, the electro-active lens 201 with the electro-active area 203 is edged (cut to a shape that conforms to the spectacle frame) using techniques well known in the art. The process of edging the lens serves to expose a portion or all of the electrical conductors connected to the power supply. This edged lens is then combined with an electronic adapter 202, as shown in fig. 3B, which adapter 202 may include one or more electrical power sources 305, one or more electronic switches 306 for providing manual control of the lens to the user, and one or more sensors 307 for detecting the presence of the user (determining whether the eyeglasses are being worn). As an alternative design, the sensor 307 may also comprise drive electronics 102 for the electro-active lens. The sensor 307 may also sense whether the spectacle frame is opened. This adapter has electrical contacts 308 corresponding to the power source and signal electrical contacts 106 in the lens such that when the adapter is placed between the eyeglass lens and the loop of the eyeglass frame, the compressive forces associated with securing the lens in the frame serve to make effective electrical contact between the lens and the adapter and physically secure the adapter to the eyeglasses. The components within the adapter are electrically connected by an internal cable 309. The power source included in the adapter may also be a disposable zinc air battery or a rechargeable lithium ion or lithium polymer battery, merely for example. For example only, the manual switch included in the adapter may also be a pressure switch, a capacitive touch switch, or an optical proximity switch. For example only, the sensor used to determine whether the eyeglasses are being worn may be an optical proximity switch or accelerometer that, if activated, would instruct the drive electronics to operate the focus sensor within the lens body. In this embodiment, each lens would be identical and would require a separate adapter. The driver may provide an electrical signal for generating an appropriate amount of optical power in each electro-active lens. The actuator may also include a focus sensor to determine an appropriate signal for the electro-active lens.

As also shown in fig. 3A-3J, by way of example only, in certain embodiments, the use of such an adapter 202 may require other processing steps other than edging, in which one or more slots, grooves, or notches 301 are machined in the body of the lens 201 so that a secure physical and electrical connection is made between the eyeglass frame, lens, and adapter. Because the adapter would be placed near the location where the eye wire and temple connections would be located, such a machining step may allow the adapter to be positioned on the back surface of the lens 302 and largely hidden from view by the temple hinges. Such an arrangement may be beneficial in protecting the aesthetic qualities of the eyewear. Preferably, the edge profile of the adapter 303 matches the edge profile of the lens 304, so that a reliable fit between the spectacle frame, the lens and the adapter can be ensured.

Embodiments of the adapter of the present invention may include any combination of components. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the adapter may have an on/off switch, a power source, and a sensor for sensing the presence of a user. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3C, the adapter may have only a power supply. Alternatively, the adapter may have only an on/off switch, as shown in FIG. 3D. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 3E, the adapter may have only a sensor for sensing the presence of a user. As shown in FIG. 3F, the adapter may have an on/off switch and a sensor for sensing the presence of a user. As shown in FIG. 3G, the adapter may have an on/off switch and a power supply. As shown in fig. 3H, the adapter may have a power source and a sensor for sensing the presence of a user.

As further illustrated in fig. 3I and 3J, the electrical connections made between the eyeglass frame, the lens, and the adapter may comprise a physical connection in which mating pieces between the lens and the adapter are screwed onto each other. As shown, the adapter may include threads 311, the threads 311 being secured into mating threads 310 in the lens. Of course, such physical connections can also include a wide range of equivalents, such as bayonet-type connections, latches, snap-type connections, and the like, as is well known in the art. The electrical connections may be made by a wide range of electrical counterparts, such as male/female connections, plugs, sockets, pins, and the like, as is well known in the art.

The adapter may be placed such that it contacts both the lens and the eyeglass frame, or alternatively, the adapter may be placed such that it contacts only the lens and not the eyeglass frame. When the adapter is in contact with the lens, the adapter can be placed such that it is positioned above and below the surface of the lens. The adapter may also be placed such that it is positioned near the periphery of the lens surface when the adapter is in contact with the lens.

One problem with the above embodiments is that each lens operates independently of the other lenses. Thus, there is a possibility that under certain operating conditions, one lens may be triggered to operate while the other lens is not operating. To eliminate this problem, it is necessary to design means for synchronizing the operation of the two lenses so that when one of the two lenses is activated, by default the other will also be activated. In another embodiment of the invention, the electronic adapters of the two lenses are connected by discrete signal conduits, such as, for example only, one or more thin wires or optical fibers. Such a signal conduit may be hidden in the space between the eye wire and the lens or behind a beam connecting the two lenses.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 4, the two lenses are synchronized by a wireless optical connection designed to transmit data across the beam. In this embodiment, an infrared optical transceiver unit 401 is tethered to each adapter 202 by a flexible circuit 402, which flexible circuit 402 may be hidden between the loop above the eyeglasses frame and the edged electro-active eyeglass lenses 201. The transceiver units are preferably positioned at a location that optimizes the vertical distance above each loop to allow unimpeded optical communication between the infrared transceivers. In using the adapter, an additional machining step is required, by way of example only, where one or more slots, grooves, or recesses 403 are machined into the lens body so that a strong physical connection is made between the transceiver unit and the eyewear. In addition, such processing steps would allow the transceiver unit to be mounted to either the front or back surface of the lens.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, the two lenses are synchronized by a wireless Radio Frequency (RF) communication system. In this embodiment, the electronic adapter 202 contains circuitry for an RF transceiver tethered to the flex circuit antenna 501 (by way of example only). This flexible circuit antenna may be hidden between the rim wire and the edged eyeglass lens 201.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 6, the two mirrors are synchronized by inductive coupling. In this embodiment, the electronic adapter 202 includes circuitry for a pulsed current source tied to multiple turns of an electrical conductor made with the flex circuit 601 (by way of example only). These flexible circuit coils may be hidden between the spectacle rim wire and the edged spectacle lenses. In this method, the current pulse in the coil of the lens 1 generates a magnetic field which, according to the law of faradaic induction, generates a current in the coil of the lens 2, said current then being detected by the circuit of the electronic adapter of the lens 2. In this way communication between the two lenses is enabled.

In another embodiment, the two lenses are synchronized by means of an ultrasonic signal transmitted over free space. In this embodiment, the electronic adapter includes circuitry for the ultrasonic transceiver. Such an approach has the advantage of not requiring additional components to be tied to the electronic adapter.

In yet another embodiment, the two lenses may be synchronized by vibrations transmitted through the frame. In this embodiment, the electronic adapter includes a vibration transducer (transducer) and a detector that remains in physical contact with the frame when the lens, adapter, and eyeglass frame are assembled. For example only, the vibration transducer and detector may be fabricated from piezoelectric materials. Such an approach has the advantage of not requiring additional components to be attached to the electronic adapter.

To simplify any of the above embodiments, only one lens may be equipped with one or more focus sensors and one synchronization transmitter, while the other lens does not comprise any focus sensors and only a synchronization receiver. In such embodiments, the lens with the focus sensor(s) would operate as the "master" and the other lens would operate as the "slave" and would only operate when commanded by the master. Such a one-way communication system can reduce power consumption (by eliminating the synchronization transmitter and focus sensor) and simplify synchronization, but at the expense of eliminating redundant focus sensors.

While the particular embodiments shown and described above will prove useful in many applications in the field of eyewear and the field of electro-active lenses to which the invention pertains, further modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. All such modifications are considered to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. An eyewear, comprising:

a first electro-active lens;

a second electro-active lens;

spectacle frame, and

the number of the adapters is such that,

wherein each of the first and second electro-active lenses is housed in an eyeglass frame and has a first set of electrical contacts, wherein the adapter is a separate element from the first and second electro-active lenses, and wherein the adapter has a second set of electrical contacts for providing electrical signals to the first electro-active lens through the first set of electrical contacts, and

wherein the eyewear further comprises a synchronization device operatively connected to the adapter for synchronizing the second electro-active lens with the first electro-active lens.

2. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the means for synchronizing the second electro-active lens with the first electro-active lens comprises an Infrared (IR) optical transceiver.

3. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the means for synchronizing the second electro-active lens with the first electro-active lens comprises a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver.

4. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the means for synchronizing the second electro-active lens with the first electro-active lens comprises a pulsed current source.

5. The eyeglasses of claim 1, wherein said synchronization means further comprises a flexible circuit extending through said eyeglasses frame.

6. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the means for synchronizing the second electro-active lens with the first electro-active lens comprises an ultrasonic transceiver.

7. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the means for synchronizing the second electro-active lens with the first electro-active lens comprises a vibration transducer.

8. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the first and second electro-active lenses are activated at substantially the same time.

9. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises a power source operatively connected to the second set of electrical contacts.

10. The eyewear of claim 9, wherein the adapter further comprises a manually operable on/off switch connected to the power source.

11. The eyewear of claim 10, wherein the switch comprises a pressure switch, a capacitive touch switch, or an optical proximity switch.

12. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises a sensor operatively connected to the second set of electrical contacts, wherein the sensor senses the presence of a user.

13. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises a driver operatively connected to the second set of electrical contacts, wherein the electrical signals are for generating a predetermined optical add power to the electro-active lens.