JP2007212501A - Electronic spectacles - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide electronic spectacles which has one switch serving as both a power switch and a focal length changeover switch and is simple in structure and easy to operate. <P>SOLUTION: Electrodes provided to a nose pad are used as the power switch and focal length changeover switch and the resistance value between the electrodes is monitored to automatically turn on and off a power source when the spectacles are put on and off. Then the spectacle frame is gently touched to vary the focal length, so a user can easily and comfortably use the electronic spectacles almost without being aware of the switches. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic spectacle that electrically controls a function.
As an example, it is useful as a technique used for electronic glasses in which a lens is composed of a dielectric such as liquid crystal and has a bifocal function of changing a refractive index by applying a voltage.

  As an electronic spectacle that electrically varies the focal length, a method of controlling a refractive index by enclosing a dielectric material such as liquid crystal in a lens and applying a voltage to the lens to change the dielectric constant has been proposed. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  As a power switch used for the electronic spectacles, a method has been proposed in which a switch is provided on the frame side of the nose pad and the nose pad is pushed by the nose and the switch on the frame side is turned on by wearing the spectacles. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

Further, as a switch for switching the focal length, a method has been proposed in which a touch switch is provided on the spectacle lens and the focal length is switched by lightly touching the switch with a finger (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP-A-11-352445 JP 2002-297088 A

  The switches for electronic glasses that have been proposed so far are independent of the power switch and the focal length changeover switch, and each switch must be prepared separately. It had the subject that operation was also troublesome. Moreover, since the size of the switch on the glasses is small and it is difficult for the user to see the place to press, there is a problem that it is difficult to press the switch. In particular, when the electronic glasses are bifocal glasses, it is a very serious problem because it is mainly used by elderly people.

  The present invention solves these conventional problems, and aims to provide electronic glasses that share a power switch and a focal length change switch, have a simple structure, and are easy to operate.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the electronic glasses of the present invention include an electrode unit incorporated in each of the left and right nose pads, and a control unit that electrically controls the electrode unit, The power supply of the control means is switched on and off according to the conduction state between the two parts.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the power of the control means is switched on and off if the resistance value between both the electrode portions fluctuates beyond a predetermined level and stays within a predetermined range for a predetermined time or more. It is what.

  In addition, the present invention has a function of switching a focal length by the control means, and if the resistance value between both the electrode portions fluctuates beyond a predetermined level and stays within a predetermined range for a predetermined time or more. The focal length is switched by the control means.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the spectacle frame is a conductive frame, the electrode portion is electrically connected to the spectacle frame, and a non-conductive portion is provided in a part of the spectacle frame so that both of the electrode portions are not conductive. And the eyeglass frame divided by the non-conducting portion is connected to the control means.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that when the spectacle frame is a non-conductive frame, a conductive pattern is formed on the spectacle frame, and the electrode portion is connected to the control means by the conductive pattern. It is a thing.

  According to the electronic spectacles of the present invention, the power switch and the focal length changeover switch are shared, the power is automatically turned on by wearing the spectacles, and the focal length changes by lightly touching the spectacle frame. It can be used conveniently and comfortably with little awareness.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the electronic glasses of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a principle configuration of an operation switch of electronic glasses according to the present invention.
Electrodes 13 and 14 are attached to the nose pads 11 and 12 of the eyeglasses shown in this figure, respectively, on the surface in contact with the nose, and are connected to the control circuit 16 by wires 17 extending from the electrodes. Inside the control circuit 16 is incorporated a circuit (not shown) that turns on power when both electrodes 13 and 14 are conductive. Now, when the user wears glasses, the electrodes 13 and 14 come into contact with the user's nose, so that both electrodes are conducted through the human body. As a result, the power supply of the control circuit 16 is turned on. When the user removes the glasses, the electrodes 13 and 14 are separated from the user's nose, and the power is turned off.

  By using the electrode on the nose pad as a power switch in this way, the user does not need to be aware of the power switch, and the power is automatically turned on and off, so that it is convenient and comfortable in operation, There is an advantage that it is possible to prevent forgetting to turn off the power.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a method for preventing malfunction of the operation switch of the electronic glasses of the present invention.
Here, the control circuit 16 is provided with a function (not shown) for measuring time by a microcomputer or the like. Now, when the user wears glasses, the interelectrode resistance value 21 between the electrodes 13 and 14 initially varies in an unstable manner as shown in FIG. 2, and finally settles within a certain range. Here, a power on / off determination level 22 and a power on / off determination time 23 (t0) are provided, and the time during which the interelectrode resistance value 21 falls below the power on / off determination level 22 is measured. Immediately after wearing the glasses, the position of the glasses on the nose is not settled, so the fluctuation of the interelectrode resistance value 21 is large, and the time during which the interelectrode resistance value 21 at the point 24 falls below the power on / off determination level 22 is t1. The power supply is not turned on from t1 <t0. After wearing the glasses, the glasses position starts to settle at point 25, and at point 26, the time during which the interelectrode resistance value 21 continuously falls below the power on / off determination level 22 exceeds t0, so the power is turned on for the first time. Conversely, when the power is turned off, the time during which the interelectrode resistance value 21 continuously exceeds the power on / off determination level 22 is measured, and the power is turned off when this time exceeds t0. Here, the power on / off determination level may be set independently for the on / off determination level, and the power on / off determination time may be set independently for the on / off determination time.

  By monitoring the inter-electrode resistance value over time in this way, it is possible to prevent a malfunction such as turning off the power supply when the electrode is momentarily separated from the nose due to vibration caused by up and down stairs.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a power supply control method for electronic glasses according to the present invention.
Now, assuming that the user wears glasses, the DC power supply 32 and the electric circuit 33 are conducted and the microcomputer 34 is activated. The microcomputer 34 instructs the voltage control circuit 35 to charge a capacitor (not shown) in the voltage control circuit 35. This makes it possible to reduce power consumption when glasses are not being used, and when the glasses are removed as described with reference to FIG. Even when it is away from the power supply, the power supply is held by the power supply from the capacitor, so that the microcomputer can perform the determination control stably.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7. FIG.
4, 5, 6, and 7 are diagrams showing the principle of the operation switch of the electronic spectacles of the present invention that switches the focal length by touching the spectacle frame.

  The electrode 42 attached to the nasal pad 41 comes into contact with the skin 43 of the nose through the contact surface 44 when wearing spectacles. At this time, since the electrode 42 is pressed against the skin 43 of the nose only by the weight of the glasses, it cannot be said that the electrode 42 is sufficiently in surface contact, and there is a contact surface and a non-contact surface like the contact surface 44. A resistance value between the electrodes at this time is indicated by a point 64. Here, FIG. 5 shows the state of the electrode when the user presses the spectacle frame with the finger in the direction of the face, but the contact surface 54 is in surface contact because the electrode 52 is strongly pressed against the skin 53 of the nose. . As a result, the resistance value between the electrodes decreases, and the resistance value after point 64 decreases as shown in FIG. The decrease in the resistance value is monitored by the control circuit 16 shown in FIG. 1, and time measurement is started from a point 65 when the predetermined resistance value 62 or less is set in advance, and a predetermined time 63 (set in advance at the point 66 ( When t2) is reached, the control circuit 16 changes the focal length of the glasses. The user should confirm that the focal length has changed and stop pressing the spectacle frame. When the user removes his / her hand from the spectacle frame, the resistance value gradually returns to the value before pressing again. The position at which the user presses the spectacle frame is preferably in the vicinity of the nose pad at the center of the frame. However, since the inter-electrode resistance value changes even if the pressing position is slightly shifted, the user's favorite position may be pressed. Further, if the small protrusion 73 is formed on the electrode 72 as shown in FIG. 7, the contact between the nose skin and the surface contact is made when the spectacles frame is pressed, and the resistance between the electrodes becomes normal. The change in the value becomes larger, and it becomes possible to detect the pressing of the spectacle frame more easily.

  In this way, since the change in the resistance value between the electrodes due to pressing the spectacle frame is monitored over time and the focal length is switched, it is not necessary to narrowly limit the pressing position of the spectacle frame, and a variable focus switch that is easy for the user to operate Can be provided.

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a wiring method from the operation switch of the electronic glasses of the present invention.
The lead wire 84 is connected to the metal rod 83 that penetrates the nose pad 81 from the electrode 82, is wired on the spectacle frame 86, and is input to a control circuit (not shown). This method can be used regardless of the material of the spectacle frame.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a wiring method from the operation switch of the electronic spectacles of the present invention when a spectacle frame made of a conductor such as metal is used.

  There is no lead wire for wiring, and the electrode 92 is connected to the metal rod 93 penetrating the nose pad 91, the metal bridge 94, and the spectacle frame 95 and is electrically connected to the electrode terminal 98. On the other hand, the other electrode 96 passes through the nose pad and then conducts to the electrode terminal 97 on the bridge. Since part 99 of the bridge is made of a non-conductor, the electrode terminal 97 and the electrode terminal 98 are never short-circuited.

  In this way, the use of the spectacle frame itself as a wiring eliminates the need for a lead wire, so that the appearance is not impaired by the lead wire, and the structure can be simplified.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a wiring method from the operation switch of the electronic spectacles of the present invention when a non-conductor spectacle frame such as celluloid is used.

  The nose pad 101 is integrated with the bridge, and the electrode 102 on the nose pad 101 is electrically connected to the electrode terminal 105 through the wiring pattern 104 formed as a thin film on the frame 103. Similarly, the other electrode 106 is electrically connected to the electrode terminal 107.

  In this way, by forming the wiring pattern on the spectacle frame, the lead wire becomes unnecessary, so that the appearance is not impaired by the lead wire, and the structure can be simplified.

  Since the electronic glasses according to the present invention use the electrode on the nose pad as a power switch, the power is automatically turned on and off without the user being aware of the power switch, which is convenient and comfortable in operation and forgets to turn off the power. This is particularly useful for electronic perspective glasses for elderly people.

  In addition, since the change in the resistance value between the electrodes due to pressing of the spectacle frame is monitored over time and the focal length is switched, the user can simply press the desired position on the spectacle frame and the user can operate the variable focus switch. Can be provided, and is particularly useful for electronic perspective glasses for elderly people.

  Furthermore, in order to provide a method in which the lead frame is not used for wiring even if the spectacle frame is a conductor or a non-conductor, there is an effect that the appearance can be simplified by the lead wire without damaging the appearance. Useful for users who care about aesthetics.

Configuration diagram of electronic glasses of the present invention The figure which shows the power on / off judgment by the resistance value change at the time of spectacles wearing The figure which shows the power supply control circuit of the electronic glasses The figure which shows the example of contact of a nose pad and a nose at the time of spectacles wearing The figure which shows the example of contact of a nose pad and a nose at the time of spectacles frame press The figure which shows the focal distance switching determination by the resistance value change at the time of spectacles frame press The figure which shows the nasal pad in which the small processus was formed in the electrode Diagram showing examples of wiring from electrodes The figure which shows the example of wiring at the time of using the spectacles frame by a conductor The figure which shows the example of wiring at the time of using the spectacles frame by a nonconductor

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11, 12 Nose pad 13, 14 Electrode 15 Eyeglass frame 16 Control circuit 17 Wiring 21 Interelectrode resistance value 22 Power supply on / off determination level 23 Power supply on / off determination time 24, 25, 26 Point 31 Control circuit 32 DC power supply 33 Electric circuit 34 Microcomputer 35 Voltage control circuit 41, 51, 71 Nose pad 42, 52, 72 Electrode 43, 53 Nose skin 44, 54 Contact surface 61 Interelectrode resistance value 62 Focal length switching judgment level 63 Focal length switching judgment time 64, 65, 66 points 73 Small projection 81, 91, 101 Nose pad 82, 92, 96, 102, 106 Electrode 83, 93 Metal rod 84 Lead wire 85 Bridge 86 Eyeglass frame 94 Bridge (conductor)
95 Eyeglass frame (conductor)
97, 98, 105, 107 Electrode terminal 99 Bridge (non-conductor)
103 Eyeglass frame (non-conductor)
104 Wiring pattern

Claims (5)

It has an electrode part incorporated in each of the right and left nose pads and a control means for performing electrical control via the electrode part, and the power supply of the control means is switched on and off according to the conduction state between the electrode parts. Electronic glasses featuring 2. The power supply of the control means is switched on and off when the resistance value between both electrode parts fluctuates beyond a predetermined level and the resistance value is within a predetermined range for a predetermined time or more. Electronic glasses as described. The control means has a function of switching a focal length, and when the resistance value between both the electrode portions fluctuates beyond a predetermined level and is a resistance value within a predetermined range for a predetermined time or longer, the control means 3. The electronic glasses according to claim 1, wherein the focal length is switched. The spectacle frame has electrical conductivity, the electrode portion is electrically connected to the spectacle frame, and has a non-conductive portion in a part of the spectacle frame so that both of the electrode portions are not conductive, the non-conductive location The electronic spectacles according to claim 1, wherein both of the spectacle frames divided by the step are connected to the control means. The spectacle frame is non-conductive, a conductive pattern is formed on the spectacle frame, and the electrode portion is connected to the control means by the conductive pattern. Or electronic glasses described.

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