Eyewear with exchangeable temples housing a radio frequency transceiver

Abstract

A wireless ad hoc network may be formed by eyewear having a radio frequency transceiver with other devices having compatible radio frequency transceivers. The transceivers may operate in an unlicensed radio frequency band at 2.45 GHz. The eyewear may include at least one detachable temple, and the radio frequency transceiver of the eyewear may be embedded in the at least one detachable temple. Other devices may also be embedded in the at least one detachable temple. The at least one detachable temple may be electrically connected to a frame of the eyewear when in an open position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An eyewear comprising:
 a frame, including a temple configured to be detachably attached to the remainder of the frame, wherein, with the temple in an open position, an electrical connection is established between the temple and the frame, and wherein, with the temple in a closed position, no electrical connection is established between the temple and the frame; and   a radio frequency transceiver configured for short-distance wireless communication,   wherein the radio frequency transceiver is embedded in the temple, and wherein the radio frequency transceiver is configured to form an ad hoc wireless network with at least one of a plurality of devices.   
     
     
         2 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is configured to communicate with the plurality of devices within a frequency band around a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz (GHz). 
     
     
         3 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , wherein any one of the transceiver and the plurality of devices is configured to be a master or a slave in a master-slave configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of devices are wireless communication devices. 
     
     
         5 . The eyewear of  claim 4 , wherein the wireless communication devices are chosen from a group consisting of a phone, a computer, a radio, a compact disc player, a camera, a distance alarm, a heart rate monitor, and a hand held global positioning satellite system. 
     
     
         6 . The eyewear of  claim 4 , wherein the wireless communication devices are located in a range of one hundred meters or less from the eyewear. 
     
     
         7 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is further configured to automatically change an output power of the transceiver to adjust a range of transmission to exactly a required range. 
     
     
         8 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , wherein respective ones of the radio frequency transceiver and the plurality of devices have respective clocks, and wherein the respective clocks are automatically synchronized with one of the respective clocks that is a designated master clock. 
     
     
         9 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency transceiver is enabled to communicate with only those of the plurality of devices that are preset to communicate with the radio frequency transceiver. 
     
     
         10 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an apparatus attached to the temple.   
     
     
         11 . The eyewear of  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is selected from a group consisting of an audio device having a speaker and a microphone, a camera, a display device, a distance alarm, and an ear bud. 
     
     
         12 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hinge configured to connect the frame and the temple;   a first pad located on the frame; and   a second pad located on the temple;   wherein, with the temple in the open position, the first pad and the second pad contact each other to establish the electrical connection.   
     
     
         13 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hinge; and   a connector having a male portion and a female portion;   wherein the hinge is connected to the frame and the female portion, and wherein the temple is connected to the male portion such that, with the male portion engaged with the female portion, the temple is attached to the frame, substantially hiding from view the connector and the hinge.   
     
     
         14 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hinge; and   a connector having a male portion and a female portion,   wherein the hinge is connected to the frame and the male portion, and wherein the temple is connected to the female portion such that, with the male portion engaged with the female portion, the temple is attached to the frame, substantially hiding from view the connector and the hinge.   
     
     
         15 . The eyewear of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an on/off switch located on the temple.   
     
     
         16 . The eyewear of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the apparatus is embedded in the temple. 
     
     
         17 . The eyewear of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 one or more conductors, wherein the one or more conductors are embedded in the temple and the frame, and wherein the one or more conductors are configured to establish electrical connection between different components of the apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 another temple, wherein a first one of the two temples contains the radio frequency transceiver, and wherein a second one of the two temples contains a speaker.   
     
     
         19 . The eyewear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a battery disposed within the temple and electrically coupled to the radio frequency transceiver embedded in the temple.