Integration of semiconductor components in eyeglasses

Translation of description of equivalent WO 03069394 A1

description

Integration of semiconductor devices in Glasses

The invention relates to the integration of semiconductor devices, in particular (organic) solar cells in spectacles.

Through the development of organic photoelectron, ie of photoelectron, which is constructed wholly or at least partially made of organic polymers, it was possible to use these particularly small to make thin and flexible. This results in a variety of applications that were previously not possible and therefore also not known.

In this context, the present invention is a pair of glasses with integrated energy converter based on at least a semiconductor element.

As glasses, prescription glasses in particular, are virtually always carried by their users, they are an ideal object for providing an "invisible" power supply as it is provided by the present invention. Here, the power supply, coupled with or without a battery, battery or capacitor, effectively ensured by a semiconductor device. Sufficient power is ensured for various connections, especially when it is in the semiconductor device are so-called 'solar cells, since they convert sunlight directly into e- lectric energy.

Preferably, the solar cell is semitransparent, since their integration then in no way interfere in the glasses or in any way changed the aesthetic impression of the spectacle.

The semitransparent solar cell can be integrated in the spectacle frame or parts thereof. It will, however, prefer this solar cell or solar cells in the lens itself or to integrate in parts thereof, since a better sunlight is guaranteed. The solar cell or the semiconductor device which can be inventively connected as photodetector, particularly preferably completely constructed from organic semiconductors and in particular from conjugated polymers, as these are already originally transparent and enable a particularly thin-layered, small and flexible design of the photoelectric element. The application is not limited to polymeric organic semiconductors, but may also use other organic or other semiconductors, particularly of so-called. "S all molecules" mitumfassen.

Depending on the desired performance and function of the transparency of the solar cell or the photodetector, and thus the spectacle lens is adapted to the power requirement.

According to the invention should be used the so integrated energy converter in the form of a solar cell or a photodetector as a power supply for any device. Thus, the energy converter serve as power supply for the transponder, hearing aids, cameras and the like. A semi-transparent solar cell that is integrated into the lens, can control an also integrated into the spectacle shading system, for instance based on switchable polarization filters of liquid crystalline plastics or based on electrochromic effects. The metering, which regulates the degree of darkening of the spectacles, thereby can also via the solar cell when it is used as a photodetector, can be performed. By combining measuring and controlling the exposure level to obtain a lens that quickly and flexibly adapts to the lighting conditions. A pair of glasses with an integrated photodetector section can also be used for image recognition.

For a person skilled in the art it is clear that there are many fields of application, and the vorangehen- de enumeration should not be considered as exhaustive. Also, a semiconductor device in the form of a solar cell or a photodetector could be integrated into other objects, which may constantly carried by a user, or per se and are used for power supply.