# US 12,181,781 B2 · Interface facility > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,781 B2 - Document ID: US12181781B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/144,123 - Filed: 2023-05-05 - Published: 2023-11-09 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-16 - Assignees: Leupold & Stevens, Inc. - Applicants: Leupold & Stevens, Inc. - Inventors: Quint Dean Crispin; Timothy J. Lesser; Zachary Matthew Bird - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181781B2 ## CPC - G03B 17/14: interchangeably - G03B 17/565: {Optical accessories, e.g. converters for close-up photography, tele-convertors, wide-angle convertors} - G03B 17/566: {Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera (if integral part of camera body G03B17/02)} - G02B 21/0008: {Microscopes having a simple construction, e.g. portable microscopes} - G02B 23/16: Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight - G03B 17/48: adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An interface facility has a first facility element connected to an ocular, a device case configured to connect to a smart device, a second facility element connected to the device case, the first and second facility elements being configured to connect to each other in a connected condition and to detach from each other, the first facility element being registered with a first optical axis associated with the ocular, the second facility element being registered with a second optical axis associated with the camera, the first and second optical axes being registered with each other when the first and second facility elements are in the connected condition, such that the camera records images generated by the ocular. The first and second facility elements may comprise a bayonet mount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: an output optical device to magnetically couple to an input device assembly, the output optical device including an eyecup including a surface magnetically attracted to the input device assembly; wherein the surface is configured to rotationally align the input device assembly with the output optical device, maintaining an alignment of an optical axis associated with the input device assembly with an optical axis of a lens of the output optical device for capturing an image through the lens of the output optical device; and means for preventing rotation of the eyecup relative to the input device assembly when the input device assembly is magnetically secured on the eyecup. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output optical device includes an additional eyecup. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the output optical device comprises binoculars. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input device assembly includes an input optical device and a body, the body including a first side to releasably couple to the input optical device and a second side that is different than the first side, the second side to magnetically couple to the output optical device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second side of the body is opposite the first side of the body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising magnets embedded in the surface of the eyecup or a surface of the input device assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the magnets comprise a first set of magnets embedded in one of the surface of the eyecup or the surface of the input device assembly; wherein the apparatus further comprises a second set of magnets embedded in the other of the surface of the eyecup or the surface of the input device assembly. ### Claim 8 An apparatus, comprising: an output optical device to magnetically couple to an input device assembly, the output optical device including an eyecup including a surface magnetically attracted to the input device assembly; wherein the surface is configured to rotationally align the input device assembly with the output optical device, maintaining an alignment of an optical axis associated with the input device assembly with an optical axis of a lens of the output optical device for capturing an image through the lens of the output optical device; wherein one of the surface of the eyecup or a surface of the input device assembly defines recesses and the other of the eyecup or the surface of the input device assembly defines features to mate with the recesses to constrain rotation of one of the eyecup and the input assembly relative to the other of the eyecup and the input assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for securing the input device assembly on the eyecup magnetically and mechanically. ### Claim 10 An apparatus, comprising: an output optical device to magnetically couple to an input device assembly, the output optical device including an eyecup assembly including a surface magnetically attracted to the input device assembly; wherein the surface is configured to rotationally align the input device assembly with the output optical device, maintaining an alignment of an optical axis associated with the input device assembly with an optical axis of a lens of the output optical device for capturing an image through the lens of the output optical device; wherein: one of the assemblies is latchable to the other of the assemblies, when the assemblies are magnetically connected, to constrain rotation of an eyecup of the eyecup assembly relative to the input device assembly, or the assemblies include a mechanical securing feature to constrain rotation of the eyecup relative to the input device assembly, when the assemblies are magnetically connected. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the output optical device includes an additional eyecup. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the output optical device comprises binoculars. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the input device includes an input optical device and a body, the body including a first side to releasably couple to the input optical device and a second side that is different than the first side, the second side to magnetically couple to the output optical device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second side of the body is opposite the first side of the body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising magnets embedded in the surface of the eyecup or a surface of the input device assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the magnets comprise a first set of magnets embedded in one of the surface of the eyecup or the surface of the input device assembly; wherein the apparatus further comprises a second set of magnets embedded in the other of the surface of the eyecup or the surface of the input device assembly. ### Claim 17 An interface facility for connecting an output optical device and an input device assembly, the output optical device including an eyecup assembly, the interface facility comprising: a first facility element for the output optical device; a second facility element for the input device assembly, the second facility element to magnetically attach to the first facility element; the first and second facility elements being configured to connect to each other in a connected condition and to detach from each other; the first facility element being registered with a first optical axis associated with the output optical device; the second facility element being registered with a second optical axis associated with the input device assembly; and the first and second optical axes being registered with each other when the first and second facility elements are in the connected condition, for capturing an image with a camera through a lens of the output optical device; wherein the interface facility includes a plurality of sections, including: a first section to magnetically connect the second facility element to the first facility element; and a second section comprising a latch facility to constrain rotation of the second facility element relative to the first facility element when the first and second facility elements are magnetically connected. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The interface facility of claim 17, wherein one of the eyecup assembly and the input device assembly includes recesses and pockets that are axially registerable with the recesses. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The interface facility of claim 17, further comprising magnets embedded in the surface of the eyecup or a surface of the input device assembly. ### Claim 20 An interface facility for connecting an output optical device and an input device assembly, the output optical device including an eyecup assembly, the interface facility comprising: a first facility element for the output optical device; a second facility element for the input device assembly, the second facility element to magnetically attach to the first facility element; the first and second facility elements being configured to connect to each other in a connected condition and to detach from each other; the first facility element being registered with a first optical axis associated with the output optical device; the second facility element being registered with a second optical axis associated with the input device assembly; and the first and second optical axes being registered with each other when the first and second facility elements are in the connected condition, for capturing an image with a camera through a lens of the output optical device; wherein one of the eyecup assembly and the input device assembly includes recesses, and the other of the eyecup assembly and the input device assembly includes features to mate with the recesses to constrain rotation of one of the eyecup and the input assembly relative to the other of the eyecup and the input assembly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The interface facility of claim 20, wherein an annular part of the eyecup assembly is arranged to magnetically attract to an annular part of the input device assembly. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The interface facility of claim 21, further comprising first magnets captured within the annular part of the eyecup assembly and second magnets captured within the annular part of the input device assembly. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The interface facility of claim 20, further comprising magnets captured within a face of the eyecup assembly. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The interface facility of claim 20, wherein the one of the eyecup assembly and the input device assembly includes recesses includes pockets that are axially registerable with the recesses. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The interface facility of claim 20, wherein the input device assembly includes a mobile device and a body having a first side removably secured to the mobile device, wherein a surface of the eyecup assembly is magnetically attracted to a second side of the body. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The interface facility of claim 25, wherein the first and second sides of the body are opposite sides of the body. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The interface facility of claim 26, wherein the first side of the body is mechanically secured to the mobile device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The interface facility of claim 20, wherein the output optical device comprises binoculars.