US 9,174,351 B2Granted

Electric shaver with imaging capability

AssigneeMay Patents Ltd.

InventorYehuda Binder

Life of this patent

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Abstract

System and method for improving the shaving experience by providing improved visibility of the skin shaving area. A digital camera is integrated with the electric shaver for close image capturing of shaving area, and displaying it on a display unit. The display unit can be integral part of the electric shaver casing, or housed in a separated device which receives the image via a communication channel. The communication channel can be wireless (using radio, audio or light) or wired, such as dedicated cabling or using powerline communication. A light source is used to better illuminate the shaving area. Video compression and digital image processing techniques are used for providing for improved shaving results. The wired communication medium can simultaneously be used also for carrying power from the electric shaver assembly to the display unit, or from the display unit to the electric shaver.

Claims72

Dependent claims

A system for capturing and displaying video using a video camera device and a digital display device connected by a cable, the system comprising:

a video camera device comprising in a first single enclosure:
an optical lens for focusing received light from an image;
a photosensitive image sensor array disposed approximately at an image focal point plane of said optical lens for capturing the image;
an analog to digital (A/D) converter coupled to said image sensor array for generating digital video data representing the image;
a first connector connectable to said cable;
and
a video data transmitter coupled between said first connector and said analog to digital (A/D) converter for transmitting the digital video data to said cable via said first connector;
a digital video display device comprising in a second single enclosure:
a screen for displaying received digital video data;
a second connector mating with said first connector connectable to said cable;
and
a video data receiver coupled between said second connector and said screen for displaying the digital video data received from said cable via said second connector, wherein said video camera device is powered from a power source;
said first connector is coupled to the power source for receiving a power signal therefrom and for passing the power signal to said cable;
and said cable is connected to concurrently carry the digital video data and the power signal;
whereby said digital display device is powered only from the power signal from said video camera,
said system further comprising an electrically operated hair removing device for removing hair from a human skin area, wherein said video camera device is operative to capture an image of the human skin area.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/528,041Filed 20 Jun 2012 · continuation
Priority: 30 Dec 2008
Published: US 2012/0320180 A120 Dec 2012
Granted: 3 Nov 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification53 codes

H04N 23/45
Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being…
A45D 26/00
Hair-singeing apparatus
B26B 19/00
Clippers or shavers operating with a plurality of cutting edges
B26B 19/3806
Details of, or accessories for, hair clippers, or dry shavers, e.g. housings, casings, grips, guards: accessories

Family

Application61/141,599Us provisional application · filed 30 Dec 2008
Application12/361,070Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Jan 2009
US 2012/0320180 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Dec 2012
US 2010/0186234 A1Published application
US 9,174,351 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.