Wristband-type handset and wristband-type alerting device

• US 10,103,766 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Finewell Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Finewell Co., Ltd., ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hosoi, Hiroshi, Hosoi, Yoji, Tanaka, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan H
• Application Number:
  US15/615,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20170302320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3861 carried in a hand or on fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/326 for microphones H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2400/03 Transducers capable of generating both sound as well as tactile vibration, e.g. as used in cellular phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

Proposed is a bracelet-type transmission/reception device comprising: a cartilage conduction vibration source provided in a portion to be attached to a wrist; a speaker; a variable directional microphone; and a control unit which sets the directivity of the variable directional microphone to the back side of a hand when the speaker is used and sets the directivity of the variable directional microphone to the palm side of the hand when the cartilage conduction vibration source is used. The bracelet-type transmission/reception device is provided together with a display means for information relating to a transmission/reception method or a handling explanation medium or advertising medium having the information relating to the transmission/reception method. An example of a method for use thereof is to conduct the vibration of the cartilage conduction vibration source to a thumb and to bring the thumb into contact with a tragus in a state where the back of the hand faces forward. The cartilage conduction vibration source is also used as a vibration source of an incoming vibrator, and when the cartilage conduction vibration source vibrates for cartilage conduction, a vibrational component in a low-frequency range that induces a sense of vibration is cut. The cartilage conduction vibration source vibrates for notification by announcement voice data in a storage unit.

Claims

1. A wearable informing device comprising:

a storage operable to store previously a plurality of pieces of information data corresponding to a plurality of causes of an alert vibration;

a vibration source operable to vibrate to produce the alert vibration regardless of the cause thereof;

a near-field communicator operable to receive an instruction signal to identify one of the plurality of pieces of information data in the storage corresponding to specified one of the plurality of causes; and

a controller operable to select, according to the instruction signal received by the near-field communicator, a corresponding piece of information data stored in the storage, and to make information according to the selected corresponding piece of information data to notify the specific cause of the alert vibration, wherein the wearable informing device is operable to produce the alert vibration without information of the cause thereof in the frequency range arousing the sense of vibration according to the instruction signal received by the near-field communicator, and then to have a user wearing the wearable informing device be informed of a cause of the alert vibration based on the information data selected by the controller.

2. The wearable informing device of claim 1 further comprising a worn part, wherein the vibration source is provided in the worn part operable to use the alert vibration as an incoming-call.

3. The wearable informing device of claim 2 wherein, when the vibration source is vibrated for the incoming-call, a vibration component in the audible frequency range is cut off.

4. The wearable informing device of claim 2 wherein the wearable informing device is to be worn on a wrist.

5. The wearable informing device of claim 2 further comprising a display to be viewed by a user wearing the wearable informing device.

6. The wearable informing device of claim 5 wherein the display is of a touch panel type.

7. The wearable informing device of claim 2, wherein the wearable informing device is arranged to make the information of the cause of the alert vibration by the vibration of the vibration source in an audible frequency range.

8. The wearable informing device of claim 1 wherein the wearable informing device is controlled by the controller so as to produce alert vibration in a frequency range arousing a sense of vibration according to the instruction signal received by the near-field communicator.

9. The wearable informing device of claim 1 wherein the instruction signal contains information indicating that a battery of an information source is low, and the information data contains an information indicating that the battery of the information source is low.

10. The wearable informing device of claim 1 wherein the instruction signal contains information indicating that an information source is located outside a communication area, and the information data contains an information indicating that the information source is located outside the communication area.

11. The wearable informing device of claim 1 wherein the wearable informing device is to be worn on a wrist of the user.

12. The wearable informing device of claim 1 further comprising a display to be viewed by the user.

13. The wearable informing device of claim 12 wherein the display is of a touch panel type.

14. The wearable informing device of claim 1 wherein the wearable informing device is arranged to have the user know the cause of the alert vibration by the vibration of the vibration source in an audible frequency range.