Apparatus with elastically transformable body

• US 10,139,858 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Andrew, Piers, Jokinen, Teppo Tapani, Partanen, Lotta Maaria, Salo, Antti, Saunamaki, Jarkko Tapio, Yan, Qifeng, Kosonen, Matti
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US12/891,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,983 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a transformable body configured to be elastically stretchable between at least a first configuration and a second configuration, a user input device, a user input device configured to receive user input signal, a communication interface configured to provide a wireless link for the apparatus and a flexible interconnection between at least two components within the transformable body. The apparatus may perform determining of user information based on the user input signal, transmitting at least part of the user information over the wireless link to a remote processing unit, receiving feedback information from the remote processing unit and presenting the feedback information to the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a transformable shaped body configured to be elastically stretchable by a user between a visual display device and a user-wearable input device, the transformable shaped body having at least a first-operating-configuration having a relatively large operating surface area of a first width and height, the first configuration being the visual display device comprising a flexible display, and a second-operating configuration-having a second width larger than the first width and a second height smaller than the first height, the second configuration being the user-wearable touch input device configured to be worn by the user;

a power saving circuit within the transformable shaped body, including audio processing configured to trigger a start phase to transition from a low-power consuming mode for power saving of components within the transformable shaped body, in response to a detected voice command by the audio processing;

the transformable shaped body elastically stretched by the user in the second operating configuration forming the user-wearable touch input device within the transformable shaped body, configured to receive user touch input signals indicating an update of navigation information, after the start phase has been triggered by the voice command;

a communication interface within the transformable shaped body, configured to provide a wireless link for the apparatus to receive source location indications from one or more transmitting locations and configured to determine a geographic position of the transformable shaped body with respect to the transmitting locations;

the transformable shaped body elastically stretched by the user in the first operating configuration forming the visual display device within the transformable shaped body, configured to display navigation information based on a determined geographic position of the transformable shaped body, after the start phase has been triggered by the voice command; and

a flexible interconnection within the transformable shaped body, between at least two components within the transformable shaped body, comprising stretchable interconnects to the flexible display;

wherein the flexible interconnection is configured to interconnect, within the transformable shaped body, at least one of the flexible display, the user-wearable input device, or the communication interface with at least one processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is wearable on a user skin.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is attached to the user skin using at least one of the following:

adhesive material, deforming a wrap-around to a body part of the user and a suction cup.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user input device comprises at least one of the following:

a microphone, a flexible touch screen and a sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user output device comprises at least one of the following:

a flexible display, a flexible touch screen, a speaker, a light source, a vibrator and the transformable body.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote processing unit is a cloud processing unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote processing unit is another apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transformable body comprises at least one of the following substrates:

dielectric elastomer, electroactive polymer, ionic polymer-metal composite, ionic gel, carbon nanotube, conductive polymer, ferroelectric polymer, polymer electret, electrostrictive polymer, relaxor ferroelectric polymer, electrostrictive graft-copolymer, liquid crystal elastomer, and mixtures thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible interconnection comprises at least one of the following materials:

conductive polymer, nanotechnology material, metallic conductor in/on stretchable substrate, and combinations thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one component of the apparatus being transparent.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the transparency is realized using at least one material of the following:

tin-doped indium oxide, carbon nanotube, transparent conducting oxide, and combinations thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a positioning device configured to determine a position information of the apparatus, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

use the position information in the determining of the user information.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

a sensor configured to determine characteristics of a user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor configured to determine the characteristics of the user comprises at least one of the following:

a motion sensor, user body temperature meter and pulse meter.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the characteristics of the user comprise at least one of the following:

movement information of the user, body temperature of the user and pulse of the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine the user information based on a gesture identified using the movement information of the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless link comprises at least one of the following:

a cellular radio access, a non-cellular radio access and a peer-to-peer radio access.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first configuration being an on-skin wearing configuration in which the body of the apparatus having a first size, and the second configuration being an operating configuration in which the body of the apparatus being transformed to a second size.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user output device presents haptic feedback relating to navigation.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the presented feedback information provides instructions for navigating to a desired location.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with at least one processor, cause the apparatus to calculate a route to a desired location for presentation to the user.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the presented feedback information includes alternative routes of travel.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the haptic feedback is provided on a hand of the user.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the presented feedback information further comprises at least one of audio and visual information.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the apparatus further comprises a global positioning system receiver for determining a position of the apparatus.

19. A method comprising:

elastically transforming a shape of a transformable shaped body configured to be elastically stretchable by a user between a visual display device and a user-wearable touch input device, the transformable shaped body having at least a first-operating-configuration-having a relatively large operating surface area of a first width and height, the first configuration being the visual display device comprising a flexible display, and a second-operating configuration-having a second width larger than the first width and a second height smaller than the first height, the second configuration being the user-wearable touch input device configured to be worn by the user, the transformable shaped body including a flexible interconnection within the transformable shaped body, between at least two components within the transformable shaped body, comprising stretchable interconnects to the flexible display;

triggering a start phase to transition from a low-power consuming mode for power saving of components within the transformable shaped body, in response to a detected voice command;

determining user update of navigation information based on a user touch input signal to the transformable shaped body elastically stretched by the user in the second operating configuration forming the user-wearable touch input device within the transformable body, after the start phase has been triggered by the voice command;

receiving a source location indication from one or more transmitting locations and determining a geographic position of the transformable shaped body with respect to the transmitting locations; and

presenting navigation information to the user utilizing the transformable shaped body elastically stretched by the user in the first operating configuration forming the flexible display, after the start phase has been triggered by the voice command;

wherein the flexible interconnection is configured to interconnect, within the transformable shaped body, the flexible display and the user-wearable input device.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the user output device presents haptic feedback relating to navigation.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the presented feedback information provides instructions for navigating to a desired location.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising calculating a route to a desired location for presentation to the user.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the presented feedback information includes alternative routes of travel.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the haptic feedback is provided on a hand of the user.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein the presented feedback information further comprises at least one of audio and visual information.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein the apparatus comprises a global positioning system receiver for determining a position of the apparatus.

20. A computer program embodied on a computer readable non-transitory medium, comprising computer executable program code which, when executed by at least one processor of an apparatus, causes the apparatus to:

determine a configuration of a transformable shaped body configured to be elastically stretchable by a user between a visual display device and a user-wearable touch input device, the transformable shaped body having at least a first-operating-configuration-having a relatively large operating surface area of a first width and height, the first configuration being the visual display device comprising a flexible display, and a second-operating configuration-having a second width larger than the first width and a second height smaller than the first height, the second configuration being the user-wearable touch input device configured to be worn by the user;

trigger a start phase to transition from a low-power consuming mode for power saving of components within the transformable shaped body, in response to a detected voice command;

receive a user touch input signal indicating an update of navigation information, at the transformable shaped body elastically stretched by the user in the second operating configuration forming the user-wearable touch input device coupled to a flexible keyboard within the transformable shaped body, after the start phase has been triggered by the voice command;

receive source location indications from one or more transmitting locations and determine a geographic position of the transformable shaped body with respect to the transmitting locations via a communication interface within the transformable shaped body, over a wireless link to a remote processing unit; and

present navigation information to the user with the transformable shaped body elastically stretched by the user in the first operating configuration forming the flexible display within the transformable shaped body, based on the determined geographic position of the transformable shaped body, after the start phase has been triggered by the voice command;

wherein the transformable shaped body includes a flexible interconnection within the transformable shaped body, configured to interconnect at least one of stretchable interconnects to the flexible display, the user-wearable touch input device, or the communication interface within the transformable body, with at least one processor within the transformable shaped body.

35. The computer program of claim 20, wherein the presented feedback information comprises haptic feedback relating to navigation.

36. The computer program of claim 35 wherein the presented feedback information provides instructions for navigating to a desired location.

37. The computer program of claim 36 wherein the apparatus calculates a route to a desired location for presentation to the user.

38. The computer program of claim 36 wherein the presented feedback information includes alternative routes of travel.

39. The computer program of claim 35 wherein the haptic feedback is provided on a hand of the user.

40. The computer program of claim 35 wherein the presented feedback information further comprises at least one of audio and visual information.

41. The computer program of claim 35 wherein the apparatus comprises a global positioning system receiver for determining a position of the apparatus.