Wearable computing device

• US 10,139,859 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ouraring, Inc. (Oura Health Oy)
• Original Assignee: Motiv Inc.
• Inventors: von Badinski, Curt C., Strasser, Michael J., Twiss, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun C
• Application Number:
  US15/444,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20170235332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 320107
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/146 for optical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/332 Portable devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0042 for use with direct solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0052 the light source comprising a laser diode coupling into light guides using intermediate optical elements G02B6/4204; semiconductor lasers having optical devices external to the laser cavity H01S5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0061 the light source comprising a LED semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 : Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/025 : for measuring physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 : Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 : using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 : Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/751 : Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 : Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/15 : Biometric patterns based on physiological signals, e.g. heartbeat, blood flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/70 : Multimodal biometrics, e.g. combining information from different biometric modalities
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 : Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 : using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 : User interface
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 : specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 : with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/22 : Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H01L31/054
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 : PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a wearable computing device (WCD) in the form of a ring that can be worn on the finger of a human user.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a wearable ring computing device, the ring computing device including a housing, the housing having an interior bounding member and an exterior bounding member, the interior bounding member and the exterior bounding member being configured for being coupled together to form a waterproof cavity there between;

a curved battery positioned within the cavity, the curved battery having an arc approximating a corresponding arc of the ring housing;

a sensor module, the sensor module positioned within the cavity and proximate the battery, the sensor module comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors comprising one or more of a pedometer, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a heart rate sensor, a pulse oximeter, a sleep monitor, an internal measurement unit, a thermometer, a Galvanic skin response sensor, and an electrocardiogram, the one or more sensors being configured to sense a change in a condition of a wearer of the ring;

a flexible printed circuit board positioned within the cavity proximate one or both of the curved battery and the sensor module, the flexible printed circuit board portion comprising;

a processor, the processor configured for determining one or more of a number of steps taken, a quality of sleep, a heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature of a user of the ring computing device; and

a memory, associated with the processor for storing data; and

a semiconducting light element disposed at least partially within the housing.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a charging assembly, wherein the semiconducting light element of the ring comprises a photovoltaic element, and wherein the charging assembly includes a concentrated light source for directing light toward the photovoltaic element.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the concentrated light source comprises one or more of a laser diode and a light emitting diode (LED).

4. The system of claim 3, wherein one or more of the exterior or interior bounding members of the housing includes an opening for providing access to the photovoltaic element by the concentrated light source of the charging assembly.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the ring further includes at least one ferrous element disposed within one or more of the exterior or interior bounding members of the housing, and wherein the charging assembly includes at least one magnetic element disposed on a housing thereof, both the ferrous element and the magnetic element being configured for coupling the ring to the charging assembly.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein one or more of the ring and the charging assembly comprises an optical element for focusing concentrated light emitted from the concentrated light source.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the optical element comprises a lens and is selected from the group consisting of concave, convex, plano-concave, plano-convex.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the ring further includes at least one ferrous element disposed within the interior bounding member of the housing, and wherein the charging assembly includes at least one magnetic element disposed therein, both the ferrous element and the magnetic element being configured for coupling the ring to the charging assembly.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the housing of the ring bounds an opening and the charging assembly comprises at least one post configured for being fitted through the opening of the ring, wherein the concentrated light source is positioned in the post.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the semiconducting light element comprises a light emitting diode.

11. A wearable ring computing device

the ring computing device comprising:

a housing, the housing having an interior bounding member and an exterior bounding member, the interior bounding member and the exterior bounding member being configured for being coupled together to form a waterproof cavity there between;

a curved battery positioned within the cavity;

a sensor module, the sensor module positioned within the cavity, the sensor module comprising one or more sensors, the one or more sensors being configured to sense a change in a condition of a wearer of the ring and for producing sensed data thereby; and

a flexible printed circuit board positioned within the cavity proximate one or both of the curved battery and the sensor module, the flexible printed circuit board portion comprising;

a memory, for storing the sensed data;

a processor, coupled to the memory, the processor configured for accessing the sensed data from the memory, and for performing one or more analyses on the sensed data; and

a semiconducting light element disposed at least partially within the housing.

12. The wearable ring computing device of claim 11, wherein the interior bounding member of the housing includes an opening, the opening being positioned proximate the semiconducting light element, wherein the opening is at least partially bounded by an attachment mechanism configured for removably coupling the ring to an attachment frame, the attachment frame comprising a concentrated light source for directing light toward the semiconducting light element.

13. The wearable ring computing device of claim 11, wherein the semiconducting light element comprises a light emitting diode.

14. A ring computing device, comprising:

an interior bounding member, the interior bounding member being defined by a planar surface member having a pair of opposed circumferential portions, the opposed circumferential portions being raised above a first portion of the planar surface member;

a curved rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery being configured for being wirelessly recharged;

a sensor module comprising one or more sensors to produce sensed condition data;

a flexible printed circuit board positioned proximate a first portion of the planar surface of the interior bounding member between the raised circumferential portions, the flexible circuit board portion comprising;

a processor, the processor configured for performing one or more analyses on the sensed condition data to produce results data;

a memory, associated with the processor for storing the produced results data; and

a communication module, the communication module comprising one or more of a Bluetooth, a WiFi, and a RF transmitter, the transmitter for transmitting the produced results data; and

an exterior bounding member, the exterior bounding member for being coupled to the interior bounding member in a manner to produce a waterproof cavity thereby.

15. The ring computing device of claim 14, further comprising a semiconducting light element disposed at least partially within the housing.

16. The ring computing device of claim 15, wherein the semiconducting light element comprises one or more of a photovoltaic element, a laser diode, and a light emitting diode.

17. The ring computing device of claim 16, wherein the interior bounding member comprises an opening, and the opening is positioned proximate the semiconducting light element.

18. The ring computing device of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors of the sensor module comprise one or more of:

a pedometer, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a heart rate sensor, a pulse oximeter, a sleep monitor, an internal measurement unit, a thermometer, a Galvanic skin response sensor, and an electrocardiogram.

19. The ring computing device of claim 14, wherein the sensor module comprises one or more biological sensors configured for sensing one or more biological conditions.

20. The ring computing device of claim 14, wherein the ring includes a near field communications (NCF) chip, and the NFC is configured for enabling the ring to be used to make a commercial transaction.