Wearable personal information system

• US 10,154,814 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2016
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Chatterjee, Monique, Ledbetter, Carl, Son, Sung Ho, Christopher, Stephen Michael, Ferlan, Michael Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): Cattungal, Sanjay
• Application Number:
  US15/207,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20160317087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/185 Optical shielding, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/08 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/025 for measuring physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A personal information system is provided. The system may include a portable information device having a housing including a top surface defined at least partially by a display, a bottom surface configured with a central region in which an optical sensor, electrical connector, and data connector are positioned, the housing enclosing an internal volume in which a processor is provided, the top surface and bottom surface being coupled by a perimeter side edge extending therebetween, and a mounting structure formed at least partially around the perimeter side edge of the housing. The system may further include a frame, which may be connected to a band, the frame surrounding a void and configured to receive the mounting structure, the frame and mounting structure being releasably securable via a tongue and groove connection. The system may further comprise a dock to which the information device may be connected.

Claims

1. A personal information system, comprising:

a portable information device having;

a housing including a top surface defined at least partially by a display, a bottom surface in which an electrical connector is positioned, the housing enclosing an internal volume in which a processor is provided, the top surface and bottom surface being coupled by a perimeter side edge extending therebetween; and

a mounting structure formed on a surface of the housing;

a band having a void formed therein, a portion of the band surrounding the void having a complementary shape configured to surround the perimeter side edge of the housing and being configured to releasably secure to the mounting structure, the portion of the band and mounting structure being releasably securable via engagement and disengagement of a tongue and groove connection based on at least a force applied such that when the band is secured to the mounting structure the housing and the mounting structure are coupled to the band in an orientation in which the housing and the mounting structure extend into the void and the display of the portable information device is positioned so as to face upward from the void, wherein ingress of the housing and mounting structure into the void are stopped by contact of a laterally extending surface of the housing with a surface of the portion of the band.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dock configured with a mounting well configured to receive and releasably secure the portable information device, the mounting well having an outer perimeter wall sized to accommodate the mounting structure of the portable information device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the bottom surface is configured with a central region within which the electrical connector is positioned, and wherein the dock further includes a corresponding dock-side electrical connector in a central region of the mounting well of the dock.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the portable information device is releasably secured by magnets to the dock.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein the portion of the band is a frame, and

wherein the laterally extending surface is a lip formed at least partially around a perimeter of the frame, a reduced perimeter wall of the mounting structure extending upwardly from the lip to the top surface and extending at least partially around the perimeter of the frame, the reduced perimeter wall having a shape that corresponds to the shape of an inside perimeter wall of the frame and the lip contacting a bottom surface of the frame when the mounting structure is engaged with the frame to stop ingress thereof.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the housing is configured to be mounted to a mounting well of a dock while the frame is coupled to the housing.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface further includes an optical sensor, the optical sensor including a light emitter and at least one light sensor, and wherein the light emitter is configured to emit a light into the skin of a user, and the at least one light sensor is configured to measure a biometric parameter of the user, when the device is worn by the user.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a light sealing gasket formed on the bottom surface of the portable information device around a central region and surrounding the optical sensor, the light sealing gasket being configured to contact a surface of the user to seal out external light, thereby enabling the optical sensor to operate without interference from external light.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a program executed on the processor, which is configured to receive a signal from the optical sensor indicating a measured biometric parameter, and to display on the display an indication of the measured biometric parameter.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a protrusion is formed on the perimeter side edge of the housing.

11. A personal information system, comprising:

an information device having;

a housing including a top surface defined at least partially by a display, a bottom surface configured with a central region in which an optical sensor and electrical connector are positioned, the housing enclosing an internal volume in which a processor is provided, the top surface and bottom surface being coupled by a perimeter side edge extending therebetween, the optical sensor being configured to measure a biometric parameter of a user of the device when the device is worn by the user, and the electrical connector being configured to connect to a corresponding connector on a dock to charge the information device; and

a mounting structure formed on a surface of the housing;

a band with a portion surrounding a void and having a complementary shape configured to surround the perimeter side edge of the housing, the portion of the band being configured to releasably secure to the mounting structure, the portion of the band and mounting structure being releasably securable via a tongue and groove connection based on at least a force applied such that when the portion of the band is secured to the mounting structure, the housing and the mounting structure are coupled to the portion of the band in an orientation in which the housing and the mounting structure extend into the void and the display of the information device is positioned facing upward from the void, wherein ingress of the housing and mounting structure into the void are stopped by contact of a laterally extending surface of the housing with a surface of the portion of the band;

wherein the mounting structure includes a lip as the laterally extending surface formed at least partially around a perimeter of the portion of the band surrounding the void, a reduced perimeter wall of the mounting structure extending upwardly from the lip to the top surface and extending at least partially around the perimeter of the portion of the band, the reduced perimeter wall having a shape that corresponds to a shape of an inside perimeter wall of the portion of the band and the lip contacting a bottom surface of the portion of the band when the mounting structure is engaged with the portion of the band to stop ingress thereof.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the portion of the band comprises a frame coupled to the band.

20. The personal information system of claim 11, further comprising:

the dock provided with a mounting well configured to receive and releasably secure the information device, the mounting well having an outer perimeter wall sized to accommodate the mounting structure of the information device, wherein the dock further includes a corresponding dock-side electrical connector in a central region of the mounting well of the dock, the corresponding dock-side electrical connector being configured to connect to the electrical connector of the information device when the information device is releasably secured in the mounting well.

12. A method for use with a wearable personal information system, comprising:

inserting a portable information device having a housing and a mounting structure into a void in a portion of a band, the portion of the band having a complementary shape configured to surround a perimeter side edge of the housing of the portable information device, until ingress of the housing and mounting structure into the void are stopped by contact of a surface of the housing with a surface of the portion of the band, and a tongue and groove connection is established between the mounting structure and the portion of the band, such that when the portion of the band is secured to the mounting structure by engagement and disengagement of the tongue and groove connection, the portable information device is coupled to the band in an orientation in which the portable information device extends into the void and a display of the portable information device is positioned relative to the band so as to face upward from the void, to thereby releasably secure the portable information device to the band.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

positioning the band around a body part of a user such that an optical sensor formed on a bottom surface of the housing of the portable information device is positioned adjacent the skin of the body part, and such that a gasket formed on the bottom surface of the housing around the optical sensor shields external light from the optical sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

measuring a biometric parameter of the user via the optical sensor; and

displaying an indication of the biometric parameter on the display of the portable information device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

applying force to a top of the housing of the portable information device to decouple the tongue and groove connection and urge the portable information device out of the band.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

inserting the portable information device into a mounting well of a dock, until the portable information device is releasably secured in the mounting well by a magnetic force and/or by a deformable seal member of the portable information device, and an electrical connector formed on the bottom surface of the housing of the portable information device couples with a corresponding electrical connector in the mounting well, to enable charging.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein inserting the portable information device into the mounting well is performed while the portable information device is coupled to the band.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein inserting the portable information device into the mounting well is performed while the portable information device is released and separated from the band.