Wearable device

• US 10,401,901 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motionvirtual Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motionvirtual Inc.
• Inventors: Park, JunHo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ismail, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US15/757,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20180299922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6806 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• 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 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3182 Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a wearable device. The wearable device includes an optical signal transmission unit configured to transmit optical signals, an optical signal sensing unit configured to receive reflected optical signals, a data processing unit configured to process the reflected optical signals, and a coordinate generating unit configured to generate 3-dimensional coordinate from the processed data.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a signal transmission unit configured to transmit signals;

a signal sensing unit configured to receive reflected signals, wherein the reflected signals represent at least the transmitted signals reflected by blood vessels in a body part of a user;

one or more processors configured to;

generate blood vessel data based on the reflected signals, wherein the blood vessel data represents information associated with 3 dimensional (3D) locations of the blood vessels of the body part,

generate 3D coordinates from the blood vessel data, wherein the 3D coordinates represent a location of the body part,

determine a line of sight representing a viewing direction, an orientation or a combination thereof of the user, and

generate an image according to the line of sight; and

an image output unit operably coupled to the one or more processors and configured to output the image according to the 3D coordinates and the line of sight, wherein the image is displayed at a display location associated with the 3D coordinates.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate the 3D coordinates based on matching the blood vessel data to a 3D model or a portion thereof, wherein the 3D model represents previously determined locations, relative arrangements, or a combination thereof of blood vessels within one or more body parts of the user.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to identify the body part based on the reflected signals, the blood vessel data, or a combination thereof.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to identify the body part based on matching the blood vessel data to a portion of the 3D model associated with the body part, wherein the 3D model represent connection patterns and relative locations of the blood vessels in 3D for one or more body parts of the user.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine a degree of distortion based on comparing the blood vessel data and the 3D model, wherein the 3D model includes values representing (1) distances between portions within the body part, (2) locations of joints between the portions, (3) angular patterns of the portions about the joints corresponding to movements of the portions, (4) joint movement ranges corresponding to range of movements about the joints, or a combination thereof relative to the blood vessels of the body part; and

determine a physical state based on the degree of distortion, the physical state for describing a location, a shape, a curve, or a combination thereof of the body part or one or more portions thereof.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to distinguish the body part from inanimate objects captured by the reflected signals based on the blood vessel data.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a second coordinate based on the 3D model and the 3D coordinates of the body part, wherein the second coordinate represents a spatial location of a portion within the body part.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein:

the 3D coordinates represent a location of an arm, a hand or a combination thereof; and

the second coordinate represents a finger, a fingertip, or a combination thereof.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the image output unit is configured to display the image for an augmented reality application or a virtual reality application.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

identify bio markers based the reflected signals, wherein the bio markers represent visible features on a surface of the body part; and

adjust the image according to the bio markers for displaying the image overlapping the surface of the body part.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more processors are further configured to calculate the display location as a fixed location relative to the 3D coordinates; and

the image output unit is configured to display the image at the display location for maintaining the fixed spatial relationship between the 3D coordinates and the display location.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to calculate the display location independent of motion, location, or a combination thereof of the device.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

generate a second coordinate representing a second body part;

determining an input value based on the display location and the second coordinate.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

calculate the display location for presenting the image relative to a first arm or a portion thereof;

wherein;

the second coordinate represents a location of a hand or a fingertip connected to a second arm; and

the input value represents a user selection.

15. A method of operating a device, the device having a signal transmitter and a signal receiver, the method comprising:

operating the signal transmitter to transmit signals;

receiving reflected signals using the signal receiver, wherein the reflected signals represent at least the transmitted signals reflected by blood vessels in blood vessels in a body part of a user;

generating blood vessel data based on the reflected signals, wherein the blood vessel data represents information associated with 3 dimensional (3D) locations of the blood vessels of the body part;

generating 3D coordinates from the blood vessel data, wherein the 3D coordinates represents a location of the body part;

determining a line of sight for representing a viewing direction, an orientation or a combination thereof of the user;

generating an image according to the line of sight; and

outputting the image according to the 3D coordinates, wherein the image is displayed at a display location that is fixed relative to the 3D coordinates.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

generating the 3D coordinates includes matching the blood vessel data to a 3D model or a portion thereof, wherein the 3D model represents;

previously determined locations, relative arrangements, or a combination thereof of blood vessels within one or more body parts of the user, and

relative to the blood vessels of the body part, (1) distances between portions within the body part, (2) locations of joints between the portions, (3) angular patterns of the portions about the joints corresponding to movements of the portions, (4) joint movement ranges corresponding to range of movements about the joints, or a combination thereof;

further comprising;

determining a degree of distortion based on comparing the blood vessel data and the 3D model; and

determining a physical state based on the degree of distortion, the physical state for describing a location, a shape, a curve, or a combination thereof of the body part or one or more portions therein.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating a second coordinate based on the 3D model and the 3D coordinates of the body part, wherein;

the 3D coordinates represent a location of an arm, a hand or a combination thereof; and

the second coordinate represents a location of a finger, a fingertip, or a combination thereof.

18. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

transmit signals;

receive reflected signals, wherein the reflected signals represent at least the transmitted signals reflected by blood vessels in blood vessels in a body part of a user;

generate blood vessel data in based on the reflected signals, wherein the blood vessel data represents information associated with 3 dimensional (3D) locations of the blood vessels of the body part;

generate 3D coordinates from the blood vessel data, wherein the 3D coordinates represent a location of the body part;

determine a line of sight representing a viewing direction, an orientation or a combination thereof of the user;

generate an image according to the line of sight; and

output the image according to the 3D coordinates and the line of sight, wherein the image is displayed at a display location associated with the 3D coordinates.