Determining correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle

• US 10,665,205 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weaver, Joshua, Starner, Thad Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Vinh T
• Application Number:
  US14/612,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20150154940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345 8, 345 4, 3405731, 340576
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• 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 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/08 Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/10 Special adaptations of display systems for operation with variable images
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

Example methods and systems for determining correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle are provided. In an example, a computer-implemented method includes identifying a threshold number of sets of correlated movements. The method further includes determining that the threshold number of sets of correlated movements is associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle. The method still further includes causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

at least one sensor integral to a wearable computing system detecting a plurality of movements;

identifying, from the detected plurality of movements, a threshold number of sets of correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle, wherein the threshold number is two or greater, wherein each set of correlated movements comprises (i) a first movement of the wearable computing system characteristic of a body movement associated with driving the vehicle and (ii) a second movement of the wearable computing system characteristic of a movement of the vehicle, wherein the body movement causes the movement of the vehicle; and

in response to identifying the threshold number of sets of correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving the vehicle, causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system comprises:

hooking into a vehicle telemetry of the vehicle in order to access vehicle information selected from the group consisting of speedometer information, tachometer information, and vehicle-lights information; and

displaying the accessed vehicle information in a display of the wearable computing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving user interface for the wearable computing system is an interface that assists a driver with driving the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the driving user interface comprises a map displayed in a display of the wearable computing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving user interface is an interface that minimizes or eliminates distractions to a driver.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the driving user interface comprises a turned-off display of the wearable computing system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system comprises providing auditory cues for information that would typically be displayed in the wearable-computing-system display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system comprises:

selecting at least one communication setting appropriate for a driver, wherein the at least one communication setting is selected from the group consisting of a setting that disables text messaging, a setting that sends incoming phone calls directly to voicemail, and a setting that prevents at least some outgoing and incoming phone calls.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least some outgoing and incoming phone calls comprise phone calls aside from emergency phone calls.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system comprises:

disabling internet applications that would require active input from a driver.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number is two or greater, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to identifying the threshold number of sets of correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving the vehicle, causing the wearable computing system to switch from a non-driving user interface for the wearable computing system to the driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions for identifying, from a detected plurality of movements, a threshold number of sets of correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle, wherein the threshold number is two or greater, wherein each set of correlated movements comprises (i) a first movement of a wearable computing system characteristic of a body movement associated with driving the vehicle and (ii) a second movement of the wearable computing system characteristic of a movement of the vehicle, wherein the body movement causes the movement of the vehicle; and

instructions for, in response to identifying the threshold number of sets of correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving the vehicle, causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system comprises:

hooking into a vehicle telemetry of the vehicle in order to access vehicle information selected from the group consisting of speedometer information, tachometer information, and vehicle-lights information; and

displaying the accessed vehicle information in a display of the wearable computing system.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system comprises:

selecting at least one communication setting appropriate for a driver, wherein the at least one communication setting is selected from the group consisting of a setting that disables text messaging, a setting that sends incoming phone calls directly to voicemail, and a setting that prevents at least some outgoing and incoming phone calls.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the at least some outgoing and incoming phone calls comprise phone calls aside from emergency phone calls.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the threshold number is two or greater, and wherein the instructions further comprise:

instructions for, in response to identifying the threshold number of sets of correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving the vehicle, causing the wearable computing system to switch from a non-driving user interface for the wearable computing system to the driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system comprises:

disabling internet applications that would require active input from a driver.

17. A wearable computing system comprising:

a head-mounted display, wherein the head-mounted display is configured to display computer-generated information and allow visual perception of a real-world environment;

a movement-detection system comprising at least one sensor integral to the wearable computing system configured to detect a plurality of movements;

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to;

(a) identify, from the plurality of movements detected by the at least one sensor, a threshold number of sets of correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle, wherein the threshold number is two or greater, wherein each set of correlated movements comprises (i) a first movement of the wearable computing system characteristic of a body movement associated with driving the vehicle and (ii) a second movement of the wearable computing system characteristic of a movement of the vehicle, wherein the body movement causes the movement of the vehicle; and

(b) in response to identifying the threshold number of sets of correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving the vehicle, cause the wearable computing system to switch from a non-driving user interface for the wearable computing system to a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.

18. The wearable computing system of claim 17, wherein causing the wearable computing system to switch from a non-driving user interface for the wearable computing system to a driving user interface for the wearable computing system comprises:

selecting at least one communication setting appropriate for a driver, wherein the at least one communication setting is selected from the group consisting of a setting that disables text messaging, a setting that sends incoming phone calls directly to voicemail, and a setting that prevents at least some outgoing and incoming phone calls.

19. The wearable computing system of claim 17, wherein the controller comprises the movement-detection system.

20. The wearable computing system of claim 19, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor configured to be disposed on a wrist of a driver of the vehicle.

21. The wearable computing system of claim 17, wherein wearable computing system of claim is configured to link up with a controller-area network (CAN) bus of the vehicle.