Responsive visual communication system and method

• US 10,672,239 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Loermann, Arne D., Hviid, Nikolaj
• Primary Examiner(s): Flores, Leon
• Application Number:
  US15/903,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20180218575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• 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: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A wearable device providing responsive visual feedback is provided. The wearable device includes a wearable device housing, at least one lighting element associated with the housing for providing visual feedback, a processor disposed within the wearable device housing, the processor operatively connected to the at least one lighting element, a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a mode of operation using sensed data from the plurality of sensor, and wherein the processor is programmed to control the at least one lighting element to convey visual feedback based on the mode of operation determined by the processor.

Claims

1. An earpiece comprising:

a water-resistant housing;

at least one feedback element operably coupled with the housing wherein the feedback element is at least one lighting element;

a processor disposed within the housing, the processor operably connected to the at least one lighting element; and

a sensor operably connected to the processor;

wherein a mode of operation of the earpiece is determined by data sent from the sensor wherein the mode of operation is a diagnostic mode;

wherein the processor controls the lighting element based upon the mode of operation of the earpiece; and

wherein the processor communicates information by sequencing the at least one lighting element being lit.

2. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one lighting element comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

3. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an inertial sensor, a biological sensor, or a contact sensor.

4. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the mode of operation is associated with gestural movements.

5. The earpiece of claim 4 wherein the feedback element provides confirmation of the gestural movements.

6. The earpiece of claim 1 wherein the mode of operation includes assessment of embedded device data.

7. A system comprising the earpiece of claim 1 and a software application executing on a computing device wherein the software application is programmed to acquire imagery of the feedback and recover the data.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the computing device is a mobile device.

9. A system comprising:

a first earpiece;

a second earpiece,

wherein each of the first earpiece and the second earpiece comprises;

a waterproof housing;

at least one lighting element operably coupled to the housing;

a processor disposed within the waterproof housing, the processor operably coupled to the at least one lighting element;

a plurality of sensors operably coupled to the processor; and

wherein the earpiece has several modes of operation determined by sensed data from the plurality of sensors;

wherein the processor is programmed to control the at least one lighting element to convey visual feedback through the at least one lighting element'"'"'s color and lighting sequence based on one of the modes of operation being a diagnostic mode; and

wherein the diagnostic mode of operation provides for the lighting sequence to convey information about debugging protocols;

wherein the first earpiece and the second earpiece are configured to work in concert to convey visual feedback.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the mode of operation is confirmation of a gestural movement.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the first or second earpiece has no buttons.

12. A method of providing responsive visual feedback from

an earpiece comprising:

providing an earpiece comprising;

a housing,

at least one lighting element associated with the housing;

a processor disposed within the earpiece housing, the processor operably coupled to the at least one lighting element; and

a plurality of sensors operably coupled to the processor;

determining by the processor a mode of operation for the earpiece using sensed data from the plurality of sensors of the earpiece wherein the mode of operation is a diagnostic mode; and

controlling the at least one lighting element of the earpiece based on the diagnostic mode of operation of the earpiece determined by the processor to assist a user in debugging the earpiece.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one feedback element is a lighting element.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one lighting element is a multicolor lighting element.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the housing is water resistant.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of confirming a gestural movement.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of assessing embedded device data.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of executing a software application on a computing device wherein the software application is programmed to acquire imagery of the feedback and recover the data.