Wearable computer system

• US 20020084990A1
• Filed: 01/02/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johns Hopkins University, RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Inventors: Peterson, Frederick A. III
• Granted Patent: US 6,798,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt

Abstract

This invention involves a wearable computer having computer components movably located in a collar that the user wears around his or her neck. The computer components can be a display or monitor, or a microphone or any other computer component.

Claims

1. - A wearable computer system comprising a wearable general purpose computer attached to a wearable collar, said system comprising said wearable collar having computer components housed therein, said collar having means to fit around the neck of a user and comprising electrical connection means in electrical contact with said general purpose computer, said computer components movably housed within said collar at a location where they can be extended outside said collar when in use and having means when used to be moved adjacent a user'"'"'s face.

2. - The system of claim 1 wherein said computer components are selected from the group consisting of a monitor, an earphone, a microphone and mixtures thereof.

3. - The system of claim 1 wherein said computer components are operable to perform activation selected from the group consisting of manual activation, voice activation, eye activation, neural activation, brain activation, and mixtures thereof.

4. - The system of claim 1 wherein said collar is attached to a separate article of clothing.

5. - The system of claim 1 wherein said collar is attached to a separate article of clothing, said article of clothing having means in electrical contact with said collar and said computer components housed therein.

6. - The system of claim 1 wherein said computer components are supported by adjustable arms, said collar having means for said arms to extend therethrough.

7. - The system of claim 1 wherein said collar has electrical connection means for connecting said collar to said general purpose computer.

8. - The system of claim 1 wherein said collar has connection external means for attachment to additional pieces of clothing.

9. - The system of claim 1 comprising communication means selected from the group consisting of cellular telephones, hard-line telephones, infra-red transceivers, two-way radios and mixtures thereof.

10. - The system of claim 1 wherein said microphone and said earphone are supported by a flexible supporting arm, and whereby said monitor is supported by a separate supporting arm.

11. - A wearable voice activated hands-free computer system comprising a wearable conventional computer and a collar in electrical connection to said conventional computer, said collar comprising means to contain and for electrical contact of voice activated computer components housed therein, said computer components movably housed within said collar at a location where they can be extended outside said collar to be positioned in contact with or adjacent to the face of the user.

12. - The system of claim 11 wherein said collar is configured to fit around the periphery of the neck of the user.

13. - The system of claim 11 wherein said collar is configured for support by the shoulders of the user.

14. - The system of claim 11 wherein said computer components are selected from the group consisting of a monitor, an earphone, and a microphone.

15. - The system of claim 11 wherein said collar is attached to a separate article of clothing.

16. - The system of claim 11 wherein said collar is attached to a separate article of clothing, said article of clothing having means in electrical contact with said collar and said computer components housed within.

17. - The system of claim 11 wherein said computer components are supported by adjustable arms, said collar having means for said arms to extend therethrough.

18. - The system of claim 11 wherein said collar has electrical connection means for connecting said collar to said conventional computer.

19. - The system of claim 11 wherein said collar has connection means for attachment to additional pieces of clothing.

20. - The system of claim 11 comprising communication means selected from the group consisting of cellular telephones, hard-line telephones, infra-red transceivers, two-way radios and mixtures thereof.

21. - The system of claim 11 wherein said microphone and said earphone are supported by a flexible supporting arm, whereas said monitor is supported by a separate supporting arm.

22. - A wearable computer system comprising a general purpose computer and a wearable dickey in electrical connection to said general purpose computer, said dickey having attached thereto a collar configured to fit around the neck of a user, said collar comprising means also for electrical contact with said general purpose computer and movably housed within said collar a display means, an earpiece and a microphone, said dickey having components to house said general purpose computer and a battery.

23. - The system of claim 22 wherein said dickey has internal wiring to electrically connect system components of said system.