Wearable communication system

• US 20030020629A1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jacob Sharony, James Connelly, Jerome Swartz, Joseph Katz, Margaret L. Hetfield, Michael A. Ramputi, Michael Slutsky, Paul R. Poloniewicz, Robert E. Beach, Simon Bard, Stephen J. Shellhammer
• Original Assignee: Jacob Sharony, James Connelly, Jerome Swartz, Joseph Katz, Margaret L. Hetfield, Michael A. Ramputi, Michael Slutsky, Paul R. Poloniewicz, Robert E. Beach, Simon Bard, Stephen J. Shellhammer
• Inventors: Shellhammer, Stephen J., Katz, Joseph, Slutsky, Michael, Hetfield, Margaret L., Sharony, Jacob, Beach, Robert E., Connelly, James, Bard, Simon, Swartz, Jerome, Poloniewicz, Paul R., Ramputi, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266

Abstract

A portable data input or computer system includes an input/output device such as a keyboard and a display, another data input device such as an optical bar code scanner, and a data processor module. To scan bar code type indicia, the operator points the scanner at the bar code and triggers the scanner to read the indicia. All the system components are distributed on an operator'"'"'s body and together form a personal area system (PAS). Components may include a scanner or imager, a wrist unit, a headpiece including an eyepiece display, speaker and a microphone. Components within a particular PAS communicate with each other over a personal area network (PAN). Individual PASs may be combined into a network of PASs called a PAS cluster. PASs in a particular PAS cluster can communicate with each other over another wireless communication channel. Individual PAS can gain access to a Local Area Network (LAN) and/or a Wide Area Network (WAN) via an access point. Individual PASs can use devices, such as servers and PCs situated either on the LAN or the WAN to retrieve and exchange information. Individual PAS components can provide automatic speech and image recognition. PAS components may also act a telephone, a pager, or any other communication device having access to a LAN or a WAN. Transmission of digitized voice and/or video data can be achieved over an Internet link.

Claims

1. A personal communication system adapted to be distributed on a user'"'"'s body, said system comprising:

an indicia reading device;

an input device for entering user inputs into said system and providing user outputs from said system; and

a central processing unit in communication with said indicia reading device and said input device,

wherein communication between said central processing unit and said indicia reading device is accomplished over a wireless communication channel.

2. The personal communication system of claim 1, further comprising a peripheral device in communication with said central processing unit.

3. The personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said indicia reading device is a laser scanner.

4. The personal communication system of claim 3, wherein said indicia reading device is a CCD scanner.

5. The personal communication system of claim 4, wherein said indicia reading device is a two-dimensional CCD scanner.

6. The personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said indicia reading device is a solid state imager.

7. The personal communication system of claim 6, wherein said solid state imager is a CMOS imager.

8. The personal communication system of claim 6, wherein said solid state imager is a CCD imager.

9. The personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said input device enables entry of voice commands.

10. The personal communication system of claim 9, further including a remote server in communication with said central processing unit for enabling automatic speech recognition of said voice commands entered into said input device.

11. The personal communication system of claim 10, wherein communication between said server and said central processing unit is accomplished using an internet communication protocol.

12. The personal communication system of claim 1, further including a remote server in communication with said central processing unit over an internet communication network for enabling speech recognition of a set of user'"'"'s voice commands.

13. The personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said indicia reading device and said input device are distributed on the same hand of the user.

14. The personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said input device is adapted to be worn on the user'"'"'s forearm.

15. The personal communication system of claim 1, wherein said indicia reading device is a scanner adapted to be worn on the user'"'"'s finger.

17. The personal communication system of claim 1, further comprising a peripheral device in communication with said controller.

16. A personal communication system adapted to be distributed on a user'"'"'s body, said system comprising:

an indicia reading device; and

a controller in wireless communication with said indicia reading device, said controller including

i) an input unit for accepting entry of user input data and providing user output data; and

ii) a processor for processing said user input and output data and for associating said indicia reading device with said controller.

18. The personal communication system of claim 16, wherein said indicia reading device is a laser scanner.

19. The personal communication system of claim 18, wherein said indicia reading device is a CCD scanner.

20. The personal communication system of claim 18, wherein said indicia reading device is a two-dimensional CCD scanner.

21. The personal communication system of claim 16, wherein said indicia reading device is a solid state imager.

22. The personal communication system of claim 21, wherein said solid state imager is a CMOS imager.

23. The personal communication system of claim 21, wherein said solid state imager is a CCD imager.

24. The personal communication system of claim 16, wherein said controller enables entry of voice commands.

25. The personal communication system of claim 24, further including a server in communication with said central processing unit for enabling automatic speech recognition of said voice commands entered into said controller.

26. The personal communication system of claim 25, wherein communication between said server and said central processing unit is accomplished using an internet communication protocol.

27. The personal communication system of claim 16, further including a server in communication with said central processing unit over an internet communication network for enabling speech recognition of user'"'"'s voice commands.

28. The personal communication system of claim 16, wherein said indicia reading device and said controller are distributed on the same hand of the user.

29. The personal communication system of claim 16, wherein said controller is adapted to be worn on the user'"'"'s forearm.

30. The personal communication system of claim 16, wherein said indicia reading device is a scanner adapted to be worn on the user'"'"'s finger.

31. The personal communication system of claim 16, further comprising a wireless trigger for activation of said indicia reading device.

32. The personal communication system of claim 31, wherein said wireless trigger is an acoustic trigger.

33. The personal communication system of claim 32, wherein said acoustic trigger is actuated by the operators fingers.

34. A communication system comprising:

a) an indicia reading system distributed on an operator'"'"'s body, said system including a data terminal and an indicia reading device in wireless communication with said data terminal;

b) a local area network;

c) an access point connected to said local area network and in wireless communication with said indicia reading system;

d) a gateway connected to said local area network;

e) a wide area network connected to said router and in communication with devices attached to said local area network via said gateway; and

f) a server attached to at least one of said local area network and said wide area network for providing information to said indicia reading system.

35. The communication system of claim 34, wherein said indicia reading system accepts voice data.

36. The communication system of claim 34, wherein said server provides speech recognition of said voice data.

37. The communication system of claim 34, wherein said indicia reading device is a laser scanner.

38. The communication system of claim 34, wherein said indicia reading device is a CCD scanner.

39. The communication system of claim 38, wherein said CCD scanner is a two-dimensional CCD scanner.

40. The communication system of claim 34, wherein said indicia reading device is a solid state imager.

41. The communication system of claim 40, wherein said solid state imager is a CCD imager.

42. The communication system of claim 40, wherein said solid state imager is a CMOS imager.

43. The personal communication system of claim 34, further comprising a wireless trigger for activating said indicia reading device.

44. The personal communication system of claim 43, wherein said wireless trigger is an acoustic trigger.

45. The personal communication system of claim 44, wherein said acoustic trigger is actuated by the operators fingers.

46. A communication system comprising:

a) a plurality of personal area systems, each one of said plurality of personal area systems including an indicia reading device and in wireless communication with an at least one other personal area system of said plurality of personal area systems;

b) a local area network;

c) a server connected to said local area network; and

e) an access point connected to said local area network for enabling communication between said server and at least one of said personal area systems.

47. The indicia reading system of claim 46, wherein at least one of said personal area systems accommodates user voice inputs.

48. The indicia reading system of claim 47, wherein said server provides speech recognition of the voice inputs accommodated by said at least one personal area system.

49. The indicia reading system of claim 46, wherein said server provides image recognition of an image data detected by said indicia reading device.

50. The personal communication system of claim 46, further comprising a wireless trigger for activating said indicia reading device.

51. The personal communication system of claim 50, wherein said wireless trigger is an acoustic trigger.

52. The personal communication system of claim 51, wherein said acoustic trigger is actuated by the operator'"'"'s fingers.

53. A communication system comprising:

a) an indicia reading system distributed on an operator'"'"'s body, said indicia reading system including a data terminal and an indicia reading device in wireless communication with said data terminal;

b) a local area communication network;

c) an access point connected to said local area communication network, said access point enabling wireless communication with said at indicia reading system;

d) a gateway connected to said local area network;

e) a wide areas network connected to said gateway and in communication, via said gateway, with devices attached to said local area network; and

f) a unit attached to at least one of said local area network and said wide area network, exchanging data with said data terminal using internet communication protocol.

54. The communication system of claim 53, wherein said exchanged data includes voice data.

55. The communication system of claim 54, wherein said exchanged data includes video data.

56. The communication system of claim 53, further comprising a wireless trigger for activating said indicia reading device.

57. The communication system of claim 56, wherein said wireless trigger is an acoustic trigger.

58. The communication system of claim 57, wherein said acoustic trigger is actuated by the operator'"'"'s fingers.

59. A personal communication system adapted to be distributed on a user'"'"'s body, said system comprising:

an indicia reading device for detecting optical information;

a wireless trigger for activating said indicia reading device; and

a controller in wireless communication with said indicia reading device, said controller including

i) an input unit for accepting entry of user input data and providing user output data; and

ii) a processor for processing said user input and output data and for associating said indicia reading device with said controller.

60. A personal communication system adapted to be distributed on a user'"'"'s body, said system comprising:

an indicia reading device;

a wrist unit for entering user inputs into said system and providing user outputs from said system;

a headpiece unit including a display, a speaker and a microphone for enabling audio and video communication; and

a central processing unit in communication with said indicia reading device, said headpiece unit and said wrist unit,

wherein communication between said central processing unit and said indicia reading device is accomplished over a wireless communication channel.

61. A personal communication system of claim 60, wherein said headpiece unit further includes a wireless transceiver for communicating with said central processing unit.

62. A personal communication system of claim 60 further including a tactile sensor for measuring tactile force and communicating a result of said measurement to the user,

wherein said tactile sensor is located on the user'"'"'s hand.

63. A personal communication system of claim 60, wherein said display is a miniature display which allows the user to received video information without fully blocking the user'"'"'s field of view.

64. A personal communication system of claim 63, wherein said display is a single eyepiece display.

65. A personal communication system of claim 60, wherein said display includes a projection type display-chip technology.

66. A personal communication system of claim 60, wherein audio communication is a store-and-retrieve type audio communication.

67. A personal communication system of claim 60, wherein audio communication is a telephony type audio communication.

68. A personal communication system of claim 60, wherein audio communication is a voice response type audio communication.

69. A personal communication system of claim 60, wherein audio communication is a voice recognition type audio communication.

70. A personal audio communication system comprising:

a voice recognition device for associating an audio input with a corresponding digital data;

a personal device worn by the user for communicating voice information to a remote party over a digital communication network, said personal device including

a) a speaker;

b) a microphone; and

c) a voice communication module operably connected to said voice recognition device, for accepting a user'"'"'s voice input via said microphone, establishing communication with the remote party and providing an audio output to said user via said speaker.

71. The personal audio communication system of claim 70, wherein said voice recognition device is a server attached to said digital communication network.

72. The personal audio communication system of claim 70, wherein said voice recognition device is a body wearable unit located on the user'"'"'s body.

73. The personal audio communication system of claim 70, wherein said personal device is headset worn by the user.

74. The personal audio communication system of claim 70, wherein said headset further includes a function key for initiating voice communication via said headset.

75. The personal audio communication system of claim 70, wherein said voice communication module includes an application specific integrated circuit.

76. The personal audio communication system of claim 75, wherein said application specific integrated circuit has an area of less then about two square inches.

77. The personal audio communication system of claim 70, further including an imager.

78. The personal audio communication system of claim 77, wherein said voice recognition device also comprises an image recognition module for recognizing contents of an optical image.

79. A method of establishing communications with a remote party, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing audio input into a voice-communication module;

b) converting said audio input into an electrical signal;

c) transmitting said electrical signal to a voice recognition device;

d) associating said electrical signal with a set of corresponding data, said set of corresponding data including at least a network address of the remote party;

e) transmitting said network address back to said voice-communication module; and

f) establishing a communication channel with the remote party located at said network address.

80. The method of claim 80, wherein said voice-communication module allows hands free operation by being integrated into a headpiece worn by a user.

81. The method of claim 81, wherein said communication channel is an internet communication channel.