Systems and Methods for Dynamically Changing Alerts of Portable Devices Using Brainwave Signals

• US 20110084795A1
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Connected Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Fukuyori, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,519,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection

Abstract

A method for dynamically adjusting alerts of a portable electronic device is provided. The method may include steps for receiving, from a threshold value associated with an attention level of a user. The method may also include receiving one or more numeric values corresponding to a current mental state of a user from a brainwave sensor. Next, the method may compare the one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor and the received threshold, and based at least on the comparison, the method may automatically adjust at least one alert of the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically adjusting alerts of a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a threshold value from a user, wherein the threshold value comprises a threshold value associated with an attention level value of the user;

receiving one or more numeric values from a brainwave sensor, the numeric values corresponding to a current attention level of the user;

comparing the received one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor and the received threshold value; and

based at least on the comparison, automatically adjusting at least one alert mode of the portable electronic device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a configuration setting from a user, the configuration setting comprising a sample period setting, which determines how long to collect the one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a configuration setting from a user, the configuration setting comprising a frequency setting, which determines how often to collect the one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a status of a dynamic silent mode feature of the portable electronic device and automatically adjusting an audible alert level the portable electronic device in response to a determination that the dynamic silent mode feature is enabled.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alert comprises at least one of:

an audible alert, a visual alert displayed on a display of the portable electronic device, and a mechanical vibration.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a dry active electrode sensor integral with headgear worn by the user or integral to the portable electronic device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the attention level comprises at least one of:

a highly attentive level and a distracted level.

8. A system for dynamically adjusting alerts of a portable electronic device, the system comprising:

a brainwave sensor configured to measure one or more brainwave signals;

a portable electronic device communicatively coupled to the brainwave sensor, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to;

receiving one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor, the one or more numeric values corresponding to a current attention level of a user;

receiving a threshold value from the user, wherein the threshold value comprises a threshold value associated with an attention level value of the user;

comparing the one or more received numeric values from the brainwave sensor and the received threshold value; and

based at least on the comparison, automatically adjusting at least one alert mode of the portable electronic device.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises a dry active electrode sensor integral with a headgear worn by the user.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the sensor is integral to the portable electronic device.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to determine a status of a dynamic silent mode feature of the portable electronic device.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the portable electronic device is further configured to automatically adjust the at least one alert mode of the portable electronic device in response to a determination that the dynamic silent mode feature is enabled.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the alert comprises at least one of:

an audible alert, a visual alert displayed on a display of the portable electronic device, and a mechanical vibration.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein the attention level comprises at least one of:

a highly attentive level or a distractive level.

15. The system according to claim 8, the processor is further configured to receive a configuration setting from a user, the configuration setting comprising a sample period setting, which determines how long to collect the one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor.

16. The system according to claim 8, the processor is further configured to receive a configuration setting from a user, the configuration setting comprising a frequency setting, which determines how often to collect the one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor.

17. A program of instructions stored on computer readable media, the program instructions configured to, when executed by a processor:

receive a threshold value from the user, wherein the threshold value comprises a threshold value associated with an attention level value of a user;

receive one or more numeric values from a sensor, the numeric value corresponding to a current attention level of the user;

compare the one or more received numeric values from the brainwave sensor and the received threshold value; and

based at least on the comparison, automatically adjusting at least one alert mode of the portable electronic device.

18. The program of instructions according to claim 17, further configured to, when executed by the processor:

receive a configuration setting from a user, the configuration setting comprising a sample period setting, which determines how long to collect the one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor.

19. The program of instructions according to claim 17, further configured to, when executed by the processor:

receive a configuration setting from a user, the configuration setting comprising a frequency setting, which determines how often to collect the one or more numeric values from the brainwave sensor.

20. The program of instructions according to claim 17, the program of instructions further configured to determine a status of a dynamic silent mode feature of the portable electronic device.

21. The program of instructions according to claim 20, wherein the program of instructions is further configured to automatically adjust the at least one alert mode of the portable electronic device in response to a determination that the dynamic silent mode feature is enabled.

22. The program of instructions according to claim 17, wherein the alert comprises at least one of:

an audible alert, a visual alert displayed on a display of the portable electronic device, and a mechanical vibration.

23. The program of instructions according to claim 17, wherein the attention level comprises at least one of:

a fully attentive level or a distractive level.