WEARABLE PERSONAL INFORMATION SYSTEM

• US 20140121539A1
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chatterjee, Monique, Ledbetter, Carl, Son, Sung Ho, Christopher, Stephen Michael, Ferlan, Michael Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 9,386,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/479
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/185 Optical shielding, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/08 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/025 for measuring physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A personal information system is provided. The system may include a portable information device having a housing including a top surface defined at least partially by a display, a bottom surface configured with a central region in which an optical sensor, electrical connector, and data connector are positioned, the housing enclosing an internal volume in which a processor is provided, the top surface and bottom surface being coupled by a perimeter side edge extending therebetween, and a mounting structure formed at least partially around the perimeter side edge of the housing. The system may further include a frame, which may be connected to a band, the frame surrounding a void and configured to receive the mounting structure, the frame and mounting structure being releasably securable via a tongue and groove connection. The system may further comprise a dock to which the information device may be connected.

Claims

1. A personal information system, comprising:

a portable information device having;

a housing including a top surface defined at least partially by a display, a bottom surface in which an electrical connector and data connector are positioned, the housing enclosing an internal volume in which a processor is provided, the top surface and bottom surface being coupled by a perimeter side edge extending therebetween; and

a mounting structure formed at least partially around the perimeter side edge of the housing;

a frame surrounding a void and configured to receive the mounting structure, the frame and mounting structure being releasably securable via a tongue and groove connection.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dock configured with a mounting well configured to receive and releasably secure the information device, the mounting well having an outer perimeter wall sized to accommodate the mounting structure of the information device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the bottom surface is configured with a central region within which the electrical connector and the data connector are positioned, and wherein the dock further includes corresponding dock-side electrical connector and dock-side data connector in a central region of the mounting well of the dock.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the information device is releasably secured by magnets to the dock.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a band coupled to the frame.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the mounting structure includes a lip formed at least partially around the perimeter of the frame, a reduced perimeter wall of the mounting structure extending upwardly from the lip to the top surface and extending at least partially around the perimeter of the frame, the reduced perimeter wall having a shape that corresponds to the shape of an inside perimeter wall of the frame and the lip contacting a bottom surface of the frame when the mounting structure is engaged with the frame to stop ingress thereof.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the housing is configured to be mounted to the mounting well of the dock while the frame is coupled to the housing and the band is coupled to the frame.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface further includes an optical sensor, the optical sensor including a light emitter and at least one light sensor, and wherein the light emitter is configured to emit a light into the skin of a user, and the light sensor is configured to measure a biometric parameter of a user, when the device is worn by the user.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a light sealing gasket formed on the bottom surface of the portable information device around the central region and surrounding the optical sensor, the light sealing gasket being configured to contact a surface of the user to seal out external light, thereby enabling the optical sensor to operate without interference from external light.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a program executed on the processor, which is configured to receive a signal from the optical sensors indicating a measured biometric parameter, and to display on the display an indication of the measured biometric parameter.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the tongue is formed on the perimeter side edge and the groove is formed in the frame.

12. A method for use with a wearable personal information system, comprising:

inserting a portable information device into a void in a bottom side of a frame coupled with a band until ingress of the portable information device into the frame is stopped by contact between a lip formed in a mounting structure of the portable information device and a bottom surface of an inside perimeter wall of the frame, and a tongue and groove connection is established between the mounting structure and the frame, to thereby releasably secure the portable information device to the frame coupled to the band.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

positioning the band around a body part of a user such that an optical sensor formed on a bottom surface of the portable information device is positioned adjacent the skin of the body part, and such that a gasket formed on the bottom surface around the optical sensor shields external light from the optical sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

measuring a biometric parameter of the user via the optical sensor; and

displaying an indication of the biometric parameter on a display of the portable information device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

applying force to a top of a housing of the portable information device to decouple the tongue and groove connection and urge the portable information device out of the bottom side of the frame.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

inserting the portable information device into a mounting well of a dock, until the portable information device is releasably secured in the mounting well by a magnetic force and/or by a deformable seal member of the portable information device, and an electrical connector and a data connector formed on the bottom side of the information device couple with a corresponding electrical connector and data connector in the mounting well, to enable charging and transmission of data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein inserting the portable information device into the mounting well is performed while the portable information device is secured to the frame, which is coupled to the band.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein inserting the portable information device into the mounting well is performed while the portable information device is released and separated from the frame of the band.

19. A personal information system, comprising:

an information device having;

a housing including a top surface defined at least partially by a display, a bottom surface configured with a central region in which an optical sensor, electrical connector, and data connector are positioned, the housing enclosing an internal volume in which a processor is provided, the top surface and bottom surface being coupled by a perimeter side edge extending therebetween, the optical sensor being configured to measure a biometric parameter of a user of the device when the device is worn by the user, and the data connector and electrical connector being configured to connect to corresponding connectors on a dock to charge the portable information device and transmit data; and

a mounting structure formed at least partially around the perimeter side edge of the housing;

a band with a frame coupled thereto, the frame surrounding a void and configured to receive the mounting structure, the frame and mounting structure being releasably securable via a tongue and groove connection;

wherein the mounting structure includes a lip formed at least partially around the perimeter of the frame, an reduced perimeter wall of the mounting structure extending upwardly from the lip to the top surface and extending at least partially around the perimeter of the frame, the reduced perimeter wall having a shape that corresponds to the shape of an inside perimeter wall of the frame and the lip contacting a bottom surface of the frame when the mounting structure is engaged with the frame to stop ingress thereof.

20. The personal information system of claim 19, further comprising:

a dock provided with a mounting well configured to receive and releasably secure the information device, the mounting well having an outer perimeter wall sized to accommodate the mounting structure of the information device, wherein the dock further includes corresponding dock-side electrical connector and dock-side data connector in a central region of the mounting well of the dock, the dock-side electrical connector and dock-side data connector being configured to respectively connect to the electrical connector and data connector of the information device when the information device is releasably secured in the mounting well.