WEARABLE DEVICE AND MANAGING DEVICE TO MANAGE STATUS OF USER, AND METHODS THEREOF

• US 20140135644A1
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Sang-tae
• Application Number:
  US14/079,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135644A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/545
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B

Abstract

A wearable device and a managing device to manage a status of a user, the wearable device including a brainwave measuring sensor to measure a brainwave of the user, an environment information sensor to sense surrounding environment information, a vibrator to generate vibrations, a display device to display a message, a communicator to transmit sensed values of the brainwave measuring sensor and the environment information sensor to an external device and to receive a control signal from the external device, and a controller to control operations of the vibrator and the display device based on at least one of the sensed value of the brainwave measuring sensor, the sensed value of the environment sensor, and the control signal. Therefore, safety of the user is maintained even when the use is in a dangerous situation.

Claims

1. A wearable device that a user wears on a body of the user, the wearable device comprising:

a brainwave measuring sensor to measure a brainwave of the user;

an environment information sensor to sense surrounding environment information;

a vibrator to generate vibrations;

a display device to display a message;

a communicator to transmit sensed values of the brainwave measuring sensor and the environment information sensor to an external device and to receive a control signal from the external device; and

a controller to control operations of the vibrator and the display device based on at least one of the sensed value of the brainwave measuring sensor, the sensed value of the environment sensor, and the control signal.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein if at least one of the sensed value of the brainwave measuring sensor and the sensed value of the environment information sensor meets a preset dangerous condition or a control signal to inform the user of a dangerous state is received, the controller displays a warning message through the display device and controls the vibrator to generate the vibrations.

3. The wearable device of claim 2, further comprising:

an output device to output an informing signal to inform of an existence of the user,

wherein if a preset event occurs, the controller controls the output device to output the informing signal, and the informing signal comprises at least one of a light-emitting diode (LED) flickering signal and an informing sound.

4. The wearable device of claim 3, further comprising:

a sensor to sense a remaining amount of a medium necessary to allow the user to survive,

wherein if the remaining amount of the medium is lower than a preset threshold value, the controller displays a warning message through the display device and controls the vibrator to generate the vibrations.

5. The wearable device of claim 4, further comprising:

a timer to count a time,

wherein if the wearable device is activated, the controller controls the timer to start the counting and, if the counted time reaches a preset limit time, displays an informing message through the display device and controls the vibrator to generate the vibrations.

6. The wearable device of claim 5, further comprising:

a first body part that the user wears on a head of the user; and

a second body part that the user wears on an upper body part of the user,

wherein the brainwave measuring sensor is disposed in the first body part, the vibrator is disposed in at least one of shoulder and neck positions of the second body part, the display device is disposed in at least one of a plurality of arm positions of the second body part, and the output device is disposed on a back of the second body part.

21. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the external device is a mobile phone.

7. A status managing method of a wearable device that a user wears on a body, the status managing method comprising:

sensing a brainwave and surrounding environment information by using a brainwave measuring sensor and an environment information sensor attached to the wearable device;

transmitting the brainwave and the surrounding environment information to an external device; and

if at least one of a sensed value of the brainwave measuring sensor and a sensed value of the environment information sensor meets a preset dangerous condition or a control signal to inform the user of a dangerous state is received from the external device, controlling a display device and a vibration motor attached to the wearable device to inform the user of the dangerous state.

8. The status managing method of claim 7, further comprising:

if a preset event occurs, outputting an informing signal to inform of a position of the user.

9. The status managing method of claim 8, further comprising:

sensing a remaining amount of a medium necessary to allow the user to survive; and

if the remaining amount of the medium is lower than a preset threshold value, providing a warning message and vibrations.

10. The status managing method of claim 9, further comprising:

if the wearable device is activated, starting to count a time; and

if the counted time reaches a preset limit time, providing an informing message and vibrations.

11. A managing device comprising:

a communicator to receive brainwave information and surrounding environment information sensed by a brainwave measuring sensor and an environment information sensor from a wearable device comprising the brainwave measuring sensor, the environment information sensor, and a display device;

a storage device to store a dangerous condition of a brainwave and a surrounding environment of the user; and

a controller to compare the brainwave information and the surrounding environment information with the dangerous condition to determine whether the user is in a dangerous state and, if it is determined that the user is in the dangerous state, generates a control signal to generate a warning message and a vibration signal, and transmits the control signal to the wearable device.

12. The managing device of claim 11, wherein the communicator communicates with a plurality of wearable devices,

wherein if a first wearable device of the plurality of wearable devices is in a dangerous state, the controller informs the other wearable devices of a status of the first wearable device.

13. A status managing method of a managing device, the status managing method comprising:

receiving brainwave information and surrounding environment information sensed by a brainwave measuring sensor and an environment information sensor from a wearable device comprising the brainwave measuring sensor, the environment information sensor, and a display device;

determining whether the wearable device is in a dangerous state by comparing the brainwave information and the surrounding environment information with a preset dangerous condition; and

if it is determined that the wearable device is in the dangerous state, generating a control signal to generate a warning message and a vibration signal and transmitting the control signal to the wearable device.

14. The status managing method of claim 13, further comprising:

if it is determined that a first wearable device of a plurality of wearable devices connected to the managing device is in a dangerous state, informing the other wearable devices of a status of the first wearable device.

15. A wearable device that a user wears on a body of the user, the wearable device comprising:

a brainwave measuring sensor to sense a brainwave of the user;

an environment information sensor to sense surrounding environment information;

a communicator to transmit sensed values of at least one of the brainwave measuring sensor and the environment information sensor to an external device and to receive a control signal; and

a controller to alert the user of danger based on at least one of the sensed brainwave and the sensed surrounding environment information.

16. The wearable device of claim 15, further comprising:

a display device to display a message corresponding to a type of the danger.

17. The wearable device of claim 15, further comprising:

a vibrator to generate vibrations at an intensity proportional to a type of the danger.

18. The wearable device of claim 15, wherein the control signal includes instructions on how to avoid the danger from the external device, and

further comprising at least one of a display device and a vibrator to alert the user of the danger.

19. The wearable device of claim 15, wherein the controller controls operations of the at least one of the vibrator and the display device based on at least one of the sensed value of the brainwave measuring sensor, the sensed value of the environment sensor, and the control signal.

20. The wearable device of claim 15, wherein the alert is with respect to the user'"'"'s danger.