Wearable Computing Devices and Methods for the Wrist and/or Forearm

• US 20150309535A1
• Filed: 02/16/2015
• Published: 10/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medibotics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Medibotics, LLC
• Inventors: Connor, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,582,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 7/00 Cuffs A41B1/00, A41B3/00 take precedence; cuff links A44B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2300/326 using hooks and eyelets
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/10 Sleeves; Armholes
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0023 for therapeutic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 9/0053 having special functions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1477 non-invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4875 Hydration status, fluid retention of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/27 using photo-electric detection G01N21/31 takes precedence; circuits for computing concentration logarithmic circuits G06G7/24; photometric circuits in general G01J
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/02 by investigating impedance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883

Abstract

This invention comprises wearable computing devices and methods for the wrist and/or forearm including a bifurcating attachment member and/or proximal and distal display members. These wearable devices can provide relatively-large display areas without looking too clunky or being uncomfortable to wear. This invention also comprises methods for conserving energy and for modifying the communication interface between a human and a computer based on data from environmental sensors and/or body sensors.

Claims

1. A wearable computing device for the wrist and/or forearm comprising:

a bifurcating attachment member which is configured to be worn on a person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm;

one or more display members which are attached to and/or part of the branches of the bifurcating attachment member;

a data control unit; and

one or more sensors.

2. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member is selected from the group consisting of:

an armlet, a band, a bangle, a bracelet, a chain, a coil, a cuff, a gauntlet, a mesh, a sleeve, and a strap.

3. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member spans the entire circumference of the person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm.

4. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member spans at least 50% of the circumference of the person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm.

5. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member has ends which are connected to each other by a buckle, clasp, clip, hook, hook-and-eye material, pin, latch, button, and/or zipper.

6. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member is sufficiently inflexible or resiliently-flexible that it holds the device onto the person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm even if it has ends which are not connected to each other.

7. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member is flexible, stretchable, and/or elastic and encircles the entire circumference of the person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm after being slipped over the person'"'"'s hand.

8. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member bifurcates into two branches on the lateral surfaces of the person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm.

9. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member is a single band, strap, mesh, cuff, or chain on the lower and/or dorsal surface of a person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm and bifurcates to form a distal branch and a proximal branch on the upper and/or frontal surface of the person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm.

10. The device in claim 1 wherein the bifurcating attachment member has an upper portion which is configured to be worn on the upper and/or frontal surface of a person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm, wherein this upper portion further comprises a distal branch which is a first distance from the person'"'"'s elbow and a proximal branch which is a second distance from the person'"'"'s elbow, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance, and wherein the distal and proximal branches converge along the side surfaces or the lower and/or dorsal surface of the person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm.

11. The device in claim 1 wherein a display member is selected from the group consisting of:

a computer display screen and/or touch screen, an image projector, and a see-through display.

12. A wearable computing device for the wrist and/or forearm comprising:

an attachment member which is configured to be worn on a person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm;

a first display member, wherein this first display member is attached to and/or part of the attachment member at a first location, and wherein this first location is a first distance from the outer circumference of the person'"'"'s arm at the elbow when the arm is fully extended;

a second display member, wherein this second display member is attached to and/or part of the attachment member at a second location, wherein this second location is a second distance from the outer circumference of the person'"'"'s arm at the elbow when the arm is fully extended, and wherein the second distance is less than the first distance;

a data control unit; and

one or more sensors.

13. The device in claim 12 wherein distal is defined as further from the circumference of the person'"'"'s arm around the elbow when the arm is fully extended and proximal is defined as closer to the circumference of the person'"'"'s arm around the elbow when the arm is fully extended, wherein the first display member has an outer surface with a first centroid, wherein the second display member has an outer surface with a second centroid, and wherein the second centroid is more proximal than the first centroid.

14. The device in claim 12 wherein distal is defined as further from the circumference of the person'"'"'s arm around the elbow when the arm is fully extended and proximal is defined as closer to the circumference of the person'"'"'s arm around the elbow when the arm is fully extended, wherein the first display member has an outer surface with a first distal edge and a first proximal edge, wherein the second display member has an outer surface with a second distal edge and a second proximal edge, and wherein the second distal edge is more proximal than the first proximal edge.

15. The device in claim 12 wherein the first display member has a distal edge which is furthest from the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow, a centroid, and a proximal edge which is closest to the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow;

wherein the second display member has a distal edge which is furthest from the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow, a centroid, and a proximal edge which is closest to the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow; and

wherein the proximal edge of the first display member is further from the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow than the distal edge of the second display member.

16. The device in claim 12 wherein the first display member has a distal edge which is furthest from the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow, a centroid, and a proximal edge which is closest to the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow;

wherein the second display member has a distal edge which is furthest from the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow, a centroid, and a proximal edge which is closest to the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow;

wherein the proximal edge of the first display member is further from the outer circumference of the arm around the elbow than the distal edge of the second display member; and

wherein the centroid of the first display member and the centroid of the second display member are both intersected by the same distal-to-proximal axis of the attachment member.

17. The device in claim 12 wherein the attachment member is a bifurcating attachment member.

18. The device in claim 12 wherein the first display member and the second display member are flexibly connected by joints, hinges, cords, fabric, or membrane.

19. The device in claim 12 wherein the first display member and the second display member are part of a row-by-ring array of flexibly-connected display members, wherein the row dimension is along a distal-to-proximal axis and the ring dimension is around a circumference of the person'"'"'s arm, and wherein the (row×

ring) array size is at least (2×

2).

20. A wearable computing device for the wrist and/or forearm comprising:

an attachment member which is configured to be worn on a person'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm;

one or more display members which are attached to and/or part of the attachment member;

a data control unit; and

an electromagnetic energy sensor which collects data concerning electromagnetic energy from the person'"'"'s muscles and/or nerves.