WEARABLE DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20160039424A1
• Filed: 08/04/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: HONG, Seungbum, HONG, Sungwook, LEE, Seungyong
• Granted Patent: US 9,809,228 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0827 due to sleepiness
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0863 due to erroneous selection or response of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2302/05 Leading to automatic stopping of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

Provided is a wearable device including a main body that is configured to be worn on a specific portion of a user'"'"'s body, a sensing unit, provided in the main body, that senses a biological signal of a user, a storage unit that collects log information relating to the biological signal, and in which an index pattern relating to a state of the user included in the collected log information is stored, and a controller that sets a reference driving index, using the stored index pattern, in which when it is sensed that the user gets in a vehicle, the controller determines a current driving index corresponding to the biological signal that is sensed before and after the user gets in the vehicle, based on the reference driving index being set, and outputs feedback that notifies the state of the user that corresponds to a result of the determination.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising:

a main body configured to be worn by a user;

a sensing unit configured to sense a biological signal of the user;

a controller configured to;

collect log information including information relating to the biological signal of the user and information relating to a state of the user;

store an index pattern that indicates a correspondence between the information relating to the biological signal of the user with the information relating to the state of the user that are included in the collected log information,

determine a reference driving index that indicates values of the stored index pattern that are suitable for the user to drive a vehicle; and

based on detecting a vehicle entry event for the user, determine, relative to the reference driving index, a current driving index corresponding to the biological signal of the user that is sensed during a period of time extending before and after the vehicle entry event for the user.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to output feedback for notifying the user of the state of the user corresponding to a result of determining the current driving index.

3. The wearable device of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to, based on determining that the current driving index for the user is not suitable for the user to drive, output the feedback in a variable manner according to a type or a degree of deviation of the current driving index from the reference driving index.

4. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to, based on determining whether the current driving index for the user is suitable for the user to drive, output at least one of an alert indicating that the current state of the user is not suitable for safe driving, or a notification indicating that the current state of the user is suitable for safe driving.

5. The wearable device of claim 4, wherein the alert comprises one or more of a sound, a vibration, a light, or a screen change, and

wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a type or a strength of the alert according to the current state of the user.

6. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch screen;

wherein the controller is further configured to;

based on determining that the current driving index is not suitable for the user to drive, display visual information on the touch screen indicating the current state of the user, and

output corresponding feedback based on a predetermined touch input being applied to the touch screen.

7. The wearable device of claim 2, wherein the reference driving index and the current driving index each includes a stress index and a drowsiness index,

wherein the reference driving index includes threshold values of the stress index and the drowsiness index for which the stress index and the drowsiness index are suitable for the user to safely drive a vehicle, and

wherein the controller is further configured to update the reference driving index based on the stored index pattern being changed.

8. The wearable device of claim 7, wherein the stress index and the drowsiness index each includes an index ascending section and an index recovering section, and

wherein the controller is further configured to:

based on determining that the current driving index is not suitable for the user to drive, search the collected log information for information related to a situation corresponding to the index recovering section for the current state of the user, and

output, based on the searched log information, the feedback in a manner configured to recreate the situation corresponding to the index recovering section.

9. The wearable device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to, based on determining that the current driving index is not suitable for the user to drive, search the collected log information for the information related to the situation corresponding to the index recovering section having the shortest time duration for the current state of the user.

10. The wearable device of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to, based on determining that the current driving index is not suitable for the user to drive and using the biological signal of the user detected during the index recovering section for the current state of the user and using external context information, output the feedback in a manner that is configured to adjust the current driving index of the user, relative to the reference driving index, to be suitable for the user to drive.

11. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

based on determining that the current driving index is not suitable for the user to drive, output a message requesting an input from the user regarding the current state of the user, and

adjust the reference driving index to reflect the user'"'"'s input in response to the message that was output.

12. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the index pattern includes a physical index pattern and an emotional index pattern for the user,

wherein the physical index pattern is generated based on the biological signal of the user being sensed during a predetermined time of day, and

wherein the emotional index pattern is generated based on the biological signal of the user being sensed in a predetermined situation.

13. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

based on detecting a vehicle entry event for the user, compare the biological signal of the user sensed over a period of time before the vehicle entry event, with the stored index pattern,

recognize information regarding an activity of the user that occurred before the vehicle entry event, and

determine the current driving index based on the recognized information regarding the activity of the user.

14. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to, based on detecting the vehicle entry event of the user, determine that the current driving index has changed based on determining a difference between the biological signal of the user sensed during the period of time before the vehicle entry event and the biological signal sensed after the vehicle entry event.

15. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless communication unit, connected to a vehicle-mounted control apparatus, that is configured to receive information relating to a state of the vehicle,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

determine the vehicle entry event for the user based on the received information relating to the state of the vehicle, and

control the wireless communication unit such that information regarding the state of the user corresponding to the current driving index is provided to the vehicle-mounted control apparatus.

16. The wearable device of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to, based on the information regarding the state of the user corresponding to the current driving index, control the wireless communication unit such that a control signal for changing a destination or a moving path that is set in advance in the vehicle-mounted control apparatus is provided to the vehicle system.

17. A method of operation of a wearable device that is worn by a user, the method comprising:

sensing a biological signal of a user;

collecting log information including information relating to the biological signal and information relating to a state of the user;

storing an index pattern that indicates a correspondence between the information relating to the biological signal of the user with the information relating to the state of the user that are included in the collected log information;

determining a reference driving index that indicates values of the stored index pattern that are suitable for the user to drive a vehicle; and

based on detecting a vehicle entry event for the user, determining, relative to the reference driving index, a current driving index corresponding to the biological signal of the user that is sensed during a period of time extending before and after vehicle entry event for the user, based on the set reference driving index.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising outputting feedback for notifying the user of the state of the user corresponding to a result of determining the current driving index.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein outputting the feedback comprises outputting, based on determining that the current driving index for the user is not suitable for the user to drive, the feedback in a variable manner according to a type or a degree of deviation of the current driving index from the reference driving index.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the current driving index comprises:

comparing, based on detecting a vehicle entry event for the user, the biological signal of the user sensed over a period of time before the vehicle entry event, with the stored index pattern;

recognizing information regarding an activity of the user that occurred before the vehicle entry event; and

determining the current driving index based on the recognized information regarding the activity of the user.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the current driving index comprises:

determining, based on detecting the vehicle entry event of the user, that the current driving index has changed based on determining a difference between the biological signal of the user sensed during the period of time before the vehicle entry event and the biological signal sensed after the vehicle entry event.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving information relating to a state of the vehicle in which a vehicle-mounted control apparatus is connected to the wearable device;

determining the vehicle entry event of the user based on the received information relating to the state of the vehicle; and

providing information regarding the state of the user corresponding to the current driving index to the vehicle-mounted control apparatus.