WEARABLE-TO-WEARABLE CONTROLS

• US 20160098816A1
• Filed: 09/18/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kba2 Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kba2 Inc.
• Inventors: FISHER, Jon B., HARRIS, Steven L., KOVACH, James J., MARKUS, Austin A., REDFIELD, James A., SMITH, Richard G.
• Application Number:
  US14/858,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20160098816A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/739 in form of a video summary, e.g. the video summary being a video sequence, a composite still image or having synthesized frames
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The present invention provides a number of advantageous modifications and improvements in wearable computing devices to optimize or at least more fully utilize the potential applications of such devices. These modifications include transforming the view of a second observer to be able to view what a first observer at a different location is viewing, allowing the second observer or a remote administrator to control the zoom on the device of a first observer, providing a pointer on the device of the first observer to assist in framing or viewing an object; and controlling the device to avoid overheating or to avoid transmitting redundant or hijacked information.

Claims

1. A method of providing a digital image viewed by a first observer to a second observer in a different location, which comprises:

determining by context factors the relative positions of first and second observers who are viewing an object from different locations;

obtaining digital image data from wearable computing devices of the first and second observers; and

transforming a digital image obtained by the digital image data of the second observer to be the same as the digital image obtained from the digital image data from the first observer so that the second observer views the object the same way as the first observer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second image is transformed by vertical and horizontal rotation dependent on the spatial location of the two observers.

3. The method of claim 1 which further comprises providing a pointer on the wearable computing device of at least the first observer to assist in the viewing or framing of the object being viewed by the second observer.

4. The method of claim 1 which further comprises enabling the second observer to control the zoom of the wearable computing device of the first observer to assist in the viewing or framing of the object being viewed by the second observer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second observer is able to control the zoom of the wearable computing device of the first observer by hand or head gestures or verbal commands.

6. The method of claim 1 which further comprises enabling a remote administrator to control the zoom of the wearable computing device of the first user via direct input or an online zoom to assist in the viewing or framing of the object being viewed by the second observer.

7. The method of claim 1 which further comprises:

measuring through algorithmic methods, a heat load of the wearable device of the first observer as the device is in use; and

reducing power to the device when a predetermined heat load is reached to avoid overheating or causing damage to the device.

8. The method of claim 1 which further comprises:

analyzing streaming video transmitted by the wearable device of the first observer; and

when determining that the video or images are stationary for a defined period of time, or when determining that the device is inactive for a specified timeframe, reducing power use of the wearable device or putting the device into a sleep mode to avoid transmitting redundant or non-useful data and/or to conserve energy of the device.

9. The method of claim 1 which further comprises:

detecting through algorithmic methods, applications that are present or that are being installed on the wearable device of the first observer;

comparing the detected applications to a database of acceptable programs; and

when unauthorized applications are detected, shutting down or disabling the wearable device to avoid hijacking of electronic data or images from the wearable device by the unauthorized application.

10. (canceled)

11. In a method of providing a digital image viewed by a first observer to a second observer in a different location, the improvement which comprises enabling someone other than the first observer to control the zoom of the wearable computing device of the first observer to assist in the viewing or framing of the object being viewed by the second observer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second observer controls the zoom of the wearable computing device of the first observer by hand or head gestures or verbal commands.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a remote administrator controls the zoom of the wearable computing device of the first user via direct input or an online zoom to assist in the viewing or framing of the object being viewed by the second observer.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the improvement further comprises providing a pointer on the wearable computing device of an observer to assist in the viewing or framing of the objects being captured by the wearable device.

14-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A wearable interface having wireless transmission capability comprising a camera, a view screen and a laser pointer on or associated with the wearable device to assist in obtaining images with the camera for proper framing on the view screen.

20. The wearable device of claim 18 which includes a processor for preventing overheating of the device due to extended use, wherein the processor is configured for measuring through algorithmic methods, a heat load of the wearable device as the device is in use;

and reducing power to the device when a predetermined heat load is reached to avoid overheating or causing damage to the device.

21. The wearable device of claim 20, wherein the processor places the wearable device into a sleep mode to allow the device to cool when the predetermined heat load is reached.

22. The wearable device of claim 18 which includes a processor for conserving energy in the device, wherein the processor is configured for analyzing streaming video transmitted by the wearable device;

and when determining that the video or images are stationary for a defined period of time, or when determining that the device is inactive for a specified timeframe, reducing power use of the wearable device or putting the device into a sleep mode to avoid transmitting redundant or non-useful data and/or to conserve energy of the device.

23. The wearable device of claim 18 which includes a processor for protects the device from hijacking, wherein the processor is configured for detecting through algorithmic methods, applications that are present or that are being installed on the wearable device;

comparing the detected applications to a database of acceptable programs; and

when unauthorized applications are detected, shutting down or disabling the wearable device to avoid hijacking of electronic data or images from the wearable device by the unauthorized application.