Wearable Camera for Reporting the Time Based on Wrist-Related Trigger

• US 20170024612A1
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd
• Original Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd
• Inventors: Wexler, Yonatan, Shashua, Amnon
• Granted Patent: US 10,019,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/113 Recognition of static hand signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Abstract

A wearable device and method are provided for reporting the time based on a wrist-related trigger. In one implementation, a wearable apparatus for providing time information to a user includes a wearable image sensor configured to capture real-time image data from an environment of a user of the wearable apparatus. The wearable apparatus also includes at least one processing device programmed to identify in the image data a wrist-related trigger associated with the user. The processing device is also programmed to provide an output to the user, the output including the time information, based on at least the identification of the wrist-related trigger.

Claims

1. A wearable apparatus for providing time information to a user, the wearable apparatus comprising:

a wearable image sensor configured to capture real-time image data from an environment of the user of the wearable apparatus; and

at least one processing device programmed to;

identify in the image data a wrist-related trigger associated with the user; and

provide an output to the user, the output including the time information, based on at least the identification of the wrist-related trigger.

2. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wrist-related trigger includes identification of at least a portion of a wrist region of the user.

3. The wearable apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processing device is further programmed to determine that the wrist-related trigger is associated with the user based on at least a threshold amount of space that the portion of the wrist region occupies in at least one image of the image data.

4. The wearable apparatus of claim 3, wherein the threshold amount of space that the wrist region occupies is at least 10 percent of the at least one image.

5. The wearable apparatus of claim 3, wherein the threshold amount of space that the wrist region occupies is at least 20 percent of the at least one image.

6. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is further programmed to provide the output to the user of the time information after the wrist-related trigger appears in the image data for more than a threshold time duration.

7. The wearable apparatus of claim 6, wherein the threshold time duration is at least 2 seconds.

8. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the time information includes an indication of a current time in relation to an activity.

9. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is further programmed to provide the output to the user of the time information after the wrist-related trigger appears in the image data for more than a threshold number of consecutive images.

10. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is further programmed to:

determine that the wrist-related trigger is part of the user based on at least a threshold amount of space that a portion of the user'"'"'s wrist occupies in at least one image; and

provide the output to the user of the time information after the wrist-related trigger appears in the image data for more than a threshold time duration.

11. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output to the user of the time information includes an audible output.

12. The wearable apparatus of claim 11, wherein the audible output is provided via a bone conduction headphone or a speaker in communication with the wearable device.

13. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output includes a visual output provided on a display.

14. The wearable apparatus of claim 13, wherein the display is included as part of smartphone or tablet in communication with the wearable device.

15. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wrist-related trigger includes identification of a near orthogonal view of one of the outside or inside portion of the user'"'"'s wrist.

16. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wrist-related trigger includes identification of a near orthogonal view of one of the outside or inside portion of the user'"'"'s wrist associated with an identification of a rotation of the wrist into that position.

17. The wearable apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wrist-related trigger includes identification of a finger pointing to the wrist region of the user.

18. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is further programed to withhold providing an output to the user when it determines that a wrist-related trigger is associated with a person other than the user.

19. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least processing device is further programmed to:

identify in the image data, while providing the output to the user, a new wrist-related trigger; and

cause an action to occur based on at least the new wrist-related trigger.

20. The wearable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the action includes providing additional information to the user.

21. The wearable apparatus of claim 20, wherein the additional information includes at least one of a day, a month, a year, or a weather forecast.

22. The wearable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the action includes repeating the output to the user.

23. The wearable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the action includes stopping the output to the user.

24. The wearable apparatus of claim 19, wherein the action includes stopping the output to the user and providing a new output to the user.

25. A wearable apparatus for providing time information to a user, the wearable apparatus comprising:

a wearable glasses unit and an image sensor associated therewith, the image sensor being configured to capture real-time image data from an environment of the user; and

at least one processing device programmed to;

identify in the image data a trigger, wherein the trigger is based on at least an appearance of at least a portion of a wrist region of the user in the image data; and

provide an output to the user, the output including the time information, based on at least the identification of the trigger.

26. The wearable apparatus of claim 25, wherein the trigger includes identification of a near orthogonal view of one of the outside or inside portion of the wrist region of the user.

27. The wearable apparatus of claim 26, wherein the trigger includes identification of a near orthogonal view of one of the outside or inside portion of the wrist region of the user and identification of a finger pointing to the wrist region.

28. The wearable apparatus of claim 25, wherein the trigger further includes an identification of a threshold amount of space that the wrist region occupies in at least one image of the image data.

29. The wearable apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one processing device is further programmed to withhold providing an output to the user when it determines that a wrist region is associated with a person other than the user.

30. The wearable apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one processing device is further programmed to provide the output to the user of the time information after the wrist region appears in the image data more than a threshold time duration.

31. The wearable apparatus of claim 25, wherein the wearable apparatus includes a housing containing the image sensor mounted on the glasses unit.

32. The wearable apparatus of claim 25, wherein the output to the user of the time information includes an audible output via a bone conduction headphone in communication with the wearable device.

33. A method for providing time information to a user using a wearable device, comprising:

capturing, via a wearable image sensor of the wearable device, real time image data from an environment of the user;

identifying in the image data a trigger, wherein the trigger is based on at least an appearance of at least a portion of a wrist region of the user in the image data; and

providing an output to the user, the output including the time information, based on at least the identification of the trigger.

34. A software product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising data and computer implementable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 33.