Load Balancing to Maximize Device Function in a Personal Area Network Device System and Method

• US 20170064428A1
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Hirsch, Eric Christian
• Granted Patent: US 10,194,228 B2
• 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 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system includes a first device comprising a housing, a battery disposed within the housing, an intelligent control disposed within the housing, a transceiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the intelligent control, and a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the intelligent control. The system further includes a second device comprising a housing, a battery disposed within the housing, an intelligent control disposed within the housing, a transceiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the intelligent control, and a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the intelligent control. The first device and the second device provide for balancing load by powering one or more of the biosensors in one of the first device or the second device and shifting functions to the other of the first device and the second device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first device comprising a housing, a battery disposed within the housing, an intelligent control disposed within the housing, a transceiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the intelligent control, and at least one sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control;

a second device comprising a housing, a battery disposed within the housing, an intelligent control disposed within the housing, a transceiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the intelligent control, and at least one sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control;

wherein the first device and the second device provide for balancing load by powering one or more of the biosensors in one of the first device or the second device and shifting functions to the other of the first device and the second device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first device is a first wearable device and the second device is a second wearable device.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first wearable device is a first ear piece and the second wearable device is a second earpiece.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the at least one sensor of the first device and the at least one sensor of the second device each comprise at least one biosensor.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one biosensor of the first device and the at least one biosensor of the second device both include a pulse oximeter.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one biosensor of the first device and the at least one biosensor of the second device both include a temperature sensor.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one biosensor of the first device and the at least one biosensor of the second device both include at least one of a blood pressure sensor, an EEG, an ATP sensor, a lactic acid sensor, a hemoglobin sensor, a hematocrit, an alcohol sensor, a glucose sensor, and a bilirubin sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first device and the second device are in operative communication through the transceiver of the first device and the transceiver of the second device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the transceiver of the first device and the transceiver of the second device are in operative communication in a personal area network.

10. A first device comprising:

a housing;

a battery disposed within the housing;

an intelligent control disposed within the housing;

a transceiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the intelligent control; and

at least one sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control;

wherein the intelligent control is configured to monitor the battery, communicate data associated with the battery to a second device and determine whether or not to power down circuitry associated with one or more of the sensors to shift functionality to the second device.

11. The first device of claim 10 wherein the first device is a wearable device and the housing is a wearable housing.

12. The first device of claim 11 wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one biosensor.

13. The first device of claim 12 wherein the at least one biosensor includes a pulse oximeter.

14. The first device of claim 12 wherein the at least one biosensor includes a temperature sensor.

15. The first device of claim 12 wherein the at least one biosensor includes at least one of a blood pressure sensor, an EEG, an ATP sensor, a lactic acid sensor, a hemoglobin sensor, a hematocrit, an alcohol sensor, a glucose sensor, and a bilirubin sensor.

16. The first device of claim 10 wherein the first device is an ear piece.

17. The first device of claim 10 wherein the second device is an ear piece.

18. A method comprising:

providing a first device comprising a housing, a battery disposed within the housing, an intelligent control disposed within the housing, a transceiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the intelligent control, and at least one sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control;

providing a second device comprising a housing, a battery disposed within the housing, an intelligent control disposed within the housing, a transceiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the intelligent control, and at least one sensor operatively connected to the intelligent control;

balancing load between the first device and the second device by powering one or more of the biosensors in one of the first device or the second device and shifting functions to the other of the first device and the second device.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first device is a first wearable device and the second device is a second wearable device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first wearable device is a first ear piece and the second wearable device is a second earpiece.