Nose bridge sensor

• US 8,384,617 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Braun, Max, Geiss, Ryan, Ho, Harvey, Starner, Thad Eugene, Taubman, Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, PRIYANK J
• Application Number:
  US13/453,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20130021225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 2/61, 2/66, 2/9, 241/0, 242/2, 242/3, 242/4, 348/E5.145, 348/E13.036, 348/E13.041, 351/41, 351/124, 351/131, 351/132, 351/136, 359/618, 359/629, 359/630, 359/642, 359/643, 359/811, 359/815, 359/13, 362/103, 362/105
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Systems and methods for selecting an action associated with a power state transition of a head-mounted display (HMD) in the form of eyeglasses are disclosed. A signal may be received from a sensor on a nose bridge of the eyeglasses indicating if the HMD is in use. Based on the received signal, a first powers state for the HMD may be determined. Responsive to the determined first power state, an action associated with a power state transition of the HMD from an existing power state to the first power state may be selected. The action may be selected from among a plurality of actions associated with a plurality of state transitions. Also, the action may be a sequence of functions performed by the HMD including modifying an operating state of a primary processing component of the HMD and a detector of the HMD configured to image an environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an output from a nose bridge sensor on a wearable computing device, wherein the nose bridge sensor is configured to operate between a nose bridge of the wearable computing device, and wherein the output is indicative of whether the wearable computing device is in use;

determining a change in the output from the nose bridge sensor; and

based on the determined change in the output, after a predetermined amount of time;

altering an amount of power allocated to one or more components of the wearable computing device; and

altering a notification frequency of the wearable computing device, wherein the notification frequency specifies how frequently the wearable computing device requests messages from a server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the amount of power allocated to one or more components of the wearable computing device comprises activating a display coupled to the wearable computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable computing device includes an eyewear device, and wherein the nose bridge sensor is coupled to one or more nose pads of the eyewear device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the nose bridge sensor comprises a first sensing component that outputs a signal which is received by a second sensing component, wherein the second sensing component is configured to determine the output based on the signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to determining the change in the output, sending a notification to a server indicating the change in the output.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more components of the wearable computing device comprise one or more of the following:

a video camera, a projector, an on-board computing system, an input device, and a communication module.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wearable computing device comprises a head-mounted display.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a subsequent change in the output from the nose bridge sensor;

based on the subsequent change, determining the wearable computing device is not in use; and

in response to the subsequent change, altering the amount of power allocated to the one or more components of the wearable computing device.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving an output from a nose bridge sensor on a wearable computing device, wherein the nose bridge sensor is configured to operate between a nose bridge of the wearable computing device, and wherein the output is indicative of whether the wearable computing device is in use;

determining a change in the output from the nose bridge sensor; and

based on the determined change in the output, after a predetermined amount of time;

altering an amount of power allocated to one or more components of the wearable computing device; and

altering a notification frequency of the wearable computing device, wherein the notification frequency specifies how frequently the wearable computing device requests messages from a server.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein altering the amount of power allocated to one or more components of the wearable computing device comprises activating a display coupled to the wearable computing device.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions of sending a notification to a server indicating the change in the output in response to determining the change in the output.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions of:

determining a subsequent change in the output from the nose bridge sensor;

based on the subsequent change, determining the wearable computing device is not in use; and

in response to the subsequent change, altering the amount of power allocated to the one or more components of the wearable computing device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the wearable computing device comprises a head-mounted display.

14. A wearable computing device comprising:

a nose bridge sensor configured to provide an output that is indicative of whether the wearable computing device is in use, wherein the nose bridge sensor is configured to operate between a nose bridge of the wearable computing device; and

instructions stored in a memory of the wearable computing device and executable by a processor to perform functions comprising;

receiving the output from the nose bridge sensor;

determining a change in the output from the nose bridge sensor; and

based on the determined change in the output, after a predetermined amount of time;

altering an amount of power allocated to one or more components of the wearable computing device; and

altering a notification frequency of the wearable computing device, wherein the notification frequency specifies how frequently the wearable computing device requests messages from a server.

15. The wearable computing device of claim 14, wherein the wearable computing device comprises an eyewear device, and wherein the nose bridge sensor is coupled to one or more nose pads of the eyewear device.

16. The wearable computing device of claim 15, wherein altering the amount of power allocated to one or more components of the wearable computing device comprises activating a display coupled to the eyewear device.

17. The wearable computing device of claim 16, wherein the eyewear device comprises a head-mounted display.

18. The wearable computing device of claim 14, further comprising:

a detector configured to image an environment; and

wherein the processor is further configured to store images received by the detector in a database.

19. The wearable computing device of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise providing a prompt for authentication to operate the wearable computing device when, based on the output, a new power state is determined.

20. The wearable computing device of claim 14, wherein the functions further comprise responsive to determining the change in the output, the wearable computing device determining whether to route incoming voice communications to the wearable computing device or to a secondary device.