Accelerometer-based control of wearable audio-reporting watches

• US 8,818,814 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enbiomedic Co.
• Original Assignee: Enbiomedic Co.
• Inventors: Yeung, King-Wah Walter, Yeung, Wei-Wei Vivian
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US13/316,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20120082013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 990 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/002 Position, e.g. inclination dependent switches
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

Accelerometer-based detection for controlling audio-reporting watches, resulting in button-free operation. A wristwatch can use an accelerometer to detect the orientation and/or movement of a user'"'"'s wrist and subsequently activate audio time reporting, without requiring the user to find and lush a small button. For example, a talking wristwatch can use this method to automatically report the time whenever a user moves or orients his or her wrist to a natural position for listening. A position such as that in close proximity to the ear can additionally facilitate private listening without disturbing others. Furthermore, the wristwatch can report time using personalized audio time components that the user has previously recorded, so that reporting is in a custom voice or language. In such applications, accelerometer-based control of audio-reporting watches offers significant advantages over conventional means of control, particularly in terms of ease of use and durability.

Claims

1. An audio-reporting wristwatch, comprising:

(a) a wristwatch;

(b) an accelerometer for acquiring acceleration data of said wristwatch;

(c) an audio-data memory for storing audio data of personalized time components; and

(d) a detection means for using said acceleration data to activate audio reporting of the time of said wristwatch with said personalized time components stored in said audio-data memory.

2. The audio-reporting wristwatch according to claim 1 further comprises a means for recording personalized audio time components into said audio-data memory.

3. The audio-reporting wristwatch according to claim 1 wherein said audio-data memory comprises audio-data memory of time components in a plurality of languages.

4. The audio-reporting wristwatch according to claim 1 wherein said detection means comprises a means for using said acceleration data to compute an orientation of said wristwatch to activate audio reporting of the time of said wristwatch when said orientation of said wristwatch is in predetermined proximity of an ear of a user who wears said wristwatch on a wrist.

5. The audio-reporting wristwatch according to claim 1 wherein said detection means comprises a means for using said acceleration data to compute an orientation and a movement of said wristwatch to activate audio reporting of the time of said wristwatch when said orientation of said wristwatch is in predetermined proximity of an ear of a user who wears said wristwatch on a wrist, and said movement is a natural movement of said user'"'"'s wrist wearing said wristwatch for said user to move said wristwatch to said predetermined proximity of said ear of said user.

6. A method for activating audio reporting of the time of a wearable audio-reporting watch, comprising:

(a) acquiring acceleration data of a wearable audio-reporting watch; and

(b) using said acceleration data to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable audio-reporting watch.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the step of using said acceleration data to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable audio-reporting watch comprises using said acceleration data to compute an orientation of said wearable audio-reporting watch to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable audio-reporting watch when said orientation is a predetermined orientation.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said predetermined orientation is an orientation of said wearable audio-reporting watch in predetermined proximity of an ear of a user who wears said wearable audio-reporting watch on a wrist.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the step of using said acceleration data to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable audio-reporting watch comprises using said acceleration data to compute a movement of said wearable audio-reporting watch to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable audio-reporting watch when said movement is a predetermined movement.

10. The method according to claim 6 wherein the step of using said acceleration data to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable audio-reporting watch comprises using said acceleration data to compute an orientation and a movement of said wearable audio-reporting watch to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable audio-reporting watch when said orientation is a predetermined orientation and said movement is a predetermined movement.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said predetermined orientation is an orientation of said wearable audio-reporting watch in predetermined proximity of an ear of a user who wears said wearable audio-reporting watch on a wrist, and said predetermined movement is a natural movement of said user'"'"'s wrist wearing said wearable audio-reporting watch for said user to move said wearable audio-reporting watch to said predetermined orientation of said wearable audio-reporting watch in predetermined proximity of said ear of said user.

12. The method for activating audio reporting of the time of a wearable audio-reporting watch according to claim 6 further comprises providing an audio-data memory for storing audio data of personalized time components.

13. The method for activating audio reporting of the time of a wearable audio-reporting watch according to claim 12 further comprises providing a means for recording personalized audio time components into said audio-data memory.

14. A wearable audio-reporting watch, comprising:

(a) a wearable watch;

(b) an accelerometer for acquiring acceleration data of said wearable watch; and

(c) a detection means for using said acceleration data to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable watch.

15. The wearable audio-reporting watch according to claim 14 wherein said detection means comprises a means for using said acceleration data to compute an orientation of said wearable watch to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable watch when said orientation is a predetermined orientation.

16. The wearable audio-reporting watch according to claim 14 wherein said detection means comprises a means for using said acceleration data to compute a movement of said wearable watch to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable watch when said movement is a predetermined movement.

17. The wearable audio-reporting watch according to claim 14 wherein said detection means comprises a means for using said acceleration data to compute an orientation and a movement of said wearable watch to activate audio reporting of the time of said wearable watch when said orientation is a predetermined orientation and said movement is a predetermined movement.

18. The wearable audio-reporting watch according to claim 17 wherein said wearable watch is a wristwatch.

19. The wearable audio-reporting watch according to claim 14 further comprises an audio-data memory for storing audio data of personalized time components.

20. The wearable audio-reporting watch according to claim 19 further comprises a means for recording personalized audio time components into said audio-data memory.