Systems and methods for selecting for usage one or more functional devices detected within a communication range of a wearable computing device

• US 9,167,376 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Holman, Pablos, Hyde, Roderick A., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/059,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20150031297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/63.4, 455/66.1, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/134, 455/135, 455/334, 455/522
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Computationally implemented methods and systems include detecting presence of a plurality of functional devices within the communication range of a wearable computing device; and selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a functional device presence sensing module configured to sense presence of a plurality of functional devices within communication range of a wearable computing device, the communication range of the wearable computing device being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernible over background noise outside the enveloping boundary;

a functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities; and

a functionality use facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to use the one or more functionalities provided by the one or more chosen functional devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device presence sensing module configured to sense presence of a plurality of functional devices within communication range of a wearable computing device, the communication range of the wearable computing device being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernible over background noise outside the enveloping boundary comprises:

a functional device presence sensing module configured to sense presence of a plurality of functional devices within the communication range of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices and received by the wearable computing device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said functional device presence sensing module configured to sense presence of a plurality of functional devices within the communication range of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices and received by the wearable computing device comprises:

a low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast one or more low-power prompting signals that are designed to, when one or more functional devices detect the one or more low-power prompting signals, prompt the one or more functional devices to generate one or more responsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one or more functional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signals; and

a responsive signal monitor directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to monitor for the plurality of signals, the plurality of signals being a plurality of responsive signals that acknowledges that the plurality of functional devices detected the one or more low-power prompting signals.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast one or more low-power prompting signals that are designed to, when one or more functional devices detect the one or more low-power prompting signals, prompt the one or more functional devices to generate one or more responsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one or more functional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signals comprises:

a low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals using less than 0.8 milliwatt of transmit power.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast one or more low-power prompting signals that are designed to, when one or more functional devices detect the one or more low-power prompting signals, prompt the one or more functional devices to generate one or more responsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one or more functional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signals comprises:

a low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals through a directional antenna.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast one or more low-power prompting signals that are designed to, when one or more functional devices detect the one or more low-power prompting signals, prompt the one or more functional devices to generate one or more responsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one or more functional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signals comprises:

a low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals through an antenna using different levels of transmit power, where the one or more low-power prompting signals are transmitted at each level of transmit power for predefined increment or increments of time.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals through an antenna using different levels of transmit power, where the one or more low-power prompting signals are transmitted at each level of transmit power for predefined increment or increments of time comprises:

a low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals using a first level of transmit power and directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals using a second level of transmit power, the first level of transmit power being different from the second level of transmit power.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals using a first level of transmit power and directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals using a second level of transmit power, the first level of transmit power being different from the second level of transmit power comprises:

a low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to pause broadcasting of the one or more low-power prompting signals after broadcasting the one or more low-power prompting signals using the first level of transmit power and before broadcasting the one or more low-power prompting signals using the second level of transmit power in order to monitor for the one or more responsive signals that acknowledge detection by the one or more functional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signals that was transmitting using the first level of transmit power.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals using a first level of transmit power and directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals using a second level of transmit power, the first level of transmit power being different from the second level of transmit power comprises:

a low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals using a third level of transmit power, the third level of transmit power being different from the first level of transmit power or the second level of transmit power.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein said low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast one or more low-power prompting signals that are designed to, when one or more functional devices detect the one or more low-power prompting signals, prompt the one or more functional devices to generate one or more responsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one or more functional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signals comprises:

a low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals having one or more frequencies from a frequency band between 57 GHz and 64 GHz.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein said functional device presence sensing module configured to sense presence of a plurality of functional devices within the communication range of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices and received by the wearable computing device comprises:

a power optimal functional device ascertaining module configured to ascertain, based on the plurality of signals, which one or more of the plurality of functional devices requires least amount of transmit power to communicate with by the wearable computing device amongst the plurality of functional devices.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said power optimal functional device ascertaining module configured to ascertain, based on the plurality of signals, which one or more of the plurality of functional devices requires least amount of transmit power to communicate with by the wearable computing device amongst the plurality of functional devices comprises:

a signal strength ascertaining module configured to ascertain signal strengths of the plurality of signals.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein said functional device presence sensing module configured to sense presence of a plurality of functional devices within the communication range of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices and received by the wearable computing device comprises:

a functional device relative location ascertaining module configured to ascertain locations of the plurality of functional devices relative to location of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on the plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said functional device relative location ascertaining module configured to ascertain locations of the plurality of functional devices relative to location of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on the plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices comprises:

a functional device relative location ascertaining module configured to ascertain directions of the plurality of functional devices relative to the location of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on the plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said functional device relative location ascertaining module configured to ascertain directions of the plurality of functional devices relative to the location of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on the plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional device comprises:

a directional antenna control module configured to control a directional antenna of the wearable computing device in order to determine the directions of the plurality of functional devices relative to the location of the wearable computing device based on the plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices and detected through the directional antenna.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device presence sensing module configured to sense presence of a plurality of functional devices within communication range of a wearable computing device, the communication range of the wearable computing device being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernible over background noise outside the enveloping boundary comprises:

a low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain from one or more functional devices that detects the one or more low-power query signals one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or more specific functionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one or more specific functionalities; and

a confirmation signal monitor directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to monitor for the one or more confirmation signals.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain from one or more functional devices that detects the one or more low-power query signals one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or more specific functionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one or more specific functionalities comprises:

a low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain, from one or more functional devices that detects the one or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or more communication links to beyond the communication range of the wearable computing device if the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one or more communication links.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain, from one or more functional devices that detects the one or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or more communication links to beyond the communication range of the wearable computing device if the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one or more communication links comprises:

a low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain, from the one or more functional devices that detect the one or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate the data transfer rate of the one or more communication links provided by the one or more functional devices.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain from one or more functional devices that detects the one or more low-power query signals one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or more specific functionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one or more specific functionalities comprises:

a low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain, from one or more functional devices that detect the one or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or more sensor functionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one or more sensor functionalities.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain from one or more functional devices that detects the one or more low-power query signals one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or more specific functionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one or more specific functionalities comprises:

a low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit the one or more low-power query signals to obtain, from the one or more functional devices that detect the one or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations via the one or more confirmation signals that indicate when can the one or more functional devices provide the one or more specific functionalities to the wearable computing device.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein said low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain from one or more functional devices that detects the one or more low-power query signals one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or more specific functionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one or more specific functionalities comprises:

a low-power query signal transmit directing module configured to direct the wearable computing device to transmit the one or more low-power query signals to obtain, from the one or more functional devices that detect the one or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations via the one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functional devices has access to one or more applications that supports one or more applications included with the wearable computing device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:

a functional device choosing module including a least communication power requirement determining module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices that were determined by the least communication power requirement determining module to require least amount of transmit power to communicate with by the wearable computing device amongst the plurality of functional devices.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:

a functional device choosing module including an earliest functionality access determining module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices that were determined by the earliest functionality access determining module to provide earliest access to the one or more functionalities amongst the plurality of functional devices.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:

a functional device choosing module including a relative device location determining module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on determination by the relative device location determining module of the one or more relative locations of the one or more functional devices relative to the location of the wearable computing device.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:

a functional device choosing module including a highest data transfer rate determining module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices that were determined by the highest data transfer rate determining module to provide highest data transfer rate or rates to the wearable computing device amongst the plurality of functional devices.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:

a functional device choosing module including an application access determining module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices that were determined by the application access determining module to have at least access to one or more applications that supports one or more applications included with the wearable computing device.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:

a sensor data based functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said sensor data based functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices comprises:

a sensor data based functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that was determined to include image data of at least a portion of a user'"'"'s body.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said sensor data based functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that was determined to include image data of at least a portion of a user'"'"'s body comprises:

a sensor data based functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that was determined to include image data of at least one or more portions of one or more limbs of the user.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein said sensor data based functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that was determined to include image data of at least one or more portions of one or more limbs of the user comprises:

a sensor data based functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that was determined to include image data of one or more movements of the at least one or more portions of the one or more limbs of the user.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein said functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:

a sensor functionality providing device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more sensor functionalities.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said sensor functionality providing device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more sensor functionalities comprises:

a sensor functionality providing device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device sensor data collected by one or more sensors.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said sensor functionality providing device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device sensor data collected by one or more sensors comprises:

a sensor functionality providing device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device electrical activity data associated with one or more muscles of a user collected by one or more sensors.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein said functionality use facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to use the one or more functionalities provided by the one or more chosen functional devices comprises:

a functionality use facilitating module configured to direct the wearable computing device to use an antenna to communicate with the one or more functional devices.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein said functionality use facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to use the one or more functionalities provided by the one or more chosen functional devices comprises:

an outbound data transmit facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to transmit outbound data, via one or more low-power outbound data signals, to the one or more selected functional devices.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said outbound data transmit facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to transmit outbound data, via one or more low-power outbound data signals, to the one or more selected functional devices comprises:

an outbound data transmit facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to transmit the outbound data, via one or more low-power outbound data signals that are transmitted using less than 0.8 milliwatt of transmit power, to the one or selected functional devices.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein said functionality use facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to use the one or more functionalities provided by the one or more chosen functional devices comprises:

an inbound data receive facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to receive inbound data, via one or more inbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devices.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said inbound data receive facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to receive inbound data, via one or more inbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devices comprises:

an inbound data receive facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to receive one or more inbound data signals embodying data associated with one or more messages that originated from beyond the communication range of the wearable computing device from the one or more selected functional devices.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein said inbound data receive facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to receive inbound data, via one or more inbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devices comprises:

an inbound data receive facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to receive one or more inbound data signals embodying one or more sensor acquired data from the one or more selected functional devices.

40. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium bearing;

one or more instructions for sensing presence of a plurality of functional devices within communication range of a wearable computing device, the communication range of the wearable computing device being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernible over background noise outside the enveloping boundary;

one or more instructions for choosing, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities; and

one or more instructions for facilitating the wearable computing device to use the one or more functionalities provided by the one or more chosen functional devices.

41. A wearable computing device designed to be worn by a person, comprising:

a functional device presence sensing module configured to sense presence of a plurality of functional devices within communication range of a wearable computing device, the communication range of the wearable computing device being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernible over background noise outside the enveloping boundary;

a functional device choosing module configured to choose, from the plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within the communication range of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities;

a functionality use facilitating module configured to facilitate the wearable computing device to use the one or more functionalities provided by the one or more chosen functional devices; and

one or more components to facilitate coupling the wearable computing device to a portion of the person'"'"'s body.