Wearable device assisting smart media application and vice versa

• US 9,595,181 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Katingari, Karthik, Heshmati, Ardalan
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, CURTIS J
• Application Number:
  US14/137,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20150179050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A system includes a wearable device connected to a user and a smart media in remote communication with the wearable device. The wearable device is operable to track movement of the user and transmit the track movement information to the smart media. The smart media is operable to receive the track movement information and to use the received track movement information in an independent application.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wearable device connected to and operable and configurable by a user; and

a smart media in remote communication with the wearable device, the wearable device being automatically and selectively operable to detect a certain context associated with the user or being unable to detect a certain context without assistance and further operable to transmit the same to the smart media, the smart media thereafter assuming the detected certain context to be accurate when the wearable device detects the certain context associated with the user and based on the certain context, the smart media being operable to execute a first application or when the wearable device is unable to detect the certain context associated with the user without assistance, the smart media being configured to determine the certain context associated with the user, based on information transmitted by the wearable device, the smart media further configured to transmit the identified certain context to the wearable device and upon the wearable device communicating the same to the smart media, the smart media thereafter assuming the detected certain context to be accurate, the wearable device through direct communication with the first application and through execution of the first application, being configured to communicate the certain context to the smart media and the smart media being operable to automatically access a second application related to the communicated certain context, wherein the smart media is operable to selectively detect the certain context based on remote communication between the smart media and the wearable device and an activity of the user, the wearable device assuming the detected and communicated certain context to be accurate and based on the detected and communicated certain context, the first application being operable to automatically access the second application, the second application being independent of the first application in that the second application is unaware of a presence of the wearable device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart media is a smartphone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device comprises any one of:

a headband, glasses, watch, pen, pedometer, chest strap, wrist band, head arm band, head wear, hat, sneakers, belt, or clothing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device is operable to track health or fitness of the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device communicates with the smart media through Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, or Wifi direct.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart media has communication capability comprising:

Internet, Wifi, or Bluetooth as well as location capability comprising;

GPS, Wifi, or cellular-based location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device includes one or multiple sensors operable to sense track movement of the user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sensor is any one of a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, temperature, humidity, force, heart rate, conductance, or a microphone.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart media includes one or multiple sensors operable to sense track movement of the user and to synchronize with the wearable device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, temperature, humidity, force, heart rate, conductance, or a microphone.

11. The system of claim 1, further including a computing engine operable to communicate with the wearable device and transmit the certain context thereto.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing engine is a part of the smart media.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing engine is a part of the wearable device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing engine is located externally to the wearable device and the smart media.

15. The system of claim 1, further including a computing engine operable to communicate with the smart media and transmit the certain context thereto.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device is operable to determine one or more user activities.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the smart media is responsive to the one or more possible user activities from the wearable device and, using the first application, is operable to select one of the one or more user activities based upon a location of the user.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the selected one of the one or more user activities is transmitted to the wearable device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein based on the selected one of the one or more user activities, the smart media is operable to adjust power consumption.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device is operable to report the detected certain activity to the smart media, and the smart media, in response to the detected activity, is operable to adapt to the detected certain activity.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the smart media is operable to update a global positioning system (GPS) using the second application and based on the detected certain activity.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein based on the detected certain activity, the smart media is operable to adjust power consumption.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart media includes a sensor and the wearable device includes a sensor and using the sensor of the smart media and information from the sensors of the wearable device, the smart media is operable to combine platform heading direction provided by the sensor of the smart media and the information from the wearable device to provide a better platform heading.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart media includes a sensor and the wearable device includes a sensor and using the sensor of the smart media and information from the sensor of the wearable device, the smart media is operable to combine platform heading direction provided by the sensor of the smart media and the information from the wearable device to provide a better distance estimation.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the information includes platform heading direction, sensor data update, or activity update.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart media is operable to set parameters for the wearable device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the parameters are calibration parameters, a sensor on/off parameter, setting a range parameter, and a sensitivity parameter.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device and the smart media are in close proximity.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the wearable device is operable to determine power management based on the detected certain context transmitted from the smart media.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the second application is not dedicated to the wearable device.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the smart media is operable to use the first application to detect an activity of the user and based on the detected activity, the smart media is further operable to launch the second application.

32. A method of monitoring activities of a user employing a wearable system comprising:

using a wearable device, connected to a user, automatically and selectively detecting a certain context associated with the user or failing to detect a certain context without assistance and communicating the same to the smart media, the smart media being in remote communication with the wearable device, the smart media thereafter assuming the detected certain context to be accurate when the wearable device detects the certain context associated with the user;

based on the certain context, the smart media executing a first application or when the wearable device is unable to detect the certain context associated with the user without assistance, the smart media determining the certain context associated with the user, the first application directly communicating with the wearable device;

based on the certain context, the smart media automatically accessing a second application related to the communicated certain context;

the smart media selectively detecting the certain context based on remote communication between the smart media and the wearable device and an activity of the user, the wearable device assuming the detected and communicated certain context to be accurate; and

based on the detected and communicated certain context, the first application automatically accessing the second application, the second application being independent of the first application in that the second application is unaware of a presence of the wearable device.

33. The method of monitoring of claim 32, further including determining a location of the smart media and the wearable device with respect to a platform, the platform carrying the smart media and the wearable device.

34. The method of monitoring of claim 32, further including the wearable device determining a location of the smart media and the smart media determining a location of the wearable device.

35. The method of monitoring of claim 32, further including automatically launching the second application based on the certain context.

36. The method of monitoring of claim 35, further including receiving track movement information for use by the first application after launching the second application.

37. The method of monitoring of claim 32, wherein the second application is not dedicated to the wearable device.

38. The method of monitoring of claim 32, further including the smart media using the first application to detect an activity of the user and based on the detected activity, launching the second application.