Watch type control device

• US 9,971,399 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Byunghwa, Shin, Choonghwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Application Number:
  US14/829,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20160124500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0064 in which functions not related to time can be displayed digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1639 the display being based on projection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device

Abstract

A watch type control device comprises: a band configured to surround at least a portion of a user'"'"'s wrist; an IR module disposed on a side of the band facing the user'"'"'s hand when the watch type control device is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist, the user'"'"'s hand and wrist being on the same side of the user'"'"'s body; and a beam projector disposed on the band and configured to outwardly project a screen, wherein the IR module is configured to recognize a user'"'"'s hand gesture and to initiate the execution of a program causing the beam projector to output on the screen a display corresponding to the program.

Claims

1. A watch type control device comprising:

a band configured to surround at least a portion of a user'"'"'s wrist;

an IR module disposed on a side of the band facing the user'"'"'s hand when the watch type control device is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist, the user'"'"'s hand and wrist being on the same side of the user'"'"'s body; and

a beam projector disposed on the band and configured to outwardly project a screen,

wherein the IR module is configured to recognize a user'"'"'s hand gesture and to initiate the execution of a program causing the beam projector to output on the screen a display corresponding to the program, and

wherein the band comprises;

an outer band and an inner band coupled to the outer band,

wherein the inner band is positioned between the outer band and the user'"'"'s wrist when the watch type device is worn on the user'"'"'s wrist,

wherein the IR module is coupled to the band between the outer band and the inner band and movable along the side of the band between the outer band and the inner band,

wherein a surface of the outer band facing the inner band comprises a first recessed rail extending parallel to the side of the band,

wherein a surface of the inner band facing the outer band comprises a second recessed rail extending parallel to the side of the band, and

wherein the IR module comprises a guide plate disposed, at least in part, between the outer and inner bands, the guide plate having a first portion projecting into the first recessed rail of the outer band and a second portion projecting into the second recessed rail of the inner band such that the first and second portions of the guide plate slide along and within the first and second recessed rails, respectively, when the IR module moves along the side of the band.

2. The watch type control device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first PCB disposed in the outer band and a second PCB disposed in the inner band, wherein the IR module further comprises a contact plate extending from the guide plate between the outer band and the inner band, the contact plate comprising a first terminal in contact with the first PCB and a second terminal in contact with the second PCB.

3. The watch type control device of claim 2, wherein the outer band comprises a first contact path extending parallel to the first recessed rail and the inner band comprises a second contact path extending parallel to the second recessed rail, the first contact path and the second contact path contacting the first PCB and the second PCB, respectively, and configured to keep the first terminal in contact with the first PCB and the second terminal in contact with the second PCB when the IR module unit moves along the side of the band.

4. The watch type control device of claim 2, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are disposed on opposite sides of the contact plate.

5. The watch type control device of claim 1, wherein one of the first portion and the second portion projecting from the guide plate comprises a wobble preventing protrusion extending at an angle from the one first or second portion of the guide plate, and

wherein the first or second recessed rail, corresponding to the one first or second portion of the guide plate, comprises an additional recess configured to receive the wobble preventing protrusion, the wobble preventing protrusion and the additional recess configured such that the wobble preventing protrusion slides along and within the additional recess when the IR module moves along the side of the band.

6. The watch type control device of claim 1, wherein the beam projector is disposed on the outer band and is rotatable in three dimensions.

7. The watch type control device of claim 1, wherein the beam projector is detachably disposed on the outer band and configured to be functional when detached.

8. The watch type control device of claim 7, wherein the beam projector is configured to be attachable to user wearable glasses and to project the screen onto the glasses.

9. The watch type control device of claim 1 further comprising:

a battery terminal disposed along a surface of the inner band facing the user'"'"'s wrist, the battery terminal configured to receive a battery; and

a connection pin coupled to and formed on a surface of the inner band facing the outer band.

10. The watch type control device of claim 1 further comprising:

an antenna.

11. The watch type control device of claim 10, wherein the antenna is at least one of a Wi-Fi antenna, a Bluetooth antenna, and a mobile communication antenna.

12. The watch type control device of claim 1 further comprising:

a speaker on the outer band, wherein the watch type control device is configured to generate sound through the speaker in conjunction with a display projected by the beam projector on the screen.

13. The watch type control device of claim 1 comprising:

a microphone unit on the outer band, wherein the watch type control device is configured to control a program, in response to voice instructions received through the microphone, that causes the beam projector to project a display corresponding to the program on the screen, and wherein the watch type device is further configured to record a sound received through the microphone.

14. The watch type control device of claim 13 further configured to record a sound in conjunction with the IR camera capturing an image.

15. The watch type control device of claim 1, wherein the IR module comprises:

an IR laser configured to illuminate the user'"'"'s hand with IR light; and

an IR camera configured to capture an image of the user'"'"'s hand based on IR light reflected from the user'"'"'s hand, wherein the IR module recognizes a user'"'"'s hand gesture based on the captured image of the user'"'"'s hand.

16. The watch type control device of claim 15, wherein the IR camera and the IR laser are rotatable.

17. The watch type control device of claim 1 further comprising:

a control input configured to turn power to the watch type device on and off, and configured to select various control modes.