Sensory enhancement systems and methods in personal electronic devices

• US 20090085873A1
• Filed: 02/01/2006
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovation Specialists LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Specialists LLC
• Inventors: Betts, Carol, Betts, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,872,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0263 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the direction in which child or item is located
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0286 Tampering or removal detection of the child unit from child or article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0415 detecting absence of activity per se
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/088 by monitoring a device worn by the person, e.g. a bracelet attached to the swimmer
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/06 Decision making techniques; Pattern matching strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/26 Recognition of special voice characteristics, e.g. for use in lie detectors; Recognition of animal voices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 : including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 : Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 : for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Disclosed are personal electronic devices (PEDs) having a sensory enhancement (SE) system for monitoring environmental conditions and detecting environmental events, for example but not limited to, changes in acoustic, thermal, optical, electromagnetic, chemical, dynamic, wireless, atmospheric, or biometric conditions. The detection of such events can be used to invoke a notification, an alert, a corrective action, or some other action, depending upon the implementation to the PED user or another party.

Claims

1. A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, comprising:

first means for performing a first electronic based intelligence function; and

second means for performing a second electronic based intelligence function, the second means comprising;

a transducer;

means for detecting an event in an environment to which the PED is exposed via the transducer; and

means for producing a notification upon detection of the event.

2. The PED of claim 1, wherein the detecting means further comprises:

means for storing one or more reference signatures; and

means for determining when a sensed signal corresponds with the one or more reference signatures.

3. The PED of claim 2, wherein the means for determining comprises means for correlating that is designed to select a reference signature that matches the sensed signal from an available set of reference signatures.

4. The PED of claim 2, wherein the means for determining comprises means for correlating that is designed to select a reference signature based upon correlation information and a predefined threshold.

5. The PED of claim 2, wherein the means for determining comprises a means for searching for and for receiving one or more reference signatures from the Internet.

6. The PED of claim 1, wherein the detecting means further comprises:

means for storing a plurality of reference signatures having frequency domain characteristics;

means for preprocessing a sensed signal by converting the sensed signal to a frequency domain signature; and

means for determining when the sensed signal corresponds with one of the reference signatures by correlating the frequency domain signature with the plurality of reference signatures.

7. The PED of claim 6, further comprising:

means for receiving an analog sensed signal; and

means for translating the analog sensed signal to one of the reference signatures via fast Fourier transform.

8. The PED of claim 1, wherein the event is a moving object in motion and further comprising:

means for determining a Doppler shift associated with the moving object; and

means for determining a proximity and speed of the moving object based upon the Doppler shift.

9. The PED of claim 1, further comprising at least two sensors and means for determining a direction associated with the event based upon signals sensed by the at least two sensors.

10. The PED of claim 1, further comprising a means for defining a range around the PED, inside of which the event may be detected and outside of which the event cannot be detected.

11. The PED of claim 1, further comprising a means for suspending the first electronic based intelligence function while producing the notification.

12. A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, comprising:

means for storing a reference signature;

means for detecting an event in an environment associated with the PED comprising;

means for sensing a signal in the environment;

means for correlating the signal with the reference signature; and

means for indicating the detecting of the event based upon the correlating; and

means for producing a notification upon the detecting of the event.

13. The PED of claim 12, further comprising:

means for storing a plurality of events; and

means for enabling the user to select the event from the stored plurality of events.

14. The PED of claim 12, further comprising a means for enabling the user to store the reference signature.

15. The PED of claim 12, wherein the PED has a computer based architecture and further comprising:

a keyboard;

a display; and

user interface software that enables the user of the PED to interact with the PED using the keyboard and the display, the user interface software enabling the user to store the reference signature and enabling the user to associate a picture with the reference signature.

16. The PED of claim 12, wherein the PED has a computer based architecture and further comprising:

one or more transducers for measuring environmental characteristics;

a keyboard;

a display; and

user interface software that enables the user of the PED to select which of the one or more transducers are to be operational by providing one or more inputs via the keyboard and receiving one or more outputs via the display.

17. The PED of claim 12, further comprising a means for communicating the notification to a remote communications device associated with a remote party.

18. The PED of claim 12, wherein the PED has a computer based architecture and further comprising:

a keyboard;

a display; and

user interface software that enables the user of the PED to interact with the PED using the keyboard and the display, the user interface software enabling the user to select a mode of operation, including at least the following;

a first mode that causes the PED to receive and store a reference signature from a remote computer, a second mode that causes the PED to receive and store a reference signature from a local environment associated with the PED, and at least one third mode that causes the PED to attempt to detect occurrence of an event that corresponds with a stored reference signature.

19. The PED of claim 18, wherein the PED comprises two third modes, one mode that causes the PED to identify the reference signature based upon a predefined correlation threshold that has been met and another mode that causes the PED to identify a reference signature that has the highest correlation.

20. A plurality of PEDs of claim 12, wherein each further comprises a means for enabling the plurality to communicate with each other and exchange information relating to detection of the event.

21. The PEDs of claim 20, wherein at least one further comprises a means for permitting the user of the at least one to input whether or not the at least one will communicate and exchange the information.

22. A method for sensory enhancement, comprising the steps of:

communicating to a personal electronic device (PED) a selection of a reference signature corresponding to an event to be detected;

transporting the PED into an environment;

permitting the PED to measure a characteristic of the environment with the transducer associated with the PED; and

receiving a signal from the PED indicating detection of the event.

23. A system for sensory enhancement, comprising:

a plurality of personal electronic devices (PEDs);

means for communicating among the plurality of PEDs a selection of a reference signature corresponding to an event to be detected;

means for permitting one or more of the PEDs to measure a characteristic of an environment with a transducer associated therewith;

means for detecting the event in one or more of the PEDs; and

means for generating a notification signal in the one or more PEDs indicating detection of the event.