Snap On Wearable Module

• US 20150072731A1
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: i-Blades Inc
• Original Assignee: iBlaidZ, Inc.
• Inventors: Salmon, Peter C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3861 carried in a hand or on fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface

Abstract

An electronic device comprises a wearable docking station containing magnets. A releasable module having matching magnets attaches to the docking station and may be programmed to respond to email or other messages arriving over a BLUETOOTH or other wireless connection to a mobile device. User alerts may also be provided as programmed images on the face of the module. The releasable module may be serviced using a direct physical connection between the module and a servicing device, the servicing device provided with a matching set of magnets, possibly embedded in a protective cover of a user'"'"'s mobile device. As examples, servicing may comprise charging the module, syncing the module with the mobile device, transferring data, or establishing or amending a trusted pair relationship between the mobile device and the module.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising:

a band attachable to a user;

a base attachable to the band wherein the base comprises attachment magnets;

a detachable module comprising;

a first set of module magnets having spatial orientation corresponding to the attachment magnets of the base and disposed on a first face of the detachable module;

a first set of compliant terminals disposed on the first face of the detachable module;

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor wherein the memory is encoded with instructions that are executable by the processor to perform tasks such as interpreting received communication signals, generating sent communication signals, and generating related alerts to a user; and

,

a transceiver for receiving the received communication signals and sending the sent communication signals.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the base further comprises a set of terminals having spatial orientation corresponding to the first set of compliant terminals.

3. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the detachable module further comprises a display for displaying content of display signals, and the memory coupled to the processor is encoded with additional instructions for providing the display signals.

4. The wearable device of claim 3 wherein the display is disposed on a second face of the detachable module opposing the first face of the detachable module.

5. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the band attachable to the user and the base attachable to the band are provided in a single docking component comprising attachment magnets.

6. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein a periphery of the wearable device defines a device area, a periphery of the detachable module defines a module area, and the module area is independent of the device area.

8. The stacked wearable device of claim 6 wherein the band attachable to the user and the base attachable to the band are provided in a single docking component comprising attachment magnets.

7. A stacked wearable device comprising:

a band attachable to a user;

a base attachable to the band wherein the base comprises attachment magnets;

a first detachable module comprising;

a first set of module magnets having spatial orientation corresponding to the attachment magnets of the base and disposed on a first face of the first detachable module;

a second set of module magnets having spatial orientation corresponding to the attachment magnets of the base and disposed on a second face of the first detachable module opposing the first face of the first detachable module;

a first set of compliant terminals disposed on the first face of the first detachable module;

a second set of terminals having spatial orientation corresponding to the first set of compliant terminals and disposed on the second face of the first detachable module;

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor wherein the memory is encoded with instructions that are executable by the processor; and

,

a transceiver for receiving and sending communication signals;

a second detachable module stackable with the first detachable module comprising;

a third set of module magnets having spatial orientation corresponding to the attachment magnets of the base and disposed on the first face of the second detachable module;

a third set of compliant electrical terminals having spatial orientation corresponding to the first set of compliant terminals of the first detachable module and disposed on the first face of the second detachable module;

a second processor;

a second memory coupled to the second processor wherein the second memory is encoded with instructions that are executable by the processor to provide display signals; and

,

a display for displaying content of the display signals.

9. A method for organizing a user'"'"'s electronic equipment comprising:

providing a docking station wearable by the user;

attaching a releasable module to the docking station;

providing wireless communications between a mobile device of the user and the releasable module;

acting on wireless communications passing between the mobile device of the user and the releasable module; and

,

periodically servicing the releasable module by separating it from the docking station and attaching it to a secondary device for service operations, then reattaching it to the docking station for continued operations.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the secondary device comprises a secondary mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the service operations comprise charging the releasable module.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the service operations comprise syncing the releasable module with the mobile device of the user.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the service operations comprise establishing or amending a trusted pair relationship between the mobile device of the user and the releasable module.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the service operations comprise data transfer between the mobile device of the user and the releasable module.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the docking station comprises magnets.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the attaching of the releasable module to the mobile device comprises:

bringing the devices together with matching faces in proximate alignment; and

,

snapping the components together using the attractive force of the magnets.