Detecting Body Language Via Bone Conduction

• US 20150120465A1
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baldwin, Christopher, Amento, Brian S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,108,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/15 Biometric patterns based on physiological signals, e.g. heartbeat, blood flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/121 Timestamp cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements involving time stamps H04L9/3297
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor 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

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for detecting body language via bone conduction. According to one aspect, a device can detect body language of a user. The device can generate a signal and send the signal to a sensor network connected to a user. The device can receive a modified signal from the sensor network and compare the modified signal to a body language reference model. The device can determine the body language of the user based upon comparing the modified signal to the body language reference model.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, by a device comprising a processor, a signal;

sending, by the device, the signal to a sensor network connected to a user;

receiving, at the device, a modified signal from the sensor network, the modified signal comprising the signal as modified by at least a portion of a body of the user;

selecting, by the device, a body language reference model to compare to the modified signal received from the sensor network;

comparing, by the device, the modified signal to the body language reference model; and

determining, by the device, a body language of the user based upon comparing the modified signal to the body language reference model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor network comprises a plurality of vibration sensors, and the signal is propagated through a bone of the user by at least a portion of the plurality of vibration sensors.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising outputting, by the device, information associated with the body language of the user to a context-aware application.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, at the context-aware application being executed by the processor, body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing, by the context-aware application, the body language information to determine a physical activity being performed by the user;

selecting, by the context-aware application, an advertisement appropriate for the physical activity being performed by the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, at the context-aware application being executed by the processor, body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing, by the context-aware application, the body language information to determine a mental state of the user;

selecting, by the context-aware application, an advertisement appropriate for the mental state of the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, at the context-aware application being executed by the processor, body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing, by the context-aware application, the body language information to determine an emotional state of the user;

selecting, by the context-aware application, an advertisement appropriate for the emotional state of the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the device, information associated with a physical attribute of the user;

creating, by the device, a body language profile based upon the information associated with the physical attributed of the user; and

causing, by the device, the body language profile to be stored;

wherein the body language reference model is selected based, at least in part, upon the body language profile.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving information associated with a physical attribute of the user;

creating a body language profile based upon the information associated with the physical attributed of the user; and

causing the body language profile to be stored;

wherein the body language reference model is selected based, at least in part, upon the body language profile.

8. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

generating a signal,

sending the signal to a sensor network connected to a user,

receiving a modified signal from the sensor network, the modified signal comprising the signal as modified by at least a portion of a body of the user,

selecting a body language reference model to compare to the modified signal received from the sensor network,

comparing the modified signal to the body language reference model, and

determining a body language of the user based upon comparing the modified signal to the body language reference model.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the sensor network comprises a plurality of vibration sensors, and the signal is propagated through a bone of the user by at least a portion of the plurality of vibration sensors.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising outputting information associated with the body language of the user to a context-aware application.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing the body language information to determine a physical activity being performed by the user;

selecting an advertisement appropriate for the physical activity being performed by the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing the body language information to determine a mental state of the user;

selecting an advertisement appropriate for the mental state of the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing the body language information to determine an emotional state of the user;

selecting an advertisement appropriate for the emotional state of the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a signal;

sending the signal to a sensor network connected to a user;

receiving a modified signal from the sensor network, the modified signal comprising the signal as modified by at least a portion of a body of the user;

selecting a body language reference model to compare to the modified signal received from the sensor network;

comparing the modified signal to the body language reference model; and

determining a body language of the user based upon comparing the modified signal to the body language reference model.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the sensor network comprises a plurality of vibration sensors, and the signal is propagated through a bone of the user by at least a portion of the plurality of vibration sensors.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising outputting information associated with the body language of the user to a context-aware application.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing the body language information to determine a physical activity being performed by the user;

selecting an advertisement appropriate for the physical activity being performed by the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing the body language information to determine a mental state of the user;

selecting an advertisement appropriate for the mental state of the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving body language information associated with the body language of the user;

analyzing the body language information to determine an emotional state of the user;

selecting an advertisement appropriate for the emotional state of the user; and

providing the advertisement to the user.