Responsive Visual Communication System and Method

• US 20180218575A1
• Filed: 02/23/2018
• Published: 08/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Loermann, Arne D., Hviid, Nikolaj
• Granted Patent: US 10,672,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A wearable device providing responsive visual feedback is provided. The wearable device includes a wearable device housing, at least one lighting element associated with the housing for providing visual feedback, a processor disposed within the wearable device housing, the processor operatively connected to the at least one lighting element, a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a mode of operation using sensed data from the plurality of sensor, and wherein the processor is programmed to control the at least one lighting element to convey visual feedback based on the mode of operation determined by the processor.

Claims

1. An earpiece comprising:

a water-resistant housing;

at least one feedback element operably coupled with the housing;

a processor disposed within the housing, the processor operably connected to the at least one feedback element;

a sensor operably connected to the processor;

wherein modality of the earpiece is determined by data sent from the sensor;

wherein the processor controls the at least one feedback element based upon the modality of the earpiece.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the feedback element is a lighting element.

3. The wearable device of claim 2 wherein each of the at least one lighting element comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

4. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an inertial sensor, a biological sensor, or a contact sensor.

5. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the modality is associated with gestural movements.

6. The wearable device of claim 5 wherein the feedback element provides confirmation of the gestural movements.

7. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the modality includes assessment of embedded device data.

8. The wearable device of claim 1 wherein the modality is a diagnostic mode.

9. A system comprising the earpiece of claim 1 and a software application executing on a computing device wherein the software application is programmed to acquire imagery of the feedback and recover the data.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the computing device is a mobile device.

11. A system comprising:

a first earpiece;

a second earpiece,

wherein each of the first earpiece and the second earpiece comprises;

a waterproof housing;

at least one lighting element operably coupled to the housing;

a processor disposed within the waterproof housing, the processor operably coupled to the at least one lighting element;

a plurality of sensors operably coupled to the processor; and

wherein the earpiece has several modalities determined by sensed data from the plurality of sensors;

wherein the processor is programmed to control the at least one lighting element to convey visual feedback based on the modality; and

wherein the first earpiece and the second earpiece are configured to work in concert to convey visual feedback.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the modality is confirmation of a gestural movement.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first or second earpiece has no buttons.

14. A method of providing responsive visual feedback from an earpiece comprising:

providing an earpiece comprising;

a housing,

at least one visual feedback element associated with the housing;

a processor disposed within the earpiece housing, the processor operably coupled to the at least one feedback element; and

a plurality of sensors operably coupled to the processor;

determining by the processor a modality for the earpiece using sensed data from the plurality of sensors of the earpiece; and

controlling the at least one feedback element of the earpiece based on the modality of the earpiece determined by the processor.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one feedback element is a lighting element.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one lighting element is a multicolor lighting element.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the housing is water resistant.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of confirming a gestural movement.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of assessing embedded device data.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of executing a software application on a computing device wherein the software application is programmed to acquire imagery of the feedback and recover the data.