Use of body-worn radar for biometric measurements, contextual awareness and identification

• US 20190064344A1
• Filed: 03/20/2018
• Published: 02/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Turner, Jake Berry
• Application Number:
  US15/926,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20190064344A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0507 using microwaves or terahertz waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 : Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• 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 21/0453 : worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0492 : Sensor dual technology, i.e. two or more technologies collaborate to extract unsafe condition, e.g. video tracking and RFID tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 : Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 : Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 : Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 : Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 : Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 : Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

Abstract

A method for utilizing wireless earpieces with radar in embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of the following steps: (a) activating one or more radar sensors of the wireless earpieces, (b) performing radar measurements of a user, (c) analyzing the radar measurements to determine contextual awareness for the user, (d) sending the contextual awareness information to the user, (e) sending the contextual awareness information to a body area network (BAN), (f) contacting emergency assistance authorities if the externally facing radar detects an impact to the user, (g) audibly communicating information associated with the contextual information to the user through the wireless earpieces, and (h) notifying the user of close quarter objects.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing wireless earpieces with radar, comprising:

activating one or more radar sensors of the wireless earpieces;

performing radar measurements of a user; and

analyzing the radar measurements to determine contextual awareness for the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the contextual awareness information to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual awareness information is presented to the user audibly.

4. The method off claim 1, wherein there is an externally facing radar sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the radar sensors utilize Doppler radar to measure potential impact objects to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending the contextual awareness information to a body area network (BAN).

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising contacting emergency assistance authorities if the externally facing radar detects an impact to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

audibly communicating information associated with the contextual information to the user through the wireless earpieces.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the user of close quarter objects.

10. A wireless earpiece, comprising:

a housing for fitting in an ear of a user;

a processor controlling functionality of the wireless earpiece;

a plurality of sensors performs sensor measurements of the user, wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more radar sensors; and

a transceiver communicating with at least a wireless device;

wherein the processor activates the one or more radar sensors and analyzes the radar measurements to determine contextual awareness associated with the user.

11. The wireless earpiece of claim 10, wherein the radar sensors include internally and externally facing radar sensors.

12. The wireless earpiece of claim 10, wherein the processor further communicates information associated with the contextual awareness to the user.

13. The wireless earpiece of claim 10, wherein the radar measurements from an externally facing radar indicates an impact with the user is imminent, wherein an alert is provided to the user through one or more speakers of the wireless earpiece.

14. The wireless earpiece of claim 10, wherein the one or more radar sensors include a plurality of radar sensors, wherein a first radar sensor sends a signal and wherein a second radar sensor measures reflection of the signal.

15. The wireless earpiece of claim 10, wherein the one or more radar sensors including a plurality of radar sensors are focused away from the user in different directions.

16. A method for utilizing wireless earpieces with radar, comprising:

activating an externally facing radar sensor of the wireless earpieces;

performing radar measurements; and

analyzing the radar measurements to determine contextual awareness of the user'"'"'s surroundings.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of identifying any close objects to the user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of notifying the user of any close objects to the user.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of notifying emergency service personal if an impact is detected.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising notifying the user of a quickly closing object as a potential impact hazard.