Flexible wearable computer

• US 5,581,492 A
• Filed: 02/13/1996
• Issued: 12/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Embedded Technologies LLC (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Key Idea Development, LLC
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Envall, Jr., Roy N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOISE, EMMANUEL LIONEL
• Application Number:
  US08/600,669
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 364/709.11, 364/712, 361/680, 361/683, 361/686, 235/462, 235/472
• US Class Current: 361/679.03
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits

Abstract

A flexible wearable computer in the form of a belt comprising in combination, elements for computing comprising a microprocessor module, a RAM-I/O module, a plurality of mass memory modules, a power supply module, and a plurality of bus termination modules operationally associated with a plurality of flexible signal relaying means. The computing elements are mechanically associated with a flexible non-stretchable member, and a protective covering means. The flexible non-stretchable wearable member is secured around various parts of the body. An input and output device is connected to the flexible wearable computer by the I/O bus attached to the output and input ports.

Claims

1. A flexible wearable computer comprising:

elements for computing including a plurality of mechanically separated but functionally intact components of a computing device;

at least one flexible signal relaying portion operably connecting said elements for computing, the flexible signal relaying portion having sufficient flex to allow the elements for computing to be moved with respect to each other to accommodate a body morphology of a wearer of the flexible wearable computer, the flexible signal relaying portion comprising a plurality of signal-conducting elements extending between each of said elements for computing; and

a flexible wearable member for supporting said elements for computing and said flexible signal relaying portion, the flexible wearable member being wearable on the body of the wearer of the flexible wearable computer.

2. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, wherein the flexible signal relaying portion includes structure coupled with the plurality of signal-conducting elements to maintain the plurality of signal-conducting elements in substantially fixed relationship to each other between said elements for computing.

3. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the elements for computing includes a microprocessor and at least one other of the elements for computing includes computer memory.

4. The flexible wearable computer of claim 3, wherein the computer memory includes random access memory.

5. The flexible wearable computer of claim 3, wherein the computer memory includes a flash memory chip.

6. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the elements for computing is constructed to perform input operations and at least one other of the elements for computing is constructed to perform output operations.

7. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, further comprising an input device operably coupled to said elements for computing.

8. The flexible wearable computer of claim 7, wherein the input device comprises a touch-sensitive surface for generating input signals.

9. The flexible wearable computer of claim 7, wherein the input device is remote from the flexible wearable member of the flexible wearable computer.

10. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, further comprising an output device operably coupled to the elements for computing.

11. The flexible wearable computer of claim 10, wherein the output device is remote from the flexible wearable member of the flexible wearable computer.

12. The flexible wearable computer of claim 10, wherein the output device comprises a display device.

13. The flexible wearable computer of claim 12, wherein the display device comprises a liquid crystal display device.

14. The flexible wearable computer of claim 12, wherein the display device comprises a head-mounted display device.

15. The flexible wearable computer of claim 12, further comprising structure for mounting the display device on the body of the wearer remote from the flexible wearable member.

16. The flexible wearable member of claim 12, wherein the display device includes a reflection device for displaying a computer-generated image to the wearer.

17. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, wherein the flexible wearable member is constructed to assist in covering said elements for computing.

18. The flexible wearable computer of claim 17, wherein the flexible wearable member supports a protective covering for the elements for computing.

19. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, wherein the elements for computing, the flexible signal relaying portion and flexible wearable member are configured to provide hands-free operation of the flexible wearable computer.

20. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, wherein the elements for computing and the flexible wearable member are configured to substantially evenly distribute the weight of the flexible wearable computer about the body of the wearer.

21. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, wherein the flexible signal relaying portion includes fiber optic material.

22. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, wherein the flexible wearable member comprises cloth material.

23. The flexible wearable computer of claim 1, further including a device for wirelessly connecting the flexible wearable computer to an area network.

24. A wearable computer comprising:

elements for computing comprising a plurality of mechanically separated but functionally intact components of a computing device, the elements for computing being operably connected to permit relaying of signals between the elements for computing, the elements for computing being movable with respect to each other to accommodate a body morphology of a wearer of the flexible wearable computer;

at least one signal relaying portion for relaying signals between the elements for computing; and

structure supporting the elements for computing in substantially symmetric weight-distribution about the body of the wearer.

25. The wearable computer of claim 24, wherein the signal relaying portion includes structure that physically connects the elements for computing one to another.

26. The wearable computer of claim 25, wherein the signal relaying portion includes a plurality of signal-conducting elements.

27. The wearable computer of claim 26, wherein the signal relaying portion includes structure coupled with the plurality of signal-conducting elements to maintain the plurality of signal-conducting elements in substantially fixed relationship to each other between said elements for computing.

28. The wearable computer of claim 24, further comprising speech recognition and speech synthesis interfaces operably connected to the elements for computing to generate speech input and output signals.

29. The wearable computer of claim 24, wherein at least one of the elements for computing includes a microprocessor, and at least one other of the elements for computing includes computer memory.

30. A method of computing, comprising:

mechanically separated functionally intact elements for computing of a computing device;

flexibly connecting said elements for computing with at least one flexible signal relaying portion;

supporting the elements for computing and the flexible signal relaying portion about the body of a wearer with a flexible wearable member;

flexing the flexible signal relaying portion to move the elements for computing with respect to each other to accommodate a body morphology of the wearer; and

relaying signals between the elements for computing with a plurality of signal-conducting elements extending between the elements for computing, the signal-conducting elements being included in the flexible signal relaying portion.

31. A flexible computer comprising, in combination,

elements for computing comprising a plurality of mechanically separated but functionally intact components of an otherwise integrated computer;

a flexible signal relaying portion operably coupling said elements for computing;

a flexible wearable member, the elements for computing and the flexible signal relaying portion being supported by the flexible wearable member;

a protective covering supported by the flexible wearable member for enclosing said elements for computing and said flexible signal relaying portion.

32. The flexible computer of claim 31, wherein the protective covering is a separate piece from the flexible wearable member.

33. The flexible computer of claim 31, wherein the protective covering is wrapped around the flexible wearable member.

34. A portable computer comprising, in combination,

elements for computing comprising an input device for inputting data, an output device for outputting data, and a plurality of computing components;

a flexible human-wearable member, the elements for computing being supported by the flexible human-wearable member; and

a flexible signal relaying portion operably connecting the elements for computing, the flexible signal relaying portion and the elements for computing being covered by a covering portion.