Wearable glove electronic device

• US 9,189,022 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Burgess, William T
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Md Saiful A
• Application Number:
  US14/079,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345173-179, 362/103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/0024 with accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves

Abstract

A glove electronic device includes a plurality of peripherals, each of which is affixed to an adhesive cover and attachable to a location in at least one of finger portions, a wrist portion and a hand portion of the glove electronic device. Configuration of the plurality of peripherals on the glove electronic device is adaptable during use of the glove electronic device. The device also includes a transceiver for sending information captured by one or more of the plurality of peripherals and for transmitting information to one or more of the plurality of peripherals. The device further includes a processor configured to operate one or more of the plurality of peripherals responsive to a movement associated with the glove electronic device or body signals being sensed from sensors attached or worn on the body.

Claims

1. A glove electronic device comprising:

a plurality of peripherals, each of which is affixed to an adhesive cover and attachable to a location in at least one of finger portions, a wrist portion and a hand portion of the glove electronic device, wherein each of the plurality of peripherals is configured to interact with an external environment, and wherein of the plurality of peripherals on the glove electronic device is adaptable from a first configuration to a second configuration during use of the glove electronic device;

a transceiver for sending information captured by one or more of the plurality of peripherals and for transmitting information to one or more of the plurality of peripherals; and

a processor configured to operate one or more of the plurality of peripherals responsive to a movement of the glove electronic device, wherein

the processor is further configured to activate and to deactivate each peripheral of the plurality of peripherals based on the external environment.

2. The glove electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a display screen for displaying information collected by one or more of the plurality of peripherals.

3. The glove electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripherals includes at least one of a sensing computer and at least one sensor, wherein the sensing computer is configured to detect environmental information captured by the at least one sensor.

4. The glove electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripherals includes at least one tracking module for providing at least one of location tracking and radar detection.

5. The glove electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripherals includes at least one Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) reader configured to read at least one of RFID tags and barcodes.

6. The glove electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes at least one emitter configured to send data captured by at least one sensor responsive to the movement.

7. The glove electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripherals includes at least one lighting source configured to create predefined signs or symbols responsive to at least one of the movement of the glove electronic device or a sensor input.

8. The glove electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of peripherals includes at least one lighting source configured to outline information associated with at least one of the movement of the glove electronic device or a sensor input and to provide the outlined information to the glove electronic device for further processing.

9. The glove electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver includes at least one emitter configured to transmit data from the glove electronic device when the glove electronic device is paired with another electronic device via a wireless protocol or a wired connection.

10. The glove electronic device of claim 1, wherein, during use of the glove electronic device, at least one of the plurality of peripherals is configured to be one of added to and removed from a section of the glove electronic device using a removable skin.

11. A method comprising:

activating, by a processor in a glove electronic device, a plurality of peripherals, each of which is affixed to an adhesive cover and attachable to a location in at least one of finger portions, a wrist portion and a hand portion of the glove electronic device, wherein each of the plurality of peripherals is configured to interact with an external environment, and wherein the plurality of peripherals on the glove electronic device is adaptable from a first configuration to a second configuration during use of the glove electronic device;

capturing, by one or more of the plurality of peripherals, information responsive to a movement of the glove electronic device; and

at least one of sending and displaying, by the glove electronic device, information captured by one or more of the plurality of peripherals, wherein

the method further comprising deactivating, by the processor, at least one peripheral of the plurality of peripherals based on the external environment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of peripherals includes at least one of a sensing computer and at least one sensor, wherein the method includes detecting environmental information, by the sensing computer, based on information captured by the at least one sensor.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing at least one of location tracking and radar detection with at least one tracking module included in the plurality of peripherals.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising reading at least one of Radio Frequency Identifier(RFID) tags and barcodes with an RFID reader included in the plurality of peripherals.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising creating, by at least one lighting source included in the plurality of peripherals, predefined signs or symbols responsive to at least one of the movement of the glove electronic device or a sensor input.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising outlining, by at least one lighting source included in the plurality of peripherals, information associated with at least one of the movement of the glove electronic device or a sensor input and providing the outlined information to the glove electronic device for further processing.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising, during use of the glove electronic device, one of adding and removing at least one of the plurality of peripherals to and from a section of the glove electronic device using a removable skin.