Wearable camera systems

• US 9,584,705 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Nordstrom, Paul G., Manber, Udi, Amacker, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Velez, Roberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Segura, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US13/894,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for wearable camera systems. In one aspect, a hat and a camera system for the hat can be used for an interactive session with a remote user. In another aspect, the hat and camera system for the hat can be used to interact with an emergency situation routing system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a camera system comprising;

a camera;

a wireless communications module;

a memory storing a plurality of instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory and transmit images from the camera using the wireless communications module;

a hat comprising;

a brim;

an orientation-specific receptacle embedded in the brim configured to receive the camera system in the brim and to detachably secure the camera system to the brim of the hat, such that a first portion of the camera system protrudes above a surface of the brim and a second portion of the camera system protrudes below the surface of the brim;

at least one battery secured to the hat at a location outside the receptacle in the brim and configured to electrically couple to the camera system;

a first vibration module located on a first side of the hat and that vibrates in response to a first command received from a remote system and initiated by a user of the remote system to indicate to a wearer of the hat that the wearer should turn the wearer'"'"'s head in a direction of the first side; and

a second vibration module located on a second side of the hat opposite the first side of the hat and that vibrates in response to a second command received from the remote system and initiated by the user of the remote system to indicate to the wearer of the hat that the wearer should turn the wearer'"'"'s head in a direction of the second side.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera system is configured to connect, via the wireless communications module and a mobile computing device, to a social networking server, including:

authenticating to the social networking server with a user identifier; and

sharing one or more images from the digital camera with one or more other user identifiers associated with the user identifier by the social networking server.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a microphone and an audio speaker, wherein the camera system is configured to conduct an interactive session with the remote system via the wireless communications module and a mobile device, including:

sending audio from the microphone and one or more images from the camera to the remote system; and

playing audio from the remote system on the audio speaker.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the audio speaker is configured to create audio waves through the hat by bone conduction in the skull of the wearer of the hat.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera system is received in the brim through a front side of the brim.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera system is received in the brim with the first portion of the camera system protruding through a void in a surface of the brim to a position above the brim and the second portion of the camera system protrudes through the void in the brim to a position below the brim.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera system is received in a receptacle of the brim that includes opposing gripping members that extend from a front of the brim to a back of the brim.

8. A method performed for hosting an interactive assistance session, the method comprising:

pairing a mobile device with a camera system that is detachably secured to an orientation-specific receptacle embedded in a brim of a hat, wherein;

the orientation-specific receptacle is configured to receive the camera system in the brim, such that a first portion of the camera system protrudes above a surface of the brim and a second portion of the camera system protrudes below the surface of the brim; and

the hat comprises;

a first vibration module located on a first side of the hat and that vibrates in response to a first command received from the mobile device and initiated by a remote user of a remote assistance system to indicate to a wearer of the hat that the wearer should turn the wearer'"'"'s head in a direction of the first side; and

a second vibration module located on a second side of the hat opposite the first side of the hat and that vibrates in response to a second command received from the mobile device and initiated by the remote user of the remote assistance system to indicate to the wearer of the hat that the wearer should turn the wearer'"'"'s head in a direction of the second side;

connecting, by the mobile device, to an interactive session system;

selecting, by the mobile device and from the interactive session system, an interactive assistance session, thereby causing the mobile device to transmit a video feed received from the camera system to the remote assistance system and to receive an audio feed from the remote assistance system;

receiving data describing directions for a task with the assistance of the remote user on the remote assistance system viewing the video feed and speaking on the audio feed; and

providing, by the mobile device, the first command to the first vibration module in response to data received from the remote assistance system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

attaching a battery module to the hat in a location outside the receptacle in the brim so that the weight of the battery module at least partially balances the weight of the camera system; and

electrically coupling the battery module to the camera system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the hat comprises an inductive charging module configured to charge the battery module, the method comprising hanging the hat on an inductive charger to charge the battery after the end of the interactive assistance session.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

connecting, by the mobile device, to a social networking server;

authenticating to a user account on the social networking server; and

selecting one or more user identifiers connected to the user account for sharing, thereby causing the mobile device to transmit the video feed received from the camera system to the social networking server for sharing with one or more user devices associated with the one or more user identifiers.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the camera system is received in the brim through a front side of the brim.

13. A wearable camera system comprising:

a camera;

a wireless communication module;

an emergency situation input indicator;

a memory storing a plurality of instructions;

a processor;

a body housing the camera, the wireless communication module, the emergency situation input indicator, the memory, and the processor; and

a hat comprising;

a brim and an orientation-specific receptacle embedded in the brim that is configured to receive the body housing the camera, the wireless communication module, the emergency situation input indicator, the memory, and the processor, and to detachably secure the body housing the camera, the wireless communication module, the emergency situation input indicator, the memory, and the processor to the brim of the hat such that a first portion of the body protrudes above a surface of the brim and a second portion of the body protrudes below the surface of the brim;

a first vibration module located on a first side of the hat and that vibrates in response to a first command received from a remote system and initiated by a user of the remote system to indicate to a wearer of the hat that the wearer should turn the wearer'"'"'s head in a direction of the first side; and

a second vibration module located on a second side of the hat opposite the first side of the hat and that vibrates in response to a second command received from the remote system and initiated by the user of the remote system to indicate to the wearer of the hat that the wearer should turn the wearer'"'"'s head in a direction of the second side;

wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored in the memory and perform operations comprising;

determining that the emergency situation input indicator has been activated;

determining a geographic location of the wearable camera system; and

transmitting, by the wireless communication module, the geographic location of the wearable camera system and a video feed from the camera to an emergency situation server system.

14. The wearable camera system of claim 13, comprising a visible session recording indicator, wherein the operations comprise activating the visible session recording indicator in response to determining that the emergency situation input indicator has been activated.

15. The wearable camera system of claim 13, comprising an audio speaker, wherein the operations comprise receiving an audio feed from the emergency situation server system and playing the audio feed on the audio speaker.

16. The wearable camera system of claim 13, wherein transmitting comprises pairing to a mobile device and transmitting, via the mobile device, the geographic location and the video feed to the emergency situation server system.

17. The wearable camera system of claim 13, wherein the body housing the camera is received through a front side of the brim.