IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,396,641

Granted Patent B1

US 9,396,641 · App. 14/688,775 · Granted Jul 19, 2016

System and method for impact prediction and proximity warning

Inventors: Paul G. Allen (Mercer Island, WA); Philip V. Bayly (St. Louis, MO); David L. Brody (St. Louis, MO); Alistair K. Chan (Bainbridge Island, WA); Jesse R. Cheatham, III (Seattle, WA); William D. Duncan (Mill Creek, WA); Richard G. Ellenbogen (Seattle, WA); Roderick A. Hyde (Redmond, WA); Muriel Y. Ishikawa (Livermore, CA); Jordin T. Kare (San Jose, CA); Eric C. Leuthardt (St. Louis, MO); Nathan P. Myhrvold (Medina, WA); Tony S. Pan (Bellevue, WA); Robert C. Petroski (Seattle, WA); Raul Radovitzky (Bedford, MA); Anthony V. Smith (Seattle, WA); Elizabeth A. Sweeney (Seattle, WA); Clarence T. Tegreene (Mercer Island, WA); Nicholas W. Touran (Seattle, WA); Lowell L. Wood, Jr. (Bellevue, WA); Victoria Y. H. Wood (Livermore, CA)

Assignee: Elwha LLC

G08B21/0438

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 9,396,641
App. No.: 14/688,775
Granted: Jul 19, 2016
Kind: B1

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Abstract

A system for predicting and warning of impacts includes a sensor located remote from a user and configured to acquire user data regarding motion of the user and object data regarding motion of the object; and a processing circuit configured to predict a potential impact between the user and the object based on the user data and the object data; and control operation of a user-wearable warning device to provide a warning output to the user in advance of a predicted time of the potential impact.

Claims (55)

1. A method for predicting and warning of impacts, comprising:

receiving, from a sensor by a processing circuit, user data regarding motion of a user;

receiving, from the sensor by the processing circuit, object data regarding motion of an object;

predicting, by the processing circuit, a potential impact between the user and the object based on the user data and the object data; and

controlling, by the processing circuit, operation of a user-wearable warning device to provide a user-detectable warning output to the user in advance of a predicted time of the potential impact;

wherein the warning output includes a vibratory output; and

wherein at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the vibratory output is based on at least one of a speed of the user, a speed of the object, a closing speed between the user and the object, and a distance between the user and the object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warning output includes an indication of a direction of the potential impact relative to the user.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the direction of the potential impact is predicted based on a relative position and relative velocity between the object and the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a direction of the potential impact is determined relative to at least one of a current orientation of the user's head and a current orientation of the user's body.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a first sensor configured to acquire the user data regarding the motion of the user and a second sensor configured to acquire the object data regarding the motion of the object.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the warning output includes an audible warning.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a pitch of the audible warning is based on at least one of a speed of the user, a speed of the object, and a closing speed between the user and the object.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein a volume of the audible warning is based on a distance between the user and the object.

9. A method for predicting and warning of impacts, comprising:

receiving, from a sensor by a processing circuit, user data regarding motion of a user;

receiving, from the sensor by the processing circuit, object data regarding motion of an object;

predicting, by the processing circuit, a potential impact between the user and the object based on the user data and the object data; and

controlling, by the processing circuit, operation of a user-wearable warning device to provide a user-detectable warning output to the user in advance of a predicted time of the potential impact;

wherein the warning output includes an audible warning; and

wherein at least one of a pitch and a volume of the audible warning is based on at least one of a distance between the user and the object, a speed of the user, a speed of the object, and a closing speed between the user and the object.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the warning output includes a vibratory output.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a frequency of the vibratory output is based on at least one of a speed of the user, a speed of the object, and a closing speed between the user and the object.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein an amplitude of the vibratory output is based on a distance between the user and the object.

13. A method for predicting and warning of a potential impact, comprising:

receiving, from a sensor by a processing circuit, user data regarding motion of a user, including a current orientation of the head of the user;

receiving, from the sensor by the processing circuit, object data regarding motion of an object;

predicting, by the processing circuit, a potential impact between the user and the object based on the user data and the object data; and

controlling, by the processing circuit, operation of a user-wearable warning device to provide a user-detectable warning output to the user based on the object data and the user data, including the current orientation of the user's head relative to the potential impact;

wherein the warning output includes an indication of a velocity of the object; and

wherein the indication is based on a closing speed between the object and the user.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the warning output includes an indication of a direction of the potential impact relative to the user.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the direction of the potential impact is predicted based on a relative position and relative velocity between the object and the user.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein a direction of the potential impact is determined relative to the current orientation of the user's head.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the indication is based on a relative velocity between the object and the user.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the warning output includes a vibratory output.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein a frequency of the vibratory output is based on at least one of a speed of the user, a speed of the object, and a closing speed between the user and the object.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein a frequency of the vibratory output is based on a distance between the object and the user.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein an amplitude of the vibratory output is based on at least one of a speed of the user, a speed of the object, and a closing speed between the object and the user.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein an amplitude of the vibratory output is based on a distance between the user and the object.

23. The method of claim 13 , wherein the warning output includes an audible warning.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein a pitch of the audible warning is based on at least one of a speed of the user, a speed of the object, and a closing speed between the user and the object.

25. A method for predicting and warning of a potential impact, comprising:

receiving, from a sensor by a processing circuit, user data regarding motion of a user, including a current orientation of the head of the user;

receiving, from the sensor by the processing circuit, object data regarding motion of an object;

predicting, by the processing circuit, a potential impact between the user and the object based on the user data and the object data; and

controlling, by the processing circuit, operation of a warning device to provide the user with a user-detectable warning based on determining predicted conditions of the potential impact satisfy predetermined conditions regarding unacceptable actions of the user;

wherein the warning output includes at least one of a vibratory warning and an audible warning;

wherein at least one of a frequency, an amplitude, a pitch, and a volume of the at least one the vibratory warning and the audible warning is based on at least one of a distance between the user and the object, a speed of the user, a speed of the object, and a closing speed between the user and the object.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the warning output includes an indication of a direction of the potential impact relative to the user.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the direction of the potential impact is determined relative to at least one of a current orientation of the user's head and a current orientation of the user's body.

28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the sensor includes a first sensor configured to acquire the user data regarding the motion of the user and a second sensor configured to acquire the object data regarding the motion of the object.

29. The method of claim 25 , wherein the warning includes an indication of a predicted time until impact with the object.

30. The method of claim 25 , wherein the warning output includes an indication of a velocity of the object.

31. The method of claim 25 , wherein the warning device includes a headgear.

Continuity (1)

Continuation 14600541 · Jan 20, 2015