Environment-integrated smart ring charger
A smart ring charging system comprises a charging source integrated into an object, the object configured to be held by a user wearing a smart ring. The smart ring may include a ring-shaped housing and a power source disposed within or at the ring-shaped housing and configured to receive energy from the charging source while the user is wearing the smart ring and holding the object. A controller may be disposed within or at the ring-shaped housing, or at the object with the charger and configured to estimate a charging rate at which the power source receives the energy from the charging source. The system may further include one or more indicators configured to indicate the charging rate.
1. A smart ring comprising:
a ring-shaped housing;
a power source disposed within or at the ring-shaped housing and configured to receive energy from a charging source;
a controller disposed within or at the ring-shaped housing and configured to estimate a charging rate at which the power source receives the energy from the charging source; and
one or more input/output (I/O) components including a user interface disposed within or at the ring-shaped housing and configured to indicate when the charging rate is above a threshold.
2. The smart ring of claim 1 , wherein the power source is configured to provide energy to a device.
3. The smart ring of claim 1 , wherein the one or more I/O components further include:
an I/O component configured to sense a physical phenomenon external to the ring-shaped housing.
4. The smart ring of claim 1 , wherein the one or more I/O components further include:
an I/O component configured to transmit a communication signal to a communication device external to the ring-shaped housing, wherein the communication signal is indicative of the charging rate.
5. The smart ring of claim 1 , wherein:
the charging source further includes one or more sensors that detect a proximity of the smart ring to the charging source; and
the charging source is configured to transmit energy at least in part in response to the detected proximity.
6. The smart ring of claim 5 , wherein:
the user interface is further configured to indicate the detected proximity.
7. The smart ring of claim 1 , wherein:
the user interface includes a visual indicator; and
the user interface is configured to indicate the charging rate using at least one selected from a group consisting of a brightness of the visual indicator, a flash rate of a display, and a flash pattern of the display.
8. The smart ring of claim 1 , wherein:
the user interface includes a visual indicator; and
the user interface is configured to indicate the charging rate using at least one selected from a group consisting of a symbol and a character.
9. The smart ring of claim 1 , wherein:
the user interface includes a haptic indicator; and
the user interface is configured to indicate the charging rate using at least one of a vibration, a sequence of taps, an intensity of vibration, a frequency of vibration, a duration of vibration, a pattern of vibration, an intensity of tap, a frequency of tap, a duration of tap, and a pattern of tap.
10. The smart ring of claim 1 , wherein:
the charging source is integrated with an object including at least one selected from a group consisting of a steering wheel of a vehicle, a handle bar of a motorcycle, a golf club, a tennis racket, a cane, and a handle bar of a bicycle.
11. A method for charging a smart ring comprising:
receiving, by a power source disposed within a smart ring, energy transmitted by a charging source;
detecting, by a controller disposed within the smart ring, that a charging rate at which the power source is receiving the energy from the charging source is above a threshold; and
indicating, by a user interface, the charging rate in response to detecting that the charging rate is above the threshold.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the user interface includes an indicator integrated into an output component of a vehicle or a mobile device.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
providing, by the power source, energy to a device.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting, by one or more sensors of the smart ring, a proximity of the smart ring to the charging source; and
indicating, by the user interface, the detected proximity.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the receiving, by a power source disposed within a smart ring, energy transmitted by a charging source comprises:
receiving the energy in response to a detected proximity within a predetermined threshold.
16. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the user interface includes a visual indicator integrated into the smart ring; and
wherein the indicating the charging rate comprises indicating the charging rate using at least one selected from a group consisting of a brightness of the visual indicator, a flash rate of a display, and a flash pattern of the display.
17. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the user interface includes a visual indicator integrated into the smart ring; and
wherein the indicating the charging rate comprises indicating the charging rate using at least one selected from a group consisting of a symbol and a character.
18. The method of claim 11 ,
wherein the user interface includes a haptic indicator integrated into the smart ring; and
wherein the indicating the charging rate comprises indicating the charging rate using at least one of a vibration, a sequence of taps, an intensity of vibration, a frequency of vibration, a duration of vibration, a pattern of vibration, an intensity of tap, a frequency of tap, a duration of tap, and a pattern of tap.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the charging source is integrated with an object including at least one selected from a group consisting of a steering wheel of a vehicle, a handle bar of a motorcycle, a golf club, a tennis racket, a cane, and a handle bar of a bicycle.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the receiving, by a power source disposed within a smart ring, energy transmitted by a charging source comprises:
receiving, at the power source, the energy via a receiving coil disposed at the smart ring and inductively coupled to a transmitting coil disposed at the charging source.