IP Library Granted Patent US 12,045,390
Granted Patent B2
US 12,045,390 · App. 18/322,993 · Granted Jul 23, 2024

Measurement of facial muscle EMG potentials for predictive analysis using a smart wearable system and method

Inventors: Julius Friedrich Rüdiger (Munich, DE); Peter Vincent Boesen (Munich, DE)
Assignee: BRAGI GMBH
G06F3/015G06F1/163G06F1/1694G06F3/017H04R1/1016H04R1/1041G06F2200/1637H04R5/033H04R2420/07H04R2460/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,045,390
App. No.
18/322,993
Granted
Jul 23, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes at least one wearable device having a housing, at least one sensor disposed within the housing, at least one output device disposed within the housing, and at least one processor operatively connected to the sensors and output devices, wherein one or more sensors are configured to detect electrical activity from a user's facial muscles and to transmit a data signal concerning the electrical activity of the user's facial muscles to one of more of the processors. A method of controlling a wearable device includes determining facial muscular electrical data of a facial gesture made by a user, interpreting the facial muscular electrical data to determine a user response, and performing an action based on the user response.

Claims (42)

1. A system comprising:

a set of earpieces comprising a first earpiece and a second earpiece, wherein each earpiece comprises:

a) an earpiece housing;

b) a processor disposed within the earpiece housing,

c) at least one sensor, located at an external surface of the earpiece housing, configured to detect electrical activity from a user's facial muscles, the at least one sensor operatively connected to the processor and wherein the at least one sensor is an electromyogram (EMG) sensor,

d) wherein the processor is configured to interpret the electrical activity from the user's facial muscles as a first command to perform action according to a pre-determined user setting,

e) an inertial sensor operatively connected to the processor and wherein the processor is further configured to interpret the electrical activity from the user's facial muscles in combination with at least one of head orientation or movement as a second command,

f) at least one microphone operatively connected to the processor;

g) at least one speaker operatively connected to the processor.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the first earpiece and the second earpiece device further comprise a transceiver operatively connected to the processor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first earpiece is configured not to interpret the electrical activity from the user's facial muscles as a command if the user is talking as determined using the at least one microphone.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a software application executing on a mobile device configured to provide for modifying the pre-determined user setting.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to interpret the electrical activity from the user's facial muscles as mapping to a wink.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to interpret the electrical activity from the user's facial muscle as mapping to a wince.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to interpret the electrical activity from the user's facial muscle as mapping to a smile.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to interpret the electrical activity from the user's facial muscle as mapping to a blink.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to interpret the electrical activity from the user's facial muscle as mapping to a facial expression.

10. A method for using facial muscle electromyogram (EMG) potential as input for a set of earpieces comprising a first earpiece and a second earpiece, the first earpiece comprising:

a) an earpiece housing,

b) a processor disposed within the earpiece housing,

c) at least one EMG sensor, placed on an external surface of the earpiece housing, configured to detect electrical activity from a user's facial muscles, the at least one EMG sensor operatively connected to the processor, and

d) at least one inertial sensor configured to detect a user's head movement, the at least one inertial sensor operatively connected to the processor,

e) at least one microphone operatively connected to the processor and at least one speaker operatively connected to the processor,

generating voice feedback at the at least one speaker;

receiving the facial muscle EMG potentials at the at least one EMG sensor in response to the voice feedback;

receiving audio input from the at least one microphone at the processor in response to the voice feedback;

receiving inertial data indicative of the user's head movement from the at least one inertial sensor at the processor in response to the voice feedback; and

interpreting at the processor the facial muscle EMG potentials, the audio input, and the inertial data to determine occurrence of a command to perform an action according to a pre-determined user setting.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first earpiece further comprises a transceiver operatively connected to the processor.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the interpreting at the processors includes determining if the user is talking and if the user is talking determining the facial muscle EMG potentials are not indicative of the occurrence of the command.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the earpiece further comprises a gesture control interface.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising detecting a user's gesture at the gesture control interface.

15. A method for using facial muscle electromyogram (EMG) potential as input for an earpiece, the method comprising:

receiving facial muscle EMG potentials by at least one EMG sensor of the earpiece;

receiving audio input from at least one microphone of the earpiece at a processor of the earpiece;

receiving inertial data indicative of the user's head movement from the at least one inertial sensor of the earpiece at the processor of the earpiece; and

interpreting at the processor of the earpiece the facial muscle EMG potentials, the audio input, and the inertial data to determine occurrence of a command to perform an action according to a pre-determined user setting.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first earpiece comprises a transceiver operatively connected to the processor.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the interpreting at the processor of the earpiece includes determining if the user is talking and if the user is talking determining the facial muscle EMG potentials are not indicative of the occurrence of the command.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the processor is disposed within an earpiece housing of the earpiece.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one EMG sensor of the earpiece is placed on an external surface of the earpiece housing.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the interpreting at the processor of the earpiece the facial muscle EMG potentials comprises interpreting that the facial muscle EMG potentials map to a facial expression.

Assignments (2)
EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENT Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: RÜDIGER, JULIUS FRIEDRICH
To: BRAGI GMBH
Reel/Frame 067827/0543 →
EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENT Recorded Nov 17, 2023
From: BOESEN, PETER VINCENT
To: BRAGI GMBH
Reel/Frame 065615/0047 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 17700248 · Mar 21, 2022
Continuation 17102864 · Nov 24, 2020
Continuation 15703811 · Sep 13, 2017
Provisional Application 62393926 · Sep 13, 2016
Related Publication 20230297169A1 · Sep 21, 2023