IP Library Granted Patent US 9,820,513
Granted Patent B2
US 9,820,513 · App. 14/582,018 · Granted Nov 21, 2017

Depth proximity layering for wearable devices

Inventors: John C. Weast (Portland, OR); Wendy March (Portland, OR); Eric Lewallen (Portland, OR); Cory J. Booth (Beaverton, OR)
Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
A41D1/002A61B5/0002A61B5/6805G06F1/163A41B1/08A41B9/00A41D1/02A61B5/01A61B5/02444
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,820,513
App. No.
14/582,018
Granted
Nov 21, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques to determine depth for a number of wearable devices, which may be worn in layers are provided. A wearable device can receive measurements from sensors to include sensors from a number of other wearable devices. Based on the sensor measurements, the wearable device can determine a depth for the wearable devices. The depth can include an indication of which wearable device is closest to a user, which wearable device is closest to an external environment, or the like.

Claims (53)

1. An apparatus for a wearable computing device configured to determine depth with respect to another wearable computing device, the apparatus comprising:

a first sensor coupled to a first wearable device, the first sensor to generate an indication of a first measured quantity;

a sensor output collector to receive the indication of the first measured quantity from the first sensor and to receive an indication of a second measured quantity from a second sensor, the second sensor associated with a second wearable device; and

a depth determinator to determine a depth with respect to the second wearable device based on the first measured quantity and the second measured quantity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the depth determinator to:

determine whether the first measured quantity is greater than the second measured quantity; and

determine the depth with respect to the second wearable device based on whether the first measured quantity is greater than the second measured quantity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first measured quantity and the second measured quantity comprise a temperature, a noise level, a light level, a wireless signal strength, an electrostatic measurement, or a biometric measurement.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , the sensor output collector to receive an indication of a third measured quantity from a third sensor, the third sensor associated with a third wearable device, the depth determinator to determine the depth with respect to the second wearable device and the third wearable device based on the first measured quantity, the second measured quantity, and the third measured quantity.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , the depth determinator to:

determine whether the first measured quantity is greater than the second measured quantity;

determine whether the first measured quantity is greater than the third measured quantity; and

determine the depth with respect to the second wearable device and the third wearable device based on whether the first measured quantity is greater than the second measured quantity and whether the first measured quantity is greater than the third measured quantity.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , comprising:

a fourth sensor coupled to the first wearable device, the fourth sensor to generate an indication of a fourth measured quantity;

the sensor output collector to receive the indication of the fourth measured quantity from the fourth sensor, an indication of a fifth measured quantity from a fifth sensor and an indication of a sixth measured quantity from a sixth sensor, the fifth sensor associated with the second wearable device and the sixth sensor associated with the third wearable device; and

the depth determinator to validate the depth based on the fourth measured quantity, the fifth measured quantity, and the sixth measured quantity.

7. The apparatus for claim 1 , the depth determinator to designate one of the first device, the second device, or the third device to use for a wearable device function.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , comprising a seventh sensor coupled to the first wearable device, the seventh sensor to generate an indication for the wearable device function.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:

a fourth sensor coupled to the first wearable device, the fourth sensor to generate an indication of a fourth measured quantity;

the sensor output collector to receive the indication of the fourth measured quantity from the fourth sensor and to receive an indication of a fifth measured quantity from a fifth sensor, the fifth sensor associated with the second wearable device; and

the depth determinator to validate the depth based on the fourth measured quantity and the fifth measured quantity.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the fourth measured quantity and the fifth measured quantity comprise a temperature, a noise level, or a light level, a wireless signal strength, or an electrostatic measurement.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first wearable computing device, the second wearable computing device, and the third wearable computing device comprise removable clothing to be layered.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first wearable computing device comprises an undergarment, a tee-shirt, a button up shirt, a sweater, or a jacket.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:

an interface coupled to the first wearable device to communicate the depth to computing device.

14. A method to determine depth for a number of wearable computing devices, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a first measured quantity from a first sensor, the first sensor associated with a first wearable device;

receiving an indication of a second measured quantity from a second sensor, the second sensor associated with a second wearable device; and

determining a depth for the first wearable device and the second wearable device based on the first measured quantity and the second measured quantity.

15. The method of claim 14 , comprising:

determining whether the first measured quantity is greater than the second measured quantity; and

determining the depth based on whether the first measured quantity is greater than the second measured quantity.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first measured quantity and the second measured quantity comprise a temperature, a noise level, a light level, a wireless signal strength, an electrostatic measurement, or a biometric measurement.

17. The method of claim 14 , comprising:

receiving an indication of a third measured quantity from a third sensor, the third sensor associated with a third wearable device; and

determining the depth for the first wearable device, the second wearable device, and the third wearable device based on the first measured quantity, the second measured quantity, and the third measured quantity.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising:

determining whether the first measured quantity is greater than the second measured quantity;

determining whether the first measured quantity is greater than the third measured quantity; and

determining the depth based on whether the first measured quantity is greater than the second measured quantity and whether the first measured quantity is greater than the third measured quantity.

19. The method for claim 17 , comprising designating one of the first device, the second device, or the third device to use for a wearable device function.

20. The method of claim 17 , comprising:

receiving an indication of a fourth measured quantity from a fourth sensor, the fourth sensor associated with the first wearable device;

receiving an indication of a fifth measured quantity from a fifth sensor, the fifth sensor associated with the second wearable device;

receiving an indication of a sixth measured quantity from a sixth sensor, the sixth sensor associated with the third wearable device; and

validating the depth based on the fourth measured quantity, the fifth measured quantity, and the sixth measured quantity.

21. The method of claim 14 , comprising:

receiving the indication of a fourth measured quantity from a fourth sensor, the fourth sensor associated with the first wearable device

receiving an indication of a fifth measured quantity from a fifth sensor, the fifth sensor associated with the second wearable device; and

validating the depth based on the fourth measured quantity and the fifth measured quantity.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2015
From: WEAST, JOHN C.; MARCH, WENDY; LEWALLEN, ERIC; BOOTH, CORY J.
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035392/0465 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160174620A1 · Jun 23, 2016