IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,755,111
Granted Patent B2
US 11,755,111 · App. 17/203,654 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Spatially aware computing hub and environment

Inventor: Landon Nickerson (Dallas, TX)
Assignee: ARKH, Inc.
G06F3/016G06F3/038G06Q20/3224G06Q30/0639G06F2203/0331G06N20/00G06Q20/321G06Q20/36G09B9/00G16H40/67
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,755,111
App. No.
17/203,654
Filed
Mar 16, 2021
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2624
USPC
345/156
Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure provide for a sensory augmentation system. In some examples, the sensory augmentation system includes a first electro-tactile stimulator comprising at least one user interaction element driven by a driver and contactable to a human body to provide stimulation having a first stimulation waveform and a signal generation and sensing processor configured to receive data corresponding to information to be communicated to the user. The signal generation and sensing processor may generate a first instruction to the driver, the first instruction corresponding to the first stimulation waveform. The driver may generate the stimulation having the first stimulation waveform in response to the first instruction.

Claims (33)

1. A sensory augmentation system, comprising:

a first electro-tactile stimulator, wherein the first electro-tactile stimulator comprises a ring having a continuous and unchangeable annular structure for wear on a finger of a user, wherein a diameter of the annular structure is determined based on a diameter of the finger, the first electro-tactile stimulator comprising:

an array of user interaction elements disposed linearly and equidistantly around an interior surface of the ring and driven by a driver and contactable to a human body to provide stimulation having a first stimulation waveform; and

a signal generation and sensing processor configured to receive data corresponding to information to be communicated to the user,

wherein the signal generation and sensing processor generates a first instruction to the driver, the first instruction corresponding to the first stimulation waveform, and

wherein the driver generates the stimulation having the first stimulation waveform in response to the first instruction.

2. The sensory augmentation system according to claim 1 , comprising a second electro-tactile stimulator, wherein the first and second electro-tactile stimulators are wearable on different fingers and localized in the sensory augmentation system according to triangulation.

3. The sensory augmentation system according to claim 1 , wherein the driver drives a first user interaction element of the array of user interaction elements with the electrical stimulation having the first stimulation waveform and drives a second user interaction element of the array of user interaction elements with the electrical stimulation having a second stimulation waveform different from the first stimulation waveform.

4. The sensory augmentation system according to claim 3 , wherein each waveform corresponds to a physical sensation representing a different alphabet character.

5. The sensory augmentation system according to claim 3 , wherein each waveform corresponds to a different alphabet character, and wherein the first instruction comprises data representing text.

6. The sensory augmentation system according to claim 5 , further comprising glasses having a built-in image projector configured to project an image corresponding to the text.

7. The sensory augmentation system according to claim 1 , wherein the signal generation and sensing processor is in electronic communication with a smartphone and receives data therefrom corresponding to text to communicate to a user via the first stimulation waveform.

8. A method of sensory augmentation, comprising:

providing, by a computing device, a wireless transmission corresponding to text;

receiving, by a first electro-tactile stimulator, the wireless transmission, wherein the first electro-tactile stimulator comprises a ring having a continuous and unchangeable annular structure for wear on a finger of a user, wherein a diameter of the annular structure is determined based on a diameter of the finger;

generating, by a signal generation and sensing processor of the first electro-tactile stimulator, a first instruction to an electrode driver, the first instruction corresponding to a first stimulation waveform representing the text;

generating, by the electrode driver, the first stimulation waveform in response to the first instruction; and

providing, by an electrode array disposed linearly and equidistantly around on an interior surface of the ring and driven by the electrode driver, electrical stimulation to a human body, the electrical stimulation corresponding to the text.

9. The method of sensory augmentation according to claim 8 , further comprising providing a second electro-tactile stimulator, wherein the first and second electro-tactile stimulators are wearable on different fingers.

10. The method of sensory augmentation according to claim 8 , wherein the electrode driver drives a first electrode of the array of electrodes with the electrical stimulation having the first stimulation waveform and drives a second electrode of the array of electrodes with the electrical stimulation having a second stimulation waveform different from the first stimulation waveform.

11. The method of sensory augmentation according to claim 10 , wherein each waveform corresponds to a physical sensation representing a different alphabet character.

12. The method of sensory augmentation according to claim 10 , wherein each waveform corresponds to a different alphabet character and wherein the first instruction comprises data representing text.

13. The method of sensory augmentation according to claim 8 , wherein the computing device is a smartphone and the wireless transmission corresponds to text to communicate to a user via the first stimulation waveform.

14. The method of sensory augmentation according to claim 13 , further comprising projecting, by glasses having a built-in image projector, an image corresponding to the text.

15. A sensory augmentation system, comprising:

an annular electro-tactile stimulator having an unchangeable diameter determined based on a diameter of a finger of a user, the electro-tactile stimulator for wear on the finger of the user and comprising:

an array of user interaction elements disposed linearly and equidistantly around an exterior annular surface of the electro-tactile stimulator so as to contact the finger of the user to provide stimulation having a stimulation waveform; and

a processor configured to:

receive data corresponding to information to be communicated to the user; and

cause a first user interaction element of the array of user interaction elements to provide the stimulation waveform to the finger of the user responsive to the received data.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a driver in communication with the processor and the first user interaction element of the array of user interaction elements, wherein the processor generates an instruction responsive to receiving the data and provides the instruction to the driver.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the driver generates a stimulation having the stimulation waveform in response to the instruction and provides the stimulation to the first user interaction element.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the array of user interaction elements is disposed along an equator of the annular surface.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2021
From: NICKERSON, LANDON
To: ARKH, INC.
Reel/Frame 058359/0599 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63083864 · Sep 26, 2020
Provisional Application 62990059 · Mar 16, 2020
Related Publication 20210286433A1 · Sep 16, 2021
Cited By (5)
US 12,220,643 US 12,248,635 US 12,343,636 US 12,455,622 US 12,682,541