Patent No. 6912287 Wearable communication device

 

Patent No. 6912287

Wearable communication device (Fukumoto, et al., Jun 28, 2005)

Abstract

A wearable communication device includes a bone conduction actuator which is applicable for being in contact with a user's wrist, hand, back of the hand, finger or nail in order to transmit voice signals. The user inserts the user's finger into the user's ear canal, or touches the user's finger to a part near the user's ear, or puts the user's fingertip or nail on the user's ear canal so as to block the user's ear canal when the user uses the wearable communication device. Also, the wearable command input device includes a first part for detecting shock or acceleration which arises when the user taps the user's fingertip on the surface of an object or when the user taps the fingertips mutually and which is transmitted through the user's finger, a second part for detecting specific frequency components which are included in signals from the first part and for detecting the presence or the absence of the tap of the finger of the user, and a part for determining and executing commands based on series of signals output from the second part.

Notes:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a wearable communication device such as a wearable telephone. Further, the present invention relates to a wearable communication device which can be used in a noisy outdoor environment and can be used without annoying surrounding people.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to a wearable command input device, more particularly, to a full-time wearable command input device in which a user can input a command by minute movements of a human body while preventing any improper input caused by bending or twisting the user's wrist from being input as a command.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional mobile telephone such as a cellular phone is generally used by being grasped with a hand. However, because a user needs to take the phone out from a pocket or a bag when the user needs to use it, there are disadvantages that the user can not use the phone immediately when he wants to do so and can not respond to a call immediately. Therefore, as a mobile telephone which can be used immediately, a wearable telephone which is used by being worn on a human body is becoming a focus of attention.

As a wearable telephone which is used by wearing on a human body, each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,381,387 and 5,499,292 discloses a wrist telephone, which includes a speaker mounted in an arc-shaped boom, with which a user speaks by putting the speaker on the center of the user's palm and covering the ear by the hand.

As another wrist-wearing-type wearable telephone, there is a wristwatch-type PHS telephone which is used in a manner similar to looking at a wristwatch. This type of telephone can be used immediately and the user can immediately respond to a call because there is no need to take out it from a pocket or a bag. However, because a microphone and a speaker of the telephone are located at the wrist, there are disadvantages that, for example, a received voice is sometimes hard-to-hear and a user's utterance sometimes is not transmitted to the party on the other end.

Further, as for a conventional mobile telephone such as a conventional cellular phone, the user's utterance tends to be loud when using the telephone, and the other party's speaking voice leaks from the receiver. Further, the alert of the phone is very loud. Therefore, a disadvantage that such a telephone sometimes annoys surrounding people is pointed out.

As for other types of wearable telephones such as the above-mentioned wristwatch type and a conventional ear-attaching type, because the using styles of those types are different from the style when using a conventional handset, there is a problem that the style seems to be strange and may be problematic. Also, as those telephones become small, the operating buttons become quite small. As a result, the user can not operate those telephones easily.

The operation style of the above-mentioned wrist telephones which are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,381,387 and 5,499,292 is similar to that of a conventional handset. Therefore, the operation style does not seem to be strange to the surrounding people. However, as mentioned above, because the user's utterance tends to be loud when using the phone and the other party's speaking voice leaks from the receiver, there is also the disadvantage of annoying surrounding people in a crowded place. Also, the difficulty of the operation due to the small size is still a problem.

Furthermore, in a recent situation in which a small PDA device is becoming widely used, the above-mentioned operability problem needs to be solved so that the PDA may become even smaller so as to be wearable on an arm or a hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a wearable communication device which can be used without annoying surrounding people and without being influenced by an outside noise.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wearable communication device and a wearable PDA device which improve operability and usability.

The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a wearable communication device which includes at least a receiving part for receiving voice signals wherein a user inserts the user's finger into the user's ear canal, or touches the user's finger to a part near the user's ear, or puts the user's fingertip or nail on the user's ear canal so as to block the user's ear canal when the user uses the wearable communication device, the wearable communication device including a bone conduction actuator which is applicable for being in contact with the user's wrist, hand, back of the hand, finger or nail in order to transmit the voice signals.

According to the wearable communication device of the present invention, the user can hear a received voice without leaking the voice outside and can hear the received voice clearly even under a noisy environment since the user inserts the finger into the ear canal. And, the user's utterance is naturally boosted and is returned to the user's ear naturally. Therefore, the user does not need to speak loudly even in a noisy environment.

The bone conduction actuator may include:

a converter for converting an electronic signal into vibrations; and

a vibrator for transmitting the vibrations to a human body,

wherein the vibrator is shaped like a ring which can be mounted on the user's finger.

Accordingly, the bone conduction actuator is easily mounted on the user's finger like a ring. Therefore, the user does not feel inconvenience even when the user wears the wearable communication device continually in daily life.

The wearable communication device may further include a main unit which is connected to the bone conduction actuator and can be mounted on the user's wrist, wherein the main unit includes at least a part for transmitting voice signals to the bone conduction actuator. Therefore, the main unit does not become an obstacle for the user.

The bone conduction actuator may be connected to the main unit by a cord which has a connector which is detachable from the bone conduction actuator, and the main unit includes:

a part for taking up the cord and for storing the connector to said main unit if the connector is detached from the bone conduction actuator; and

a part for utilizing storing of the connector or taking up of the cord as a switch.

The bone conduction actuator also may be connected to the main unit by a cord which is connected to the converter which is detachable from said vibrator, and the main unit includes:

a part for taking up the cord and storing the converter to the main unit if said converter is detached from the vibrator; and

a part for utilizing storing of the converter or taking up of the cord as a switch.

The wearable communication device may further include a main unit which is connected to the bone conduction actuator and can be mounted on the user's wrist, wherein the main unit includes:

a part for transmitting voice signals to the bone conduction actuator, the bone conduction actuator being provided in an end of a boom which slides from the main unit, the end being shaped so as to slide easily while touching the back of the user's hand.

According to the wearable communication device of the present invention, the transmission efficiency of the received voice will improve since the vibrator is in intimate contact with the extensor digitorum. Further, the boom can be smoothly slid.

The wearable communication device may further include a main unit which comprises at least a part for transmitting voice signals to the bone conduction actuator and can be mounted on the user's wrist, the bone conduction actuator including:

a converter, provided in the main unit, for converting an electronic signal into vibrations; and

a vibrator for transmitting the vibrations to a human body, the vibrator being provided in an end of a boom which slides from the main unit, the end being shaped so as to slide easily while touching the back of the user's hand,

wherein vibrations by voice signal are transmitted from the converter to the vibrator through the boom.

The bone conduction actuator can be mounted on the user's wrist and includes:

a converter for converting an electronic signal into vibrations; and

a vibrator for transmitting the vibrations to a human body,

wherein the vibrator is rodlike and protrudes from the wrist-side surface of the bone conduction actuator.

According to the wearable communication device of the present invention, the transmission efficiency of the received voice improves since the vibrator is in intimate contact with the flexor digitorum.

The bone conduction actuator may further include an insulator, provided on the actuator's side facing the user's body, shaped so as to be in intimate contact with the user's wrist without touching the vibrator. Also, the inside of said bone conduction actuator may be near-vacuum.

The bone conduction actuator may include a part for operating the bone conduction actuator if the bone conduction actuator is pushed on the user's body at a pressure higher than a predetermined pressure and for stopping operation of the bone conduction actuator if the bone conduction actuator is not pushed on the user's body at the pressure higher than the predetermined pressure. Accordingly, the leakage of sound can be prevented.

The wearable communication device may further include a transmitting part for transmitting voice signals.

The wearable communication device may further include:

a microphone for gathering the user's utterance; and

a part for mounting the microphone on the inside of the user's wrist,

wherein the transmitting part transmits the user's utterance gathered by the microphone.

According to the wearable communication device of the present invention, since the user's mouth becomes close to the microphone, the user can operate the wearable communication device with a natural posture.

The wearable communication device may further include:

a bone conduction microphone for gathering the user's utterance; and

a part for contacting the bone conduction microphone with the user's wrist, hand, finger or nail,

wherein the transmitting part transmits the user's utterance gathered by the bone conduction microphone.

Accordingly, the user's conversation on the wearable communication device does not annoy surrounding people since the user does not need to speak loudly.

The bone conduction actuator may include a gathering part for gathering the user's utterance, wherein the transmitting part transmits the user's utterance gathered by the bone conduction actuator. Therefore, another bone conduction microphone is not necessary.

The wearable communication device may further include:

a part for inputting the user's voice into the wearable communication device;

an executing part for recognizing the user's voice and executing a corresponding command; and

a feedback part for notifying the user of a status of the wearable communication device operated according to the command by a voice or a sound.

According to the wearable communication device of the present invention, operability will improve in daily use since there is no button operation.

The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a wearable command input device for inputting information by tapping a fingertip of a user on a surface of an object or by tapping the fingertips mutually, wherein the wearable command input device can be mounted on the user's body and includes:

a detecting part for detecting shock or acceleration which arises when the user taps the fingertip on the surface of the object or when the user taps the fingertips mutually and is transmitted through the user's finger;

a trigger generator for detecting specific frequency components which are included in signals from the detecting part and for outputting series of trigger signals by detecting the presence or the absence of the tap of the finger of the user; and

a command generator for outputting commands corresponding to the trigger signals.

According to the wearable command input device of the present invention, operability will improve in daily use since there is no button operation.

The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a wearable command input device for inputting information by tapping a fingertip of a user on a surface of an object or by tapping the fingertips mutually, wherein the wearable command input device can be mounted on the user's body and includes:

a detecting part for detecting tap vibrations which arise when the user taps the fingertip on the surface of the object or when the user taps the fingertips mutually and transmitted through the user's finger;

a vibration generator, applicable to be mounted on the user's wrist, for generating wrist vibrations which arise when the user's wrist is bent or twisted and has specific frequencies different from the frequencies of the tap vibrations;

an extracting part for extracting tap signals which are signal components of the tap vibrations and wrist signals which are signal components of the wrist vibrations from output signals from the detecting part;

a trigger generator for outputting series of trigger signals by detecting the presence or the absence of the tap signals while suppressing the detection of the tap signals from the extracting part if the wrist signals from the extracting part are detected; and

a command generator for outputting commands corresponding to the trigger signals.

According to the wearable command input device, undesigned inputs caused by wrist movement can be prevented.

The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a wearable PDA device which includes at least an outputting part for outputting voice signals wherein a user inserts the user's finger into the user's ear canal, or touches the user's finger to a part near the user's ear, or puts the user's fingertip or nail on the user's ear canal so as to block the user's ear canal when the user uses the wearable PDA device, the wearable PDA device including:

an bone conduction actuator which is applicable for being in contact with the user's wrist, hand, back of the hand, finger or nail in order to transmit the voice signals; and

a main unit which includes: a display for displaying information; a part for executing PDA functions; a part for inputting the user's voice; an executing part for recognizing the user's voice and executing a corresponding command; and a part for notifying the user of outputs from the PDA device operated according to the command by displaying the outputs or by voice through the bone conduction actuator.

According to the wearable PDA device, the problem of the conventional PDA device that it is too small to operate smoothly can be solved, and it is possible to provide a PDA device which is operated easily in daily life.