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US 10,884,504 B2Granted
Wearable wrist device and method of detecting a physical change in the epidermis and wirelessly inputting sensor information using the same
AssigneeKorea Electronics Technology Institute
InventorsKunnyun Kim, Kwang Bum Park, Won Hyo Kim, Yeon Hwa Kwak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wearable device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes: a sensor array having a plurality of sensors each detecting a physical change in epidermis of a corresponding body area and a body movement determination unit configured to determine movement of a body part based on sensing signals respectively received from the plurality of sensors.
Claims8
A wearable device comprising:
- a strap configured to surround a wrist;
- a sensor array comprising a plurality of sensors that are disposed along a longitudinal direction of the strap, each of the plurality of sensors configured to contact epidermis of the wrist and to detect a physical change in the epidermis;
- a body movement determination unit configured to determine movement of the wrist based on signals received from the plurality of sensors;
- and
- a body movement pattern storage unit configured to store movement of the wrist in conjunction with pre-defined sensing signal patterns of the plurality of sensors,
- wherein the plurality of sensors are spaced apart among each other based on a density of muscles underneath of the epidermis of the wrist when the wearable device is worn on the wrist such that the plurality of sensors are more densely arranged in a lower part of the wrist than an upper part of the wrist when the wearable device is worn on the wrist,
- wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a first sensor, a second sensor located next to the first sensor and a third sensor located next to the second sensor, wherein the first, second and third sensors are arranged in order along the longitudinal direction of the strap
- wherein the second sensor is located closer to the upper part of the wrist than the first sensor and the third sensor is located closer to the upper part of the wrist than the second sensor when the wearable device is worn on the wrist, and
- wherein the second sensor is apart from the first sensor by a first distance and the third sensor is apart from the second sensor by a second distance which is greater than the first distance.
6 more elements
A method of operating a wearable device, the method comprising:
- detecting, by a sensor array comprising a plurality of sensors, a physical change in epidermis of a wrist;
- determining, by a body movement determination unit, movement of the wrist based on signals received from the plurality of sensors;
- and transmitting, by a body movement transmission unit, information about the determined movement of the wrist, wherein the plurality of sensors are spaced apart among each other based on a density of muscles underneath of the epidermis of the wrist when the wearable device is worn on the wrist such that the plurality of sensors are more densely arranged in a lower part of the wrist than an upper part of the wrist when the wearable device is worn on the wrist, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a first sensor, a second sensor located next to the first sensor and a third sensor located next to the second sensor, wherein the first, second and third sensors are arranged in order along a longitudinal direction of the strap, wherein the second sensor is located closer to the upper part of the wrist than the first sensor and the third sensor is located closer to the upper part of the wrist than the second sensor when the wearable device is worn on the wrist, wherein the second sensor is apart from the first sensor by a first distance and the third sensor is apart from the second sensor by a second distance which is greater than the first distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.