# US 2013/0154906 A1 · Determining whether a wearable device is in use

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- Number: US 2013/0154906 A1
- Document ID: US20130154906A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/769,784
- Filed: 2013-02-18
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-20
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Inventors: Max Braun; Ryan Geiss; Harvey Ho; Thad Eugene Starner; Gabriel Taubman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154906A1

## CPC

- G09G 5/00: Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators (image data processing or generation, in general G06T)
- G02B 27/017: {Head mounted}
- G02C 11/10: {Electronic devices other than hearing aids}
- G06F 1/3231: Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
- G06F 1/325: {Power saving in peripheral device}
- G06F 3/012: {Head tracking input arrangements}
- G06F 3/013: {Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence)}
- G02B 2027/014: {comprising information/image processing systems}
- G02B 2027/0178: {Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C)}
- G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface}
- H04M 1/05: specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
- H04M 1/6066: {including a wireless connection}
- H04M 2250/12: including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
- Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
- Y02D 30/50: in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

Systems and methods for selecting an action associated with a power state transition of a head-mounted display (HMD) in the form of eyeglasses are disclosed. A signal may be received from a sensor on a nose bridge of the eyeglasses indicating if the HMD is in use. Based on the received signal, a first powers state for the HMD may be determined. Responsive to the determined first power state, an action associated with a power state transition of the HMD from an existing power state to the first power state may be selected. The action may be selected from among a plurality of actions associated with a plurality of state transitions. Also, the action may be a sequence of functions performed by the HMD including modifying an operating state of a primary processing component of the HMD and a detector of the HMD configured to image an environment.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21

A wearable computing device, comprising:
an infrared proximity sensor configured to provide an output that is indicative of whether the wearable computing device is in use;
a computing system; and
instructions stored in a memory of the computing system and executable by at least one processor of the computing system to perform functions comprising:
receiving an output from the infrared proximity sensor,
based on the received output, determining a first power state for the computing system,
determining that the first power state is a different power state than an existing power state of the computing system, and
in response to determining that the first power state is a different power state than the existing power state, modifying an operating state of the computing system.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The wearable computing device of claim 21:
wherein the wearable computing device comprises an eyewear device, and
wherein the infrared proximity sensor is coupled to an inner side of the eyewear device.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The wearable computing device of claim 22:
wherein the eyewear device comprises a modular device coupled to an extending side-arm of a head-mounted structure, the modular device having a frame and a single lens element, and
wherein the infrared proximity sensor is positioned on an inner side of the frame and between the extending side-arm and the single lens element.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The wearable computing device of claim 21:
wherein the first power state is a power-on state, and
wherein modifying the operating state of the computing system comprises providing instructions to a display system to provide a display on a lens element of the wearable computing device.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The wearable computing device of claim 24, wherein in the power-on state the computing system is configured to:
receive data from an interface of the wearable computing device, and
generate images for output to the display system based on the received data.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The wearable computing device of claim 21:
wherein the first power state comprises a power-save state, and
wherein modifying the operating state of the computing system comprises providing instructions to the computing system to enter a sleep-mode.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The wearable computing device of claim 21:
wherein the first power-state comprises a power-off state, and
wherein modifying the operating state of the computing system comprises providing instructions to the computing system to power off.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The wearable computing device of claim 21:
wherein modifying the operating state of the computing system comprises altering an amount of power allocated to an input device of the wearable computing device.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The wearable computing device of claim 21, wherein determining the first power state for the computing system comprises:
comparing the received output to a threshold, and
determining the first power state based on the comparison.

### Claim 30 (depends on 21)

The wearable computing device of claim 21, wherein the infrared proximity sensor is configured to emit infrared radiation and provide the output based on an intensity of infrared radiation scattered back to the infrared proximity sensor.

### Claim 31

A method comprising:
receiving an output from an infrared proximity sensor of a wearable computing device, wherein the infrared proximity sensor is coupled to an inner side of the wearable computing device, and wherein the output is indicative of whether the wearable computing device is in use;
based on the received output, determining a first power state for a computing system of the wearable computing device;
determining that the first power state is a different power state than an existing power state of the computing system; and
in response to determining that the first power state is a different power state than the existing power state, modifying an operating state of the computing system of the wearable computing device.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31:
wherein the wearable computing device comprises an eyewear device, and
wherein the infrared proximity sensor is coupled to an inner side of the eyewear device.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32:
wherein the eyewear device comprises a modular device coupled to an extending side-arm of a head-mounted structure, the modular device having a frame and a single lens element, and
wherein the infrared proximity sensor is positioned on an inner side of the frame and between the extending side-arm and the single lens element.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31:
wherein the first power state is a power-on state, and
wherein modifying the operating state of the computing system comprises providing instructions to a display system to provide a display on a lens element of the wearable computing device.

### Claim 35 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31:
wherein the first power state comprises a power-save state, and
wherein modifying the operating state of the computing system comprises providing instructions to the computing system to enter a sleep-mode.

### Claim 36

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions, that when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform functions comprising:
receiving an output from an infrared proximity sensor of a wearable computing device, wherein the infrared proximity sensor is coupled to an inner side of the wearable computing device, and wherein the output is indicative of whether the wearable computing device is in use;
based on the received output, determining a first power state for the computing system;
determining that the first power state is a different power state than an existing power state of the computing system; and
in response to determining that the first power state is a different power state than the existing power state, modifying an operating state of the computing system.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36:
wherein the wearable computing device comprises an eyewear device, and
wherein the infrared proximity sensor is coupled to an inner side of the eyewear device.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 37:
wherein the eyewear device comprises a modular device coupled to an extending side-arm of a head-mounted structure, the modular device having a frame and a single lens element, and
wherein the infrared proximity sensor is positioned on an inner side of the frame and between the extending side-arm and the single lens element.

### Claim 39 (depends on 36)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36:
wherein the first power state is a power-on state, and
wherein the modifying the operating state of the computing system comprises providing instructions to a display system to provide a display on a lens element of the wearable computing device.

### Claim 40 (depends on 36)

The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36:
wherein the first power state comprises a power-save state, and
wherein modifying the operating state of the computing system comprises providing instructions to the computing system to enter a sleep-mode.