US-12616393-B2 - Wearable device with status display

US12616393B2US 12616393 B2US12616393 B2US 12616393B2US-12616393-B2

Abstract

Systems and methods of visually indicating a current user activity or status on a display of an ear wearable device are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method comprises, by an ear wearable device that includes a display that is configured to be viewable while the ear wearable device is worn, receiving, from a first network node over a wireless communication channel, a first display object of a set of display objects that represents user activity or status associated with the ear wearable device or an indication associated with the first display object, with each display object being configured for display on the display of the ear wearable device so as to visually indicate the current user activity or status, the first network node being enabled to determine the current user activity or status and obtain the first display object based on the current user activity or status.

Inventors

Brad M. Johnson
John PISTONE
Frank James

Assignees

TOSHIBA GLOBAL COMMERCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20220331

Claims (20)

1 . A method, comprising: by an ear wearable device that includes a processing circuitry operably coupled to a memory, a communication interface operable to communicate over a wireless communication channel, a display device operable to display and configured to be viewable while the ear wearable device is worn and an optical sensor disposed on the ear wearable device and having a viewing angle directed outward from the ear wearable device and operable to capture image data, capturing, by the optical sensor, image data representing an external environment or activity proximate the ear wearable device; sending, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, to a first network node device, the image data, with the first network node device being operable to determine a current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device based on the image data; receiving, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, from the first network node device, an activity indication that identifies the current activity or status based on the image data; obtaining, by the processing circuitry, from a set of display objects that are stored in the memory and configured to visually represent activities or statuses on the display device, a first display object that corresponds to the current activity or status; and outputting, by the processing circuitry, for display on the display device, the first display object so as to visually indicate the current activity or status.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first display object represents a status associated with the ear wearable device.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, from the first network node device, an indication that requests one or more images representing the current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device, with the first network node device being enabled to determine the current activity or status from the one or more images.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: capturing, by the optical sensor disposed in the ear wearable device having the viewing angle towards the current activity or status, one or more images; and sending, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, to the first network node device, the one or more images.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of obtaining the first display object or a first display object indication is responsive to sending the one or more images.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the capturing and the sending of the one or more images is performed at a certain time interval so that the first network node device is enabled to determine and update the current activity or status on the display device at the certain time interval.
7 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising: processing the one or more images for display on the display device to obtain a processed image object; and outputting, by the processing circuitry, for display on the display device, the processed image object.
8 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising: receiving, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, from a second network node device, an indication that requests one or more second images; capturing, by the optical sensor disposed in the ear wearable device, the one or more second images; and sending, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, to the second network node device, the one or more second images.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising: receiving, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, from the second network node device, a second display object of the set of display objects or a second display object indication.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first display object includes an image, wherein the image is configured to conform to a shape and a resolution of the display device.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first display object includes a quick response (QR) code that indicates the current activity or status.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first display object includes an emoji that indicates the current activity or status.
13 . An ear wearable device, comprising: a memory; a communication interface operable to communicate over a wireless communication channel; a display device operable to display and configured to be viewable while the ear wearable device is worn; an optical sensor disposed on the ear wearable device, having a viewing angle directed outward from the ear wearable device and operable to capture image data; a processing circuitry operably coupled to the memory, the communication interface, the display device and the optical sensor; and wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the processing circuitry is configured to: obtain, from the optical sensor, image data representing an external environment or activity proximate the ear wearable device; send, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, to a first network node device, the image data, with the first network node device being operable to determine a current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device based on the image data; receive, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, from the first network node device, an activity indication that identifies the current activity or status based on the image data; obtain, from a set of display objects that are stored in the memory and configured to visually represent activities or statuses on the display device, a first display object that corresponds to the current activity or status; and output, for display on the display device, the first display object so as to visually indicate the current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device.
14 . A method, comprising: by a first network node device that includes processing circuitry operably coupled to a memory and a communication interface operable to communicate over a wireless communication channel with an ear wearable device, receiving, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, from the ear wearable device, image data captured by an optical sensor disposed on the ear wearable device and having a viewing angle directed outward from the ear wearable device, the image data representing an external environment or activity proximate the ear wearable device; determining, by the processing circuitry, a current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device based on the received image data; sending, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, to the ear wearable device, an activity indication that identifies the current activity or status to enable the ear wearable device to select a first display object of a set of display objects configured to visually represent activities or statuses on a display device of the ear wearable device so as to visually indicate the current activity or status while the ear wearable device is worn.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising: sending, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, to the ear wearable device or a second network node device over a network, an indication that requests one or more images representing the current activity, with an optical sensor of the ear wearable device or the second network node device being configured to have a viewing angle towards the current activity or status and being operable to capture the one or more images.
16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising: receiving, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, from the ear wearable device or a second network node device over the network, one or more images representing the current activity or status.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: determining the current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device based on the one or more images.
18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising: determining the current activity or status based on an active application output for display on a graphical user interface of the first network node device that has a current processor utilization that indicates current activity or status associated with the first network node device.
19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising: obtaining the first display object based on the current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device.
20 . A first network node device, comprising: a memory; a communication interface operable to communicate over a wireless communication channel with an ear wearable device; a processing circuitry operably coupled to the memory and the communication interface; and wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the processing circuitry is configured to: receive, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, from the ear wearable device, image data captured by an optical sensor disposed on the ear wearable device and having a viewing angle directed outward from the ear wearable device, the image data representing an external environment or activity proximate the ear wearable device; determine a current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device based on the received image data; send, by the processing circuitry, via the communication interface over the wireless communication channel, to the ear wearable device, an activity indication that identifies the current activity or status associated with the ear wearable device; and wherein the activity indication enables the ear wearable device to select a first display object of a set of display objects configured to visually represent activities or statuses on a display device of the ear wearable device so as to visually indicate the current activity or status while the ear wearable device is worn.

Description

BACKGROUND Wearable technology is a category of electronic devices that can be worn as accessories, embedded in clothing, or implanted in the user's body. The devices are hands-free gadgets with practical uses, powered by microprocessors and enhanced with the ability to send and receive data via the Internet. Further, wearable technology (e.g., headsets) has been integrated into communication systems in the retail environment and is becoming a necessary part of retail operational efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the disclosure are shown. However, this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. FIG. 1A illustrates one embodiment of an ear wearable device that visually indicates a current user activity or status on a display of the ear wearable device while being worn by a user in accordance with various aspects as described herein. FIG. 1B illustrates one embodiment of a system that visually indicates a current user activity or status of a user on a display of the ear wearable device of FIG. 1A in accordance with various aspects as described herein. FIG. 2A illustrates one embodiment of a first network node in accordance with various aspects as described herein. FIG. 2B illustrates one embodiment of an ear wearable device in accordance with various aspects as described herein. FIGS. 3A-B illustrate other embodiments of a first network node in accordance with various aspects as described herein. FIGS. 3C-D illustrate other embodiments of an ear wearable device in accordance with various aspects as described herein. FIG. 4A illustrates one embodiment of a method performed by a first network node of visually indicating a current user activity or status on a display of an ear wearable device in accordance with various aspects as described herein. FIG. 4B illustrates another embodiment of a method performed by an ear wearable device of visually indicating a current user activity or status on a display of the ear wearable device in accordance with various aspects as described herein. FIGS. 5A-B illustrate other embodiments of a first network node and an ear wearable device, respectively, in accordance with various aspects as described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the present disclosure is described by referring mainly to an exemplary embodiment thereof. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. Wearable technology continues to be a beneficial means for communications between retail store personnel in a retail environment. However, such wearable technology has been limited to voice communications with only retail store personnel being authorized to access voice communications enabled by the wearable technology. As such, only the store personnel receiving the voice communications from the wearer of the wearable technology can recognize the current activity or status of the wearer. Embodiments of the present disclosure recognize a lack of solutions for visually communicating with customers in the retail environment using wearable technology, such as, for example, headsets. Accordingly, there is a need for improved techniques for utilizing wearable technology to provide some level of communication to certain subjects within the retail environment that do have access to the communication systems of the retail environment. In this disclosure, systems and methods of visually indicating a current user activity or status on a display of an ear wearable device are provided. In addition to providing voice communication, the ear wearable device includes a display configured to display the current activity or status of the wearer so that others can readily recognize such activity or status of the wearer. In a retail environment, store personnel and customers will recognize the current activity or status of the wearer by merely viewing the display of the wearable device. In one example, the display of the wearable device can indicate that the wearer is available (e.g., green display), soon to be available (e.g., yellow display), or not available (e.g., red display) to provide service to a customer. In another example, the display of the wearable device can indicate a certain emoji that represents the current activity or status of the wearer. Each emoji can represent a different activity or status of the wearer such as which