Notification system with haptic feedback garment and methods for use therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10013858-B2
Application number	US-201615055271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2016
Priority date	Feb 26, 2016
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a garment that includes a receiver, configured to receive at least one coded command from a notification generator, and at least one haptic feedback generator that delivers haptic feedback to a user while wearing the garment during a transit, corresponding to the at least one coded command, where the notification generator is configured to determine a notification to be sent to the user in response to at least one event of interest determined by an input analyzer, and to generate the at least one coded command that indicates the notification, and where the input analyzer is configured to analyze input data corresponding to the transit of the user of the garment to identify the at least one event of interest, occurring during the transit of the user. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A garment comprising:
a receiver, configured to receive a plurality of coded commands from a notification generator that is separate from the garment;
at least one haptic feedback generator that delivers a plurality of haptic feedbacks to a user while wearing the garment during a transit, wherein a first haptic feedback of the plurality of haptic feedbacks corresponds to a first coded command of the plurality of coded commands, and wherein a second haptic feedback of the plurality of haptic feedbacks corresponds to a second coded command of the plurality of coded commands; and
at least one sensor that registers a motion made by the user;
wherein the notification generator is configured to determine a first notification to be sent to the user in response to at least one event of interest determined by an input analyzer, and to generate the first coded command that indicates the first notification;
wherein the input analyzer is configured to analyze input data corresponding to the transit of the user of the garment to identify the at least one event of interest, occurring during the transit of the user;
wherein the motion registered by the at least one sensor comprises at least one gesture made by the user while wearing the garment, for wireless transmission to the notification generator, wherein the motion corresponds to one of a plurality of requests; and
wherein the notification generator is further configured to determine a second notification to be sent to the user in response to the one of the plurality of requests corresponding to the motion, and to generate the second coded command that indicates the second notification.

2. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the user is operating a vehicle, and the input data corresponds to at least one of: operation of the vehicle, location of the vehicle, or navigation of the vehicle.

3. The garment of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle has one or more sensors, and wherein the input data includes data from the one or more sensors.

4. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the input data includes navigational data, and wherein the first coded command indicates at least one navigational instruction that indicates a turn direction, and wherein the first haptic feedback is delivered to the user in a location of the garment corresponding to the turn direction.

5. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the at least one event of interest indicates an unsafe situation, and wherein the first coded command indicates the unsafe situation.

6. The garment of claim 5 , wherein the first coded command also indicates instructions for the user to avoid the unsafe situation.

7. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the notification generator is coupled to a mobile device associated with the user.

8. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the input analyzer is connected to a wireless network, and a subset of the input data is received from the wireless network.

9. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the at least one haptic feedback generator generates a vibration to the user.

10. The garment of claim 1 , wherein the first coded command indicates a first haptic feedback pattern and the second coded command indicates a second haptic feedback pattern, each designating a series of time intervals indicating at least one of the first haptic feedback or the second haptic feedback of the plurality of haptic feedbacks to be generated in at least one location on the garment.

11. The garment of claim 1 , wherein user customization is available via a user interface for at least one of: the first notification sent to the user, the second notification sent to the user, or the plurality of haptic feedbacks delivered to the user.

12. A method comprising:
wirelessly receiving a first coded command, wherein the first coded command indicates a first notification, generated in response to an event of interest, identified based on input data corresponding to a transit of a user;
delivering first haptic feedback to the user via a garment, wearable by the user during the transit, wherein the first haptic feedback corresponds to the first coded command;
detecting a motion that corresponds to one of a plurality of requests via the garment for wireless transmission based on a gesture made by the user;
wirelessly receiving a second coded command, wherein the second coded command indicates a second notification, generated in response to the one of the plurality of requests; and
delivering second haptic feedback to the user via the garment, wherein the second haptic feedback corresponds to the second coded command.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the user is operating a vehicle, and the input data corresponds to at least one of: operation of the vehicle, location of the vehicle, or navigation of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle has one or more sensors, and wherein the input data includes data from the one or more sensors.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the input data includes navigational data, and the first coded command indicates at least one navigational instruction that indicates a turn direction, and wherein the first haptic feedback is delivered to the user in a location of the garment corresponding to the turn direction.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the event of interest indicates an unsafe situation, and wherein the first coded command indicates the unsafe situation.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein first coded command also indicates instructions for the user to avoid the unsafe situation.

18. An article of manufacture that includes a tangible storage medium that stores operational instructions, that when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
wirelessly receive a first coded command, wherein the first coded command indicates a first notification, generated in response to an event of interest, identified based on input data corresponding to a transit of a user;
deliver first haptic feedback to the user via a garment, wearable by the user during the transit, wherein the first haptic feedback corresponds to the first coded command;
detect a motion that corresponds to one of a plurality of requests via the garment for wireless transmission based on a gesture made by the user;
wirelessly receive a second coded command, wherein the second coded command indicates a second notification, generated in response to the one of the plurality of requests; and
deliver second haptic feedback to the user via the garment, wherein the second haptic feedback corresponds to the second coded command.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18 , wherein the input data includes navigational data, and wherein the first coded command indicates at least one navigational instruction that indicates a turn direction, and wherein the first haptic feedback is delivered to the user in a location of the garment corresponding to the turn direction.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 18 , wherein the event of interest indicates an unsafe situation, and wherein the first coded command indicates the unsafe situation.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Zerick Juliette Niebuhr
• Cottrill William Charles
• Rascle Jr Eugene Henry

Classifications

• A41D1/002

  adapted to accommodate electronic equipment (patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085) · CPC title

• G08B6/00 Primary

  Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems · CPC title