Wearable device multi-mode system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10296758-B2
Application number	US-201715420931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2017
Priority date	Jun 11, 2013
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

Systems and techniques are disclosed for detecting whether a wearable computing device is worn by a user or not. The detection can be made based on whether the device is secured to a user or based on a sensor. A device worn by a user may be operated in a private mode such that the user wearing the device is provided information that is useful while wearing the device. For example, the user may receive message notifications, news updates, telephone call information, or the like. A wearable computing device maybe operated in a public mode while not being worn by a user. While in the public mode, the device may provide non user specific information such as a current time, media items, or the like.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting that a wearable computing device is worn by a user;
operating the wearable computing device in a private mode based on the detecting that the wearable computing device is worn by the user, wherein the private mode provides at least a private data element that is categorized as private data by an external electronic device and that is not available when the wearable computing device is not in the private mode;
detecting that the wearable computing device is not worn by the user;
operating the wearable computing device in a public mode based on the detecting that the wearable computing device is not worn by the user, wherein the public mode provides at least a public data element that is categorized as public data by the external electronic device and that is not secure;
detecting whether the wearable computing device is within a threshold proximity to the external electronic device, wherein when it is detected that the wearable computing device is not within the threshold proximity to the external electronic device, operating the wearable computing device in the public mode;
providing a selected data element to the user in the private mode according to a battery efficiency criterion based on a data type of the selected data element; and
not providing the selected data element to the user in the public mode upon according to the battery efficiency criterion based on the data type of the selected data element.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the private data element from the external electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the external electronic device is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server, and a hard drive.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the wearable computing device does not provide at least one data element when the wearable computing device is operating in the public mode by not requesting the at least one data element from the external electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the wearable computing device requests the at least one data element when the wearable computing device is operating in the private mode.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the wearable computing device does not provide at least one data element when the wearable computing device is operating in the public mode by blocking an alert for the at least one data element.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein: when it is detected that the wearable computing device is within the threshold proximity to the external electronic device, operating the wearable computing device in the private mode.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting that the wearable computing device is worn by the user further comprises detecting whether a securable portion of the wearable computing device is secured.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating the wearable computing device in the public mode further comprises placing the wearable computing device in a public mode configuration.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
requesting an authentication element prior to operating the wearable computing device in the private mode;
receiving the authentication element; and
operating the wearable computing device in the private mode based on the authentication element.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the authentication element is selected from a group consisting of a pin code, a biometric attribute, and a gesture.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the selected data element should be categorized as private or public.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the providing the selected data element to the user in the private mode comprises displaying the selected data element at a first brightness level.

14. A system comprising:
a wearable computing device;
the wearable computing device configured to:
detect that the wearable computing device is worn by a user;
operate in a private mode based on the detecting that the wearable computing device is worn by the user, wherein the private mode provides at least a private data element that is categorized as private data by an external electronic device and that is not available when the wearable computing device is not in the private mode;
detect that the wearable computing device is not worn by the user;
operate in a public mode based on the detecting that the wearable computing device is not worn by the user, wherein the public mode provides at least a public data element that is categorized as public data by the external electronic device and that is not secure;
detect whether the wearable computing device is within a threshold proximity to the external electronic device, wherein when it is detected that the wearable computing device is not within the threshold proximity to the external electronic device, the wearable computing device is configured to operate in the public mode;
wherein the wearable computing device is further configured to:
provide a selected data element to the user in the private mode according to a battery efficiency criterion based on a data type of the selected data element; and
not provide the selected data element to the user in the public mode upon according to the battery efficiency criterion based on the data type of the selected data element.

15. The system of claim 14 further configured to receive the private data element from the external electronic device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the external electronic device is selected from a group consisting of a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server, and a hard drive.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the wearable computing device does not provide at least one data element when the wearable computing device is operating in the public mode by not requesting the at least one data element from the external electronic device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the wearable computing device requests the at least one data element when the wearable computing device is operating in the private mode.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the wearable computing device does not provide at least one data element when the wearable computing device is operating in the public mode by blocking an alert for the at least one data element.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein:
when it is detected that the wearable computing device is within the threshold proximity to the external electronic device, the wearable computing device is configured to operate in the private mode.

21. The system of claim 14 , wherein the detecting that the wearable computing device is worn by the user further comprises detecting whether a securable portion of the wearable computing device is secured.

22. The system of claim 14 , wherein the wearable computing device is further configured to determine whether the selected data element should be categorized as private or public.

23. A system comprising: one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions which are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
detecting that a wearable computing device is worn by a user;
operating the wearable computing device in a private mode based on the detecting that the wearable computing device is worn by the user, wherein the private mode provi

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Dibona Christopher James
• Morrill Daniel Lawrence
• Berlin Daniel

Classifications

• G06F3/014

  Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves · CPC title

• G06F21/6218 Primary

  to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database · CPC title

• G06F21/31

  User authentication · CPC title

• G06Q10/00 Primary

  Administration; Management · CPC title

• G06F21/60

  Protecting data · CPC title