Garment, system and method for transmitting audio and/or messaging information to a user

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11120672-B2
Application number	US-201815876816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	Jan 23, 2017
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

Provided is a garment comprising fabric and at least one seam, said garment comprising at least one vibrotactile actuator configured for producing a vibrational pattern based on audio and/or messaging information provided by an information signal from an external device. The vibrotactile actuator is contained within the seam. Also provided is a system, circuit and method for transmitting audio and/or messaging information to a user. The system comprises the garment, the external device, and a conversion unit comprising a microcontroller that converts the audio and/or messaging information into a driving signal to be provided to the vibrotactile actuator. The circuit comprises the microcontroller and the vibrotactile actuators coupled to one another by a ribbon of a flexible material. The method evaluates the delay between the vibrational pattern produced by the vibrotactile actuator and acoustic and/or visual signals produced by the external device based on the audio and/or messaging information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system ( 100 ) for transmitting audio information to a user, said system ( 100 ) comprising a garment ( 1 ) provided with at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ), an external device ( 10 ), said external device ( 10 ) being provided with at least one speaker ( 11 ) for producing acoustic signals and being configured for further providing a non-audible information signal ( 17 ) containing said audio information, and a conversion unit ( 33 ) configured for receiving said non-audible information signal ( 17 ) and converting said non-audible audio information into a driving signal to be provided to said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) for producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) based on said non-audible audio information said vibrational pattern being synchronized with said acoustic signal produced by said speaker ( 11 ), said garment ( 1 ) being of the type comprising fabric ( 2 ) and at least one seam ( 4 ), wherein said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) is contained within said at least one seam ( 4 ), and is suitable for producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) based on audio information provided by a non-audible information signal ( 17 ) coming from an external device ( 10 ), wherein said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) comprises a shaft-less vibration motor, an ultrasonic actuator, a linear resonant actuator (LRA) or a combination of the preceding.

2. A circuit ( 30 ) for transmitting audio information to a user, said circuit ( 30 ) comprising one or more vibrotactile actuators ( 3 ), a conversion unit ( 33 ) comprising a microcontroller ( 34 ) electrically connected with said vibrotactile actuators ( 3 ), and a communication module ( 35 ) adapted to receive an information signal ( 17 ) containing said audio information coming from an external device ( 10 ), said vibrotactile actuators ( 3 ) being controlled by the microcontroller ( 34 ) for producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) based on said audio information, wherein said microcontroller ( 34 ) is configured for converting said audio information into a driving signal to be provided to said vibrotactile actuators ( 3 ), wherein said vibrotactile actuators ( 3 ) are coupled to one another by a ribbon ( 7 ) of a flexible material, said flexible material comprising at least one of plastic, textile and a conductive yarn, wherein said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) comprises a shaft-less vibration motor, an ultrasonic actuator, a linear resonant actuator (LRA) or a combination of the preceding and is suitable for producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) based on audio information provided by an information signal ( 17 ) coming from an external device ( 10 ).

3. The circuit ( 30 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said ribbon ( 7 ) comprises a plurality of electrical connections ( 31 ) forming a communication bus for a plurality of said vibrotactile actuators ( 3 ).

4. The circuit ( 30 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said ribbon ( 7 ) is elastically stretchable by at least 10%, said electrical connections ( 31 ) being arranged along said ribbon ( 7 ) in a crooked path.

5. A method for transmitting audio information to a user comprising the steps of:
a) providing a garment ( 1 ) comprising at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 );
b) transmitting a non-audible information signal ( 17 ) containing an audio information by an external device ( 10 ) to said garment ( 1 ), said external device ( 10 ) being provided with at least one speaker ( 11 ) for producing acoustic signals;
c) producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) based on said audio information by means of said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 );
wherein said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) is controlled by a conversion unit ( 33 ) comprising a microcontroller ( 34 ) configured for converting said audio information into a driving signal to be provided to said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ), and wherein said audio information is configured to be produced as acoustic signals ( 12 ) by said external device ( 10 ), said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) comprising a shaft-less vibration motor, an ultrasonic actuator, a linear resonant actuator (LRA) or a combination of the preceding, said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) being suitable for producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) based on audio information provided by a non-audible information signal ( 17 ) coming from the external device ( 10 ), said vibrational pattern being synchronized with said acoustic signal produced by said speaker ( 11 ).

6. The method according to claim 5 , comprising a calibration step wherein a step of d) evaluating a delay between the vibrational pattern ( 19 ) produced by said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) and said acoustic signal is performed by a user wearing said garment and wherein the delay between the vibrational pattern ( 19 ) produced by said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) and said acoustic signal ( 12 ) can be tuned by said user, said method comprising a step of e) producing said acoustic signal ( 12 ) on the basis of said delay evaluated in the step d) by said user for synchronizing in the time domain said vibrational pattern ( 19 ) and said acoustic signal ( 12 ).

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said audio information comprises a musical signal, said driving signal being provided to said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) for producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) having substantially the same trend over time with said musical signal.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said audio information is configured to be produced as an acoustic signal ( 12 ) by said external device ( 10 ), wherein a delay between the vibrational pattern ( 19 ) produced by said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) and said acoustic signal ( 12 ) can be tuned by a user.

9. The circuit ( 30 ) according to claim 2 , wherein said audio information is configured to be produced as an acoustic signal ( 12 ) by said external device ( 10 ), wherein a delay between the vibrational pattern ( 19 ) produced by said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) and said acoustic signal ( 12 ) can be tuned by a user.

10. A method for transmitting audio information to a user comprising the steps of:
a) providing a circuit ( 30 ) comprising at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 );
b) transmitting a non-audible information signal ( 17 ) containing an audio information by an external device ( 10 ) to said circuit ( 30 );
c) producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) based on said audio information by means of said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 );
wherein said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) is controlled by a conversion unit ( 33 ) comprising a microcontroller ( 34 ) configured for converting said audio information into a driving signal to be provided to said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ), and wherein said audio information is configured to be produced as acoustic signal ( 12 ) by said external device ( 10 ), said external device ( 10 ) being provided with at least one speaker ( 11 ) for producing acoustic signals; said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) comprising a shaft-less vibration motor, an ultrasonic actuator, a linear resonant actuator (LRA) or a combination of the preceding, said at least one vibrotactile actuator ( 3 ) being suitable for producing a vibrational pattern ( 19 ) based on audio information provided by a non-audible information signal ( 17 ) coming from an external device ( 10 ), said vibrational pattern being synchronized with said acoustic signal produced by said speaker ( 11 ).

11. A garment ( 1 ) comprising the system for transmitting audio information to a user according

Assignees

• Sanko Tekstil Isletmeleri San Ve Tic As
• Sanko Tekstil Isletmeleri San Vetic A S

Inventors

• Eryilmaz Jitka
• Cobanoglu Ozgur
• Ozkan Kadir
• Caglar Fehim

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• A61B5/6804

  Garments; Clothes · CPC title

• A41D2300/50

  Seams · CPC title

• A41D1/005

  with embedded cable or connector · CPC title

• G08B6/00 Primary

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