Facial wearable device and methods for providing external stimuli using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12263312-B2
Application number	US-202318484677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2023
Priority date	Apr 27, 2022
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

A facial wearable device for providing external stimuli to a user comprises a foldable frame, a flexible layer, an airbag layer, a plurality of heating pads, a plurality of vibrating motors, and a sensor. The flexible layer may couple to a proximal side of the foldable frame and be configured to couple to a facial area of the user. The airbag layer may be disposed between the foldable frame and the flexible layer and comprise a plurality of inflatable bladders configured to provide pressure to the facial area of the user. The plurality of heating pads may couple to the flexible layer and be configured to provide heat to the facial area of the user. The plurality of vibrating motors may couple to the flexible layer and be configured to provide vibration to the facial area of the user. The sensor may couple to the flexible layer and be configured to detect biometric data of the user. At least one of the plurality of inflatable bladders, the plurality of heating pads, and the plurality of vibrating motors may be controlled based on the biometric data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing external stimuli to a user with a facial wearable device, the method comprising:
coupling the facial wearable device to the user's facial area, the device comprising:
a heart rate sensor configured to detect heart rate data of the user,
a first vibrating member disposed in a first portion of the device, and
a second vibrating member disposed in a second portion of the device that differs from the first portion of the device;
collecting the heart rate data of the user with the heart rate sensor;
pulsating the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member at a first device pulse rate for a first period of time, wherein the first device pulse rate is based on the heart rate data of the user; and
pulsating the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member at a second device pulse rate for a second period of time after the first period of time, wherein the second device pulse rate is based on the heart rate data of the user,
wherein the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member are paired,
wherein the first vibrating member vibrates at a first intensity and the second vibrating member vibrates at a second intensity different from the first intensity, and the paired first vibrating member and the second vibrating member pulsate in a sequential rhythm to mimic a sinus rhythm of a human heartbeat; and
wherein vibration of the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member provides the external stimuli as haptic physical feedback to the user to aid the user to achieve a desired heart rate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second device pulse rates are between a range of 60 pulses per minute and 24 pulses per minute.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the device in a relaxation mode, wherein the second device pulse rate is less than the first device pulse rate.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the device in an energize mode, wherein the second device pulse rate is higher than the first device pulse rate.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating the heart rate data to a separate user device to enable displaying the heart rate data of the user over the first period of time and the second period of time on the separate user device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises an axis extending across a width of the device and located at a height halfway between a top edge of the device and a bottom edge of the device,
wherein the first portion of the device is disposed above the axis, and the second portion of the device is disposed below the axis.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a third vibrating member disposed in a third portion of the device, wherein the first portion and the third portion are divided by a central axis, and
wherein the third vibrating member pairs with the first vibrating member and vibrates at the first intensity.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the device further comprises a fourth vibrating member disposed in a fourth portion of the device, wherein the second portion and the fourth portion are divided by a central axis, and wherein the fourth vibrating member pairs with the second vibrating member and vibrates at the second intensity.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the device further comprises a second axis extending across a width of the device, perpendicular to the central axis, and located at a height halfway between a top edge of the device and a bottom edge of the device,
wherein the first portion and the third portion are disposed above the axis, and the second portion and the fourth portion are disposed below the axis.

10. A method of providing external stimuli to a user with a facial wearable device, the method comprising:
coupling the facial wearable device to the user's facial area, the device comprising:
a heart rate sensor configured to detect heart rate data of the user,
a first vibrating member disposed in a first portion of the device, and
a second vibrating member disposed in a second portion of the device that differs from the first portion of the device;
collecting the heart rate data of the user with the heart rate sensor;
pairing the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member to pulsate sequentially to mimic the sinus rhythm of a human heart beat;
pulsating the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member at a first device pulse rate for a first period of time, wherein the first device pulse rate is based on the heart rate data of the user;
pulsating the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member at a second device pulse rate for a second period of time after the first period of time,
wherein the second device pulse rate is based on the heart rate data of the user;
operating the device in an operational mode wherein the first device pulse rate is equal to the lesser of a heart rate of the user or an upper limit pulse rate of the device; and
wherein pulsation of the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member provides the external stimuli as haptic physical feedback to the user to aid the user to achieve a desired heart rate.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein in the operational mode, the second device pulse rate is equal to the lesser of a first percentage of the heart rate of the user or the upper limit pulse rate of the device.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second device pulse rates are between a range of 60 pulses per minute and 24 pulses per minute.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising operating the device in a relaxation mode, wherein the second device pulse rate is less than the first device pulse rate.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising operating the device in an energize mode, wherein the second device pulse rate is higher than the first device pulse rate.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising communicating the heart rate data to a separate user device to enable displaying the heart rate data of the user over the first period of time and the second period of time on the separate user device.

Assignees

• Therabody Inc

Inventors

• Nazarian Benjamin
• Wersland Jason
• Sanchez Solana Jaime
• Merino Eduardo
• Deshmukh Mandar
• Roberts Timothy

Classifications

• A61N1/36028

  for aversion therapy · CPC title

• A61M2210/0606

  Face · CPC title

• A61M2205/507

  Head Mounted Displays [HMD] · CPC title

• A61M2205/3561

  local, e.g. within room or hospital · CPC title

• A61M2205/3303

  Using a biosensor · CPC title