Rotating ring for device control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9696822-B2
Application number	US-201514753106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2015
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A ring device to be worn on a digit of a user is provided. The ring device includes an inner ring suitable to be worn on a digit of a user and a housing rotatably coupled to the inner ring. Along the housing a touch surface is located along with touch sensors configured to detect a touch input. Additionally, the ring includes rotary sensors configured to detect rotation of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable device for operating a computing device, comprising:
an inner ring suitable to be worn on a digit of a user;
a housing rotatably coupled to the inner ring;
a touch surface located along a circumference of the housing;
one or more touch sensors configured to detect a touch input by the user on the touch surface;
one or more rotary sensors configured to detect a rotation of the housing;
a processing unit configured to generate a command based on input as determined based on one or more signals from one or both of the (i) one or more touch sensors or (ii) the one or more rotary sensors;
a communication unit configured to transmit the command for execution by the computing device; and
a kinetic induction device coupled to one or more rechargeable batteries, wherein the kinetic induction device comprises:
an inductive coil coupled to the housing; and
a magnet coupled to the inner ring, wherein the magnet is located within the inductive coil.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the housing moves the inductive coil across a magnetic field produced by the magnet.

3. The wearable device of claim 2 , the wearable device further comprising:
at least one spring, wherein the at least one spring compresses in response to the rotation of the housing.

4. The wearable device of claim 1 , the wearable device further comprising:
one or more biometric sensors configured to detect the wearable device being worn.

5. The wearable device of claim 1 , the wearable device further comprising:
one or more biometric sensors configured to determine an identity of the user of the wearable device.

6. The wearable device of claim 5 , wherein the processing unit is configured to select a profile of the user based on the identity of the user.

7. The wearable device of claim 5 , the wearable device further comprising:
a near field communication (NFC) tag, wherein the processing unit is configured to activate the NFC tag based on the identity of the user.

8. The wearable device of claim 1 , the wearable device further comprising:
one or more haptic feedback devices located underneath the touch surface, wherein the one or more haptic feedback devices exert pressure on a portion of the touch surface.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Dow Eli M
• Fitzsimmons Thomas D
• Harvey Joseph D
• Rohde Douglas E

Classifications

• G06F1/163 Primary

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G06F3/03547

  Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface · CPC title

• G06F2203/0331

  Finger worn pointing device · CPC title

• G06F2203/04102

  Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper · CPC title

• G06F3/0227

  Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer (G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence) · CPC title