KR20240026972A - Smart ring and method for smart ring control - Google Patents

Abstract

A smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure includes a sensor module including at least one of a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor for controlling the smart ring, a memory storing a control program of the smart ring, and a program stored in the memory. Includes a processor that executes. The processor is characterized by executing the program, generating a control command for the smart ring based on a sensing signal generated through a sensor module, and controlling the smart ring based on the generated control command.

Description

Smart ring and smart ring control method {SMART RING AND METHOD FOR SMART RING CONTROL}

The technical idea of the present disclosure relates to a smart ring and a smart ring control method, and more specifically, to a method of controlling a smart ring using a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor.

The wearable healthcare market is expanding due to the combination of information and communication technology and medical services. Wearable products include various sensors to collect the user's heart rate, amount of exercise, and location information, and transmit this to a mobile device connected to the wearable product.

Among these, ring-shaped wearable devices are light in weight and small in size, so they are advantageous for wearing at all times, but it is difficult to provide an input device for operation, so they often have to be operated through other electronic devices such as smart phones. In other words, ring-shaped wearable devices have the disadvantage of being cumbersome to operate, and research on intuitive and user-friendly user interfaces is still lacking.

A smart ring and a smart ring control method according to one aspect of the technical idea of the present disclosure provide a control interface using various sensors to improve user convenience.

A smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure includes a sensor module including at least one of a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor for controlling the smart ring, a memory storing a control program of the smart ring, and a program stored in the memory. Includes a processor that executes. The processor is characterized by executing the program, generating a control command for the smart ring based on a sensing signal generated through a sensor module, and controlling the smart ring based on the generated control command.

The touch sensor of the smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure is disposed on the outside of the smart ring and generates a touch sensing signal based on the user's touch.

The smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure generates a control command corresponding to the gesture input when the generated touch sensing signal is a preset gesture input.

A smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure generates a first control command when the touch sensor disposed on the outside of the smart ring in a circular ring shape is continuously touched in a first clockwise direction, and the touch sensor When continuously touched in the second counterclockwise direction, a second control command is generated.

The control command of the smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure is characterized in that it includes at least one of power setting, measurement, status display, synchronization, or operation stop.

A smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure generates motion data based on signals generated from the acceleration sensor or gyro sensor, and generates control commands based on the motion data.

The smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure generates a third control command when the smart ring rotates in the first direction, which is clockwise, and generates a fourth control command when the smart ring rotates in the second direction, which is counterclockwise. Create a command.

The smart ring according to the technical idea of the present disclosure determines the user's status based on the motion data and transmits an emergency signal if the user's status is an emergency.

A smart ring control method according to the technical idea of the present disclosure includes generating a control command of the smart ring based on a sensing signal generated through a sensor module and controlling the smart ring based on the generated control command. Includes. The sensor module is characterized in that it includes at least one of a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor for controlling the smart ring.

User convenience is improved through a smart ring and a smart ring control method according to the technical idea of the present disclosure, and the user can effectively control the smart ring through intuitive gesture input.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a smart ring according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a smart ring control system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a sensor module included in a smart ring according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 4 is an exemplary diagram showing the shape of a smart ring according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a smart ring control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation sequence of the smart ring control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Terms such as “unit” and “module” used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in detail below. The embodiments of the present disclosure are preferably interpreted as being provided to more completely explain the present disclosure to those with average knowledge in the art. Identical symbols refer to identical elements throughout. Furthermore, various elements and areas in the drawings are schematically drawn. Accordingly, the inventive concept is not limited by the relative sizes or spacing drawn in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a smart ring according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the smart ring 100 may include a processor 110, a memory 120, a communication module 130, an input module 150, a sensor module 160, and a display module 170. It may further include a bus 140 for connecting each component.

The processor 110 can generally control the operations of various components within the smart ring 100. The processor 110 executes the program stored in the memory 120 and controls the entire process of executing the smart ring control program. Each operation performed by the processor 110 will be examined in more detail later.

According to example embodiments, processor 110 may include any type of device capable of processing data. According to an example embodiment, the processor 110 may be a data processing device embedded in hardware that has physically structured circuitry to perform functions expressed as codes or instructions included in a program. Examples of data processing devices built into hardware include microprocessor, central processing unit (CPU), processor core, multiprocessor, and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). , processing devices such as FPGA (field programmable gate array) may be included, but the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

A smart ring control program may be stored in the memory 120. The smart ring control program can generate control commands for the smart ring 100 based on the sensing signal generated through the sensor module 160, and control the smart ring 100 based on the generated control command. there is.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory 120 may perform a function of temporarily or permanently storing data processed by the processor 110. Here, the memory 120 may include magnetic storage media or flash storage media in addition to volatile storage devices that require power to maintain stored information, but the scope of the present invention is limited thereto. It doesn't work.

The communication module 130 can transmit and receive data with connected devices. The communication module 130 may be a device that includes hardware and software necessary to transmit and receive signals such as control signals or data signals through wired or wireless connections with other network devices.

The input module 150 may be a device that receives user input to control the smart ring 100. The input module 150 may be a touch sensor included in the sensor module 160.

The sensor module 160 may collect status information of the user wearing the smart ring 100 and the smart ring 100. The sensor module 160 may include various types of sensors, such as a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a temperature sensor, and a biometric sensor. Among the sensor modules 160 included in the smart ring 100, sensors related to the control interface of the smart ring 100 will be described in detail in FIG. 3.

The display module 170 may be implemented as an LED (Light-Emitting Diode) module or an LCD module, and may display various information related to the smart ring 100. For example, the display module 170 may display the operating state of the smart ring 100, the power state, the user's state, etc. For example, the display module 170 may be displayed outside the smart ring 100 at the same location as the touch sensor.

However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the status can be displayed using various types of displays including LED and LCD.

In an exemplary embodiment, the smart ring 100 may include both a touchable display panel (touch screen) and separate buttons.

The bus 140 may be a system bus-based connection method for connecting components. For example, as a standard bus standard, the Advanced Microcontroller Bus Architecture (AMBA) protocol of Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) may be applied. Bus types of the AMBA protocol may include Advanced High-Performance Bus (AHB), Advanced Peripheral Bus (APB), Advanced eXtensible Interface (AXI), AXI4, and AXI Coherency Extensions (ACE). Among the bus types described above, AXI is an interface protocol between IPs and can provide multiple outstanding address functions and data interleaving functions. In addition, other types of protocols, such as SONICs Inc.'s uNetwork, IBM's CoreConnect, or OCP-IP's Open Core Protocol, may be applied to the system bus.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a smart ring control system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The smart ring control system may include a plurality of smart rings including a smart ring 100 and a server 200. The smart ring 100 and the server 200 may be connected through a network. The smart ring control method may be implemented in the smart ring 100 or the server 200.

The smart ring 100 may transmit data to the server 200 according to a request from the server 200. The server 200 may analyze the data and determine the user's health status based on the received data. The smart ring 100 can collect data generated while the user uses the smart ring 100 and transmit the collected data to the server 200. The data collected in this way can be transmitted to the server 200 and stored separately for each user.

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a sensor module included in a smart ring according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The sensor module 160 may include a touch sensor 162, an acceleration sensor 164, and a gyro sensor 166.

The touch sensor 162 is of various types such as a capacitive touch panel, a resistive touch panel, an infrared touch panel, an ultrasonic touch panel, a physical button, an optical key, a keypad, a (digital) pen sensor, and a voice input device. It may include at least one of input devices. Depending on the implementation of the smart ring, the touch sensor 162 may be implemented as a single device with the display module 170 described in FIG. 1. For example, when the display module 170 includes a display capable of touch, the display module 170 may also function as an input unit that receives a touch input signal.

Likewise, depending on the implementation of the smart ring, the touch sensor 162 may be implemented as a single device with the insulating unit 330 and the top cover 340 described in FIG. 4.

The acceleration sensor 164 can measure acceleration and may be a three-axis acceleration sensor that measures acceleration acting in three directions: x, y, and z.

The gyro sensor 166 is a sensor that uses the value of angular velocity, which is the rotational speed of an object, and the angular velocity can be calculated by converting the Coriolis force generated when an object rotates into an electrical signal.

The smart ring measures the smart ring or the movement of the user wearing the smart ring through an acceleration sensor 164 that measures the acceleration of the object or the strength of the impact and a gyro sensor 166 that measures the rotation angle and tilt of the rotating object. And you can analyze movements in real time.

Figure 4 is an exemplary diagram showing the shape of a smart ring according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, the smart ring 300 includes first and second electrodes 310 and 330, an insulating unit 330, and a top cover 340, and further includes a control unit, a printed circuit board, and a battery inside. It can be included.

The first electrode 310 may be provided in a ring shape, may be made of a conductor, and may be inserted into the user's finger and come into contact with the finger. The second electrode 320 may be assembled on the outside of the first electrode 310, may be made of a conductor, and may be in contact with the user's body. The surface on which the first electrode 310 is provided is called the inner surface of the smart ring 300.

The smart ring 300 may include a plurality of insulating units 330. The insulating unit 330 may be disposed between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320 to maintain insulation between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320. Additionally, the insulation unit 330 may include a biometric sensor. Biometric sensors can measure biological signals such as electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PGG).

For example, the biometric sensor may have a flat plate shape or a protruding shape. When formed in a plate shape, it can provide an excellent fit to the user, and when formed in a protruding shape, the degree of adhesion to the user's fingers increases, thereby increasing the accuracy of bio-signal sensing. Meanwhile, in FIG. 3, the part where the biometric sensor is provided is shown in a flat plate shape, but is not limited thereto and may be configured with a curved surface like the outside of the smart ring 300.

The control unit may be disposed between the first electrode 310 and the second electrode 320, and may collect biological signals when the second electrode 320 contacts the user's body excluding fingers.

Meanwhile, the second electrode 320 may be configured in an arc shape, and a top cover 340 may be provided on one side of the second electrode 320. The second electrode 320 can be assembled by approaching from the side of the first electrode 310 or the insulating unit 330, and the top cover 340 can be assembled on the opposite side. Additionally, the inside of the second electrode 320 may be equipped with a printed circuit board and a battery. The surface on which the second electrode 320 is provided is called the outer surface of the smart ring 300.

The printed circuit board may be made of a material that is flexible, and may be equipped with a control unit and the components of FIG. 1. Meanwhile, the printed circuit board may be equipped with a communication module for communication with external electronic devices. The battery can provide power so that current flows through the first and second electrodes 310 and 320, and can provide power to the printed circuit board, including the control unit.

5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a smart ring control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5A, when the touch sensor disposed on the outside of the smart ring 300 in a circular ring shape is continuously touched in a first clockwise direction, a first control command may be generated. Referring to FIG. 5B, when the touch sensor is continuously touched in a second counterclockwise direction, a second control command may be generated.

Figure 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation sequence of the smart ring control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to Figure 6b, the smart ring can generate a sensing signal through the sensor module (S110). The sensor module may include at least one of a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor.

The touch sensor is placed on the outside of the smart ring and can generate a touch sensing signal based on the user's touch. The touch sensor may be placed in conjunction with a display or other component placed outside of the smart ring.

The smart ring can generate a control command for the smart ring based on the generated sensing signal (S120).

If the generated touch sensing signal is a preset gesture input, the touch sensor may generate a control command corresponding to the gesture input. The smart ring has a circular ring shape and generates a first control command when the touch sensor disposed on the outside of the smart ring is continuously touched in a first clockwise direction, and the touch sensor is continuously touched in a second counterclockwise direction. When touched, a second control command can be generated.

The smart ring can generate motion data based on signals generated from an acceleration sensor or gyro sensor and generate control commands based on the motion data.

The acceleration sensor can measure the acceleration or impact of the smart ring in three directions: x, y, and z. The gyro sensor can measure the rotation angle and tilt of the smart ring.

For example, the smart ring may generate a third control command when the smart ring rotates in a first direction, which is clockwise, and a fourth control command when the smart ring rotates in a second direction, which is counterclockwise. there is. For example, the first to fourth control commands may be one of power setting, measurement, status display, synchronization, or operation stop, respectively.

In an additional embodiment, the smart ring may sense finger or hand movements of the user wearing the smart ring. The smart ring can be controlled based on sensed finger or hand movements, and can also be linked to various electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, infrared remote controls, TVs, and air conditioners in addition to the smart ring to control connected devices. do.

The smart ring can control its operation through the generated control command (S130).

In a further embodiment, the smart ring may determine the user's condition based on motion data and transmit an emergency signal if the user's condition is an emergency. For example, if the user's biosignals are abnormal or the user falls or moves, emergency notification can be automatically performed through the communication module. The smart ring may include an emergency call function that requests emergency rescue in the event of an emergency by transmitting location and emergency situation-related information to an emergency rescue organization at the user's request or by the smart ring itself.

In a further embodiment, the smart ring may determine whether the user is wearing the smart ring through a biometric sensor or the like. The smart ring can turn on, perform measurements, and synchronize user terminals including the smart ring and smartphone when worn. The smart ring can turn off or operate in sleep mode when the smart ring is removed from the user's finger.

As above, exemplary embodiments have been disclosed in the drawings and specification. Although embodiments have been described in this specification using specific terms, this is only used for the purpose of explaining the technical idea of the present disclosure and is not used to limit the meaning or scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the claims. . Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the technical spirit of the attached patent claims.

100: smart ring
110: processor
120: memory
130: communication module
140: bus
150: input module
160: sensor module
162: touch sensor
164: acceleration sensor
166: Gyro sensor
170: display module
200: server

Claims (12)

In the ring-shaped smart ring worn on the finger to detect biological signals,
A sensor module including an acceleration sensor that senses the acceleration of the smart ring for controlling the smart ring and a gyro sensor that senses a rotation angle of the smart ring;
a memory storing a control program of the smart ring;
It includes a processor that executes the program stored in the memory,
By executing the program, the processor generates a control command for the smart ring based on a sensing signal generated through a sensor module and controls the smart ring based on the generated control command,
The processor generates motion data based on signals generated from the acceleration sensor and the gyro sensor, and generates control commands based on the motion data,
The processor generates a third control command when motion data is generated in which the smart ring rotates in a first clockwise direction with respect to the finger while the user is wearing the smart ring on the finger, and the smart ring A smart ring characterized in that it generates a fourth control command when motion data rotating in the second direction, which is counterclockwise, is generated. According to claim 1,
The sensor module includes a touch sensor,
The touch sensor is disposed on the outside of the smart ring and generates a touch sensing signal based on the user's touch. According to clause 2,
The processor is a smart ring characterized in that when the generated touch sensing signal is a preset gesture input, the processor generates a control command corresponding to the gesture input. According to clause 3,
The processor generates a first control command when the touch sensor disposed on the outside of the smart ring in a circular ring shape is continuously touched in a first clockwise direction, and the touch sensor is touched in a second counterclockwise direction. A smart ring characterized in that it generates a second control command when touched continuously. According to clause 3,
The control command is a smart ring, characterized in that it includes at least one of power setting, measurement, status display, synchronization, or operation stop. According to claim 1,
The processor determines the user's status based on the motion data, and transmits an emergency signal when the user's status is an emergency. In the smart ring control method,
Generating a control command for the smart ring based on a sensing signal generated through a sensor module; and
Comprising the step of controlling the smart ring based on the generated control command,
The sensor module includes an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor for controlling the smart ring,
The step of generating the control command includes generating motion data based on signals generated from the acceleration sensor and the gyro sensor, and generating a control command based on the motion data,
The step of generating the control command includes generating a third control command when motion data is generated in which the smart ring rotates in a first direction, which is clockwise, and a motion data in which the smart ring rotates in a second direction, which is counterclockwise, is generated. A smart ring control method further comprising generating a fourth control command when data is generated. According to clause 7,
The sensor module includes a touch sensor,
The touch sensor is disposed on the outside of the smart ring and generates a touch sensing signal based on the user's touch. According to clause 8,
The step of generating the control command further includes the step of generating a control command corresponding to the gesture input when the generated touch sensing signal is a preset gesture input. According to clause 9,
The step of generating the control command generates a first control command when the touch sensor disposed on the outside of the smart ring in a circular ring shape is continuously touched in a first clockwise direction, and the touch sensor is touched counterclockwise. A smart ring control method characterized by generating a second control command when continuously touched in a second direction. According to clause 9,
The control command is a smart ring control method, characterized in that it includes at least one of power setting, measurement, status display, synchronization, or operation stop. According to clause 7,
A smart ring control method further comprising determining the user's state based on the motion data and transmitting an emergency signal if the user's state is an emergency.