GB2469796A - Wearable telecommunication device with removal reminder - Google Patents

Abstract

A wearable mobile telecommunication device 1 comprises a skin sensor 20 for detecting when the device is being worn. If the device is worn, and its sensor therefore remains in contact with the user's skin, for more than a predetermined period of time, an alert is issued to the user and if the sensor remains in contact with the user's skin after a second predetermined period of time, the device may subsequently be deactivated. The device may be a wearable phone or a wireless headset. Prevents the user of a small, lightweight, ear borne, mobile phone from forgetting to remove the phone, thereby minimising the risk of losing it.

Description

MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE

The present invention relates to a mobile telecommunications device. In relates particularly, but not exclusively, to such a device which is arranged to be worn about the person of a user.

Further, it relates more particularly, but not exclusively, to such a device which is arranged to be worn on or about an ear of a user.

Miniaturisation of mobile telecommunication devices, such as cellular telephones, has resulted in ever smaller devices, which can be easily carried in the user's pocket or handbag. This process of miniaturisation has now resulted in devices which are, or nearly are, of a size where they can be worn about the person of a user. This poses new problems for designers of such devices and an aim of embodiments of the present invention is to address at least one of these challenges.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus and method as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent

claims, and the description which follows.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a mobile telephone according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a detailed view of a skin sensor forming part of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a schematic view of certain functional parts of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an operational flow chart related to the operation of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a view of an embodiment of the present invention, which is a cellular (or mobile) telephone 1. The telephone is arranged to be hands-free in operation and is worn on or behind the ear of a user. In this way, the user is able to make or receive telephone calls, and the inbuilt earpiece 3 and microphone 2 are able to channel voice communications in the normal way. Advantageously, the positioning of the entire telephone on the user's ear negates the need for separate telephones and wireless earpieces, such as those used in the Bluetooth wireless communications standard, whereby a separate earpiece is used to communicate with a mobile telephone carried by the user.

However, due to the small size of the telephone 1 shown in Figure 1, and its light weight, the user may inadvertently forget that it is in position, which could lead to the loss of the device should the user forget about its presence. In order to attempt to remind the user of the presence of the telephone, the embodiments of the invention operate as will be described to alter their functionality depending upon their positioning on the user (i.e. whether it is in position on the ear or positioned, e.g. in a pocket of the user).

Working on the assumption that it is undesirable for the user to leave the telephone 1 in position on his or her ear for an extended period of time, due to the possibility of the user inadvertently losing the device, the telephone 1 is operational to detect if it is in position on the ear by use of a skin sensor 20 and, if the telephone has been left in position on the ear for a predetermined period of time, without being used to conduct a telephone conversation, then the user of the telephone is alerted to this by some form of signal, such as a vibrating alert or an audible tone, to remind him to remove the telephone from his ear and to store it somewhere else.

Furthermore, if the user ignores this warning, then after a further predetermined period of time, the telephone may optionally be switched to an inactive state, thereby rendering it inoperative until the user acts to remove the telephone 1 and place it elsewhere.

The skin sensor 20 which is used to determine the proximity to the ear or otherwise is shown in more detail in Figure 2. As can be seen from Figure 1, the generally curved shape of the telephone, allows it to be placed over and around the upper part of the user's ear. Located at an interior portion 10 of the curved portion of the telephone is a pair of electrodes 20 which form the skin sensor and which, in use, contact the skin of the user's ear. The processor 100 of the telephone is able to monitor either electrical resistance or capacitance between these two electrodes and determine from this whether the telephone is in place behind the user's ear or, if the signals are indicative of an open circuit, the processor can determine that the telephone is safely stowed away.

Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of some of the functional parts of the telephone 1.

At the heart of the device is the processor 100 which controls all operations of the device. It is programmed to control all functions. It is associated with memory 120 and draws power from battery 130.

The processor 100 control audio circuit 110, which in turn controls the microphone2 and speaker 3.

The processor 100 further control Radio Frequency (RF) circuit 140, which included the cellular transmitter and receiver and which is connected to antenna 1 50.

The skin sensor 20 is also shown connected to the processor 100, and the presence of the telephone 1 on the ear of the user is monitored as required.

Figure 4 shows a flowchart, giving details of the operation of the skin sensor 20 and the manner in which the processor 100 controls the operation of the telephone 1 in response to readings taken from it.

At step 200, a check is made whether an active call is in progress. If it is, then this step loops until there is no active call.

At step 210, a first timer is initiated. The duration of this may be set at the time of manufacture, or it may be set by either the user or the network, by a signal from the network. The timer counts until a predetermined first time is reached. This may be 15 minutes, for example.

At step 220, the first timer is checked to see if the predetermined first time has been reached.

If not, this step loops until such time as the first time is reached.

At step 230 a check is made of the skin sensor 20 to establish whether the device 1 is still in place and in contact with the user's skin. If not, this operation ends at step 280. If the device 1 is still in contact with the user's skin, then the user is alerted at step 240. The alert can take the form of an audible signal, relayed through the speaker 3, a vibrating alert issued by a suitable vibrator motor or both of these alerts may be used together.

At step 240, a second timer is then initiated. This counts until a predetermined second time.

Steps 250 check the second timer and contact with the skin respectively, as per steps 220 and 230 described previously. If the timer reaches the second predetermined time and the device is still in contact with the user's skin, then the device is deactivated 270, optionally with a further alert to the user. This process then ends at step 280.

The steps involved with the second timer and deactivating the device 1 may be omitted if the intention is only to alert the user. However, it is found that by deactivating the device, the user is more likely to heed the warning and remove the device and stow it safely.

The steps in the flowchart are shown in a sequential order. However, it will be understood that some of them may occur effectively in parallel. For instance, if the user removes the device 1 from his ear before either the first or second timer has expired, this will result in the process proceeding to the endpoint 280. The steps as shown in Figure 4 are to aid understanding and may not represent the actual sequence and arrangement of steps in practice.

By configuring the mobile device 1 in this way, the user can be informed that the device has been left in situ and is given an opportunity to remove it from his ear and stow it safely elsewhere, in case it is lost. If the user ignores the warning, then the device can be arranged to de-activate i.e. turn itself off, or at least disable the RF circuitry 140 so that it is, in effect, inoperable. In this way, if the user wishes to continue to use the device, he must take steps to remove the device to a safe location where it is less likely to be lost.

Although reference has been made specifically to a mobile telephone, it will be realised that other devices could benefit from features of this invention. In particular, Bluetooth headsets, which are in common use, could employ features of the invention.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS1. A mobile telecommunication device arranged to be worn about the person of a user, and comprising a skin sensor, wherein the mobile telecommunication device is arranged to be responsive to a signal from the skin sensor, indicative of the device being in contact with the skin of the user and to alert the user if the device remains in contact with the skin for a first predetermined period.
2. 2. A mobile telecommunication device as claimed in claim 1, arranged to be worn on or around an ear of the user.
3. 3. A mobile telecommunication device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the skin sensor is arranged to monitor either skin resistance or capacitance.
4. 4. A mobile telecommunication device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein after alerting the user, the mobile telecommunication device is arranged to be deactivated after a second predetermined time if it remains in contact with the skin of the user.
5. 5. A method of operating a mobile telecommunication device comprising the step of: determining if the device is in contact with the skin of a user for a first predetermined period of time and alerting the user accordingly.
6. 6. The method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising the step of disabling the device after a second predetermined period of time if the device remains in contact with the skin of a user.
7. 7. A mobile telecommunication device substantially as herein described and having particular reference to the accompanying figures.
8. 8. A method of operating a mobile telecommunication device substantially as herein described and having particular reference to the accompanying figures.