Wearable ring type control device and control methods of thereof

Abstract

A wearable ring-type control device proposed in one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a ring-type body wearable on a finger; a sensor module including a pressure sensor that recognizes pressure according to the degree of bending of the finger and a touch sensor that activates the pressure sensor; a bezel located at the edge of the ring-type body and rotating independently of the ring-type body; and a communication module that transmits a first control command generated by an input signal of the sensor module to a control target device.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wearable ring-type control device and a method for controlling the ring-type control device. More specifically, it is a technology for controlling peripheral devices using a wearable ring-type control device worn on a finger. Background Technology

[0002] Various home appliances, such as air conditioners and TVs, are equipped with switches on one side of their main bodies to control their operation and feature remote control devices, such as remote controls, to enable remote control. Consequently, to control the operation of a desired appliance, users must operate the corresponding remote control individually; consequently, when owning multiple appliances, there was the inconvenience of having to locate and operate the remote for the specific appliance among several.

[0003] Recently, it has become possible to control various home appliances with a single smartphone; however, due to the inconvenience of having to carry the smartphone and the difficulty of intuitive use, there were still users who preferred manual control.

[0004] To address the above problems, wearable devices that control other electronic devices using various sensors capable of checking the user's acceleration, location information, heart rate, etc. are being developed and released, but the usability of the products is still lacking due to the disadvantages of complex operation methods or poor portability. The problem to be solved

[0006] In order to solve the aforementioned problems, one of the objectives of the present invention is to improve the user interface compared to smartphones or remote controls by directly controlling home appliances with a wearable ring-type control device.

[0007] The embodiments proposed in the present invention are intended to provide convenience to the user by enabling operation of an electronic device with the user's hand movements, and to propose a technology that prevents unintended control in advance.

[0008] However, the problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned problem, a wearable ring-type control device proposed in one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a ring-type body wearable on a finger; a sensor module including a pressure sensor that recognizes pressure according to the degree of finger bending and a touch sensor that activates the pressure sensor; and a communication module that transmits a first control command generated by an input signal of the sensor module to a control target device.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the wearable ring-type control device further includes a bezel that is coupled to the outer surface of the ring-type body and rotates independently of the ring-type body to generate a second control command; and the communication module may transmit the second control command to a device to be controlled.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the sensor module of the wearable ring-type control device may further include an inertial sensor that recognizes the gravity and acceleration of the finger.

[0014] A control method for the wearable ring-type control device proposed in another embodiment of the present invention may include: a step of selecting a control target and a control element through the rotation of a bezel; and a step of recognizing the degree of bending of a finger by a pressure sensor and adjusting the degree of the control element according to the degree of bending.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the pressure sensors of the wearable ring-type control device may be positioned in a plurality of rows along half of the inner surface of the ring-type body to measure pressure resulting from the bending of the finger.

[0016] Another control method of the wearable ring-type control device proposed in another embodiment of the present invention may include: a step of positioning a pointer at a selected point on a status display screen of a device to be controlled through an inertial sensor; a step of recognizing the degree of bending of a finger by a pressure sensor and fixing the selected point on the status display screen of the device to be controlled when the degree of bending is measured to be greater than or equal to a preset value; and a step of scrolling the status display screen of the device to be controlled while the selected point is fixed through the inertial sensor.

[0017] Another control method of the wearable ring-type control device proposed in another embodiment of the present invention may include: a step of recognizing the gravity of a finger by an inertial sensor and determining whether it is within a preset amount of change in gravity; a step of recognizing acceleration by the inertial sensor and determining whether it is greater than or equal to a preset amount of acceleration; and a step of changing the playback status of the control target device when the degree of bending of the finger is measured by a pressure sensor as a change in bending amount greater than or equal to a preset value.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the control method of the wearable ring-type control device may further include the step of activating the wearable ring-type control device by the touch sensor recognizing contact of a finger.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the control method of the wearable ring-type control device may further include a preparation step of customizing the wearable ring-type control device by sensing pressure according to the degree of bending of the user's finger in advance. Effects of the invention

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an external device can be controlled by a user's hand movements using a combination of multiple sensors. At the same time, unintended control can be prevented in advance through a combination of movements based on multiple sensors.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, unlike a remote control or smartphone used to control conventional home appliances, portability and usability are improved, providing the convenience of easily controlling an external device anytime and anywhere.

[0022] However, the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, but include all effects naturally realized through the various configurations proposed in the present invention. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a wearable ring-type control device showing a structure of one form according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a control target and a control element of a control target device of a wearable ring-type control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3a is a flowchart illustrating a method of selecting and scrolling on a screen of a controlled device of a wearable ring-type control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3b is a drawing showing an example of fixing and scrolling a selection point on a screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4a is a flowchart illustrating a method for changing the playback status of a controlled device of a wearable ring-type control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4b is a drawing showing an example of changing whether a controlled device is regenerated according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0024] The embodiments of the present invention are illustrative for the purpose of explaining the technical concept of the present invention. The scope of rights according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented below or the specific description thereof.

[0025] All technical and scientific terms used in this invention, unless otherwise defined, have the meaning generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All terms used in this invention are selected for the purpose of further explaining this invention and are not selected to limit the scope of rights according to this invention.

[0026] Expressions such as "comprising," "having," "having," etc. used in the present invention should be understood as open-ended terms implying the possibility of including other embodiments, unless otherwise stated in the phrase or sentence containing such expressions.

[0027] Unless otherwise stated, singular expressions described in the present invention may include the meaning of the plural form, and this applies likewise to singular expressions described in the claims.

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Furthermore, in the description of the following embodiments, the description of identical or corresponding components may be omitted. However, even if a description of a component is omitted, it is not intended that such component is not included in any embodiment.

[0029] In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used when describing the components of the embodiments. These terms are intended only to distinguish the components from other components, and the nature, order, or sequence of the components is not limited by the terms. Where it is stated that a component is "connected," "combined," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but that another component may also be "connected," "combined," or "connected" between each component.

[0031] The present invention aims to provide convenience to the user by directly controlling home appliances through a wearable ring-type control device, thereby improving the user interface compared to smartphones or remote controls.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user's hand movements can be controlled through a ring-shaped control device comprising a combination of multiple sensors including a pressure sensor, an inertial sensor, and a touch sensor. Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, unintended control can be prevented in advance through a combination of movements based on multiple sensors.

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments proposed in the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4b. However, it should be clearly stated that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and drawings.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a wearable ring-type control device showing a structure of one form according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the wearable ring-type control device (100) may be equipped with a pressure sensor (110) that recognizes pressure according to the degree of bending of the finger on a main body that can be worn on a finger. One or more pressure sensors (110) may be provided, and in one example, a plurality of them may be positioned side by side on half of the inner surface of the ring-type main body to measure pressure at multiple points of the finger. In this case, it is possible to measure changes in the degree of bending more precisely than when only one pressure sensor is provided, thereby enabling the generation of more accurate control commands.

[0038] Additionally, the wearable ring-type control device may include a touch sensor (120) that activates the pressure sensor (110). The touch sensor (120) may be located on the outer surface of the ring-type body. The touch sensor may serve as the power source for the control device. For example, if no touch is made, the pressure sensor (110) is not activated, thereby preventing the generation of control commands contrary to the user's intention. In another example, the pressure sensor (110) is activated only when the touch sensor (120) is maintained in a touching state, thereby preventing malfunctions that may occur when the user unconsciously bends their finger.

[0040] In addition, the wearable ring-type control device may be equipped with a sensor module including the pressure sensor (110) and the touch sensor (120), and a communication module that transmits a first control command generated by the input signal of the sensor module to the outside. The external device receiving the first control command may be a device to be controlled, and may be, for example, a home appliance such as a TV, air conditioner, or induction cooker, or an IoT device, but is not limited thereto. The external device receiving the first control command may be a separate transceiver equipped with a separate processor, and may operate in a manner in which the transceiver sends a signal back to the device to be controlled to control it.

[0041] The communication module described above may include the function of transmitting control commands to an IoT cloud server and receiving requests from the server, and the function of establishing a protocol for data communication between devices.

[0043] Additionally, it may include a bezel (140) that is coupled to the outer surface of the ring-shaped body and rotates independently of the ring-shaped body. As an example, the bezel may be positioned at the edge of the ring-shaped body and rotate in a direction parallel to the circumferential direction of the ring. As another example, the bezel may be positioned on the outer surface of the ring-shaped body like a mouse scroll and rotate perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the ring. At this time, the bezel (140) generates a second control command, which can be received by a communication module and transmitted externally. Each section of the bezel (140) may be numbered, and a desired control target and control element may be mapped to each bezel number. The user can select the control target and element by rotating the bezel (140).

[0044] According to one embodiment, the sensor module may include an inertial sensor (130). The inertial sensor (130) can recognize gravity and acceleration and can contribute to calculating the movement and position of the user's finger.

[0045] According to one embodiment, a display (150) may be provided on the outer surface of the ring-shaped body (110). The display (150) may output control targets and control elements to the display screen and may output mapped information when the bezel (140) rotates.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the wearable ring-type control device of the present invention may include a memory and a charging module (160). In this case, the memory may store operation combinations to contribute to increasing user convenience. Additionally, the charging module (160) may be a wireless charging module, but is not limited thereto.

[0048] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a control target and a control element of a wearable ring-type control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the wearable ring-type control device may include a processor. The processor may include any type of device capable of processing data. Data collected through the pressure sensor can be processed through the processor to customize the degree of bending of the user. Since the range of pressure that can be applied to the control device of the present invention may differ depending on the finger bending of each user, the processor may store and process the pressure range as a preparatory step before controlling the device to be controlled. The processor may store and determine that the state where the user's finger is fully extended is 0, and the state where the finger is fully bent is 100.

[0050] According to another embodiment, the processor may be located outside the control device of the present invention. The communication module may transmit data received from a pressure sensor to the processor located outside, and the processor may process the data.

[0051] According to one embodiment, a method for controlling a control target and a control element of a control target device of a wearable ring-type control device may include: a step of customizing the wearable ring-type control device by pre-sensing pressure according to the degree of bending of a user's finger (S210); a step of activating the wearable ring-type control device by a touch sensor recognizing contact of the finger (S220); a step of selecting a control target and a control element through rotation of a bezel (S230); and a step of adjusting the degree of a control element according to the degree of bending by recognizing the degree of bending of the finger by a pressure sensor (S240).

[0052] The step of customizing a wearable ring-type control device by pre-sensing pressure according to the degree of bending of the user's finger may be a preparation step for customizing the degree of bending of the user by processing data collected through the pressure sensor through the processor.

[0054] FIGS. 3a and 3b are flowcharts showing a method of selecting and scrolling on a screen of a controlled device of a wearable ring-type control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and drawings showing an example of fixing a selection point on a screen and scrolling according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] According to one embodiment, a method for selecting and scrolling on a screen of a device to be controlled by a wearable ring-type control device of the present invention may include: a step of customizing the wearable ring-type control device by pre-sensing pressure according to the degree of bending of a user's finger (S210); a step of activating the wearable ring-type control device by recognizing contact of a finger by a touch sensor (S220); a step of positioning a pointer at a selected point on a status display screen of the device to be controlled through an inertial sensor (S330); a step of fixing the selected point on the status display screen of the device to be controlled when the degree of bending of the finger is recognized by a pressure sensor and the degree of bending is measured to be greater than or equal to a preset value (S340); and a step of scrolling the status display screen of the device to be controlled with the selected point fixed through an inertial sensor (S350).

[0056] Referring to FIG. 3b, in step S330, in front of the control target device (310) located on the left, the user moves the user's hand by wearing the wearable ring-type control device (100) of the present invention on the user's finger, and the inertia device recognizes this and positions the pointer (340) of the status display screen (320a) at the selection point (330b).

[0057] In step S340, the user performs a bending motion (350a -> 350b) of the finger wearing the control device of the present invention, so that the pressure sensor recognizes the degree of bending of the finger, and if a pressure (degree of bending) greater than a predetermined value according to the user is measured, the pointer (340) can be fixed at the selected point (330b). The predetermined value may vary for each user according to the customization step (S210).

[0058] In step S350, the user moves their hand in the direction to be scrolled (350c, 350d), and the inertial sensor recognizes the degree of hand movement to scroll the status display screen (320b). Referring to FIG. 3b, in the status display screen (320a) on the left, there is more content (330a) located in front of the selection point (330b) than content (330b) located behind it, but in the status display screen (320b) on the right, which is the screen after scrolling, there is less content (330a) located in front of the selection point (330b) than content (330b) located behind it. Through this, it can be confirmed that the content has been moved. Afterwards, when the user straightens their bent finger (not shown), the previously selected selection point can be released.

[0060] FIGS. 4a and 4b are flowcharts showing a method for changing the playback status of a controlled device of a wearable ring-type control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and drawings showing an example of changing the playback status of a controlled device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] According to one embodiment, a method for changing the playback status of a device to be controlled by a wearable ring-type control device of the present invention may include: a step of customizing the wearable ring-type control device by pre-sensing pressure according to the degree of bending of a user's finger (S210); a step of activating the wearable ring-type control device by a touch sensor recognizing contact of the finger (S220); a step of determining whether the gravity of the finger is within a preset amount of change in gravity by recognizing the gravity of the finger by an inertial sensor (S430); a step of determining whether the degree of bending of the finger is greater than a preset value by recognizing the degree of bending of the finger by a pressure sensor (S440); and a step of changing the playback status of the device to be controlled (S450).

[0062] Referring to FIG. 4b, in front of the control target device on the left, the user can wear the wearable ring-type control device (100) of the present invention and perform the action (420a, 420b) of clenching and unclenching the fist while extending the hand forward, and the action may include the process of bending and straightening the fingers wearing the control device of the present invention.

[0063] In step S430, the motion of extending the hand (420a, 420b) can be recognized by measuring gravity with an inertial sensor, and in step S440, the motion of clenching and unclenching the fist can be recognized by measuring the degree of bending of the finger with a pressure sensor. The motion of clenching and unclenching the fist while extending the hand forward (420a, 420b) is similar to a hand signal meaning to stop, so it is convenient for the user to remember, which can contribute to increasing the usability of the present invention.

[0065] The foregoing description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical concept of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications and variations within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to explain, not limit, the technical concept of the present invention, and the scope of the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0066] 100 : Wearable ring-type control device 110: Pressure sensor 120 : Touch sensor 130: Inertial sensor 140 : Bezel 150 : Display 160: Charging module 310 : Controlled device 320a: Status display screen before operation of the controlled device 320b: Status display screen after operation of the controlled device 330a : Content located before the selection point 330b : Selection point 330c : Content located after the selection point 340 : Pointer 350a: Hand shape before bending fingers 350b: Hand shape after bending fingers 350c: Hand position before scrolling 350d: Hand position after scrolling 410a: Status display screen before operation of the controlled device 410b: Status display screen after operation of the controlled device 420a: Hand shape and position before the playback status of the controlled device is changed 420b: Hand shape and position after the playback status of the controlled device has been changed

Claims

Claim 1 A wearable ring-type control device for controlling an external target device, comprising: a ring-type body wearable on a finger; a sensor module including a pressure sensor that recognizes pressure according to the degree of bending of the finger and a touch sensor that recognizes contact of the finger to activate the wearable ring-type control device and activates the pressure sensor only while the touch state resulting from the contact is maintained; a communication module that transmits a first control command generated by an input signal of the sensor module to the outside; and a bezel coupled to the outer surface of the ring-type body and rotating independently of the ring-type body to generate a second control command.and includes a processor that processes data collected through the pressure sensor, the communication module transmits the second control command externally, the touch sensor is located on the outer surface of the ring-shaped body, and the sensor module further includes an inertial sensor that recognizes the gravity and acceleration of the finger, the pressure sensor is a plurality of pressure sensors, and the plurality of pressure sensors are located side by side in half a section of the inner surface of the ring-shaped body to measure pressure according to the bending of the finger at various points of the finger, the processor stores and processes pressure data collected through the pressure sensor in the state where the finger is maximally extended and maximally bent, respectively, as a user-specific bending pressure range before controlling the control target device, and determines the degree of finger bending based on the pressure data measured through the plurality of pressure sensors and the user-specific bending pressure range, and the wearable ring-shaped control device, while activated by the touch sensor, positions a pointer at a selected point on the status display screen of the control target device based on the input signal of the inertial sensor, and the determined degree of finger bending is the user-specific bending pressure A wearable ring-type control device configured to fix a selection point where the pointer is located if the value is greater than or equal to a preset value according to a range, scroll the status display screen based on the input signal of the inertial sensor while the selection point is fixed, and release the fixation of the selection point when the finger is straightened from a bent state. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 delete Claim 4 delete Claim 5 A method for controlling a wearable ring-type control device, comprising: a step of positioning a pointer at a selected point on a status display screen of a device to be controlled through an inertial sensor; a step of recognizing the degree of bending of a finger by a pressure sensor and fixing the selected point on the status display screen of the device to be controlled when the degree of bending is measured to be greater than or equal to a preset value; and a step of scrolling the status display screen of the device to be controlled while the selected point is fixed through the inertial sensor; wherein the wearable ring-type control device is the wearable ring-type control device of claim 1. Claim 6 delete Claim 7 delete Claim 8 delete

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