Optical-Electrical Sensor Fusion for Wearable Device Wear Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable electronic devices face challenges in accurately determining whether they are worn due to limitations in current proximity and biometric sensors, leading to misrecognition and increased time required for wear detection.
Innovation Solution
A wearable electronic device equipped with an electrical proximity sensor, optical proximity sensor, motion sensor, and temperature sensors, along with processors and computer programs, to accurately determine wear status by combining biometric and motion signals, thereby improving detection accuracy and reducing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single proximity sensor (optical or electrical) is used to determine wear status, then the device structure remains simple, but misrecognition occurs and detection accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple proximity sensors (optical sensor and electrical proximity sensor) to work together for wear status determination. The control unit integrates signals from both sensors to make a comprehensive judgment, thereby improving detection accuracy while managing system complexity through unified control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The proximity sensing system is designed to handle multiple detection scenarios using the same sensor array. The optical sensor and electrical proximity sensor serve dual purposes: individual operation for basic detection and combined operation for enhanced accuracy, making the system adaptable to various wear conditions and material types.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to improve wear detection accuracy, then detection precision increases, but the time required for comprehensive sensor reading and analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit is pre-programmed with decision logic that determines when wear status can be confidently established. The system performs preliminary assessments using available sensor data and only continues reading when uncertainty exists, thereby reducing the average detection time while maintaining high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors sensor outputs and adjusts the reading duration based on feedback from the sensors. When sensor signals clearly indicate wear status, the control unit terminates reading early. When signals are ambiguous, the control unit extends reading duration to accumulate sufficient data for accurate determination.
3Ease of operation
If optical sensor is used to detect skin proximity through light reflection, then non-contact detection is achieved, but objects that reflect infrared ray cause misrecognition
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical proximity sensor acts as an intermediary verification mechanism for the optical sensor. While the optical sensor provides non-contact detection capability, the electrical proximity sensor validates the detection by measuring electrical properties, thereby filtering out false positives from infrared-reflecting objects and improving overall detection accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If electrical proximity sensor is used to detect contact through capacitance or microcurrent, then contact-based detection is achieved, but objects that conduct electricity or are wet cause misrecognition
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor and electrical proximity sensor are merged into a complementary sensing system. The optical sensor provides verification for electrical sensor readings, ensuring that detected contact is due to skin proximity rather than conductive materials or moisture, thereby improving adaptability across different object types.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances wear detection accuracy and reduces the time required to determine if the device is worn, while also optimizing power consumption and function execution based on wear status.
Implementation Method 1
an optical sensor using the skin's light-reflecting feature
Implementation Method 2
may determine a contact based on a difference in capacitance or flow of microcurrent that occurs when the skin comes into contact with the electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable electronic device is provided. The wearable device includes an electrical proximity sensor configured to generate a first biometric signal of a user, an optical proximity sensor configured to generate a second biometric signal of the user, a motion sensor configured to generate a motion sensing signal by sensing a motion of the wearable electronic device, a first temperature sensor configured to generate a third biometric signal by measuring a temperature of the user or an object, a second temperature sensor configured to generate a device temperature signal by measuring an internal temperature of the wearable electronic device, memory storing one or more computer programs, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the electrical proximity sensor, the optical proximity sensor, the motion sensor, the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor, wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the wearable electronic device to determine whether the wearable electronic device is worn on a body of the user based on the first biometric signal, the second biometric signal, the third biometric signal, and the motion sensing signal, and control a function execution of the wearable electronic device based on whether the wearable electronic device is worn.