Wearable Accessory Hub Station With Indicator-Guided Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of organizing, identifying, and managing a diverse array of wearable accessories, including head-mounted displays and their associated components, is complicated by their variety in size, shape, and individual capabilities, leading to difficulties in storage, identification, and communication when not in use.
Innovation Solution
A hub station with accessory areas, hub indicators, and registration devices that provide notifications and enable wireless charging, orientation, and secure storage for wearable accessories, allowing for user-specific identification and communication even when the accessories are spaced from the hub station.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If multiple types of wearable accessories are stored and organized, then the organization and identification capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the variety in number, size, and individual capability of accessories
Solution Approach 1:
The hub station is divided into multiple accessory areas, each dedicated to specific types of wearable accessories. Each accessory area has its own registration device and hub indicator, allowing independent identification and management of different accessory types without increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Registration devices serve as intermediaries between the wearable accessories and the hub station system. These devices automatically detect and register accessories in their respective areas, providing identification information to the hub station without requiring complex manual configuration or user intervention.
2Loss of information
If hub indicators provide detailed notifications about wearable accessories, then the information availability is improved, but the energy consumption increases due to continuous monitoring and communication
Solution Approach 1:
Hub indicators provide notifications periodically or event-driven rather than continuously. The system monitors accessory status and triggers notifications only when changes occur (e.g., accessory added, removed, or status changed), reducing energy consumption while maintaining information availability.
Solution Approach 2:
Registration devices on wearable accessories autonomously provide identification and status information to the hub station. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for continuous active querying by the hub station, reducing energy consumption while maintaining accurate information about accessory status.
3Reliability
If registration devices securely orient and secure wearable accessories, then the reliability of accessory positioning is improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to locking mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical orientation and securing operations with automated registration devices that use magnetic fields and electronic locking mechanisms. These devices automatically detect, orient, and secure accessories in the correct position, providing reliable positioning while requiring minimal user intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
Registration devices act as intermediaries that facilitate the interaction between users and wearable accessories. The devices guide users through the attachment process and automatically handle the securing operation, making the system easy to operate while ensuring reliable positioning.
4Ease of operation
If wireless charging is provided to wearable accessories, then the convenience of charging is improved, but the energy consumption of the hub station increases due to power delivery requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Wireless charging functionality is merged with the existing accessory areas and registration devices. The charging coils are integrated into the hub station housing at locations corresponding to accessory areas, allowing accessories to be charged wirelessly when placed in their designated areas without requiring separate charging infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
Wearable accessories autonomously initiate and manage their own wireless charging process when placed on the hub station. The accessories detect the charging field, establish communication, and control the power transfer, eliminating the need for the hub station to actively manage charging sessions and reducing its energy consumption.
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
The hub station effectively organizes and identifies personalized wearable accessories, supports wireless charging, and enables communication and access control, enhancing user convenience and co-presence experiences across physical and virtual environments.
Implementation Method 1
One or more of the registration devices can include magnets having predefined pole patterns configured to align or secure a wearable accessory with a respective accessory area
Implementation Method 2
each charging device may include at least one of an inductive coil disposed within the housing
Data Source
AI summary
Hub stations for wearable accessories include accessory areas, some accessory areas including receptacles configured to receive and support the wearable accessories. The hub stations include hub indicators associated with respective receptacles or accessory areas. The hub indicators are configured to provide indications designating at least one of user information for, a charge level of, or an availability of a wearable accessory supported by associated receptacles or accessory areas. The hub stations include processors configured to receive notifications for the wearable accessories and send instructions to activate the associated hub indicators based on the notifications.