Patent Publication Number: US-2017367415-A1

Title: Garment including a plurality of sensors and a chip

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The present disclosure relates to a garment, and more particularly, to a garment including a plurality of sensors and a chip that is configured to generate an image of a body portion of a user based on a distance between each sensor of the plurality of sensors. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Garments that include one or more types of sensors and that can be worn by a user to track a change of a body portion of the user are known. Such garments are in operable communication with one or more types of monitors or display devices that are configured to provide a two-dimensional image of the body portion of the user showing the change in the body portion. 
     While such garments are suitable for their intended purpose, there may exist a need for a garment including a plurality of sensors and a chip that is configured to generate an image of a body portion of a user based on a distance between each sensor of the plurality of sensors. 
     SUMMARY 
     As can be appreciated, a garment including a plurality of sensors and a chip that is configured to generate an image of a body portion of a user based on a distance between each sensor of the plurality of sensors may prove useful in the physical fitness arena. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawing figures wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements. As used herein, the term “distal” refers to the portion that is being described which is further from a user, while the term “proximal” refers to the portion that is being described which is closer to a user. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a garment. The garment includes a plurality of sensors that are in operable communication with each other for detecting position data of each sensor of the plurality of sensors relative to each other and at least one chip that is in operable communication with at least one of the sensors of the plurality of sensors and configured to collect the detected position data and generate an image of a body portion of a user of the garment based on the detected position data and communicate the generated image to at least one display device for displaying the generated image. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a non-transitory computer readable storage medium have stored thereon instructions that when executed by a processor of at least one display device allow the at least one display device to perform a method for tracking a change of a body portion of a user of a garment including a plurality of sensors. The method includes detecting position data of each sensor of the plurality of sensors relative to each other, collecting the detected position data using at least one chip that is in operable communication with at least one of the sensors of the plurality of sensors, generating an image of the body portion of the user using the at least one chip based on the detected position data, and communicating the generated image to the at least one display device for displaying the generated image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with references to the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a garment including a plurality of sensors and a chip, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the garment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an electronic device in a network environment, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a garment  10  including a plurality of sensors  12  (sensors  12 ) and an electronic device, e.g., a system on chip (chip)  101 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     The garment  10  can be made from any suitable material including, but not limited to, cotton, nylon, spandex, lycra, etc., or combination thereof, and can be configured to be worn on various body parts of a user. For illustrative purposes, the garment  10  is shown formed as a long-sleeved shirt, which is configured to be worn relatively tight on a user for positioning the plurality of sensors  12  as close as possible to a user&#39;s body, e.g., arms, chest, torso, etc. 
     Operatively coupled, attached or embedded to/in the garment  10  are the sensors  12  which are in operable communication with each other and are configured to detect position data relative to each other. The sensors  12  communicate with each other over one or more communication interfaces. For example, the sensors  12  can communicate over a wired and/or a wireless connection. In the former instance, the wired connection uses a coiled wire or an elastic wire  14  that allows the wire  14  to expand and contract as the sensors move relative to each other over time. Alternatively, a Bluetooth connection and/or a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) connection can be used if the sensors communicate with each other wirelessly. 
     The sensors  12  can be any suitable type of sensor that is capable of detecting and/or collecting a position data. For example, a sensor  13   a  can be a position sensor that is configured to detect its position relative to a position of sensors  13   b  and  13   c  (see  FIG. 1 , for example), and vice versa. As used herein, a position sensor is defined as any sensor that is capable of being referenced either to or from some fixed point or position and that is capable of providing positional data/feedback. For example, the sensors  12  can be embodied in the form of potentiometers, inductive sensors (e.g., linear variable differential transformers), inductive proximity sensors, rotary encoders, magnets, or combination thereof. The position data is used for tracking a change in a dimension of a body portion on which the garment  10  is worn by a user, as described in greater detail below. 
     The plurality of sensors  12  can be disposed on an interior or an exterior of the garment  10 , or the sensors  12  can be embedded within the fabric that forms the garment  10  (i.e., the sensors  12  can be positioned between two layers of fabric), and the sensors  12  can be affixed to the garment by any suitable affixation method, e.g., adhesive, stitching, etc. In either instance, the plurality of sensors  12  can be waterproof, thereby giving a user the ability to wash the garment  10 . 
     One or more SoCs  101  are operably coupled to the garment  10 . For illustrative purposes, the garment  10  is shown including one SoC  101  that is disposed on a front of the garment  10  ( FIG. 1 ) and three SoCs are shown disposed on a back of the garment  10  ( FIG. 2 ); however, only a single SoC  101  can be provided on either the front or back of the garment  10 . 
     The SoC  101  communicates with the sensors  12  (via a wired (e.g., the wire  14 ) or wireless configuration) for receiving and processing (compiling) the detected/collected position data from each sensor  12 . The SoC  101  uses the processed position data to generate an image of a body portion on which the garment  10  is worn by a user. The SoC  101  communicates the generated image to one or more display devices for displaying the generated image. 
       FIG. 3  shows the SoC  101  in a network environment  100 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The SoC  101  includes a bus  110 , a processor  120 , a memory  130 , an input/output (I/O) interface  150 , an optional display  160 , and a communication interface  170 . The SoC may omit at least one of the components, or may additionally include some other component(s). 
     The bus  110  may include a circuit that connects the components  110  to  170  to one another, and deliver communications (e.g., control commands and/or data) among the components  110  to  170 . 
     The processor  120  may include one or more of central processing units (CPUs), application processors (APs) or communication processors (CPs). The processor  120  may perform data processing related to control and/or communications of at least one of the other components of the SoC  101 . 
     The memory  130  may include volatile and/or nonvolatile memories. The memory  130  may store command or data involved in at least one of the other components of the SoC  101 . The memory  130  may store software and/or a program  140 . The program  140  may include, for example, kernel  141 , middleware  143 , application programming interface (API)  145 , application program  147 , and/or the like. At least a part of the kernel  141 , middleware  143 , or API  145  may be referred to as an operating system (OS). 
     The kernel  141  may control or manage system resources (e.g., the bus  110 , the processor  120 , the memory  130  or the like) to be used to carry out an operation or function implemented by the other programming modules, e.g., the middleware  143 , the API  145 , or the application program  147 . Furthermore, the kernel  141  may provide an interface for the middleware  143 , the API  145 , or the application program  147  to access respective components of the electronic device  101  to control or manage system resources. 
     The middleware  143  may act as intermediary for the API  145  or the application program  147  to communicate data with the kernel  141  and may handle one or more requests for tasks received from the application program  147 . 
     The API  145  is, for example, an interface for the application  147  to control a function provided from the kernel  141  or the middleware  143 , and may include at least one interface or function (e.g., an instruction) for e.g., file control, window control, image processing, text control, etc. 
     The application program  147 , under the control of the processor  120 , includes one or more algorithms and/or sets of instructions that allow the processor  120  to compile the position data received from the sensors  12 . More particularly, every time a user wears the garment  10 , the control algorithm of application program  147  gathers position data obtained from the sensors  12  and stores the position data in the memory  130 . The control algorithm generates an image of a specific body part on which the garment  10  is worn based on the stored position data. Over time, as a position of each of the sensors  12  changes relative to each other, a corresponding image of that specific body part will also change (i.e., based on the newly stored position data), and this change can be observed by a user on the display  160  or a display of one of the electronic devices  102 ,  104 , or the server  106 . 
     The I/O interface  150  may serve as an interface to deliver commands or data input from e.g., the user or an external device to other component(s) of the SoC  101 . The I/O interface  150  may also output commands or data received from the other component(s) of the SoC  101  to the user or other electronic device(s). 
     In the instance where the SoC  101  includes the display  160 , the display  160  may include e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic LED (OLED) display, micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) display, or an electronic paper display. The display  160  may display various contents, e.g., text, images, video, icons, symbols, etc., for the user. The display  160  may include a touch screen, which may detect touches, gestures, proximity or hovering inputs by way of an electronic pen or a body part of the user. 
     The communication interface  170  may establish communication between the SoC  101  and one or more external electronic devices  102 ,  104 , and  106  via a network  162 , through wired or wireless communication. The external devices  102 ,  104  can be a smart phone, smart watch (or other smart device), tablet, lap top, home personal computer (PC), television, etc. and the external electronic device  106  can be a server. 
     The wireless communication can be a cellular communication protocol, using at least one of e.g., long-term evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), code divisional multiplexing access (CDMA), wideband CDMA (WCDMA), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), wireless broadband (WiBro), global system for mobile communications (GSM), etc. 
     The wireless communication may also include short-range communication  164 . The short-range communication  164  may include at least one of e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), etc. The GNSS may include at least one of global positioning system (GPS), Glonass, Beidou, or Galileo. 
     The wired communication may include at least one of e.g., universal serial bus (USB), high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), recommended standard (RS) 232, plain old telephone service (POTS), and the like. 
     The network  162  may include a telecommunication network, e.g., at least one of computer networks (e.g., local area network (LAN) or wide area networks (WAN)), Internet, and telephone network. 
     All or a part of operations executed in the SoC  101  may also be executed in the electronic device devices  102 ,  104 , or in the server  106 . When the SoC  101  needs to perform a function or service automatically or on request, the SoC  101  may request the electronic device  102  or  104 , or the server  106  to perform at least a part of the function or service, instead of or in addition to performing the function or the service by itself. 
     The SoC  101  can be removably coupled to the garment  10 , or the SoC  101  can be fixedly attached to the garment  10 . In either instance, as with the sensors  12 , the SoC  101  can be waterproof. Moreover, the SoC  101  can be positioned on the garment  10  in a manner similar to the sensors  10 , e.g., an interior or exterior of the garment  10 , or embedded within the garment  10  between two layers of fabric. 
     The garment  10  can be configured to connect to a power source (not shown) for charging the SoC  101  and/or the sensors  12 . Conversely, the SoC and/or the sensors  12  can be battery powered. 
     One or more buttons or switches (not shown) may be provided on the garment  10  to activate the application  147  on the SoC  101 . Alternatively, the application  147  on the SoC  101  may be configured to automatically detect when the garment  10  is positioned on user. For example, one or more a thermocouples (not shown) may be provided on the garment  10  and may be configured to detect a when a temperature (e.g., body temperature) reaches a predetermined threshold for a predetermined amount of time. 
     In use, a user can put on the garment  10 . When the garment  10  is positioned on a user, and if the thermocouple detects that a temperature has reached a predetermined threshold for the predetermined amount of time, the processor  120  of the SoC  101  activates the application program  170 . Once activated, the application program  170  sends a command signal to the processor  120  to enable each of the sensors  12  collect position data. Or, the sensors  12  can be configured to collect data automatically, without receiving a command signal from the processor  120 . 
     The collected position data is transmitted to the processor  120  which transmits the collected position data to the memory  130  so that the control algorithm of the application program  147  can generate an image of the body part on which the garment  10  is worn, in the illustrated embodiment, a user&#39;s upper body including the torso, arms, chest, and shoulders. 
     The generated image can communicated via the communication interface  170 , through either wired or wireless communication, to one of the electronic devices  102 ,  104  (or the server  106 ) and outputted to a display of the thereof so that a user can view the generated image (a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image), which can be stored in a memory of the electronic devices  102 ,  104 , which can also have the application program  170  stored thereon. 
     Over time, as the position data collected by the sensors  12  changes, the control algorithm of the application program  147  detects these changes and generates a new image of the body part on which the garment  10  is worn, thereby allowing a user to view any changes to that specific body part. In one particular embodiment, a new image can be overlaid on a previously stored image so that a user can clearly visualize the specific changes of the body part. Moreover, individual position data associated with each of the sensors  12  can be displayed for a user to view. 
     A third, fourth, fifth, and so on, with extremely small time intervals in between one another can also be obtained, thereby allowing the garment  10  to track motions of a user; this could be used to allow a user to examine paths of movement of the user. For example, while a user is performing a bicep curl, the garment  10  can be used to track a motion of the user&#39;s body, e.g., their bicep, which could be used to improve their path of movement of the bicep curl and thereby maximizing the workout. 
     From the foregoing and with reference to the various figure drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications can also be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the same. For example, the SoC  101  of the garment  10  can be configured to receive a user input via one or the electronic devices  102 ,  104 , or server  106 . For example, if the application program  170  is downloaded on the electronic device  102 , the application program  170  can be configured to provide a user interface (e.g., a user menu) for receiving a user input for interacting or customizing the application program  170 , according to a user&#39;s specific needs. 
     In this instance, for example, a user can enter information relating to a specific body part of the user, or can enter control information, such as information for controlling a display appearance of a generated image (e.g., size, color, contrast, brightness) or of a generated graph, which can also be generated by the application program  170  and which can provide a graphical representation of a change in a user&#39;s specific body part. 
     While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.