Wearable ultrasonic sensors with haptic signaling for blindside risk detection and notification

Abstract

Devices, non-transitory computer-readable media and methods for providing a haptic signal based upon a detection of an object are disclosed. For example, the processor of a device may transmit a first ultrasonic signal via an ultrasonic emitter and detect an object based upon a receiving of a reflected signal via an ultrasonic detector, where the reflected signal comprises a reflection of the first ultrasonic signal from the object. The processor may further monitor for a second ultrasonic signal via the ultrasonic detector. The device may be associated with a user, and the second ultrasonic signal may be associated with a teammate of the user. The processor may also select whether to provide an instruction to a haptic actuator when the object is detected, based upon whether the second ultrasonic signal is received via the ultrasonic detector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 an ultrasonic emitter to transmit a first ultrasonic signal;   an ultrasonic detector to receive a reflected signal, the reflected signal comprising a reflection of the first ultrasonic signal from an object;   a processor to perform operations comprising:
 detecting the object based upon a receiving of the reflected signal via the ultrasonic detector; 
 monitoring for a second ultrasonic signal via the ultrasonic detector, wherein the device is associated with a user, and wherein the second ultrasonic signal comprises: a first emission associated with a teammate of the user or a second emission not associated with a teammate of the user; and 
 providing an instruction to a haptic actuator when the object is detected and when the second emission of the second ultrasonic signal is received via the ultrasonic detector; and 
   the haptic actuator to generate a haptic signal based upon the instruction from the processor.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the providing comprises:
 providing the instruction to the haptic actuator, wherein the instruction comprises an instruction to generate a first pattern for the haptic signal.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first pattern for the haptic signal is indicative of a detection of the object and is indicative that the object is not the teammate of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic emitter comprises a capacitive ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the ultrasonic emitter comprises a parametric array. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic detector is aligned with the ultrasonic emitter, and wherein the first ultrasonic signal comprises a directional ultrasonic wave that is focused in a given direction, with side lobes having lesser intensities as compared to the given direction. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a speed sensor, wherein the speed sensor comprises:
 a global positioning system unit; or 
 a tachometer; 
   wherein the processor is to perform further operations, comprising:
 determining a speed of the device based upon measurements from the speed sensor; and 
 correcting the reflected signal for a Doppler shift based upon the speed of the device. 
   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is to perform further operations comprising:
 determining a distance to the object based upon a time difference between a transmission of the first ultrasonic signal via the ultrasonic emitter and a receiving of the reflected signal via the ultrasonic detector; and   selecting a pattern of the haptic signal based upon the distance to the object.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first ultrasonic signal comprises a first frequency, and wherein the second ultrasonic signal comprises a second frequency that is different from the first frequency. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a wearable unit, and wherein the ultrasonic emitter and the ultrasonic detector are oriented in a direction behind the user when the wearable unit is worn by the user. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the wearable unit comprises:
 a vest;   a shirt;   a helmet;   a pair of pants; or   a pair of shorts.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic emitter, the ultrasonic detector, and the haptic actuator comprise a first sensor unit, wherein the first sensor unit comprises one of a plurality of sensor units of the device, wherein the plurality of sensor units has different orientations. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 transmitting a first ultrasonic signal via an ultrasonic emitter;   detecting an object based upon a receiving of a reflected signal via an ultrasonic detector, wherein the reflected signal comprises a reflection of the first ultrasonic signal from the object;   monitoring for a second ultrasonic signal via the ultrasonic detector, wherein the processor is associated with a user, and wherein the second ultrasonic signal comprises: a first emission associated with a teammate of the user or a second emission not associated with a teammate of the user; and   providing an instruction to a haptic actuator when the object is detected and when the second emission of the second ultrasonic signal is received via the ultrasonic detector.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the providing comprises:
 providing the instruction to the haptic actuator, wherein the instruction comprises an instruction to generate a first pattern for the haptic signal, wherein the first pattern for the haptic signal is indicative of a detection of the object and is indicative that the object is not the teammate of the user.   
     
     
         15 . A device comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 transmitting a first ultrasonic signal via an ultrasonic emitter; 
 detecting an object based upon a receiving of a reflected signal via an ultrasonic detector, wherein the reflected signal comprises a reflection of the first ultrasonic signal from the object; 
 monitoring for a second ultrasonic signal via the ultrasonic detector, wherein the device is associated with a user, and wherein the second ultrasonic signal comprises: a first emission associated with a teammate of the user or a second emission not associated with a teammate of the user; and 
 providing an instruction to a haptic actuator when the object is detected and when the second emission of the second ultrasonic signal is received via the ultrasonic detector. 
   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the providing comprises:
 providing the instruction to the haptic actuator, wherein the instruction comprises an instruction to generate a first pattern for the haptic signal, wherein the first pattern for the haptic signal is indicative of a detection of the object and is indicative that the object is not the teammate of the user.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the ultrasonic emitter comprises a capacitive ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the ultrasonic emitter comprises a parametric array. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the ultrasonic detector is aligned with the ultrasonic emitter, and wherein the first ultrasonic signal comprises a directional ultrasonic wave that is focused in a given direction, with side lobes having lesser intensities as compared to the given direction. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is to perform further operations comprising:
 determining a distance to the object based upon a time difference between a transmission of the first ultrasonic signal via the ultrasonic emitter and a receiving of the reflected signal via the ultrasonic detector; and   selecting a pattern of the haptic signal based upon the distance to the object.