Sensing phone apparatus and method

[0001] The present invention relates to wireless communication between and among users. More particularly, the present invention relates to sensing physical and/or mental conditions of users and transmitting the sensed conditions to another connected user to provide electrical stimuli and/or sensations.

[0002] A number of applications have been developed in the cellular phone field to provide additional activities and services. As one example, a technique has been developed to provide a spectral analysis of a user's voice to estimate a stress level, which information is asked of the user. However, to date, the presentation of a feeling has merely been displayed and not sensed by another user.

[0003] Sensors measure bodily conditions and convert them to a measurable signal. The signals are concentrated at a transmitter which wirelessly communicates with a handset. A program in the handset formats the data for transmission to a handset of another connected user. A program in the handset of the connected user converts the transmitted data and transfers the data to stimulation devices providing stimuli sensing the feelings of the sending subscriber.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows apparatus 10 of the present invention arranged on the body of an individual 12 and including cellular handset 14, a plurality of sensors 16 electrically coupled by wires 18 to a concentrator/transmitter 20 which may also include an earpiece and which is held upon the head of the user 12 by the headpiece 22.

[0011] The unit 20 collects/concentrates the signals received from the various sensors which may be located at any appropriate locations on the body, the locations on the head, chest and arm shown in FIG. 1 being merely exemplary.

[0012] The concentrator/transmitter 20 temporarily stores and then wirelessly transmits the data to handset 14, for example, using conventional equipment for wireless transmission. The signals received by handset 14 are formatted and transmitted as part of a multimedia communication according to the routine in FIG. 3.

[0013] User 12 incorporates the status information as part of the multimedia call. Information about status is sent using session initiated protocol (SIP) or H-323 (a standard for packet-based multimedia communications), for example. The detected signals are converted from analog to digital either in the sensor (item 16) or the concentrator (item 20).

[0014] The sensors 16 may be a variety of different sensing devices such as EKG/ECA wave sensors, tension elements similar to those used in lie detector tests, CO2 sensors, etc.

[0015] Handset 14 contains a program for formatting the data for transmission. One example is shown in FIG. 5. The handset 14 may include a built-in antenna or an extendable antenna such as the antenna 14a for transmission to a remote subscriber.

[0016] Data is sent as a set of packets transmitted in a manner similar to those employed in conventional wireless voice transmission.

[0017] The cell phone 22 of the second user may, for example, be connected to a series of acupuncture needles, for example, connected to a network of thin electrical wires. A program implemented in Java or in another language interprets the signals from the user 12 of FIG. 1 and translates them into positive or negative stimuli, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 shows one example of a routine performed at the called subscriber location. The sensors shown in FIG. 1 may be arranged in a wearable item such as a glove, body shirt, length stocking or full body suit, which items are preferably worn tight to the body assure good electrical contact between the body and the sensors mounted within the wearable item. The wearable item shown as a portion of a fabric F in FIG. 2 has a network of wires W integrated into the wearable item and terminated at various locations in a stimulator tip to provide stimuli at a given location on the body of the wearer. The fabric portion may also be used to receive and convey stimuli from a sending user to a receiving user. The stimuli may be electrical or may be converted from an electric type stimuli through a converter such as an electromechanical converter converting the electrical signal to mechanical vibration, an electromechanical converter converting the electric signal to a temperature condition, an electrochemical converter to convert an electric signal to an aroma, etc.

[0018] The communications from the sender 12 may also be directed to a base station which may retransmit the communication to subscribers simultaneously with receipt or after a delay with the received communication being stored indefinitely.

[0019] The apparatus 30, shown in FIG. 4, is employed for transmission. The sensed data is input to logic circuit 32. Parametric circuit 34 and memory 36 support logic circuit 32 in preparing data transmitted by the output 32a of logic circuit to the “called” party. See the routine shown in FIG. 6.

[0020] The apparatus 40 shown in FIG. 5 is employed for reception. The sensed data is input to logic circuit 42. Parametric circuit 44 and memory 46 support logic circuit 42 in preparing received data to be output at 42a of logic circuit 42. The output 42a couples the signals to the appropriate stimuli (see FIG. 2) through the distributor. See the routine shown in FIG. 7.