Sensory Enhancement Systems and Methods in Personal Electronic Devices

Abstract

Disclosed are personal electronic devices (PEDs) having a sensory enhancement (SE) system for monitoring environmental conditions and detecting environmental events, for example but not limited to, changes in acoustic, thermal, optical, electromagnetic, chemical, dynamic, wireless, atmospheric, or biometric conditions. The detection of such events can be used to invoke a notification, an alert, a corrective action, or some other action, depending upon the implementation to the PED user or another party.

1 . A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, comprising:
 first means for performing a first electronic based intelligence function; and   second means for performing a second electronic based intelligence function, the second means comprising:
 a radio frequency identification (RFID) transducer; 
 means for receiving a communication from an RFID tag via the RFID transducer; and 
 means for producing a notification based upon the communication from the RFID tag. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for determining a proximity of the RFID tag to the RFID transducer based upon the communication and wherein the producing means produces the notification based upon the determined proximity. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the proximity determining means further comprises a means for periodically querying the RFID tag. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication includes environmental information associated with the environment in the vicinity of the RFID tag. 
     
     
         5 . The PED of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for identifying business card information based upon the communication and a means for updating an address book stored within the PED with the business card information. 
     
     
         6 . A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, comprising:
 first means for performing a first electronic based intelligence function; and   second means for performing a second electronic based intelligence function, the second means comprising:
 a biometric transducer; 
 means for measuring a biometric parameter of the user of the PED via the biometric transducer; and 
 means for producing a notification based upon the measured biometric parameter. 
   
     
     
         7 . A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, comprising:
 first means for performing a first electronic based intelligence function; and   second means for performing a second electronic based intelligence function, the second means comprising:
 an atmospheric transducer; 
 means for measuring an atmospheric parameter in a vicinity associated with the PED via the atmospheric transducer; and 
 means for producing a notification based upon the measured atmospheric parameter. 
   
     
     
         8 . A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, comprising:
 first means for performing a first electronic based intelligence function; the first electronic based intelligence function providing audio signals to a head set or ear plug of the user of the PED; and   second means for performing a second electronic based intelligence function, the second means comprising:
 means for measuring audio sound pressure within the ear of the user of the PED; 
 means for analyzing historical sound pressure; and 
 means for producing a notification to the user of the PED based upon the measured sound pressure and historical sound pressure. 
   
     
     
         9 . The PED of  claim 8 , further comprising a means for automatically reducing an audio power level to reduce the sound pressure. 
     
     
         10 . A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, comprising:
 first means for performing a first electronic based intelligence function; and   second means for performing a second electronic based intelligence function, the second means comprising:
 a transducer; 
 means for detecting an event in an environment to which the PED is exposed via the transducer; wherein the detecting means further comprises:
 means for storing a plurality of reference signatures in a content addressable memory (CAM); 
 means for comparing a sensed signal with the reference signatures stored in the CAM; 
 means for determining when the sensed signal corresponds with one of the reference signatures stored in the CAM; and 
 means for producing a notification upon detection of the event.