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, the PED having a computer based architecture, comprising:
 first electronic system designed to perform a first electronic based intelligence function; and   second electronic system designed to perform a second electronic based intelligence function, the second electronic based intelligence function being different than the first electronic based intelligence function, the second electronic system comprising:
 a plurality of transducers, each transducer designed to produce signal data indicative of a sensed environmental condition; 
 a processor; 
 a plurality of different modes of operation, each of the modes implemented by a corresponding software part that is executed by the processor, at least one of the plurality of transducers being operable during each mode of operation; 
 detection software executable by the processor, the detection software designed to detect a plurality of events in an environment associated with the PED via respectively the plurality of transducers, wherein during at least one mode of operation, the detection software is designed to determine if the sensed signal data corresponds with reference data and to initiate a notification when the sensed signal data does correspond to the reference data; and 
 user interface software executable by the processor, the user interface software designed to enable a user of the PED to select the mode of operation and which of the transducers are to be operational by selecting and initiating one of the plurality of software parts, which in turn activates the at least one transducer in order to detect at least one event. 
   
     
     
         2 . The PED of  claim 1 , further comprising software executable by the processor and designed to engage in a communication session with a remote computer and access reference data from the remote computer. 
     
     
         3 . The PED of  claim 1 , further comprising software executable by the processor and designed to suspend operation of the first electronic system while the notification is produced. 
     
     
         4 . The PED of  claim 1 , wherein the detection software comprises:
 program instructions that correlate the sensed signal data and the reference data; and   program instructions that initiate a detection indication when there is a degree of correlation above a predefined threshold.   
     
     
         5 . The PED of  claim 1 , wherein the detection software comprises:
 program instructions that compare the sensed signal data and a predefined threshold; and   program instructions that initiate a detection indication based upon the comparison.   
     
     
         6 . The PED of  claim 5 , wherein the user interface software comprises program instructions that enable the user to input the predefined threshold. 
     
     
         7 . A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, the PED having a computer based architecture, comprising:
 first electronic system designed to perform a first electronic based intelligence function; and   second electronic system designed to perform a second electronic based intelligence function, the second electronic based intelligence function being different than the first electronic based intelligence function, the second electronic system comprising:
 a plurality of transducers, each transducer designed to produce signal data indicative of a sensed environmental condition; 
 a processor; 
 a plurality of different modes of operation, each of the modes implemented by a corresponding software part that is executed by the processor, at least one of the plurality of transducers being operable during each mode of operation; 
 detection software executable by the processor, the detection software designed to detect a plurality of events in an environment associated with the PED via respectively the plurality of transducers, wherein during at least one mode of operation, the detection software is designed to initiate a notification based upon the sensed signal data and a predefined threshold; and 
 user interface software executable by the processor, the user interface software designed to enable a user of the PED to select the mode of operation and which of the transducers are to be operational by selecting and initiating one of the plurality of software parts, which in turn activates the at least one transducer in order to detect at least one event. 
   
     
     
         8 . The PED of  claim 7 , further comprising software executable by the processor and designed to engage in a communication session with a remote computer and access reference data from the remote computer. 
     
     
         9 . The PED of  claim 7 , further comprising software executable by the processor and designed to suspend operation of the first electronic system while the notification is produced. 
     
     
         10 . The PED of  claim 7 , wherein the user interface software comprises program instructions that enable the user to input the predefined threshold. 
     
     
         11 . A personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, the PED having a computer based architecture, comprising:
 first electronic means for performing a first electronic based intelligence function; and   second electronic means for performing a second electronic bas'ed intelligence function, the second electronic based intelligence function being different than the first electronic based intelligence function, the second electronic means comprising:
 a plurality of sensing means, each sensing means for producing signal data indicative of a sensed environmental condition; 
 a processing means for operating the PED in a plurality of different modes of operation, at least one of the plurality of sensing means being operable during each mode of operation; 
 detection means for detecting a plurality of events in an environment associated with the PED via respectively the plurality of sensing means, wherein during at least one mode of operation, the detection means determines if the sensed signal data corresponds with reference data and initiates a notification when the sensed signal data does correspond to the reference data; and 
 user interface means for enabling a user of the PED to select the mode of operation and which of the sensing means are to be operational by selecting and initiating one of a plurality of software parts, which in turn causes activation of the at least one sensing means in order to detect at least one event. 
   
     
     
         12 . The PED of  claim 11 , further comprising means for engaging in a communication session with a remote computer system and accessing reference data from the remote computer system. 
     
     
         13 . The PED of  claim 11 , further comprising means for suspending operation of the first electronic means while the notification is produced. 
     
     
         14 . The PED of  claim 11 , wherein the detection means comprises:
 means for correlating the sensed signal data and the reference data; and   means for initiating a detection indication when there is a degree of correlation above a predefined threshold.   
     
     
         15 . The PED of  claim 14 , wherein the correlation is performed in the time domain. 
     
     
         16 . The PED of  claim 14 , wherein the correlation is performed in the frequency domain. 
     
     
         17 . The PED of  claim 11 , wherein the detection means comprises:
 means for comparing the sensed signal data and a predefined threshold; and   means for initiating a detection indication based upon the comparison.   
     
     
         18 . The PED of  claim 17 , wherein the user interface means comprises a means for enabling the user to input the predefined threshold. 
     
     
         19 . A method performed in connection with a personal electronic device (PED) that can be transported with a user, the PED having a computer based architecture with processor circuitry and a user interface enabling a user to provide one or more inputs and receive one or more outputs, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first mode of operation that performs a first electronic based intelligence function;   providing a plurality of transducers, each of the transducers for producing signal data indicative of a sensed environmental condition; and   providing a second mode of operation that performs a second electronic based intelligence function, the second electronic based intelligence function being different than the first electronic based intelligence function, the second electronic based intelligence function comprising the steps of:
 operating the PED in a plurality of different second modes of operation, at least one of the plurality of transducers being operable during each second mode of operation; 
 detecting a plurality of events in an environment associated with the PED via respectively the plurality of transducers; 
 during at least one mode of operation, determining if the sensed signal data corresponds with reference data and initiating a notification when the sensed signal data does correspond to the reference data; and 
 enabling the user of the PED to select the mode of operation and which of the plurality of transducers are operational during each mode by input via the user interface associated with the PED. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:
 enabling the PED to communicate with another PED; and   exchanging information related to a detected event between the PEDs.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of:
 storing the reference data in a content addressable memory (CAM); and   comparing the sensed signal data with the reference data in the CAM in order to determine if the sensed signal data corresponds with the reference data.