WO2024213244A1

WO2024213244A1 - Distributed system for smart devices

Info

Publication number: WO2024213244A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/059631
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jue LI; Zheng Li; Siqi HAO; Emrecan GULAY
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2023-04-13
Filing date: 2023-04-13
Publication date: 2024-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-13
Also published as: EP4652586A1

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a distributed system (300) for smart devices (200, 200') for determining an event (E) for a person (400). The distributed system (300) comprises first smart devices (200) for attachment at the person (400) or at a garment (410) worn by the person (400), second smart devices (200') for attachment at an equipment (420) used by the person (400), and a processing device (100). The processing device (100) determines an event (E) for the person (400) based on sensor data (S) received from the first smart devices (200) and second sensor data (S') received from the second smart devices (200'). The event (E) may e.g., be a sport event, a healthcare event, an accident event, a theft event, a terrain event, a traffic event, a collision event and may be used for sport performance evaluation, detection of theft, accidents, and/or collisions, among others. Furthermore, the invention also relates to corresponding methods and a computer program.

Description

DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR SMART DEVICES

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the invention relate to a distributed system for smart devices for determining an event for a person. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention also relate to corresponding methods and a computer program.

BACKGROUND

Wearable technology has made significant advancements in recent years with the introduction of smart devices such as smart watches, running dynamic pods, and Apple air tags. Wearable smart devices include capabilities so as to be able to provide different functions. These wearable smart devices can be used for motion tracking, performance evaluation, motion detection, e.g., to record data of physical activity, fitness monitoring, etc.

SUMMARY

An objective of embodiments of the invention is to provide a solution which mitigates or solves the drawbacks and problems of conventional solutions.

Another objective of embodiments of the invention is to provide a versatile distributed system for smart devices which can perform multiple tasks.

The above and further objectives are solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the above mentioned and other objectives are achieved with a distributed system for smart devices, the distributed system comprising: one or more first smart devices, each first smart device comprising a first attachment means for attaching the first smart device at a person or at a garment worn by the person; one or more second smart devices, each second smart device comprising a second attachment means for attaching the second smart device at an equipment used by the person; and a processing device configured to: receive first sensor data from the one or more first smart devices, receive second sensor data from the one or more second smart devices, and determine an event for the person based on the first sensor data and the second sensor data.

An equipment may herein be understood as a whole of the equipment but also a piece of an equipment.

An advantage of the distributed system according to the first aspect is that the distributed system can determine an event based on data from first and second devices located on the person and the equipment. The type and characteristic of the event can be determined based on the number of first and second devices and their sensor data provided to the processing device.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, each first smart device is configured to detect its location at the person or at the garment; and/or each second smart device is configured to detect its location at the equipment.

An advantage with this implementation form is that the distributed system can be selfconfigured depending on the number of first and second devices and their locations on the person or at a garment worn by person and the equipment. Thus, the self-configured property herein provided can determine the type of event and the characteristics of the event.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, each first smart device is configured to provide first sensor data based on its location at the person or at the garment; and/or each second smart device is configured to provide second sensor data based on its location at the equipment.

An advantage with this implementation form is that each first and second smart device is configured to provide a certain type of sensor data based on its location at the person or at the equipment.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, each first smart device is configured to provide the first sensor data further based on one or more locations of other first smart devices at the person or at the garment; and/or each second smart device is configured to provide the second sensor data further based on one or more locations of other second smart devices at the equipment.

An advantage with this implementation form is that each first and second smart device is configured to provide a certain type of sensor data based on the locations of other first smart devices or other second smart devices at the person or at the equipment.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, each first smart device is configured to provide the first sensor data further based on one or more locations of second smart devices at the equipment; and/or each second smart device is configured to provide the second sensor data further based on one or more locations of first smart devices at the person or at the garment.

An advantage with this implementation form is that each first smart device is configured to provided sensor data dependent on the locations of second smart devices and correspondingly each second smart device is configured to provided sensor data dependent on the locations of first smart devices.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the one or more first smart devices are located at any of: the head, the shoulder, the arm, the hand, the torso, the leg, and the feet.

An advantage with this implementation form is that full body motion detection of the person is possible so as to determine the event.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the first sensor data and/or the second sensor data comprises one or more of: motion data, rotation data, angle data, terrain data, and collision detection data.

An advantage with this implementation form is that the correct event may be determined. Further, the accuracy of the event may be improved using the mentioned type of data.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the distributed system further comprising: one or more feedback devices configured to provide sensory feedback to the person based on the determined event for the person. An advantage with this implementation form is that proper feedback may be provided to the person based on the determined event.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the sensory feedback comprises one or more of: visual feedback, audio feedback, and tactile feedback.

An advantage with this implementation form is that these types of feedback are easy to convey to the person.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the one or more feedback devices are integrated with the processing device and/or with the one or more first smart devices and/or with the one or more second smart devices.

An advantage with this implementation form is that a compact distributed system may be provided.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the processing device is configured to: transmit an alarm signal to a remote server and/or the person based on the determined event for the person.

An advantage with this implementation form is that the distributed system may alert the remote server and/or the person of a critical situation that may occur. The remote server may be part of a safety emergency system.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the processing device is configured to: transmit the alarm signal to the remote server and/or the person further based on input data received from the person.

An advantage with this implementation form is that also the input from the person can be considered when transmitting the alarm signal. Another advantage is that information from the person may be comprised in the alarm signal when transmitted to the remote server. In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the determined event comprises any of: a sport event, a healthcare event, an accident event, a theft event, a terrain event, a traffic event, and a collision event.

An advantage with this implementation form is that the mentioned types of events are suitably determined based on the sensor data from the first and second smart devices and their locations.

In an implementation form of a distributed system according to the first aspect, the equipment is a sport equipment.

An advantage with this implementation form is that sports applications are well suited for the herein disclosed distributed system.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the above mentioned and other objectives are achieved with a method for a distributed system, the distributed system comprising: one or more first smart devices, each first smart device comprising a first attachment means for attaching the first smart device at a person or at a garment worn by the person; one or more second smart devices, each second smart device comprising a second attachment means for attaching the second smart device at an equipment used by the person; and a processing device; the method comprising: receiving first sensor data from the one or more first smart devices, receiving second sensor data from the one or more second smart devices, and determining an event for the person based on the first sensor data and the second sensor data.

The method according to the second aspect can be extended into implementation forms corresponding to the implementation forms of the distributed system according to the first aspect. Hence, an implementation form of the method comprises the feature(s) of the corresponding implementation form of the distributed system.

The advantages of the methods according to the second aspect are the same as those for the corresponding implementation forms of the processing device according to the first aspect.

Embodiments of the invention also relate to a computer program, characterized in program code, which when run by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to execute any method according to embodiments of the invention. Further, embodiments of the invention also relate to a computer program product comprising a computer readable medium and the mentioned computer program, wherein the computer program is included in the computer readable medium, and may comprises one or more from the group of: read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), hard disk drive, etc.

Further applications and advantages of embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The appended drawings are intended to clarify and explain different embodiments of the invention, in which:

- Fig. 1 shows a distributed system according to an embodiment of the invention;

- Fig. 2 shows a processing device according to an embodiment of the invention;

- Fig. 3 shows a method for a distributed system according to an embodiment of the invention;

- Fig. 4 shows a distributed system in operation according to an embodiment of the invention;

- Fig. 5 shows exchange of data in a distributed system according to an embodiment of the invention;

- Fig. 6 shows sports performance evaluation according to an embodiment of the invention;

- Fig. 7 shows theft detection according to an embodiment of the invention;

- Fig. 8 shows collision detection according to an embodiment of the invention; and

- Fig. 9 shows injury detection according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

There are various portable fitness monitoring systems available using smart devices. However, existing systems do not provide real-time interaction, and the gathered data is only available for review after physical activity. The current technologies also lack the integration of performance data gathering, motion tracking, anti-theft and location tracking features, camera features, and other features into a single smart device. Furthermore, conventional portable fitness monitoring systems do not focus on integration with sports equipment. To address this gap, there is a growing demand for wearable smart devices that can perform multiple tasks and offer a more comprehensive solution.

According to embodiments of the invention a distributed system for smart devices that address these disadvantages are therefore provided. The distributed system according to the invention addresses needs of e.g., hobbyists, athletes, coaches and offers a versatile solution to enhance performance evaluation, improve training experience, and increase safety. The distributed system integrates various key features into one distributed system for sports performance, healthcare monitoring, accident detection and evaluation, anti-theft measures, runaway sports board warnings and tracking, traffic management, collision monitoring and notifications, terrain type detection, etc.

Fig. 1 shows a distributed system 300 according to an embodiment of the invention. The distributed system 300 comprises one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b,... , 200n and one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n'. Each first smart device 200 comprises a first attachment means 202 for attaching the first smart device 200 at a person 400 or at a garment 410 worn by the person 400. Each second smart device 200' comprises a second attachment means 202' for attaching the second smart device 200' at an equipment 420 used by the person 400. The distributed system 300 further comprises a processing device 100. The processing device 100 and the smart devices 200, 200' are configured to communicate with each other over communication interfaces 308 known in the art, e.g., over wireless communication interfaces. The smart devices 200, 200' are configured to provide sensor data S, S' to the processing device 100 over the communication interfaces 308. The processing device 100 is configured to determine an event E for the person 400 based on the received sensor data S, S'.

In embodiments, the distributed system 300 further comprises one or more feedback devices 120a, 120b,... , 120n configured to provide sensory feedback to the person 400 based on the determined event E for the person 400. Although shown as separate entities in Fig. 1 , the one or more feedback devices 120a, 120b,... , 120n may in embodiments be integrated with the processing device 100 and/or the smart devices 200, 200'.

Fig. 2 shows a processing device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the processing device 100 is a communication device such as a client device. However, the processing device 100 is not limited thereto and may be any type of processing device 100. With reference to Fig. 2, the processing device 100 comprises a processor 102, a transceiver 104 and a memory 106. The processor 102 is coupled to the transceiver 104 and the memory 106 by communication means 108 known in the art. The processing device 100 further comprises an antenna or antenna array 110 coupled to the transceiver 104, which means that the processing device 100 is configured for wireless communications in a communication system.

The processor 102 may be referred to as one or more general-purpose central processing units (CPUs), one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), one or more programmable logic devices, one or more discrete gates, one or more transistor logic devices, one or more discrete hardware components, or one or more chipsets. The memory 106 may be a read-only memory, a random-access memory (RAM), or a non-volatile RAM (NVRAM). The transceiver 304 may be a transceiver circuit, a power controller, or an interface providing capability to communicate with other communication modules or communication devices, such as network nodes and network servers. The transceiver 104, memory 106 and/or processor 102 may be implemented in separate chipsets or may be implemented in a common chipset.

That the processing device 100 is configured to perform certain actions can in this disclosure be understood to mean that the processing device 100 comprises suitable means, such as e.g., the processor 102 and the transceiver 104, configured to perform the actions.

With reference to Fig. 1 , 2 and 4, according to embodiments of the invention the processing device 100 is configured to receive first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn from the one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b,... , 200n and receive second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn' from the one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n'. The processing device 100 is further configured to determine an event E for the person 400 based on the first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn and the second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn'.

Furthermore, in an embodiment of the invention, the processing device 100 of the distributed system 300 comprises: a transceiver configured to receive first sensor data S1 , S2, ... , Sn from the one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b, ... , 200n and receive second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn' from the one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n'. The processing device 100 further comprises a processor configured to determine an event E for the person 400 based on the first sensor data S1 , S2, ... , Sn and the second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn'. Moreover, in yet another embodiment of the invention, the processing device 100 comprises a processor and a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn from the one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b, ... , 200n; receive second sensor data S 1 ' , S2',... , Sn' from the one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n'; and determine an event E for the person 400 based on the first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn and the second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn'.

Fig. 3 shows a flow chart of a corresponding method 600 which may be executed in a processing device 100 of the distributed system 300, such as the one shown in Fig. 2. The method 600 comprises receiving 602 first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn from the one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b,... , 200n and receiving 604 second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn' from the one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n'. The method 600 further comprises determining 606 an event E for the person 400 based on the first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn and the second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn'.

Fig. 4 shows the distributed system 300 in operation according to an embodiment of the system. In operation can be understood to mean when the distributed system 300 is used by a person 400, i.e., when one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b,... , 200n has been attached at the person 400 or at a garment 410 worn by the person 400 and one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n' has been attached at an equipment 420 used by the person 400. The first smart devices 200 may be attached with their respective first attachment means 202 and the second smart devices 200a' may be attached with their respective second attachment means 202'. The first attachment means 202 and/or the second attachment means 202' may be any type of attachment means providing the suitable function. The attachment means may e.g., be releasable attachment means such as e.g., a clip, a hook, a strap, a belt, an adhesive, etc. The first attachment means 202 may be adapted to be attached to the garment 410 and/or directly to the person 400, e.g., on or inside the garment 410 and/or around a wrist of the person 400. The second attachment means 202' may be adapted to be attached to the equipment 420, e.g., on the equipment or around a part of the equipment 420.

With reference to Fig. 4, the one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b,... , 200n may be attached at different locations on the person 400 or the garment 410 worn by the person 400. The one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b,... , 200n may be located at any of: the head, the shoulder, the arm, the hand, the torso, the leg, and the feet of the person 400. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the person 400 is a skier and has attached a respective first smart device 200a, 200b, 200c at the head, the arm and the foot. As the person 400 is a skier, the respective first smart devices 200a, 200b, 200c may e.g., be attached to a helmet or cap, to a sleeve of a jacket or around the wrist, and outside or inside a slalom boot.

In a similar way, the one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n' may be attached at different locations on the equipment 420 used by the person 400. In embodiments, the equipment 420 is a sport equipment such as e.g., skies, a snowboard, a cycle, a racket, etc. However, the equipment 420 may in embodiments instead be another article such as e.g., a walking stick, a lawn mower, a pram, etc. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the person 400 is a skier and has attached a respective second smart device 200a', 200b' at a first and a second end of a pair of skies 420.

With reference to Fig. 4, the distributed system 300 further comprises the processing device 100 which in this embodiment is a client device such as a smartphone. For illustrative purpose, the processing device 100 is shown separate from the person 400 but the processing device 100 may be worn by the person 400 e.g., attached to the person 400 or kept in the garment 410 of the person 400. The first smart devices 200a, 200b, 200c transmit first sensor data S1 , S2, S3 to the processing device 100 and the second smart devices 200a', 200b' transmit second sensor data S1 ', S2' to the processing device 100. The smart devices 200, 200' may comprise suitable communication means, e.g., wireless communication means, to transmit the sensor data S, S' to the processing 100. In embodiments, the smart devices 200, 200' may transmit the sensor data S, S' to the processing device 100 using wireless communication means for wireless communication over e.g., a 3GPP communication system or using WiFi, Bluetooth, ultra-wideband (UWB), near-field communication (NFC), etc. However, other communication means may also be used for transfer of the sensor data.

The processing device 100 receives and processes the first sensor data S1 , S2, S3 and the second sensor data S1 ', S2' to determine an event E for the person 400. The event E may e.g., a sport event, a healthcare event, an accident event, a theft event, a terrain event, a traffic event, and/or a collision event, as is further described below. With reference to Fig. 4, the processing device 100 may be configured to communicate over an interface with a remote server 500 located in a network NW such as e.g., a cloud network. Thus, the processing device 100 may exchange information with the remote server 500, e.g., obtain data from the remote system 500, provide data to the remote server 500, and notify the remote server 500 of determined events Es for the person 400. Fig. 5 shows exchange of sensor data and alarms in the distributed system 300 according to an embodiment of the invention. In step I and II in Fig. 5, the processing device 100 of the distributed system 300 receives first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn from the one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b,... , 200n and second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn' from the one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n', respectively. The smart devices 200, 200' may be configured to transmit the sensor data S, S' to the processing device 100 in real-time, periodically, aperiodically, semi-persistently, and/or event-triggered depending on the application.

The first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn and/or the second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn' may comprise one or more of: motion data, rotation data, angle data, terrain data, and collision detection data. The type of sensor data S, S' provided by the smart devices 200, 200' may e.g., depend on the locations of the smart devices 200, 200' and/or the use case/application.

In embodiments, the smart devices 200, 200' may be configured to detect their operating locations automatically. Thus, each first smart device 200 may be configured to detect its location at the person 400 or at the garment 410. In a similar way, each second smart device 200' may be configured to detect its location at the equipment 420. The smart devices 200, 200' may e.g., comprise a self-location function enabling the smart devices 200, 200' to detect their location.

Furthermore, each first smart device 200 may be configured to provide first sensor data S based on or dependent on its location at the person 400 or at the garment 410, i.e. , the first sensor data S provided by the first smart device 200 may depend on its location.

Each first smart device 200 may further be configured to provide the first sensor data S based on one or more locations of other first smart devices 200 at the person 400 or at the garment 410 and/or one or more locations of second smart devices 200' at the equipment 420. In other words, each first smart device 200 may consider its own location, as well as the location of other first smart devices 200 and/or the location of second smart devices 200', when determining the first sensor data S to provide to the processing device 100.

In a similar way, each second smart device 200' may be configured to detect its location at the equipment 420 and may provide second sensor data S' based on its location at the equipment 420. Each second smart device 200' may further be configured to provide the second sensor data S' based on one or more locations of other second smart devices 200' at the equipment 420 and/or one or more locations of first smart devices 200 at the person 400 or at the garment 410.

Thus, different configurations of first smart devices 200 and second smart device 200' may provide different type of sensor data and different functions and therefore relate to different events. Mentioned configurations may involve the number of first and second smart devices 200, 200' and their respective operating or active locations. Hence, the self-configurations may be predefined and possibly set by the person 400.

By attaching the smart devices 200, 200' in different locations, the person 400 may hence determine the sensor data S, S' provided to the processing device 100 in step I and II in Fig. 5.

In step III in Fig. 5, the processing device 100 determines an event E for the person 400, based on the first sensor data S1 , S2,... , Sn and the second sensor data S1 ', S2',... , Sn'. The determined event E may comprise any of: a sport event, a healthcare event, an accident event, a theft event, a terrain event, a traffic event, and a collision event. The type of sensor data S, S' received by the processing device 100 and the type of event E determined by the processing device 100 may depend on the use case, as is further described below.

Based on the determined event E, the processing device 100 may perform one or more actions. In embodiments, the processing device 100 may transmit an alarm signal 310 to a remote server 500 and/or the person 400 based on the determined event E, as shown in optional steps VI and V in Fig. 5. The alarm signal 310 may be transmitted autonomously by the processing device 100 or further based on input from the person 400. In embodiments, the processing device 100 may hence transmit the alarm signal 310 to the remote server 500 and/or the person 400 further based on input data received from the person 400.

Based on the determined event E, the processing device 100 may further trigger sensory feedback to the person 400. The sensory feedback may be provided by one or more feedback devices 120a, 120b,... , 120n included in the distributed system 300. With reference to Fig. 1 , in embodiments, the distributed system 300 may hence further comprise one or more feedback devices 120a, 120b,... , 120n configured to provide sensory feedback to the person 400 based on the determined event E for the person 400. The sensory feedback may be provided directly or indirectly to the person 400 e.g., in real-time or upon a request. In embodiments, sensory feedback may further be provided to other persons and/or systems. The sensory feedback may comprise one or more of: visual feedback, audio feedback, and tactile feedback. Each feedback device 120 may e.g., include a visual component such as a display or user interface to provide visual feedback, an audio component such as a speaker and/or microphone to provide audio feedback, and/or a haptic component such as a vibration actuator to provide tactile feedback.

In embodiments, the one or more feedback devices 120a, 120b,... , 120n are integrated with the processing device 100 and/or with the one or more first smart devices 200a, 200b, ... , 200n and/or with the one or more second smart devices 200a', 200b',... , 200n'. Thus, the sensory feedback may be provided by the processing device 100 and/or the smart devices 200, 200', e.g., displayed on the processing device 100 and/or one or more of the smart devices 200, 200' or by vibration of the processing device 100 and/or one or more of the smart devices 200, 200'.

Depending on the type of smart device 200, 200' different sensory feedback may be provided. The first smart device 200 may e.g. , be a smart insole configured to provide audio and/or tactile feedback. The first smart device 200 may further be a smart watch or a cell phone configured to provide visual, audio and/or tactile feedback. In a similar way, the second smart devices 200' may be of different types, providing different types of sensory feedback. Table 1 shows examples of sensory feedback combinations (FC) for a number of different types of smart devices 200, 200'.

Table 1

When not in use, the smart devices 200, 200' may be stored in a storage case. The storage case may work like a power bank and charge the smart devices 200, 200' when they are in the storage case. When a lid of the storage case is open, the smart devices 200, 200' may be automatically activated and/or connect to the processing device 100. The smart devices 200, 200' may e.g., be paired to the processing device 100 which may be a client device such as smart phone.

The person 400 may choose to use one or more smart devices 200, 200' simultaneously. Functions of each smart device 200, 200' may be automatically set when it is assembled in different location with self-location detection, e.g., based on a build-in camera system, and/or manually set by the person 400. Functions of each smart device 200, 200' may be switch on and off by the person 400, e.g., via the processing device 100 which may be a cell phone, smart watch or smart eyewear, etc.

Each smart device 200, 200' may comprise one or more means for obtaining one or more of: motion data, rotation data, angle data, terrain data, and collision detection data. The smart devices 200, 200' may e.g., comprise one or more sensors, a camera, 9-AXIS MEMS IMU which combines 3D axis gyroscope with 3D accelerometer and 3D axis compass in the same chip, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, pressure sensor, etc. The camera may e.g., be an Insta 360x3 which are capable of panoramic video recording. With these means, the smart device 200, 200' may obtain data related to e.g., pressure distribution, body motion, body balance, hip rotation, velocity, acceleration, route tracking, number of jumps, air time, height of jumps, spin angle, spin rate, axis of spin, jump landing strike, impact force, posture, carving angle etc.

Each smart device 200, 200' may further comprise one or more means for tracking environmental conditions and/or health data such as e.g., a location sensor, a GPS, a thermometer, a heart rate sensor, a pulse oximeter, etc. With these means, the smart device 200, 200' may obtain data related to e.g., location of the equipment 420, location of body parts, injury, temperature, breathing rhythm, heart rate, peripheral oxygen saturation (SPO2), exercise recovery time, etc. The distributed system 300 according to embodiments of the invention may provide different functionality depending on the use case and configuration. Listed below are examples of functionality corresponding to configurations which may be provided by the distributed system 300.

Automatic body and equipment detection: The smart devices 200, 200' may be automatically activated when e.g., a storage case where they are stored is opened. When the person 400 picks them up and attaches them to different locations on the body, garment 410 and/or equipment 420, the smart devices 200, 200' may be configured to detect their location on the body, garment 410 and/or equipment 420 and adjust their setting accordingly.

Distributed motion detection: With the smart devices 200, 200', motion detection may be conducted for different body parts of the person 400, e.g., head, arm, leg, shoulder, torso, and for the equipment 420. The motion detection may e.g., be used to give a comprehensive sports performance evaluation in real time. The distributed motion detection functionality of the distributed system 300 may be used in a coaching or training program, providing real-time personalized feedback and guidance to help the person 400 improve their skills and performance. For example, using multiple first smart devices 200 on feet and arms may greatly improve the motion detection and sports performance evaluation accuracy.

Fall, accident, and avalanche detection: With the smart devices 200, 200', it is possible to measure the impact on different body parts, e.g., head, shoulder, torso, arm, leg, and give a comprehensive evaluation of injury. Combining with health care data like heart rate and/or SPO2, the distributed system 300 may be able to evaluate an accident and make a rescue call and/or send a rescue message automatically.

Terrain type detection: When detecting icy slopes ahead, e.g., from ski resort broadcasting or from smart devices 200, 200' detection and/or artificial intelligence (Al) analysis, the distributed system 300 may be used to warn the person 400 to be careful and suggest e.g., ‘current carving angle it too high for an icy slope ahead’. By warning the person, it helps to reduce the probabilities of injury and accidents.

Intelligent traffic management: The distributed system 300 may provide intelligent traffic management to preventing collisions and injuries. The distributed system 300 may e.g., provide hazard alerts, automatic reporting of emergency, warnings related to icy region, avalanche high risk area, slow-down region etc. Its recording feature can also provide evidence when evaluating collision accidents. The distributed system 300 may provide intelligent traffic management for resort monitoring systems based on e.g., customer injury alarms, customer density on slope, off-piste customer positioning and rescue support, icy or snow condition realtime information broadcasting and warnings.

Anti-theft and equipment tracking: Second smart devices 200' may be attached to the equipment 420 of the person 400 and the distributed system 300 may provide anti-theft functionality based on e.g., motion sensors, global positioning system (GPS) and camera technologies included in the second smart devices 200'. The distributed system 300 may also be used to track runaway equipment 420 and warn surrounding persons to prevent injury.

Virtual reality (VR) training and coaching: The distributed system 300 may also be used in VR use cases to create immersive and interactive training or coaching experiences, where the person 400 may practice and improve their skills in a virtual environment.

Further details related to embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to examples of use cases and Figs. 6 to 9.

In embodiments of the invention the distributed system 300 may be used for sport performance evaluation. In the sport performance evaluation use case, the smart devices 200, 200' of the distributed system 300 may collect data and measure various metrics, e.g., carving angle, when attached to sports equipment 420 such as skis or snowboards. The smart devices 200, 200' may comprise several sensors, including accelerometers and gyroscopes, which measure acceleration, angular velocity, etc. The sensors of the smart devices 200, 200' may provide data on the movement and orientation of the person 400 and the equipment 420 used by the person 400. By processing of the movement and orientation data a comprehensive sports performance evaluation may be provided.

The processing of the movement and orientation data may be performed in the processing device 100 and/or the smart devices 200, 200'. The smart devices 200, 200' may e.g., transmit the raw, i.e., unprocessed, movement and orientation sensor data to the processing device 100 which process and analyze the movement and orientation data to determine various performance metrics. Alternatively, or in addition, the smart devices 200, 200' may comprise built-in terminals, e.g., microprocessors, that runs algorithms to process and analyze the movement and orientation data to determine the various performance metrics. The processed data is then transmitted to the processing device 100. Either way, the processing device 100, e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, etc., may display the processed data and perform additional analysis using an accompanying software such as e.g., an application associated with the distributed system 300.

The smart devices 200, 200' may continuously measures and transmits motion detection data to the processing device 100, e.g., in real-time. Based on the motion detection data, the posture of the person 400 may be simulated in the processing device 100 or in the remote server 500 and may be compared to a standard posture in a database, e.g., a library. A posture score can be calculated after comparing with the standard posture in the database and give the person 400 a quantitatively feedback on how good the posture is. If a bad posture is detected, the feedback devices 120 of the distributed system 300 may send the person 400 sensory feedback indicating a warning and/or instruction related to the bad posture. The sensory feedback may e.g., be audio and/or haptic cues. Sensory feedback may further be used to indicate a good posture to the person 400.

With reference to Fig. 6, in embodiments, the distributed system 300 may be used for sport performance evaluation of posture for a person 400 on a snowboard 420. Based on movement and orientation data from the smart devices 200, 200' on the person 400 and/or snowboard 420, the processing device 100 may determine and analyze the posture of the person 400, The posture may e.g., be evaluated based on a shoulder line L1 , a hip line L2, and a board line L3. Parallel lines may indicate a good posture, while non-parallel lines may indicate a bad posture, e.g., that a shoulder or one side of the hip is too high or low, as shown in Fig. 6. The movement and orientation data from the smart devices 200, 200' may further be used to detect bad posture such as e.g., open shoulder, counter rotation, head down, upper body bending too much etc. If a bas posture is detected, the processing device 400 determines an event E and may trigger sensory feedback e.g., audio and/or haptic cues from one or more feedback devices 120.

The motion detection data collected by the smart devices 200, 200' may also be used to measure the carving angle of a board during board sports. The second smart devices 200' may e.g., include an accelerometer or gyroscope to detect changes in the angle and orientation of the board. The processing device 100 and/or the second smart devices 200' may then use this data to calculate the carving angle and e.g., the processing device 100 may display it to the person 400 in real-time. In addition to the carving angle, the smart devices 200, 200' may also measure other performance metrics such as speed, distance, acceleration, and air-time, 3-axis rotations, as well as environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. By measuring the carving angle and tracking it over time, the person 400 may identify areas for improvement in his/her technique. For example, if the carving angle is too shallow, the person 400 may not have enough edge grip and may have difficulty making tight turns. On the other hand, if the carving angle is too steep, the person 400 may lose stability and control, leading to less efficient turns.

The smart devices 200, 200' may be attached to the equipment 420, clothing, or worn by the person 400. As the person 400 participates in their sport, the smart devices 200, 200' may continuously measures and transmits data to e.g., an application in real-time. The application may display the data, allowing the person 400 to track and analyze their performance. By tracking and analyzing e.g., the carving angle, the person 400 may adjust their technique and find the optimal angle for their equipment 420 and style. For example, the smart devices 200, 200' may detect when the carving angle falls outside of a predetermined range. The smart devices 200, 200' may comprise feedback devices 120 such as e.g., audio components and/or haptic actuators to alert the person 400 of the detected incorrect carving angle. An embedded audio component, e.g., a speaker, may be used to play an audio notification, such as a beep or a voice message, to alert the person 400 of the incorrect carving angle. Moreover, a haptic actuator, e.g., a haptic feedback motor, may produce a tactile sensation, such as a vibration, to further alert the person 400.

In embodiments of the invention the distributed system 300 may be used for terrain type detection. For example, the distributed system 300 may detect and warn the person 400 of icy terrain ahead. Icy terrain may be detected by the smart devices 200, 200' of the distributed system 300, based on a notification from smart devices 200, 200' of another distributed system 300 in the surrounding and/or based on a notification from a central system e.g., a ski resort system warning customer who enters an icy region. Based on the detected icy terrain, the distributed system 300 may actively warn the person 400 of the icy terrain ahead and e.g., recommend a reduced carving angle for safety purpose.

In some embodiments for terrain type detection, the smart devices 200, 200' of the distributed system 300 may detect groomed terrain. Based on the detected groomed terrain, as well as e.g., Al analysis of the performance of the person 400, the distributed system 300 may suggest an improved higher carving angle that still ensure safety based on the detected snow condition. The distributed system 300 may hence actively suggest a higher carving angle to the person 400 on a groomed slope for the purpose of improving performance. In embodiments of the invention the distributed system 300 may be used for anti-theft and runaway equipment alarm and tracking. With reference to Fig. 7, the distributed system 300 may be used to protect sports equipment, such as skies, sports boards, bikes, etc., from theft. Multiple functions may be provided, including tracking the location of the equipment 420 and sending notifications in the event of tampering or theft. The distributed system 300 may further send alert data to the authorities and/or the person 400, either automatically or upon a request. The second smart devices 200' may be equipped with mechanisms, e.g., secure mounting systems, for secure attachment to any equipment 420. The second smart devices 200' may further include additional means to lock and store the equipment 420. The attachment and/or locking mechanism may e.g., be controlled via the processing device 100.

In embodiments, the anti-theft functionality may be controlled using an application on the processing device 100, e.g., a mobile application when the processing device 100 is a smartphone. Using the application, the person 400 may activate a second smart device 200' after pairing it with processing device 100. The person 400 may attach the second smart devices 200' to the equipment 420 using the secure attachment mechanism, e.g., a clamp mechanism for attaching to the rails of a surfboard, a strap system for attaching to a snowboard or skateboard, etc. The second smart devices 200' may include a camera surveillance feature which can be turn on when the equipment 420 is placed on the ground, on the shaft or in a closet. Once paired with the processing device 100, the person 400 may select the type of notification and make various adjustments. The second smart device 200' may activate its anti-theft features and start tracking the location of the equipment 420. If the second smart device 200' includes built-in GPS positioning technology, the second smart device 200' may be offline, i.e., not connected to an online network, and still track the location of the equipment 420.

With reference to Fig. 7, if the equipment 420 is moved without permission from the person 400, the distributed system 300 may detect a theft event E and the second smart device 200' may send a notification N1 to the processing device 100, e.g., to the smartphone through the mobile application. The processing device 100 may provide an audio notification and/or haptic feedback to alert the person 400 that the equipment 420 has been moved. The second smart device 200' may provide an audio notification and/or haptic feedback to warn the thief and/or alert the public. The second smart device 200' may further include a light source to provide various visual feedback based on the location of the equipment 420. For example, the light source may provide blinking green light when the equipment 420 is securely stored and/or blinking red light when the equipment 420 has been moved without permission.

In a similar way, runaway equipment 420 may be tracked. It is common for winter sports equipment to accidentally slide or fall from a slope, and in such cases, the second smart device 200' may notifies the person 400. Furthermore, the second smart device 200' and/or the processing device 100 may also send alerts to nearby persons. In this way, hazardous situations due to runaway equipment 420 may be prevented. Upon permission from the person 400, the second smart device 200' and/or the processing device 100 may also alert relevant authorities, administrators, or medical care services. The person 400 and/or authorities may use the mobile application or other means to track the location of the equipment 420 and take appropriate actions. The person 400 may have the option to activate a surveillance feature of the distributed system 300. The surveillance feature may provide visual data to the person 400 via e.g., a built-in camera of the second smart device 200'. The visual data may be recorded to a memory, broadcasted or distributed in other ways.

During an accident, theft, and various dangerous situations, a light source, e.g., a LED, may provide visual feedback to the person 400 or to the public. The light source may be included in the second smart device 200' and may provide various visual feedback based on the different states of the equipment 420. Furthermore, the visual feedback may be supported via simultaneous audio feedback delivered through built-in audio components included in second smart device 200'.

In embodiments of the invention the distributed system 300 may be used for intelligent traffic management to prevent collisions and injuries. T raffic management and pre-collision detection and warning is a useful feature in a wide range of applications, including sports, transportations, and industrial settings. It can help to prevent injuries, damage to equipment, and other potential issues by alerting individuals regarding potential collisions before they occur. During a physical activity such as e.g., running, biking, skiing, walking, etc., the distributed system 300 may be set to manage traffic and detect collisions between the person 400 and other objects.

In some sports, such as skiing, snowboarding and skateboarding, collisions are common and the risk of injury is high. If a collision hazard is predicted by the distributed system 300, the distributed system 300 may alert the person 400 or any nearby individuals. The alert may include sounding an alert through loudspeakers, sending haptic sensations through actuators, sending alerts via processing devices 100, visual cues in augmented reality glasses or goggles, etc. Collision detection may be achieved through the smart devices 200, 200' which may include various sensors, e.g., cameras, accelerometers, gyroscopes, GPS and built-in panoramic cameras. Sensors in the smart devices 200, 200' may detect sudden changes in movement or force, and cameras in the smart devices 200, 200' may transmit real-time surrounding traffic visual data to the processing device 100 or the remote server 500 to predict a potential collision event. The analysis of the collected data may in embodiments be performed via an Al algorithm. The collected data may further be used in the investigation of a collision event after a collision accident.

Fig. 8 shows collision detection in a skiing scenario according to an embodiment of the invention. A first route A1 of a first person 400a and a first route B1 of a second person 400b is recorded by the distributed system 300 and used to predict a second route A2 of the first person 400a and a second route B2 of the second person 400b, respectively. Based on the predict second route A2 of the first person 400a and the predicted second route B2 of the second person 400b, a collision event E is detected and alerts are sent to the first person 400a and/or the second person 400b. With reference to Fig. 8, the alerts may be an audio notification and/or haptic feedback but are no limited thereto.

In embodiments of the invention the distributed system 300 may be used for fall and injury detection and evaluation. When a fall or collision accident takes place, the smart devices 200, 200' may detect the impact on different body parts. Impact energy may be calculated and analyzed in the processing device 100, the smart devices 200, 200' and/or the remote server 500. Based on the analyses of the impact energy, an injury evaluation may be conducted automatically.

Fig. 9 shows fall and injury detection and evaluation according to an embodiment of the invention. The smart devices 200, 200' detects an impact, e.g., a fall, and transmits impact data D1 to the processing device 100. The processing device 100 analyzes the impact data D1 and determines an impact event E. Impact energy may be calculated and analyzed to perform an injury evaluation. If the injury evaluation indicates that the risk of injury is high, the processing device 100 may contact the person 400 e.g., by audio. With reference to Fig. 9, the processing device 100 may contact the person 400 directly or via the smart devices 200, 200'. If no feedback is received from the person 400, the processing device 100 may call for rescue automatically and/or send a message to nearby persons for help. If voice feedback is received from the person 400, the processing device 100 may follow a voice command from the person 400, e.g., to do nothing or to call for rescue. Generally, the herein disclosed distributed system in fall and injury applications can collect impact energy from different body locations and thus provide a more accurate risk event evolution compared to conventional solutions.

The first and second smart devices herein are any type of devices that can be attached at the person or the equipment and provide sensor data so that an event may be determined based on the provided sensor data. The first and second smart devices are generally electronic devices powered by electrical power and comprises suitable sensors and communication interfaces such that sensor data can be transferred to the processing device 100 for event determination.

A client device herein may be denoted as a user device, a user equipment (UE), a mobile station, an internet of things (loT) device, a sensor device, a wireless terminal and/or a mobile terminal, and is enabled to communicate wirelessly in a wireless communication system, sometimes also referred to as a cellular radio system. The UEs may further be referred to as mobile telephones, cellular telephones, computer tablets or laptops with wireless capability. The UEs in this context may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer- comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via a radio access network (RAN), with another communication entity, such as another receiver or a server. The UE may further be a station, which is any device that contains an IEEE 802.11- conformant MAC and PHY interface to the WM. The UE may be configured for communication in 3GPP related LTE, LTE-advanced, 5G wireless systems, such as NR, and their evolutions, as well as in IEEE related Wi-Fi, WiMAX and their evolutions.

Furthermore, any method according to embodiments of the invention may be implemented in a computer program, having code means, which when run by processing means causes the processing means to execute the steps of the method. The computer program is included in a computer readable medium of a computer program product. The computer readable medium may comprise essentially any memory, such as previously mentioned a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, a flash memory, an EEPROM, or a hard disk drive.

Moreover, it should be realized that the processing device and the smart device comprise the necessary communication capabilities in the form of e.g., functions, means, units, elements, etc., for performing or implementing embodiments of the invention. Examples of other such means, units, elements and functions are: processors, memory, buffers, control logic, encoders, decoders, rate matchers, de-rate matchers, mapping units, multipliers, decision units, selecting units, switches, interleavers, de-interleavers, modulators, demodulators, inputs, outputs, antennas, amplifiers, receiver units, transmitter units, DSPs, TCM encoder, TCM decoder, power supply units, power feeders, communication interfaces, communication protocols, etc. which are suitably arranged together for performing the solution.

Therefore, the processor(s) of the processing device and the smart device may comprise, e.g., one or more instances of a CPU, a processing unit, a processing circuit, a processor, an ASIC, a microprocessor, or other processing logic that may interpret and execute instructions. The expression “processor” may thus represent a processing circuitry comprising a plurality of processing circuits, such as e.g., any, some or all of the ones mentioned above. The processing circuitry may further perform data processing functions for inputting, outputting, and processing of data comprising data buffering and device control functions, such as call processing control, user interface control, or the like. Finally, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but also relates to and incorporates all embodiments within the scope of the appended independent claims.

Claims

1. A distributed system (300) for smart devices, the distributed system (300) comprising: one or more first smart devices (200a, 200b,... , 200n), each first smart device (200) comprising a first attachment means (202) for attaching the first smart device (200) at a person (400) or at a garment (410) worn by the person (400); one or more second smart devices (200a', 200b',... , 200n'), each second smart device (200') comprising a second attachment means (202') for attaching the second smart device (200') at an equipment (420) used by the person (400); and a processing device (100) configured to: receive first sensor data (S1 , S2,... , Sn) from the one or more first smart devices (200a, 200b,... , 200n), receive second sensor data (S1 ', S2',... , Sn') from the one or more second smart devices (200a', 200b',... , 200n'), and determine an event (E) for the person (400) based on the first sensor data (S1 , S2,... , Sn) and the second sensor data (S1 ', S2',... , Sn').

2. The distributed system (300) according to claim 1 , wherein each first smart device (200) is configured to detect its location at the person (400) or at the garment (410); and/or each second smart device (200') is configured to detect its location at the equipment (420).

3. The distributed system (300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each first smart device (200) is configured to provide first sensor data based on its location at the person (400) or at the garment (410); and/or each second smart device (200') is configured to provide second sensor data based on its location at the equipment (420).

4. The distributed system (300) according to claim 3, wherein each first smart device (200) is configured to provide the first sensor data further based on one or more locations of other first smart devices (200) at the person (400) or at the garment (410); and/or each second smart device (200') is configured to provide the second sensor data further based on one or more locations of other second smart devices (200') at the equipment (420).

5. The distributed system (300) according to claim 4, wherein each first smart device (200) is configured to provide the first sensor data further based on one or more locations of second smart devices (200') at the equipment (420); and/or each second smart device (200') is configured to provide the second sensor data further based on one or more locations of first smart devices (200) at the person (400) or at the garment (410).

6. The distributed system (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more first smart devices (200a, 200b,... , 200n) are located at any of: the head, the shoulder, the arm, the hand, the torso, the leg, and the feet.

7. The distributed system (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first sensor data (S1 , S2,... , Sn) and/or the second sensor data (S1 ', S2',... , Sn') comprises one or more of: motion data, rotation data, angle data, terrain data, and collision detection data.

8. The distributed system (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: one or more feedback devices (120a, 120b,... , 120n) configured to provide sensory feedback to the person (400) based on the determined event (E) for the person (400).

9. The distributed system (300) according to claim 8, wherein the sensory feedback comprises one or more of: visual feedback, audio feedback, and tactile feedback.

10. The distributed system (300) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the one or more feedback devices (120a, 120b,... , 120n) are integrated with the processing device (100) and/or with the one or more first smart devices (200a, 200b,... , 200n) and/or with the one or more second smart devices (200a', 200b',... , 200n').

11. The distributed system (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processing device (100) is configured to: transmit an alarm signal (310) to a remote server (500) and/or the person (400) based on the determined event (E) for the person (400).

12. The distributed system (300) according to claim 11 , wherein the processing device (100) is configured to: transmit the alarm signal (310) to the remote server (500) and/or the person (400) further based on input data received from the person (400).

13. The distributed system (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the determined event (E) comprises any of: a sport event, a healthcare event, an accident event, a theft event, a terrain event, a traffic event, and a collision event.

14. The distributed system (300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the equipment (420) is a sport equipment.

15. A method (600) for a distributed system (300), the distributed system (300) comprising: one or more first smart devices (200a, 200b,... , 200n), each first smart device (200) comprising a first attachment means (202) for attaching the first smart device (200) at a person (400) or at a garment (410) worn by the person (400); one or more second smart devices (200a', 200b',... , 200n'), each second smart device (200') comprising a second attachment means (202') for attaching the second smart device (200') at an equipment (420) used by the person (400); and a processing device (100); the method (600) comprising: receiving (602) first sensor data (S1 , S2,... , Sn) from the one or more first smart devices (200a, 200b,... , 200n), receiving (604) second sensor data (S1 ', S2',... , Sn') from the one or more second smart devices (200a', 200b',... , 200n'), and determining (606) an event (E) for the person (400) based on the first sensor data (S1 , S2,... , Sn) and the second sensor data (S1 ', S2',... , Sn').

16. A computer program with a program code for performing a method according to claim 15 when the computer program runs on a computer.