Prayer Rug, System, and Method to Determine Progression in Prayer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a prayer rug configured to determine a progression in prayer of a user, wherein the prayer rug comprises a sensor configured to detect a change in a physical property, wherein the prayer rug comprises a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a first group of sensors, and wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a second group of sensors. The present invention also relates to a method for determining a progression in prayer of a user, and to a system and a computer program product configured therefor.

Claims

1. A prayer rug configured to determine a progression in prayer of a user, wherein the prayer rug comprises a sensor configured to detect a change in a physical property, wherein the prayer rug comprises a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a first group of sensors, and wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a second group of sensors.

2. The prayer rug according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a minimum change detectable by a sensor in the first group of sensors to a minimum change detectable by a sensor in the second group of sensors is between 0.001 and 1, preferably between 0.002 and 0.75, further preferably between 0.004 and 0.5.

3. The prayer rug according to claim 1, wherein a minimum distance between any of the plurality of sensors in the first group and any of the plurality of sensors in the second group is between 10 and 100 cm, preferably between 15 and 75 cm, further preferably between 20 and 60 cm.

4. The prayer rug according to claim 1, wherein the prayer rug comprises a data processing unit, and wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to send data to the data processing unit, wherein the data sent by the sensor is representative of the change in the physical property detected by the sensor.

5. The prayer rug according to claim 4, wherein the data processing unit is configured to determine a number of times the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the first group exceeds a first threshold.

6. The prayer rug according to claim 4, wherein the data processing unit is configured to determine if the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the second group exceeds a second threshold.

7. The prayer rug according to claim 5, wherein the data processing unit is configured to determine a number of times the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the first group exceeds the first threshold at significantly the same time as the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the second group exceeds the second threshold.

8. The prayer rug according to claim 6, wherein the data processing unit is configured to determine a number of times the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the first group exceeds the first threshold at significantly the same time as the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the second group exceeds the second threshold.

9. The prayer rug according to claim 8, wherein the data processing unit is configured to send the number of times the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the first group exceeds the first threshold at significantly the same time as the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the second group exceeds the second threshold.

10. The prayer rug according to claim 9, wherein the prayer rug comprises a display unit, wherein the display unit is configured to display the number of times the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the first group exceeds the first threshold at significantly the same time as the change in the physical property detected by a sensor in the second group exceeds the second threshold.

11. The prayer rug according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

12. A method for determining a progression in prayer of a user comprising: receiving, from a sensor configured to detect a change in a physical property, data representing a detected change in the physical property, and determining if the detected change exceeds a first threshold.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method further comprises receiving a value for the first threshold, and wherein the method comprises determining a number of times the detected change exceeds the first threshold.

14. A system for determining a progression in prayer of a user configured for: receiving, from a sensor configured to detect a change in a physical property, data representing a detected change in the physical property, and determining if the detected change exceeds a first threshold.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the system comprises a prayer rug.

16. A computer program product comprising instructions, when run on a data processing unit, to perform the method according to claim 12.

17. A computer program product comprising instructions, when run on a data processing unit to perform the method according to claim 13.

Description

BRIEF FIGURE DESCRIPTION

[0245] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic view of a prayer rug comprising sensors; and

[0246] FIG. 2 depicts typical data that may be recorded by the sensor of the prayer rug; particularly, FIG. 2a shows the signal over time while FIG. 2b enlarges a single signal in detail.

DETAILED FIGURE DESCRIPTION

[0247] FIG. 1 depicts a system 1 configured for determining a progression in prayer of a user. The system 1 may comprise an external device 2 and a prayer rug 3. The external device 2 may comprise a smartphone, a laptop, a desktop computer, a tablet, or any other suitable data processing system. The external device 2 may also comprise a remote computer and/or a remote server.

[0248] Communication between the external device 2 and the prayer rug 3 may preferably be carried out wirelessly. However, in embodiments, the communication may also be carried out over a wire. The external device 2 may comprise, for example, a communication unit that may interface with a communication unit of the prayer rug 3, via an intermediate router, for example. Thus, generally, it may be understood that the prayer rug 3 may communicate with the external device 2.

[0249] The prayer rug 3 may generally comprise a significantly planar rug, such that an extension, that may be called a thickness, of the prayer rug 3 in one dimension may be significantly smaller than an extension, that may be called a width and a length, of the prayer rug 3 in any of the 2 other dimensions. Generally, the length of the prayer rug 3 may correspond to the longest side of the prayer rug 3, while the width may correspond to the second longest side of the prayer rug 3. The prayer rug 3 may be configured for determining and/or measuring a progression in prayer of a user.

[0250] A progression in prayer may be understood to comprise data indicating how far along in a prayer is the user. For example, a prayer may require the user to bow and stand up and repeat the steps of bowing and standing up 5 times. The prayer rug 3 may then be of advantage in determining, for example, how many times the user has already bowed.

[0251] The prayer rug 3 may comprise one or more sensors 421, 4421, 4441, that may be used to determine the progression in prayer. Each of the one or more sensors 421, 4421, 4441, may be configured to detect a change in a physical property. For example, any of the one or more sensors 421, 4421, 4441, may comprise a pressure sensor that may be configured to detect a change in pressure. Alternatively, or additionally, any of the one or more sensors 421, 4421, 4441, may, for example, comprise a proximity sensor that may detect reflected radiation corresponding to emitted electromagnetic radiation and that may be configured to detect a change in the reflected radiation. Further exemplarily, any of the one or more sensors 421, 4421, 4441, may comprise a temperature sensor configured to detect a change in temperature. Any other suitable sensor may be used.

[0252] Preferably, the prayer rug 3 comprises a plurality of sensors 421, 4421, 4441. As depicted in FIG. 1, the plurality of sensors 421, 4421, 4441, may comprise a plurality of groups of sensors. The plurality of groups may comprise a first group of sensors 42, comprising at least one sensor 421, and a second group of sensors 44, comprising at least one sensor 4421/4441. The second group 44 may preferably comprise a plurality of sensors 4421, 4441. The plurality of sensors 4421, 4441 may comprise a plurality of sub-groups of sensors, such as two sub-groups. As depicted in FIG. 1, the second group 44 may comprise a first sub-group 442 and a second sub-groups 444 of one or more sensors.

[0253] As further depicted in FIG. 1, the first group 42 of sensors and the second group 44 of sensors may be displaced with respect to each other along a dimension significantly parallel to a length of the prayer rug 3. In this regard, the displacement of the groups/sub-groups may be defined as the displacement of centroids of each of the groups/sub-groups.

[0254] Further, in some embodiments, a third group 46 of sensors may also be used. The third group 46 of sensors may also be displaced with respect to the first group 42 and the second group 44 of sensors. The third group 46 of sensors may be of particular advantage in detecting a change in physical property caused by the fect of a user. The third group 46 may also comprise a plurality of, particularly two, sub-groups of sensors, displaced with respect to each other along a dimension significantly parallel to the width of the prayer rug 3.

[0255] The first sub-group 442 and the second sub-group 444 may be displaced with respect to each other along a dimension significantly parallel to a width of the prayer rug 3. In this regard, the displacement of the sub-groups may be defined as the displacement of centroids of each of the sub-groups.

[0256] The first group 42 of sensors may comprise a plurality of sensors 421. Each of the plurality of sensors 421 may, preferably, be significantly identical to any other of the plurality of sensors 421. However, any of the plurality of sensors 421 may also be different from any of the plurality of sensors 421. For example, a minimum change in physical property detectable by a sensor 421 that lies closer to a centroid of the first group 42 may be larger than a minimum change in physical property detectable by a sensor 421 that lies farther away from a centroid of the first group 42. This may be of advantage, for example, if the sensors 421 are expected to detect a higher change in the physical property compared to sensors 421 further away.

[0257] The first sub-group 442 of sensors may comprise a plurality of sensors 4421. Each of the plurality of sensors 4421 may, preferably, be significantly identical to any other of the plurality of sensors 4421. However, any of the plurality of sensors 4421 may also be different from any of the plurality of sensors 4421. For example, the sensors 4421 may be distributed based on an expected change in the physical property to be detected by the sensors 4421 as described above for the sensors 421.

[0258] The second sub-group 444 of sensors may comprise a plurality of sensors 4441. Each of the plurality of sensors 4441 may, preferably, be significantly identical to any other of the plurality of sensors 4441. However, any of the plurality of sensors 4441 may also be different from any of the plurality of sensors 4421. For example, the sensors 4441 may be distributed based on an expected change in the physical property to be detected by the sensors 4441 as described above for the sensors 421.

[0259] Any of the plurality of sensors 4421, or 4441, may, preferably, be different from any of the plurality of sensors 421. In other words, any of the plurality of sensors in the first group 42 may, preferably, be different from any of the plurality of sensors in the second group 44. In particular, a ratio of a minimum change in the physical property detectable by a sensor 421 in the first group 42 to a minimum change in the physical property detectable by a sensor 4421/4441 in the second group 44 may be between 0.001 and 1, preferably between 0.002 and 0.75, further preferably between 0.004 and 0.5. That is, generally, the sensors 421 in the first group 42 may be configured to detect smaller changes in the physical property than the sensors 4421/4441 in the second group 44. However, in some embodiments, any of the plurality of sensors in the first group 42 may be significantly identical to any of the plurality of sensors in the second group 44.

[0260] The prayer rug 3 may comprise a plurality of sections, such as 3 sections as depicted in FIG. 1. A first section may correspond to a section that may receive a forehead of a user while praying. The first group of sensors 42 may be located in the first section. A second section may correspond to a section that may receive a lower half of the body of a user while praying. The second group of sensors 44 may be located in the second section.

[0261] Within a section, the distribution of the sensors may be uniform, or, preferably, non-uniform as depicted in FIG. 1. For example, as depicted in FIG. 1, along a dimension significantly parallel to the width, an areal density of sensors may be high in the center in the first section, and may be decreasing away from the center. The center may correspond significantly to a location that may receive a forehead of a user when praying.

[0262] For the second section, the areal density may be high at two locations displaced with respect to each other along a dimension significantly parallel to the width, with the areal density decreasing radially outward from the two locations, for example, as depicted in FIG. 2. The two locations may correspond significantly to locations that may receive the feet and/or knees of a user when praying.

[0263] The prayer rug 3 may further comprise a display 10. The display 10 may be configured to display data relating to the progression in prayer of a user. Exemplary data that may be displayed will be described further below.

[0264] The prayer rug 3 may further comprise an electronics housing 20 that may comprise one or more electronic components. For example, the prayer rug 3 may comprise a data processing unit housed in the electronics housing 20. The data processing unit may be configured to receive data related to the detected change in physical property from any of the plurality of sensors 421, 4421, 4441.

[0265] The data processing unit may be further configured to process the data received from any of the plurality of sensors 421, 4421, 4441. Exemplary analyses are described below.

[0266] The data processing unit may be configured to send data to the display 10.

[0267] The prayer rug 3 may comprise a communication unit housed within the electronics housing 20. The communication unit may be configured to communicate with the external device 2. Further, the communication unit may be configured to communicate with the data processing unit.

[0268] The prayer rug 3 may comprise a speaker housed within the electronics housing 20. The speaker may be used to play audio that may correspond, for example, to a prayer or other religious recitations. Alternatively, or additionally, the speaker may play audio relating to the progression in prayer of a user. The speaker may be configured to receive playable and/or control data from the data processing unit.

[0269] The prayer rug 3 may comprise a memory unit housed within the electronics housing 20. The memory unit may be configured to communicate with the data processing unit. The memory unit may be configured to store, for example, a prayer that may be played by means of the speaker. In particular, the communication unit, the data processing unit, and the memory unit may be used together to download prayers and/or a prayer schedule (as described further below) from the external device 2 on to the prayer rug 3.

[0270] The prayer rug 3 may comprise a slot to receive a memory card, a USB stick, a data cable, or, generally, data from any suitable data storage device housed within the electronics housing 20. Exemplary data that may be received comprise a prayer, a sermon, an audio track, or any other suitable audio.

[0271] The prayer rug 3 may comprise a microphone housed within the electronics housing 20. The microphone may be configured to communicate with the data processing unit. The microphone may be of advantage for any of voice recognition, voice commands, and assessment of user recitations. The data processing unit may be configured appropriately for processing data captured by the microphone.

[0272] The prayer rug 3 may comprise a source of energy such as a battery housed within the electronics housing 20. The battery may comprise a rechargeable battery. The electronics housing 20 may be configured to allow connecting the battery to a power grid for recharging the battery. Alternatively, or additionally, the battery may be configured to be recharged by the movements of a user during prayer. This may be achieved, for example, by using piezoelectric sensors 421, 4421, 4441, and using the electrical energy generated by the change in pressure on the sensors 421, 4421, 4441 to charge a capacitor of the battery.

[0273] FIG. 1 further depicts elements 32 and 34 that may be of advantage in folding the prayer rug 3. For example, any of the elements 32 and 34 may comprise compressed foam. Alternatively, or additionally, any of the elements 32 and 34 may comprise zipping sections allowing the different parts of the prayer rug 3 to be zipped together, when in use. Generally, it may be understood that any of the elements 32 and 34 may comprise significantly complementary sections that may be used to separate and join different parts of the prayer rug 3.

[0274] FIG. 2a depicts typical data 100 recorded by any sensor 421 in the first group 42 when the prayer rug 3 is in operation. FIG. 2b depicts typical data 110 recorded by any sensor 4421, 4441 in the second group 44 when the prayer rug 3 is in operation. The y-axis depicts the detected change in physical property, while the x-axis depicts time. In the following, the configuration of any one of the sensors 421 and any one of the sensors 4421, 4441 will be described. Thus, whenever reference is made to the sensor any one of the sensors 421, 4421, or 4441 is meant.

[0275] The sensor 421 may be configured to determine if the detected change in the physical property exceeds a first threshold 102. The sensor 4421, 4441 may be configured to determine if the detected change in the physical property exceeds a second threshold 112. Note that the first threshold 102, and the second threshold 112, may be greater than or at least equal to the minimum change in property detectable by the sensor 421, 4421, or 4441. Further, the first threshold 102 may, preferably, be lower than the second threshold 112. For example, a ratio of the first threshold 102 and the second threshold 112 may be between 0.001 and 1, preferably between 0.002 and 0.75, further preferably between 0.004 and 0.5.

[0276] The data processing unit may be configured to determine a number of times the detected change in the physical property detected by the sensor 421 exceeds the first threshold 102. For example, the data processing unit may increment a counter up from a default value, every time an up-crossing of the detected change, as depicted by the dashed line 101, is detected to carry out this determination.

[0277] An up-crossing 101/111, or a down-crossing 103/113, may be determined by comparing a current detected change in the physical property to a previous detected change in the physical property. If the current detected change is greater than the threshold 102/112, and the previous detected change was lesser than the threshold 102/112, an up-crossing may be detected. If the current detected change is lesser than the threshold 102/112, and the previous detected change was greater than the threshold 102/112, an up-crossing may be detected. The data processing unit may be appropriately configured to carry out these determinations. In particular, the data processing unit may be configured to at least store the value of the previous detected change in the physical property.

[0278] The data processing unit may be configured to send the value of the counter to the display 10. Alternatively, or additionally, the data processing unit may be configured to send the value of the counter to the speaker.

[0279] Further, the data processing unit may be configured to determine if the change in the physical property detected by the sensor 4421, 4441, or, generally, a sensor in the second group 44, exceeds the second threshold 112. This may be determined by comparing the detected value of the change in the physical property to the second threshold 112.

[0280] The data processing unit may be further configured to determine a number of times the detected change in the physical property detected by the sensor 421 exceeds the first threshold 102 at significantly the same time as the change in the physical property detected by the sensor 4421, 4441, or, generally, a sensor in the second group 44, exceeds the second threshold 112. This number may correspond to the forehead being placed on the prayer rug 3 at significantly the same time as the feet/knees are being placed on the prayer rug 3, allowing a prostrate position of a user to be detected. The progression in prayer may be indicated by the number of times the prostrate position is detected.

[0281] For example, the data processing unit may increment a counter up from a default value, every time an up-crossing of the detected change, as depicted by the dashed line 101, is detected at significantly the same time as the change in the physical property detected by the sensor 4421, 4441, or, generally, a sensor in the second group 44, exceeds the second threshold 112 to carry out this determination. The data processing unit may be configured to send the value of the counter to the display 10. Alternatively, or additionally, the data processing unit may be configured to send the value of the counter to the speaker.

[0282] The data processing unit may be further configured to determine a time elapsed since the detected change in the physical property last exceeded the first threshold 102 and the second threshold 112 respectively. Note that this may generally comprise determining a time elapsed since the last up-crossing of the detected change in physical property, as depicted by the lines 101 and 111, or determining a time elapsed since the last down-crossing of the detected change in physical property, as depicted by the lines 103 and 113. Preferably, however, only the time elapsed since the last down-crossing 103, 113 may be determined.

[0283] For example, a timer may be reset every time an up-crossing (101, 111) or a down-crossing (103, 113) is encountered and its value stored before the reset.

[0284] The data processing unit may be configured to set the counter to the default value when the time elapsed since the detected change in the physical property last exceeded the first threshold 102 exceeds a first temporal threshold.

[0285] Alternatively, or additionally, the data processing unit may be configured to set the counter to the default value when the time elapsed since the detected change in the physical property last exceeded the second threshold 112 exceeds a second temporal threshold.

[0286] The first temporal threshold may be greater than 40 minutes, preferably greater than 70 minutes, further preferably greater than 100 minutes. The second temporal threshold may be greater than 30 minutes, preferably greater than 60 minutes, further preferably greater than 90 minutes.

[0287] The data processing unit may be further configured to send to the external device data relating, at least in part, to the number of times the detected change in the physical property detected by the sensor 421 exceeded the first threshold 102 at significantly the same time as the change in the physical property detected by the sensor 4421, 4441, or, generally, a sensor in the second group 44, exceeded the second threshold 112. The data may be of advantage in tracking prayer sessions of a user, for example.

[0288] The external device may be further configured to determine a time elapsed since data was last received from the prayer rug 3. This may be of advantage in alerting a user about an upcoming prayer session based on a pre-defined schedule.

[0289] The external device may comprise a user interface that may allow a user to upload data relating, for example, to prayers and/or to the pre-defined prayer schedule, to the external device, that may then be transferred to the memory unit of the prayer rug 3. For example, the external device may comprise an app that may allow the user to upload the data.

[0290] Overall, embodiments of the present technology aim to provide a prayer rug, an external device, a system comprising the prayer rug and the external device, and a method for determining the progression in prayer of a user that may be more efficient and robust, and that may provide insights into the praying behavior of the user.

[0291] While in the above, a preferred embodiment has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the skilled person will understand that this embodiment was provided for illustrative purpose only and should by no means be construed to limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the claims.

[0292] Whenever a relative term, such as about, substantially or approximately is used in this specification, such a term should also be construed to also include the exact term. That is, e.g., substantially straight should be construed to also include (exactly) straight.

[0293] Whenever steps were recited in the above or also in the appended claims, it should be noted that the order in which the steps are recited in this text may be accidental. That is, unless otherwise specified or unless clear to the skilled person, the order in which steps are recited may be accidental. That is, when the present document states, e.g., that a method comprises steps (A) and (B), this does not necessarily mean that step (A) precedes step (B), but it is also possible that step (A) is performed (at least partly) simultaneously with step (B) or that step (B) precedes step (A). Furthermore, when a step (X) is said to precede another step (Z), this does not imply that there is no step between steps (X) and (Z). That is, step (X) preceding step (Z) encompasses the situation that step (X) is performed directly before step (Z), but also the situation that (X) is performed before one or more steps (Y1), . . . , followed by step (Z). Corresponding considerations apply when terms like after or before are used.