Method and apparatus for using a slap bracelet as a component of a body-worn antenna structure

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods, devices, and systems for mitigating signal attenuation at a body-worn device that transmits radio signals. An antenna structure for a body-worn device includes an antenna array configured to radiate at least one radio signal and a conductive band capacitively coupled to the antenna array. The conductive band is configured to be removably coupled to a body of a user and, when the conductive band is coupled to the body, mitigates attenuation of the at least one radio signal. The conductive band mitigates the attenuation by facilitating a flow of radio frequency (RF) signal current corresponding to the at least one radio signal through the conductive band and preventing the RF signal current from being absorbed by the body.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and the benefit of U.S. Utility Application No. 17 / 411014, filed August 24, 2021, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Using a Slap Bracelet as a Component of a Body-Wearable Antenna Structure,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 071226, filed August 27, 2020, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Using a Slap Bracelet as a Component of a Body-Wearable Antenna Structure.” The entire contents of both utility and provisional applications are incorporated herein by reference as fully set forth herein for all applicable purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The technologies discussed below generally involve antennas, and more specifically, body-worn antenna structures. Background Technology

[0004] introduction

[0005] Advances in wearable technology have made it possible to expand the scope and extent of communication capabilities. For example, wrist- or body-worn devices are widely used for communication purposes. Such devices can be used to track or identify objects or people in space or to transmit or receive relevant data. However, the fact that the antennas of wearable devices are very close to the human body makes it difficult to provide efficient and / or effective radiation.

[0006] Recent trends have dictated that wearable devices be made as small as possible. For example, the combination of small size for wrist or body-worn devices and the increasing demand for better performance presents a number of challenges. The antennas and impedance matching associated with wearable devices must be able to distinguish between many signals to obtain the specific signal of interest or improve the device's sensitivity / range. The antenna also needs to be an efficient radiator. However, if the device is manufactured with a smaller form factor, performance may be compromised when using a correspondingly smaller antenna, especially when positioned very close to the human body. Creative improvements in antenna design and manufacturing are needed to accommodate smaller devices.

[0007] In previous wrist- or body-worn devices (such as smartwatches), the antenna array may be located only within the puck portion of the device (the main portion or "watch" portion) or only within the wristband portion. However, due to the close proximity of the antenna array to the wrist or body and the inherent ability of the body to absorb radio signals, the maximum signal radiation range of such devices is limited (e.g., 1 to 2 meters). Furthermore, since previous wrist- or body-worn devices did not allow for the tuning of the antenna array, signal absorption by the human body could not be mitigated, and therefore the signal radiation range could not be extended beyond the current limitations (e.g., 1 to 2 meters). Therefore, this disclosure relates to providing structures and / or techniques for improving / tuning the antenna array of a wrist- or body-worn device to extend the maximum signal radiation range of the antenna array. Summary of the Invention

[0008] A brief summary of some examples

[0009] The following presents a summary of one or more aspects of this disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated features of this disclosure, and is neither intended to identify key or defining elements of all aspects of this disclosure, nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects of this disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects of this disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows.

[0010] This disclosure relates to methods, apparatus, and systems for mitigating signal attenuation in body-worn devices that transmit signals. The system includes a body-worn device (e.g., a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag) and a reading device (e.g., an RFID reader). The body-worn device may include circuitry, an antenna array, and a conductive strip capacitively coupled to the antenna array. The conductive strip may be detachably coupled to the user's body. The body-worn device can operate without a battery or internal power source. Accordingly, the body-worn device can receive energy from the transmission of the reading device and use the same energy to send a response transmission back. In one aspect, the construction of the conductive strip (e.g., length, width, and / or thickness) can be tuned or adjusted to various dimensions to improve the radiation performance properties of the antenna array. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.

[0011] In one example, an antenna structure for a body-worn device is disclosed. The antenna structure includes an antenna array configured to radiate at least one radio signal and a conductive strip capacitively coupled to the antenna array. The conductive strip is configured to be detachably coupled to a user's body, and when coupled to the body, it mitigates attenuation of at least one radio signal.

[0012] In another example, a method for mitigating signal attenuation in a body-worn device is disclosed. The method includes: providing an antenna array and a conductive strip capacitively coupled to the antenna array in the body-worn device; detachably coupling the conductive strip to a user's body; radiating at least one radio signal from the antenna array; and mitigating attenuation of at least one radio signal via the conductive strip when the conductive strip is coupled to the body.

[0013] In another example, a body-worn device for transmitting radio signals is disclosed. The body-worn device includes an antenna array and circuitry configured to: receive a first signal transmitted from a reading device via the antenna array; generate a second signal specific to the body-worn device based on the energy of the first signal; and transmit the second signal to the reading device via the antenna array. The body-worn device further includes a conductive strip capacitively coupled to the antenna array, wherein the conductive strip is configured to be detachably coupled to the user's body and, when coupled to the body, mitigates attenuation of the second signal. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 The illustration describes the bending (or folding) configuration of an example antenna structure according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0015] Figure 2 The example antenna structure described in this disclosure has a flat (or straight) configuration.

[0016] Figure 3 This describes an example antenna structure having an antenna with antenna elements connected by a connector, according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 4 This describes an example antenna structure having an antenna coupled to a striking strip via a capacitive coupler, according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 5 This is an example diagram of an antenna structure (including an antenna and a tapping band) wrapped around a user's wrist (or other body part) according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 6 This is another example diagram of an antenna structure wrapped around a user's wrist (or other body part) according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example radiation pattern of an antenna according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 8 This is a plot of an example radiation pattern of an antenna with a striking band, as simulated on a user's wrist, according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0022] Figure 9 This is a Smith chart depicting the performance of an antenna with a striking band, according to aspects of this disclosure, when simulated on a user's wrist, as an example S(1,1).

[0023] Figure 10 This is an example gain plot depicting a gain versus frequency comparison of an antenna structure according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0024] Figure 11 This is a block diagram illustrating an example system for transmitting radio signals between devices according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0025] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for mitigating signal attenuation on a wearable device according to aspects of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The detailed description illustrated below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configuration in which the concepts described herein can be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring such concepts. While aspects and embodiments are described in this application by way of illustration of some examples, those skilled in the art will understand that additional implementations and use cases may arise in many different arrangements and scenarios. The innovations described herein can be implemented across many different platform types, devices, systems, shapes, sizes, and / or packaging arrangements.

[0027] The human body presents significant challenges to the transmissivity and reflection of radio signals. Due to the inherent amounts of salt and water in the human body, radio signals may be absorbed and fail to propagate to their intended destination. To achieve radio transmission or backscatter within detectable range, aspects of this disclosure provide apparatus and methods for securely fastening radio devices to the human body, which support and enhance radio operation.

[0028] In one aspect, a device is provided comprising a metal spring strip (e.g., a steel spring strip) located beneath a radio device capable of operating at different and discrete frequencies. The metal spring strip is configured to shield the radio device from the human body on which the device is worn. The metal spring strip may be part of the overall antenna structure for the radio device. The metal spring strip may be coupled to the radio device or may not be coupled to the radio device to perform antenna structure functions. The radio device can be optimized by utilizing the width, length, and / or thickness of the metal spring strip as tunable variables. Additionally, the overall dimensions of the metal spring strip can be optimized to improve the shielding of the antenna structure from the human body.

[0029] On the one hand, although the spring band is described above as a metal spring band (e.g., a steel spring band), the spring band is not limited to metallic materials. It is conceivable that the spring band can be made of other materials such as conductive polymers, metal mesh, metal-imbued ceramics, or any other material that can be worn on the human body and has radio frequency (RF) antenna functionality or characteristics.

[0030] Figure 1 This describes a bent (or folded) configuration of an example antenna structure 100 according to aspects of this disclosure. Figure 2 This describes the flat (or straight) configuration of an example antenna structure 100 according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0031] In one aspect, the antenna structure 100 includes an antenna 102 and a slap strip 104 that can be electrically coupled to the antenna 102. The slap strip 104 is made of a stretchable material that will allow the slap strip to maintain a desired configuration. For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the tapping band 104 can be bent or folded from a flat configuration to wrap around the user's wrist or other body parts. The tapping band 104 can also return from a bent configuration to a flat (or straight) configuration. Figure 2 (Such as when the tapping band 104 is removed from the user's wrist). Furthermore, the stretchable material of the tapping band 104 is conductive to allow for electrical coupling with the antenna 102. For example, the tapping band 104 can be made of steel, a conductive polymer, a metal mesh, metal-impregnated ceramic, or any other conductive material.

[0032] The slap band 104 may be directly coupled to the antenna 102 or otherwise coupled to the antenna 102. In one aspect, the slap band 104 includes a ground plane structure, wherein radio frequency (RF) current can flow in the conductive portion of the slap band 104 and around the user's wrist, rather than being lost through the band and / or the user's wrist. Depending on the coupling mechanism used to connect the slap band 104 to the antenna 102, one or more portions of the antenna 102 and the slap band 104 may be electrically coupled together, or may not be electrically coupled together.

[0033] On one hand, the physical dimensions of the striking band 104 can be varied or tuned. For example, the length, width, and / or thickness of the striking band can be adjusted to various dimensions to achieve the desired performance characteristics at the antenna 102. Additionally and / or alternatively, the length, width, and / or thickness of the striking band 104 can be varied to conceal or shield the influence of the human body on the performance of the antenna 102.

[0034] Figure 3 This describes an example antenna structure 100 having an antenna 102 with connectorized antenna elements, according to aspects of this disclosure. Figure 4 This describes an example antenna structure 100 having an antenna 102 coupled to a beat strip 104 via one or more capacitive couplers 402, according to aspects of this disclosure.

[0035] On one hand, the antenna 102 of the antenna structure 100 can be constructed on a slab of dielectric material, which helps to miniaturize the antenna 102. On the other hand, air can be used as the dielectric material. Figure 3 As shown, antenna 102 may include a first antenna element (e.g., a first printed circuit board (PCB)) 302, a second antenna element (e.g., a second PCB) 304, and an air gap 306 between the first antenna element 302 and the second antenna element 304. The first antenna element 302 is connected via a connector to the second antenna element 304 above the beat strip 104 (e.g., via one or more cables or wires 308) to achieve the necessary radiating structure. The beat strip 104 may act as a ground plane. In some aspects, antenna 102 may use other materials (e.g., ceramics) with different dielectric properties to aid in antenna miniaturization.

[0036] In one respect, the antenna structure 100 differs from previous types of body-worn devices (e.g., smartwatches). For example, in previous types of body-worn devices, the antenna structure is simply built into the main part or body of the device itself. Thus, the strap of a smartwatch does not affect the function of the antenna structure. In contrast, in this disclosure, the tapping strap 104 is part of the antenna structure 100 and therefore affects the function of the antenna structure 100. Whether the tapping strap 104 is electrically connected to the antenna 102 or is disparate from the antenna 102, the dielectric value of the tapping strap 104 is used in conjunction with the antenna 102 to influence / extend the signal radiation range of the antenna structure 100. In one respect, the length, width, and / or thickness of the tapping strap 104 can be tuned to specific dimensions to achieve a desired radiation range. Previously, the antenna 102 could already have a maximum signal radiation range of 1 to 2 meters. However, by using the tuned tapping strap 104 as part of the antenna structure 100, a body-worn device implementing the antenna structure 100 may be able to achieve a maximum signal radiation range of 4 to 8 meters. Therefore, the use of the tapping band 104 allows the antenna structure 100 to have an extended range when worn on the body.

[0037] Figure 5 Figure 500 shows an example of an antenna structure 100 (including antenna 102 and a slapping band 104) wrapped around a user's wrist (or other body part) 502. Figure 5 In the figure, the surface current in the striking strip 104 is plotted to show how the striking strip 104 is acting as part of the radiating structure of the antenna 102. Figure 6 Figure 600 shows another example of an antenna structure 100 wrapped around a user's wrist (or other body part) 502. Figure 6 In the figure, the electric field in the striking strip 104 is plotted to show how the striking strip 104 is acting as part of the radiating structure of the antenna 102. Figure 7 Figure 700 illustrates an example radiation pattern 702 of antenna 102.

[0038] On the one hand, when very close to the human body, the performance of antenna 102 may be impaired. Accordingly, the striking band 104 (made of conductive material) can be used to shield antenna 102 from the negative effects of the human body. Furthermore, the striking band 104 can serve as part of the radiating structure of antenna 102, allowing RF current to flow through it. This directs the RF current to flow around the user's wrist / body rather than through the user, thus avoiding potential damage. The performance characteristics of antenna 102 can be adjusted or improved by controlling the configuration of the striking band 104 in conjunction with modifications to antenna 102.

[0039] On one hand, various performance characteristics of antenna 102 can be controlled based on modifications to the striking strip 104, which acts as a ground plane, or modifications to the armature associated with the ground plane of antenna 102. Performance characteristics may include, but are not limited to, antenna size, frequency, gain, radiation pattern, radiation efficiency, aperture, and / or impedance. On another hand, performance characteristics can be controlled via modifications to the structure of antenna 102, modifications to the structure of striking strip 104, or a combination of both. On yet another hand, the performance of antenna 102 when striking strip 104 is in a bent / folded configuration can be designed to differ from its performance when striking strip 104 is in a flat / straight configuration. For example, the radiation pattern of antenna 102 can be adjusted as desired by changing from a bent / folded strip configuration to a flat / straight strip configuration or vice versa, thus facilitating two different use cases at the terminal device.

[0040] In one aspect, antenna structure 100 may include multiple antennas. The antennas may operate sequentially or simultaneously with each other. Furthermore, the striking band 104 may be shared among the multiple antennas, allowing the striking band 104 to be used as part of the radiating structure of each antenna. In another aspect, antenna structure 100 may include physical elements configured to adjust the position, size, and / or polarization of the antennas to guide antenna signals in a more accurate and / or efficient manner. In one example of antenna structure 100 including multiple antennas, the antenna structure may include near-field communication (NFC) coils and ultra-high frequency (UHF) antennas positioned very close to each other. The NFC coil and UHF antennas may share the striking band 104 as part of their radiating structure to allow for miniaturization of the physically close co-located antennas (NFC coil and UHF antenna).

[0041] Figure 8 This is a plot 800 of an example radiation pattern of an antenna 102 with a striking band 104 when simulated on a user's wrist 502. Figure 9 The Smith chart 900 depicts the example S(1,1) performance of the antenna 102 with the slap band 104 when simulated on a user's wrist 502. Figure 10 This is an example gain plot 1000 that depicts the gain of antenna structure 100 against frequency (e.g., 0.915 GHz) at different angles θ (theta) (degrees).

[0042] In one aspect, antenna structure 100 may include a guide or reflector that can be dynamically adjusted (or reconfigured) to shape the radiation pattern or other desired antenna characteristics of the antenna. For example, the beat band 104 can be considered as a guide / reflector that can be reconfigured to shape the radiation pattern or other characteristics of antenna 102. Activating or deactivating the guide / reflector using a switch or other indirect coupling mechanism can adjust the RF characteristics of antenna structure 100 as desired. The switch may be a physical semiconductor-based switch or a hardware element capable of changing the capacitive coupling from beat band 104 to antenna 102.

[0043] Figure 11 This is a block diagram illustrating an example system 1100 for transmitting radio signals between devices according to aspects of this disclosure. System 1100 includes a body-worn device 1102 (e.g., a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag) and a reading device 1110 (e.g., an RFID reader). The body-worn device 1102 may include circuitry 1104, an antenna array 1106, and a conductive strip 1108 capacitively coupled to the antenna array 1106. The conductive strip 1108 may be detachably coupled to the body of a user of device 1102. Furthermore, the combination of the antenna array 1106 and the conductive strip 1108 may be referred to as an "antenna structure" throughout this disclosure.

[0044] On one hand, the wearable device 1102 can operate without a battery or internal power source. Accordingly, the wearable device 1102 can receive energy from the reader's transmission 1112 and use the same energy to send back a response transmission 1114. For example, the wearable device 1102 receives electromagnetic waves 1112 propagating from the reader 1110 via an antenna array 1106. Once the wave 1112 reaches the antenna array 1106, the energy of the wave 1112 travels through the antenna array 1106 to activate the circuit 1104. The circuit 1104 modulates the energy (e.g., modulates it using circuit data) using information specific to the wearable device 1102 to generate the response transmission 1114. The circuit 1104 then transmits the response transmission 1114 (modulated using information specific to the wearable device 1102 / circuit 1104) as electromagnetic waves to the reader 1110 via the antenna array 1106.

[0045] The reading device 1110 can receive a response transmission 1114, read information specific to the wearable device 1102 / circuit 1104, and perform an operation corresponding to the wearable device 1102 based on the information. For example, the reading device 1110 can interpret the presence of a user wearing the wearable device 1102 in the vicinity of the reading device 1110 and / or provide the user wearing the wearable device 1102 with a predetermined service corresponding to the information (e.g., in a theme park environment).

[0046] On one hand, when the conductive strip 1108 is coupled to the user's body, the conductive strip 1108 can mitigate the attenuation of the response transmission 1114. For example, when the circuit 1104 transmits the response transmission 1114 to the reading device 1110 via the antenna array 1106, the conductive strip 1108 can facilitate the flow of the radio frequency (RF) signal current corresponding to the response transmission 1114 through the conductive strip 1108 and prevent the RF signal current from being absorbed by the body.

[0047] Previous body-worn devices (e.g., previous wristband tags / systems) may suffer from a limited signal radiation range due to the human body's ability to absorb certain signal frequencies (e.g., 900 MHz). Typically, the maximum range for such devices is approximately 1 to 2 meters. Therefore, for some applications, such as those implemented during large gatherings (e.g., music festivals, sporting events, etc.), using previous body-worn devices can be cumbersome. For example, due to the limited signal radiation range of the device caused by the user's wrist being close to the antenna structure (i.e., the user's wrist causes a large attenuation of the device signal emitted from the antenna structure), it may be necessary to establish a readout portal near the user in order to read short-range transmissions from the user's device.

[0048] This disclosure provides systems and / or methods for enabling a reading device (e.g., an RFID reader) to read signals from a body-worn device at a distance of 4 to 8 meters. Accordingly, the distance at which the body-worn device can be read by the reading device can be defined. In one aspect, this disclosure provides a body-worn device configured to mitigate signal attenuation caused by the user's body (e.g., wrist). In another aspect, the antenna structure properties can be tuned to define the maximum distance at which the reading device can detect signals from the antenna structure of the body-worn device, while allowing the form factor of the body-worn device to fit most users. Thus, not only does the body-worn device of this disclosure function to have tunable antenna parameters to achieve a desired signal range, but the body-worn device also conforms to the user's size / shape.

[0049] Figure 12This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 1200 for mitigating signal attenuation on a body-worn device according to aspects of this disclosure. In some examples, process 1200 may be implemented by a body-worn device 1102 or by any suitable device or apparatus for implementing the functions or algorithms described below.

[0050] At 1202, an antenna array (e.g., antenna 102 or antenna array 1106) and a conductive strip (e.g., a tapping strip 104 or conductive strip 1108) capacitively coupled to the antenna array are provided in the body-worn device. In one aspect, the conductive strip may be made of steel, a conductive polymer, a metal mesh, and / or a metal-impregnated ceramic.

[0051] On one hand, providing a conductive strip in a body-worn device may include configuring the length, width, and / or thickness of the conductive strip to optimize one or more performance characteristics of the antenna array. For example, optimizing the performance characteristics may include extending the maximum signal radiation range of the antenna array (e.g., to a range of 4 to 8 meters), enabling a reading device to read transmissions from the body-worn device from such a range. On the other hand, providing a conductive strip in a body-worn device may include configuring the length, width, and / or thickness of the conductive strip to shield the body from the absorption effect of at least one radio signal radiated from the antenna array.

[0052] In 1204, the conductive strip is detachably coupled to the user's body. On one hand, the conductive strip is detachably coupled to the user's body by: flattening the conductive strip into a substantially straight configuration to decouple it from the body, and bending the conductive strip into a curved configuration to couple it to the body. On the other hand, the performance characteristics (e.g., radiation pattern) of the antenna array when the conductive strip is in a straight configuration may differ from the performance characteristics of the antenna array when the conductive strip is in a curved configuration.

[0053] At 1206, at least one radio signal is radiated from the antenna array (e.g., an acknowledgment transmission 1114). In one aspect, at least one radio signal has a frequency in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) range (e.g., approximately 900 MHz) or any other frequency that is easily absorbed by the body.

[0054] At 1208, when the conductive strip is coupled to the body, attenuation of at least one radio signal is mitigated via the conductive strip. This attenuation is mitigated by promoting the flow of radio frequency (RF) signal current corresponding to at least one radio signal through the conductive strip and preventing the RF signal current from being absorbed by the body.

[0055] In this disclosure, the word “exemplary” is used to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation or aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or preferred or advantageous over other aspects of this disclosure. Similarly, the term “aspect” does not require that all aspects of this disclosure include the features, advantages, or modes of operation discussed. The term “coupling” is used herein to refer to direct or indirect coupling between two objects. For example, if object A physically touches object B, and object B touches object C, then object A and object C can still be considered coupled to each other even if they are not directly physically touching each other. For example, the first object can be coupled to the second object even if the first object never directly and physically touches the second object.

[0056] Figure 1-12 One or more of the components, steps, features, and / or functions described herein may be rearranged and / or combined into a single component, step, feature, or function, or embodied in several components, steps, or functions. Additional elements, components, steps, and / or functions may be added without departing from the novel features disclosed herein. Figure 1-12 The devices, apparatuses, and / or components described herein can be configured to perform one or more of the methods, features, or steps described herein. The novel algorithms described herein can also be efficiently implemented in software and / or embedded in hardware.

[0057] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the disclosed method is an illustration of an exemplary process. Based on design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the method can be rearranged. The appended method claims present the elements of various steps in a sample order and are not intended to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented, unless specifically stated therein.

[0058] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but will conform to the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically stated therein, but rather “one or more”. Unless otherwise specifically stated, the term “some” means one or more. The phrase “at least one of” referring to the list of items means any combination of those items comprising a single element. As an example, “at least one of the following: a, b, or c” is intended to cover: a; b; c; a and b; a and c; b and c; and a, b, and c. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known to or will later become known to a person skilled in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be included in the claims. Furthermore, whether such disclosure is clearly stated in the claims or not, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be donated to the public. Unless the element of a claim is explicitly stated using the phrase “device for…” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is stated using the phrase “step for…”, the element will not be construed in accordance with the provisions of 35 U.SC §112(f).

Claims

1. An antenna structure for a body-worn device, the antenna structure comprising: An antenna array configured to radiate at least one radio signal; as well as A conductive strip, capacitively coupled to the antenna array, wherein the conductive strip is configured as follows: It is detachably coupled to the user's body, and, When the conductive strip is coupled to the body, it reduces the attenuation of the at least one radio signal. The conductive strip is configured to mitigate attenuation by facilitating the flow of radio frequency signal current corresponding to the at least one radio signal around the user's wrist. Wherein, at least one of the length, width, or thickness of the conductive strip is configured to optimize at least one performance characteristic of the antenna array.

2. The antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein, The conductive strip, configured to mitigate the attenuation, is configured to prevent the radio frequency signal current from being absorbed by the body.

3. The antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein, The conductive strip includes at least one of the following: Conductive polymers; Metal mesh; or Ceramics impregnated with metal.

4. The antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein, The conductive strip comprises steel.

5. The antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein, The conductive strip is configured to flatten into a straight configuration when decoupled from the body, and to bend into a curved configuration when coupled to the body.

6. The antenna structure according to claim 5, wherein, The performance characteristics of the antenna array when the conductive strip is in the straight configuration are different from the performance characteristics of the antenna array when the conductive strip is in the curved configuration.

7. The antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein, The optimization of at least one performance characteristic includes extending the maximum signal radiation range of the antenna array.

8. The antenna structure according to claim 7, wherein, The maximum signal radiation range extends to a range of 4 to 8 meters.

9. The antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein, At least one of the length, width, or thickness of the conductive strip is configured to shield the body from the absorption effect of the at least one radio signal radiated from the antenna array.

10. The antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one radio signal has a frequency in the ultra-high frequency range.

11. A method for reducing signal attenuation in a wearable device, the method comprising: The wearable device includes an antenna array and a conductive strip capacitively coupled to the antenna array. This allows the conductive strip to be detachably coupled to the user's body; At least one radio signal is radiated from the antenna array; as well as When the conductive strip is coupled to the body, attenuation of the at least one radio signal is reduced via the conductive strip, wherein reducing the attenuation includes promoting the flow of radio frequency signal current corresponding to the at least one radio signal around the user's wrist. Providing the conductive strip in the wearable device includes configuring at least one of the length, width, or thickness of the conductive strip to optimize at least one performance characteristic of the antenna array.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Mitigating the attenuation includes preventing the radio frequency signal current from being absorbed by the body.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The conductive strip includes at least one of the following: Conductive polymers; Metal mesh; or Ceramics impregnated with metal.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The conductive strip comprises steel.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Detachably coupling the conductive strip to the user's body includes: When the conductive strip is decoupled from the body, the conductive strip is flattened into a straight configuration; and When the conductive strip is coupled to the body, the conductive strip is bent into a curved configuration.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The optimization of at least one performance characteristic includes extending the maximum signal radiation range of the antenna array.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The maximum signal radiation range extends to a range of 4 to 8 meters.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Providing the conductive strip in the wearable device includes configuring at least one of the length, width, or thickness of the conductive strip to shield the body from the absorption effect of the at least one radio signal radiated from the antenna array.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The at least one radio signal has a frequency in the ultra-high frequency range.

20. A body-worn device for transmitting radio signals, the body-worn device comprising: Antenna array; The circuit is configured as follows: The first signal transmitted from the reading device is received via the antenna array. A second signal for the wearable device is generated based on the energy of the first signal, and The second signal is transmitted to the reading device via the antenna array; as well as A conductive strip, capacitively coupled to the antenna array, wherein the conductive strip is configured as follows: It can be detachably coupled to the user's body, and When the conductive strip is coupled to the body, it reduces the attenuation of the second signal by promoting the radio frequency signal current corresponding to the second signal to flow around the user's body part. Wherein, at least one of the length, width, or thickness of the conductive strip is configured to optimize at least one performance characteristic of the antenna array.

21. The body-worn device according to claim 20, wherein, The conductive band configured to mitigate the attenuation is configured as follows: To prevent the radio frequency signal current from being absorbed by the body.

Images