Wearable Devices

Abstract

To provide a wearable device that can transmit and receive electric power and information between a temple and a front frame.SOLUTION: The wearable device includes a first coil mounted on a temple, and a second coil mounted on a frame that is movably connected to the temple by a hinge. In a state where the temple is open with respect to the frame, the first coil and the second coil face each other, and one or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the first coil and the second coil.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1B

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wearable device. [Background technology]

[0002] Augmented reality (AR) devices and eyeglass-type medical devices are expected to become even more widespread, and we can expect an increase in devices that use multiple cameras and microphones to accurately sense the surroundings and present information to each eye and ear in the form of images and sounds. In glasses-type devices, there are cases where it is necessary to transmit power or signals from one temple to the other, and cases where it is necessary to supply power or perform communication with the front frame. Conventionally, glasses-type devices required flexible boards, cables, and conductors to be wired so as not to interfere with the hinges in order to transmit and receive power and information between the left and right temples (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-232550 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In glasses-type devices, in order to transmit power and signals from one temple to the other and to supply power and communicate with the front frame, it was necessary to run wiring between the temple and the front frame, which resulted in a complex hinge design, poor waterproofing, and a large structure. In addition, in order to transmit power and signals from one temple to the other, it was necessary to store the wiring inside the front frame, which could result in the housing becoming thicker. An object of the present invention is to provide a wearable device that can transmit and receive power and information between the temples and the front frame. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] (1) One aspect of the present invention is a wearable device comprising a first coil mounted on a temple and a second coil mounted on a frame movably connected to the temple by a hinge, wherein when the temple is open relative to the frame, the first coil and the second coil face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the first coil and the second coil. (2) One aspect of the present invention is a wearable device as described in (1) above, further comprising: another first coil mounted on the frame; and another second coil mounted on another temple; the frame is movably connected to the other temple by another hinge; when the other temple is opened relative to the frame, the other first coil and the other second coil face each other; and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the other first coil and the other second coil. (3) In one aspect of the present invention, in the wearable device described in (2) above, a transmission line is provided along the rim connecting the second coil to another of the first coils. (4) One aspect of the present invention is the wearable device described in (3) above, wherein the rim is a full rim or a half rim. (5) One aspect of the present invention is a wearable device as described in any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein the temples are equipped with secondary batteries, a case for storing the wearable device is equipped with a charging device, the charging device is equipped with a third coil, and when the wearable device is stored in the case, the third coil equipped in the charging device faces the first coil, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the third coil and the first coil. (6) One aspect of the present invention is a wearable device comprising a first electrode mounted on a temple and a second electrode mounted on a frame movably connected to the temple by a hinge, and when the temple is in an open position relative to the frame, the first electrode and the second electrode face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the opposed first electrode and second electrode. (7) One aspect of the present invention is a wearable device as described in (6) above, comprising another first electrode mounted on the frame and another second electrode mounted on another temple, the frame being movably connected to the other temple by another hinge, and when the other temple is opened relative to the frame, the other first electrode and the other second electrode face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the other first electrode and the other second electrode. (8) In one aspect of the present invention, in the wearable device described in (7) above, a transmission path is provided along the rim connecting the second electrode to another of the first electrodes. (9) One aspect of the present invention is the wearable device described in (8) above, wherein the rim is a full rim or a half rim. (10) One aspect of the present invention is a wearable device as described in any one of (6) to (9) above, wherein the temples are equipped with secondary batteries, a case for storing the wearable device is equipped with a charging device, the charging device is equipped with a third electrode, and when the wearable device is stored in the case, the third electrode of the charging device faces the first electrode, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the third electrode and the first electrode. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a wearable device capable of transmitting and receiving power and information between a temple and a front frame can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a wearable device according to an embodiment. [Figure 1B] FIG. 2 is a partial view showing a first example of a wearable device according to an embodiment. [Figure 1C] FIG. 11 is a partial view showing a second example of a wearable device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a circuit of a wearable device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3A] 13 shows an example of an evaluation result of the characteristics of the wearable device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3B] 13 shows an example of an evaluation result of the characteristics of the wearable device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3C] 13 shows an example of an evaluation result of the characteristics of the wearable device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3D] 13 shows an example of an evaluation result of the characteristics of the wearable device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 13 shows an example of an evaluation result of power efficiency of a wirelessly powered hinge portion of a wearable device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of characteristics of the wearable device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6A] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a charging method for the wearable device of the embodiment. [Figure 6B] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a charging method for the wearable device of the embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 shows example 1 of a part of a wearable device according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 2 shows example 2 of a part of the wearable device according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a partial view showing a third example of a wearable device according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the wearable device according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a double-sided LC-compensation circuit. [Figure 12]11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the distance between electrodes of an electric field coupler and power supply efficiency. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an equivalent circuit of electric field coupling to which a double-sided LC-compensation circuit is added. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Next, a wearable device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example, and the embodiment to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the following embodiment. In addition, in all the drawings for explaining the embodiments, the same reference numerals are used for the parts having the same functions, and the repeated explanation is omitted. In addition, "based on XX" in this application means "based on at least XX," and includes cases where it is based on other elements in addition to XX. Furthermore, "based on XX" is not limited to cases where XX is used directly, but also includes cases where it is based on XX that has been calculated or processed. "XX" is any element (for example, any information).

[0009] (Embodiment) (Wearable Devices) 1A is a schematic diagram showing an example of a wearable device according to an embodiment. The wearable device according to this embodiment is a wearable device that can be worn on the head. The wearable device that can be worn on the head includes a glasses-type device. In this embodiment, a glasses-type device 100 will be described as an example of a wearable device. The eyeglass-type device 100 includes a right temple 2-1, a left temple 2-2, a metal frame 7, a metal frame 8, a right lens 9-1, and a left lens 9-2. The right temple 2-1 is a rod-shaped part that supports the eyeglass-type device 100 on the pinna of the right ear. The left temple 2-2 is a rod-shaped part that supports the eyeglass-type device 100 on the pinna of the left ear. The metal frames 7 and 8 are structures for fixing the right lens 9-1 and the left lens 9-2 in front of the eyes. A plurality of modules are incorporated in the glasses-type device 100. High-speed communication is realized between the scattered modules (not shown). Power is supplied to the glasses-type device 100 to drive the modules. The power supply will be described later. Hereinafter, either the right temple 2-1 or the left temple 2-2 will be referred to as a temple 2. Either the right lens 9-1 or the left lens 9-2 will be referred to as a lens 9.

[0010] Fig. 1B is a schematic diagram showing Example 1 of a wearable device according to an embodiment. In addition to a temple 2, a metal frame 7, a metal frame 8, and a lens 9, Fig. 1B shows a coil 1, a hinge 3, a hinge 4, a coil 5, a resin part 6 for fixing the coil, a nose pad 10, and a part 11 made of resin. The hinge 3 and the hinge 4 are parts that connect the endpiece and the temple 2. The endpiece refers to the part that connects the rim, which is the edge that surrounds the lens 9, to the hinge 3 and the hinge 4. A resin part 11 connects the metal frame 7, the metal frame 8, the lens 9, and the nose pad 10. In the example shown in Fig. 1B, the eyeglass-type device 100 has a half-rim, and the metal frame 7 and the metal frame 8 are parallel and close to each other. The eyeglass-type device 100 shown in Fig. 1B can be folded for portability.

[0011] Fig. 1C is a schematic diagram showing Example 2 of a wearable device according to an embodiment. In Fig. 1C, in addition to temples 2, metal frames 7, 8, and lenses 9, coil 1, hinges 3, 4, coil 5, resin part 6 for fixing the coil, nose pad 10, and part 11 made of resin are shown. A resin part 11 connects the metal frame 7, the metal frame 8, the lens 9, and the nose pad 10. In the example shown in FIG. 1C, the eyeglass-type device 100 has a full rim, and the metal frame 7 and the metal frame 8 are formed along the full frame. Specifically, the metal frame 7 is formed above the lens 9, and the metal frame 8 is formed below the lens 9. The eyeglass-type device 100 shown in FIG. 1C can be folded for portability.

[0012] In the eyeglasses-type device 100, a coil 1 is installed (assembled) at one end of the temple 2, and coils 5 are installed (assembled) at both ends of the front frame (metal frame 7, metal frame 8). When the eyeglasses-type device 100 is used, the pair of coils (coil 1 and coil 5) approach each other, passing over the hinges (hinge 3, hinge 4) to perform wireless communication and wireless power supply. This configuration eliminates the need to pass wiring through the hinge (hinge 3, hinge 4) structure, and therefore improves mechanical strength and makes it easier to manufacture without making the structure intricate and complicated.

[0013] In the glasses-type device 100, when the user opens the temple 2 relative to the metal frames 7 and 8 (when using the glasses-type device 100), the coil 1 and the coil 5 face each other. By facing the coil 1 and the coil 5, wireless communication and wireless power supply can be performed between the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the right temple 2-1 and the coil 5 incorporated in one end of the front frame, and between the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the left temple 2-2 and the coil 5 incorporated in the other end of the front frame.

[0014] With this configuration, it is possible to perform communication by transmitting information from a processing circuit (not shown) built into the right temple 2-1 via a coil 1 built into one end of the right temple 2-1 and a coil 5 built into one end of the front frame, along the rim including the metal parts of the front frame, and to perform power supply by supplying power. Furthermore, communication is possible by transmitting information from a processing circuit (not shown) built into the left temple 2-2 via a coil 1 built into one end of the left temple 2-2 and a coil 5 built into the other end of the front frame along the rim including the metal parts of the front frame, and power can be supplied by supplying power. In other words, communication and power supply can be performed between the processing circuit incorporated in the right temple 2-1 and the processing circuit incorporated in the left temple 2-2 via the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the right temple 2-1, the coil 5 incorporated in one end of the front frame, the rim including the metal parts of the front frame, the coil 5 incorporated in the other end of the front frame, and the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the left temple 2-2. Examples of processing circuits are a transmitting circuit and a receiving circuit.

[0015] In the glasses-type device 100, AC signals are transmitted and received via coil 1 and coil 5. Power is transmitted and received by transmitting and receiving AC signals via coil 1 and coil 5. When coil 1 and coil 5 face each other, the distance between them is preferably 2 mm or less. When coil 1 and coil 5 face each other, the power supply efficiency can be increased by setting the distance between them to 2 mm or less. Furthermore, in the glasses-type device 100, communication can also be performed via coil 1 and coil 5. When coil 1 and coil 5 face each other, the distance between them is preferably 2 mm or less. When coil 1 and coil 5 face each other, the distance between them can be shortened by setting the distance between them to 2 mm or less, so that leakage electromagnetic fields into the surroundings can be suppressed. The shorter the distance between the opposing coils 1 and 5, the more the leakage electromagnetic fields can be suppressed. Since the leakage electromagnetic fields into the surroundings can be suppressed, the power required for communication can be suppressed (reduced).

[0016] On the other hand, the glasses-type device 100 is configured to turn off the power when the user closes (folds) the temple 2 relative to the metal frame 7 and the metal frame 8, causing the gap between the coil 1 and the coil 5 to become equal to or greater than a threshold value. 1B and 1C show the right side of the eyeglass-type device as an example, but the left side of the eyeglass-type device may have a similar configuration. This configuration can simplify the structure of the hinge portion. This configuration also prevents the waterproof performance inside the housing from being reduced. Furthermore, by using the metal frame of the housing body as a transmission path, it is possible to eliminate the need for a place to store wiring.

[0017] Table 1 shows a comparison of design methods for glasses-type devices. [Table 1] As shown in Table 1, waterproofing, hinge durability, electromagnetic noise resistance, maximum communication speed, and space saving are shown for each of the devices with wiring in the hinge section, the left and right independent devices, and the proposed method (the glasses-type device of this embodiment). Here, wiring at the hinge section means that wiring is incorporated into the hinge section, making it possible to perform wireless communication and wireless power supply between one end of the right temple 2-1 and one end of the front frame, and between one end of the left temple 2-2 and the other end of the front frame. The left and right independent devices are devices in which the right temple 2-1 and the left temple 2-2 are made as independent devices, and wireless communication is performed between the left and right devices using Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like. Here, the coil used for wireless power supply and communication was a 10-turn coil with dimensions of 6 mm length, 9 mm width, 1 mm height, and a conductor outer diameter of 0.22 mm, assuming that it would be incorporated into the frame of the glasses-type device 100. Also, the distance between the coils was set to 2 mm, taking into account the thickness of the plastic needed to maintain the strength of the glasses and the gaps between the parts.

[0018] The frequency band used for wireless power supply and communication is the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band, 13.56 MHz, which is used in existing NFC (Near Field Communication) transceiver chips. It is also possible to use the 100 kHz band for wireless power supply and 13.56 MHz for wireless communication, but this was not adopted because a ferrite core would be required to improve power supply efficiency, which would make the device heavy and large in size. The 100 kHz band may be used for wireless power supply and 13.56 MHz for wireless communication.

[0019] Table 2 shows the parameters of the coils used. [Table 2] According to Table 2, an example of the parameters of a single coil is that the number of turns is 10, the self-inductance L is 1.5 μH, the capacitance C is 88 pF, the resistance R is 3.4 Ω, and the Q value is 38. The capacitors were selected to have a series LC resonance at 13.56 MHz. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit of a wearable device according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, a circuit is incorporated in each frame (left frame, right frame, front frame). For the dashed line portion in Fig. 2, the efficiency of wireless power transfer at the resonant frequency was verified. As a result of measuring the S parameters when a four-terminal network with an input of coil 1 and an output of coil 5 was used and the distance between the coils was 2 mm, the maximum efficiency was 87%.

[0020] In order to investigate whether there is any effect on the human body when communicating by transmitting information along the rim including the metal parts of the front frame and supplying power by supplying power along the rim, the leakage electromagnetic field was evaluated for each of Figures 1B and 1C. Figures 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D show an example of the evaluation results of the characteristics of the wearable device of the embodiment. Figures 3A and 3C show an example of the evaluation results of the electric field and the magnetic field of the wearable device with the half-rim shown in Figure 1B. Figures 3B and 3D show an example of the evaluation results of the electric field and the magnetic field of the wearable device with the full-rim shown in Figure 1C. In Fig. 3A to Fig. 3D, the leakage electromagnetic field was evaluated by transmitting 1 W to the load. Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B show the public exposure standard values ​​determined by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), that is, the standard values ​​in the guidelines for leakage electric field. Fig. 3B shows that the electric field under the nose is weaker than Fig. 3A. This shows that by making the eyeglass-type device 100 into a full-rim shape, it is possible to reduce the leakage electromagnetic field under the nose while preventing a decrease in power supply efficiency, compared to the case of a half-rim shape.

[0021] Fig. 4 shows an example of the evaluation result of the power efficiency of the wireless power supply hinge part of the wearable device of the embodiment. Fig. 4 shows the wireless power supply efficiency when the frame material is copper, β titanium, nickel silver, or Monel for each of the cases where the metal frame 7 and the metal frame 8 are parallel and close to each other as shown in Fig. 1B (indicated as "parallel") and the case where the metal frame 7 and the metal frame 8 are formed along the full frame as shown in Fig. 1C (indicated as "separated from top to bottom"). According to Fig. 4, the wireless power transfer efficiency of Fig. 1C (separated top and bottom) is about 0.2% lower than that of Fig. 1B (parallel). No significant difference in the power transfer efficiency was observed between Fig. 1B and Fig. 1C.

[0022] Next, in order to verify the error rate of wireless communication in the glasses-type device 100, a numerical simulation of wireless communication was performed in MATLAB (registered trademark) using S parameters measured for the set of coils. The BER (bit error rate) characteristics were investigated in binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) when the symbol rate was set to 500 ksymbols / sec and 5 Msymbols / sec. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the characteristics of the eyeglass-type device of the embodiment. In Fig. 5, the horizontal axis is Eb / N0 (dB) and the vertical axis is BER. Fig. 5 shows additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN), a lossless transmission path (500 kbps), a lossless transmission path (5 Mbps), a transmission path of a coil set (500 kbps), and a transmission path of a coil set (5 Mbps). Figure 5 shows that in communication through a set of coils, the bit error rate is higher when the symbol rate is higher. This is thought to be because the LC series resonant circuit has characteristics similar to a bandpass filter, and when the bandwidth is wide, the amplitude and phase characteristics can no longer be considered constant. This problem can be solved by correcting the amplitude and phase characteristics of the signal using digital signal processing.

[0023] 6A and 6B are diagrams showing an example of a charging method for the wearable device of the embodiment. FIG. 6A is a partial view of the wearable device in a state where the right temple 2-1 is folded with respect to the metal frame 7 and the metal frame 8. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing an example of an eyeglasses case CA. The eyeglasses case CA includes a charging device (not shown). As shown in FIG. 6B, the eyeglasses case CA is equipped with a coil 13. The charging device and the coil 13 are wired, and are configured to be able to supply power via the coil 13. The folded glasses-type device 100 is stored in a glasses case CA. A charging device mounted on the glasses case CA supplies power from the coil 13 to the glasses-type device 100. The glasses-type device 100 charges a battery (not shown) mounted on the glasses-type device 100, such as a secondary battery, with the supplied power.

[0024] Wireless power supply is performed between the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the temple 2 and the coil 13 mounted in the eyeglass case CA. Wireless communication may be performed between the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the temple 2 and the coil 13 mounted in the eyeglass case CA. Wireless power supply and wireless communication may be performed between the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the temple 2 and the coil 13 mounted in the eyeglass case CA.

[0025] Here, we have described a case in which either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the right temple 2-1 of the glasses-type device 100 and the coil 13 mounted on the glasses case CA, but this example is not limited to this. For example, either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply may be performed between a coil incorporated in one end of the left temple 2-2 of the glasses-type device 100 and a coil mounted on the glasses case CA. Furthermore, for example, when the eyeglass-type device 100 is stored in an eyeglass case CA, both the coil 1 incorporated in one end of the right temple 2-1 of the eyeglass-type device 100 and the coil incorporated in one end of the left temple 2-2 of the eyeglass-type device 100 and a coil mounted in a portion corresponding to each of the coils of the eyeglass-type device 100 may perform either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply.

[0026] Furthermore, wireless communication and / or wireless power supply may be performed between a coil incorporated in the resin part 6 and a coil mounted on the eyeglasses case CA, without being limited to the coil incorporated in the temple 2. Also, a device such as a camera may be mounted on the front frame (metal frame 7, metal frame 8). In this case, a set of coils may be incorporated in one of the two ends of the front frame, and power may be supplied to and communication may be performed through the incorporated set of coils. A receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit may be implemented in temple 2, and power and information may be transmitted and received between the device incorporated in the front frame and the receiving circuit and the transmitting circuit implemented in temple 2. In addition, a pair of coils may be installed on the left and right hinges, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply may be performed between the coils and a device mounted on the front frame (metal frame 7, metal frame 8).

[0027] Fig. 7 shows an example 1 of parts of a wearable device according to an embodiment. Fig. 7 is a partial external view of the wearable device shown in Fig. 1B. Fig. 7 shows a right temple 2-1, a metal frame 7, a metal frame 8, a right lens 9-1, a hinge 3, a hinge 4, and a resin part 6 that fixes a coil. Fig. 8 shows Example 2 of parts of the wearable device of the embodiment. Fig. 8 is a partial external view of the wearable device shown in Fig. 1B. Fig. 8 shows a metal frame 7, a metal frame 8, a right lens 9-1, a coil 5, and a resin part 6 that fixes the coil.

[0028] Fig. 9 is a partial view showing Example 3 of a wearable device according to an embodiment. The example shown in Fig. 9 shows a right temple 2-1 of a glasses-type device 100. Example 3 of the glasses-type device 100 is designed to enable sounds propagating inside a living body to be heard by bone conduction. The right temple 2-1 shows a coil 1, a vibration unit 20, and a processing unit 25. The coil 1, the vibration unit 20, and the processing unit 25 are wired. The processing unit 25 outputs to the vibration unit 20 sound information to be transmitted to the user. The vibration unit 20 is incorporated in the upper part of the auricle of the user wearing the eyeglass-type device 100 or in a position near the mastoid process. The mastoid process refers to a cone-shaped protrusion located in the posterior inferior part of the temporal bone, the posterior inner side of the bony external auditory canal, and the outer side of the styloid process. The vibration unit 20 acquires the sound information output by the processing unit 25, vibrates the user's skull based on the acquired sound information, directly vibrates the inner ear through the vibration of the skull, and transmits sound to the brain.

[0029] In the above-described embodiment, the coil 1 and the coil 5 are magnetically coupled, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the coil 1 and the coil 5 may be configured to be electric-field coupled using electrodes instead of the coil 1 and the coil 5. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the wearable device according to the embodiment. Two pairs of electrodes are necessary to transmit power by electric field coupling. In addition, since the power supply efficiency with respect to distance is lower in the electric field coupling method than in the magnetic field coupling method, it is difficult to embed the coupler in the main body of the eyeglasses-type device, as with the wound coil of the magnetic field coupling method. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10(a), the electrodes (electrodes EL01, EL02, EL03, and EL04) are not embedded in the right temple 2-1 and the resin part 6 of the eyeglasses-type device 100, but are exposed at the hinge part (hinge 3 and hinge 4) of the eyeglasses-type device 100 and are opposed to each other to form a capacitor. Electrodes EL01 and EL02 are used instead of coil 1, and electrodes EL03 and EL04 are used instead of coil 5. In other words, coil 1 is replaced with electrodes EL01 and EL02, and coil 5 is replaced with electrodes EL03 and EL04.

[0030] However, the surface of the electrodes is insulated. This configuration can prevent the electrode surface from losing reliability in electrical continuity due to sweat or sebum. An example of the size of the electrodes is 4.0 mm long and 8.0 mm wide per electrode, with a distance of 1 mm between non-paired electrodes. An example of a prototype of just the electrode portion is shown in Figure 10(b). According to Figure 10(b), the connector CON and electrode EL3 are connected by an electric wire W01, and the connector CON and electrode EL4 are connected by an electric wire W02. The weight of one board on which two electrodes are arranged is 0.26g. The distance between the paired electrodes is 20μm, and the circuit parameters assuming a π-shaped equivalent circuit are mutual capacitance CM = 9.2pF, and self-capacitance C1 = C2 = 10.7pF. Here, the case where the wearable device has two pairs of electrodes has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the wearable device may have a pair of electrodes. In this case, the electrode EL01 may be used instead of the coil 1, and the electrode EL03 may be used instead of the coil 5. Alternatively, the electrode EL02 may be used instead of the coil 1, and the electrode EL04 may be used instead of the coil 5. That is, the coil 1 may be replaced with the electrode EL01, and the coil 5 may be replaced with the electrode EL03. Alternatively, the coil 1 may be replaced with the electrode EL02, and the coil 5 may be replaced with the electrode EL04. Specifically, in FIG. 10, when the wearable device has a pair of electrodes, the pair of electrodes includes the electrode EL01 and the electrode EL03, or the pair of electrodes includes the electrode EL02 and the electrode EL04. Also, for example, the wearable device may have three or more pairs of electrodes. That is, the wearable device has at least one pair of electrodes.

[0031] Next, based on the circuit parameters of the electric field coupler, we designed a double-sided LCLC-compensation circuit as an example of a circuit that can be added to the electric field coupler. Note that the resonant frequency is set to 13.56 MHz, the same as the wound coil. First, it is known that the higher the product kcQ of the coupling coefficient kc and the Q value of the resonant circuit, the higher the maximum efficiency. On the other hand, if the coupling coefficient is high, it is necessary to boost the voltage to a high level in order to transmit a large amount of power. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a double-sided LCLC-compensation circuit. As a result of designing so that the coupling coefficient kc = 0.3, the external capacitors Cex1 = Cex2 = 20pF in Figure 11. Next, select appropriate inductors Lf1 = Lf2, here 2.2μH, and set the capacitor Cf1 = Cf2 that resonates with it to 62pF. Then, select L1 and L2 that resonate with Cf1, C1, L1 and Cf2, C2, L2, and set them to 6.6μH. Here, as an example, the electrodes for measurement are formed on a rigid substrate, but this is not limiting. For example, the electrodes may be formed on a plastic frame using a technology called Molded Interconnect Devices (MID). By configuring in this way, it is possible to easily mass-produce glasses-type devices equipped with electric field couplers.

[0032] In the electric field coupling method in which coil 1 and coil 5 are configured to be electric field-coupled, the relationship between the distance between the electrodes and the change in power supply efficiency was measured. The S parameters of the electric field coupler with double-sided LCLC-compensation were measured by a VNA. Note that the ground is connected inside the VNA, and since the electric field coupler would become meaningless if it were connected to the VNA in this state, insulation was achieved by connecting via a 1:1 transformer. The distance conditions were changed to 0 μm, 25 μm, 50 μm, 75 μm, and 100 μm, with the distance being 0 μm when the electrodes coated with solder resist were attached (contacted) to each other. The distance was changed by changing the number of 25 μm-thick polyimide films sandwiched between them.

[0033] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the distance between the electrodes of the electric field coupler and the power supply efficiency. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an equivalent circuit of electric field coupling to which a double-sided LCLC-compensation circuit is added. According to Fig. 12, when the interelectrode distance is 0 μm, the power supply efficiency is about 85%, and the power supply efficiency tends to decrease as the interelectrode distance increases. This is thought to be because the mutual capacitance and self-capacitance of the electric field coupler change as the interelectrode distance increases, and the series resonant circuit of Cf1, L1, and C1 cannot resonate in the equivalent circuit of the electric field coupling with the double-sided LCLC-compensation circuit added as shown in Fig. 13. In this way, the power supply efficiency changes sensitively even to slight changes in distance. For this reason, in order to incorporate an electric field coupler into a glasses-type device, it is necessary to design the glasses to be small so that the distance between the electrodes is fixed when the glasses are opened, and to open the glasses until the electrodes physically collide with each other. Alternatively, it is possible to make the capacitance of the external capacitors Cex1 and Cex2 variable using a variable capacitor or the like so that resonance can be achieved even in situations where the distance changes.

[0034] A configuration example of a wearable device will be described. The eyeglass-type device 100 of this embodiment includes a first coil (in the embodiment, coil 1) mounted on a temple (in the embodiment, right temple 2-1 or left temple 2-2), and a second coil (in the embodiment, coil 5) mounted on a frame (in the embodiment, metal frame 7, metal frame 8) movably connected to the temple by a hinge (in the embodiment, hinge 3 and hinge 4). When the temple is in an open state with respect to the frame, the first coil and the second coil face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the first coil and the second coil.

[0035] The glasses-type device 100 includes a first coil mounted on the frame and a second coil mounted on the temple. The frame is movably connected to the temple by a hinge, and when the temple is opened relative to the frame, the first coil and the second coil face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the first coil and the second coil. The glasses-type device 100 includes a transmission line along the rim that connects the second coil and another first coil. In the eyeglass-type device 100, the rims are full-rims or half-rims. In the glasses-type device 100, a secondary battery is mounted on the temple, and the case that stores the glasses-type device 100 includes a charging device. The charging device includes a third coil (coil 13 in the embodiment). When the glasses-type device 100 is stored in the case, the third coil included in the charging device faces the first coil, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the third coil and the first coil.

[0036] The eyeglasses-type device 100 of this embodiment is a eyeglasses-type device that includes a first electrode mounted on a temple and a second electrode mounted on a frame movably connected to the temple by a hinge. When the temple is in an open state relative to the frame, the first electrode and the second electrode face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the opposed first electrode and second electrode. The eyeglass-type device 100 includes another first electrode mounted on the frame and another second electrode mounted on the other temple, the frame is movably connected to the other temple by another hinge, and when the other temple is opened relative to the frame, the other first electrode and the other second electrode face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the other first electrode and the other second electrode. The glasses-type device 100 includes a transmission line along the rim that connects the second electrode and another first electrode. In the eyeglass-type device 100, the rims are full-rims or half-rims. In the glasses-type device 100, a secondary battery is mounted on the temple, and a case that stores the glasses-type device includes a charging device, and the charging device includes a third electrode. When the glasses-type device is stored in the case, the third electrode of the charging device and the first electrode may face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply may be performed between the third electrode and the first electrode. When the glasses-type device is stored in the case, the third electrode of the charging device and the second electrode may face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply may be performed between the third electrode and the second electrode. When the glasses-type device is stored in the case, the third electrode of the charging device and the other first electrode may face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply may be performed between the third electrode and the other first electrode. When the glasses-type device is stored in the case, the third electrode of the charging device and the other second electrode may face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply may be performed between the third electrode and the other second electrode.

[0037] (Effects of the embodiment) Short-distance wireless power supply and communication is performed at the hinge parts (hinge 3, hinge 4). This eliminates the need for a structure that requires wiring to pass through the hinges. Also, the structure of the glasses-type device 100 can be simplified. By simplifying the structure of the glasses-type device 100, design costs and manufacturing costs can be reduced. Also, by simplifying the structure of the glasses-type device 100, the design quality of the glasses can be improved.

[0038] If wiring is to be run between the temples and the front frame, it is necessary to run electrical wiring through the hinge, which has a complicated shape. Glasses-type devices with electrical wiring running through the hinge have problems such as being fragile and difficult to manufacture, and in many cases have not been commercialized. One method for supplying power to the module built into the glasses-type device is to build wiring into the hinge, but in terms of communication, it is also possible to make the left and right frames independent devices and use Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like to perform wireless communication between the left and right devices. However, the communication speed is limited to 1.4 Mbps, and it is not possible to simultaneously present audio and video and perform sensing with low latency. Furthermore, it is susceptible to external electromagnetic noise, resulting in problems such as communication interruptions.

[0039] The front frame may be made of two metals. This makes it unnecessary to incorporate wiring into the front frame. Since it is unnecessary to incorporate wiring into the front frame, the front frame is generally limited to plastic in order to incorporate wiring, but this restriction can be eliminated. Electric power and information can be transmitted and received via the coil 1 formed on the temple 2 and the coil 5 formed on the metal frame 7. The metal frame can be used as a transmission path for electric power and information. As shown in FIG. 1B, by forming the eyeglass-type device 100 in a half-rim shape, it is possible to reduce the leakage electromagnetic field under the nose while preventing a decrease in power supply efficiency. By forming the component 11 from resin, it is possible to prevent a short circuit between the metal frames 7 and 8. As shown in Figs. 6A and 6B, the glasses-type device can be charged by storing the device in a glasses case equipped with a power transmission function with temple 2 folded.

[0040] In the glasses-type device 100, short-distance wireless communication and wireless power supply are possible by installing a pair of small coils at the end of the temples and the end of the front frame of the glasses. We have explained that the power supply efficiency in this case is 87% and the error rate when the communication speed is 5 Mbps and 500 kbps. In the future, in order to further increase the data rate, it is possible to increase the carrier frequency, widen the bandwidth, or use a modulation method with high spectral efficiency. However, this will result in a trade-off with power supply efficiency, so it is necessary to investigate how much power supply efficiency and data rate can be achieved simultaneously. In addition, in order to realize a glasses-type device using the proposed system as a product, it is necessary to investigate the effects of the electromagnetic field generated by the coil of this system on the human body and surrounding equipment, as well as the circuit scale of the proposed system when created using existing chips.

[0041] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. Some of the devices included in the glasses-type device 100 in the above-described embodiment may be realized by a computer. In this case, a program for realizing the control function may be recorded in a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded in the recording medium may be read into a computer system and executed to realize the control function. The "computer system" referred to here is a computer system built into each device included in the glasses-type device, and includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices.

[0042] In addition, the term "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, as well as storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems. Furthermore, the term "computer-readable recording medium" may also include something that dynamically holds a program for a short period of time, such as a communication line when transmitting a program via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line, and something that holds a program for a certain period of time, such as volatile memory or non-volatile memory within a computer system that is the server or client in that case. Furthermore, the above-mentioned program may be for realizing part of the above-mentioned functions, and may further be capable of realizing the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system. In addition, some or all of the functional blocks of each device included in the glasses-type device in the above-mentioned embodiment may be realized as an integrated circuit such as an LSI. Each functional block of each device included in the glasses-type device 100 may be individually processed, or some or all of the functional blocks may be integrated into a processor. The integrated circuit method is not limited to LSI, and may be realized by a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that can replace LSI appears due to the advancement of semiconductor technology, an integrated circuit based on that technology may be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 100: eyeglass-type device, 1: coil, 2-1: right temple, 2-2: left temple, 2: temple, 3: hinge, 4: hinge, 5: coil, 6: resin part, 7: metal frame, 8: metal frame, 9-1: right lens, 9-2: left lens, 9: lens, 10: nose pad, 11: part, 13: coil, 25: processing unit, 20: vibration unit

Claims

1. A wearable device, A first coil mounted on the temple; a second coil mounted on a frame movably connected to the temple by a hinge; Equipped with A wearable device in which, when the temples are open relative to the frame, the first coil and the second coil face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the first coil and the second coil.

2. Another first coil mounted on the frame; Another second coil mounted on another temple Equipped with The frame is movably connected to the other temple by another hinge, The wearable device of claim 1, wherein when the other temple is opened relative to the frame, the other first coil and the other second coil face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the other first coil and the other second coil.

3. A transmission line connecting the second coil and another of the first coils along the rim. The wearable device of claim 2 .

4. The wearable device of claim 3 , wherein the rim is a full rim or a half rim.

5. A secondary battery is mounted on the temple, A wearable device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a case for storing the wearable device is equipped with a charging device, the charging device is equipped with a third coil, and when the wearable device is stored in the case, the third coil equipped in the charging device faces the first coil, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the third coil and the first coil.

6. A wearable device, A first electrode mounted on the temple; a second electrode mounted on a frame movably connected to the temple by a hinge; Equipped with A wearable device in which, when the temples are open relative to the frame, the first electrode and the second electrode face each other, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the facing first electrode and the facing second electrode.

7. Another first electrode mounted on the frame; and Another second electrode mounted on another temple Equipped with The frame is movably connected to the other temple by another hinge, The wearable device of claim 6, wherein when the other temple is opened relative to the frame, the other first electrode faces the other second electrode, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the other first electrode and the other second electrode.

8. A transmission line connecting the second electrode and another of the first electrodes along the rim. The wearable device of claim 7 , comprising:

9. The wearable device of claim 8 , wherein the rim is a full rim or a half rim.

10. A secondary battery is mounted on the temple, The wearable device described in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein a case for storing the wearable device is equipped with a charging device, the charging device is equipped with a third electrode, and when the wearable device is stored in the case, the third electrode of the charging device faces the first electrode, and either or both of wireless communication and wireless power supply are performed between the third electrode and the first electrode.

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