Personal Care Device Attachment Identification via RFID Memory

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Personal care devices, such as electric toothbrushes and shavers, often require users to share a body portion while using different attachments, leading to the risk of inadvertently using another user's attachment, which can be unhygienic and undesirable.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a memory element like an RFID or NFC tag in each attachment that can be read by the personal care device, allowing it to associate each attachment with a specific user and indicate the correct attachment through a status indicator, such as colored lights or audio feedback, ensuring users can verify they are using their own attachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple users share a personal care device body portion with different attachments, then device versatility and cost-effectiveness are improved, but the risk of inadvertent attachment usage and hygiene issues increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice sharing capabilityVSAvoidattachment identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides immediate feedback to users through visual (LED indicators) and audible (beeps) signals that confirm which attachment is currently installed and whether it matches the intended user. This feedback loop eliminates uncertainty and prevents inadvertent usage of wrong attachments while maintaining shared device access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Memory elements (RFID tags, NFC tags, or memory chips) are introduced as intermediaries between the attachment and the device body. These intermediaries store identification data that enables the device to recognize and distinguish between different users' attachments, thereby maintaining hygiene and identification accuracy in a shared device scenario.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If memory elements are added to each attachment for identification, then attachment identification accuracy is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment identification accuracyVSAvoidsystem component count

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs inexpensive memory elements such as RFID tags, NFC tags, or simple memory chips that can be easily integrated into disposable or replaceable attachments. These low-cost components provide reliable identification without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity, as they are standard off-the-shelf items that can be programmed during or after attachment assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The memory elements serve multiple functions: they store user identification data, enable device recognition, and facilitate hygiene tracking. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate identification mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity while achieving accurate attachment identification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If status indicators are implemented to show attachment status, then user verification capability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser verification capabilityVSAvoiddevice power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The status indicators (LED lights and audible beeps) are activated periodically or on-demand during attachment installation or device startup, rather than continuously. This periodic operation provides sufficient user verification capability while minimizing power consumption, as the indicators only consume energy when needed for identification confirmation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution allows multiple users to share a personal care device while ensuring each user uses their correct attachment, enhancing hygiene and user experience by providing clear identification and preventing accidental attachment usage.

Implementation Method 1

Each of the attachments includes a memory element such as a radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRFID (Radiofrequency identification):

Implementation Method 2

near-field communication (NFC) tag

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNFC (Near-field communication):

Data Source

PatentUS10932556B2Systems and methods for associating personal care device attachments with particular users

Publication Date: 2021.03.02 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

AI summary

A method and system for identifying an attachment of a personal care device (10). The method includes attaching an attachment (14) containing a memory (16) to a body portion (12) of a personal care device. The personal care device is powered up. Data is retrieved from the memory of the attachment. Information about the attachment attached to the personal care device is extracted from the retrieved data, the information including at least an association of the attachment to a specific user. An output characteristic of a status indicator (30) of the personal care device is associated with the ID (22) of the attachment. The status indicator is operated in accordance with the output characteristic when the attachment is coupled to the body portion of the personal device.