Wearable Band Power Interface Timing to Reduce Rusting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Rusting occurs at the power interface between the band and housing of wearable computing devices due to liquid exposure, such as sweat or water, leading to inefficiencies in power delivery and potential component damage.
Innovation Solution
A wearable computing device with a processor that initiates a detection window to control the coupling of an energy storage device to the power interface at intermittent intervals based on the device's state and motion, minimizing power delivery during these intervals to reduce rusting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the power source continuously provides power to the IC in the band, then the IC can be reliably powered and communicate with the housing, but power is wasted during periods when the band is not attached or liquid may be present at the interface
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic power delivery through detection windows at intermittent intervals rather than continuous power supply. The processor controls the switching device to couple the energy storage device to the power interface only during these periodic detection windows, reducing energy loss while maintaining necessary communication functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of band attachment status and liquid presence before establishing continuous power delivery. By detecting motion and initiating detection windows in advance, the system determines whether power should be delivered, preventing wasted energy while ensuring reliability when needed.
2Reliability
If the power interface remains continuously connected, then power and data communication are maintained, but rusting occurs at the power interface due to liquid exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The power interface is activated only during periodic detection windows rather than remaining continuously connected. This intermittent coupling reduces exposure time to liquid environments, minimizing rusting while maintaining communication reliability when the band is properly attached.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the power interface connection state based on detected conditions. The switching device couples or decouples the energy storage device from the power interface in real-time response to motion detection and other sensor inputs, optimizing both protection against rusting and communication reliability.
3Loss of energy
If the system waits for user attachment before providing power, then energy is conserved, but power delivery is delayed and communication is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of attachment status and initiates detection windows in advance rather than waiting passively for full attachment confirmation. Motion sensors detect potential attachment events, and the processor proactively opens detection windows to establish power and communication links faster while still conserving energy during confirmed non-use periods.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A wearable computing device includes a housing, a band having a circuit, an energy storage device, a power interface configured to deliver electrical power from the energy storage device to the circuit, a switching device configured to selectively couple the energy storage device to the power interface, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine a state of the wearable computing device and initiate a detection window of a certain duration when the state corresponds to a predetermined state and motion of the wearable computing device is detected. More specifically, initiating the detection window includes controlling operation of the switching device to couple the energy storage device to the power interface to deliver the electrical power to the circuit only at intermittent intervals to reduce an amount of the electrical power delivered to the circuit during the certain duration, thereby minimizing rusting at the power interface.