Conductive Surface Bio-Antenna for Wearable Signal Reception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Body-worn communication devices face inefficiencies in receiving broadcast signals due to the limited size of integrated antennas, which results in attenuated signal strength and reduced performance, especially in applications like smartwatches where space constraints are significant.
Innovation Solution
A communications device utilizing a conducting surface, such as metalized plastic foil or copper attached to a flexible dielectric, capacitively coupled with the human body to enhance signal reception, combined with a filter and a near-field communication circuit to manage frequency bands and prevent interference, allowing for efficient broadcast signal reception and NFC communication within a body area network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional integrated antenna is used in body-worn devices, then the device structure is simple and compact, but the signal reception strength is attenuated and performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conducting surface as an intermediary element that capacitively couples with the human body to form a bio-antenna system. This conducting surface acts as a mediator between the broadcast signals and the human body, enhancing signal reception without requiring a traditional integrated antenna structure within the device itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The human body itself serves as the antenna element in this invention. By capacitively coupling the conducting surface to the human body, the body's natural electrical properties are utilized to receive broadcast signals, eliminating the need for separate antenna components and reducing device complexity.
2Reliability
If the conducting surface size is increased to improve signal reception, then signal strength improves, but the device size and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the conducting surface dimensions to be less than 10% of the broadcast signal wavelength, creating an electrically small antenna configuration. This parameter optimization allows the conducting surface to be sufficiently small for wearable devices while maintaining effective signal reception through capacitive coupling with the human body's larger electrical structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple communication functions are integrated into the device, then device versatility improves, but signal interference between functions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates different communication functions into distinct operational modes: broadcast reception mode using the conducting surface and bio-antenna system, and NFC mode using a separate coil and circuit. This functional segmentation allows each communication type to operate independently with its own signal path, minimizing interference between functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces filtering circuits as intermediary elements between the conducting surface/bio-antenna system and the NFC coil/circuit. These filters act as mediators that selectively pass desired frequency bands while blocking unwanted signals, preventing interference between broadcast reception and NFC operations.
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 improves signal strength and reduces interference, enabling effective broadcast signal reception and concurrent NFC communication in body-worn devices, even in space-constrained applications like smartwatches, by leveraging the human body as a bio-antenna and optimizing antenna design with capacitive coupling and filtering.
Implementation Method 1
A communications device for broadcast reception is provided which includes a conducting surface capacitively coupled with a human body
Implementation Method 2
leveraging the human body as a bio-antenna and optimizing antenna design with capacitive coupling
Implementation Method 3
a filter coupled between the conducting surface and the broadcast receiver and configured to pass the set of broadcast band frequencies received by the conducting surface to the broadcast receiver
Implementation Method 4
the coil is tuned to the NFC circuit's operating frequency... the NFC circuit is configured to communicate with the set of nodes using near-field magnetic induction signals
Implementation Method 5
a blocking filter coupled between the conducting surface and the broadcast receiver; and the blocking filter is configured to block a set of NFC circuit signals from reaching the broadcast receiver
Data Source
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AI summary
One example discloses a communications device, including: a bio-antenna conducting surface configured to receive a set of bio-antenna modulated broadcast signals; wherein the conducting surface is configured to receive the set of bio-antenna modulated broadcast signals through a capacitively coupling; a broadcast receiver coupled to the conducting surface; and wherein the conducting surface is configured to pass the broadcast signals to the broadcast receiver.