Finger-Worn Ring Architecture for Stable Skin Contact Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable electronics are bulky and intrusive, making them uncomfortable for extended wear and often inaccurate in monitoring due to inconsistent contact with the body.
Innovation Solution
A wearable computing device in the form of a ring with flexible printed circuit boards and transparent windows for data transmission, battery recharge, and status indication, incorporating components like LEDs and photovoltaic cells for prolonged wear and accurate monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional wearable electronics are designed with larger size to accommodate components, then functionality and battery capacity are improved, but comfort and ease of wear deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible printed circuit boards (FPC) as the substrate for mounting electronic components, allowing the device to conform to the curved surface of the finger. This flexible film approach enables thin-profile construction while accommodating standard electronic components, resolving the contradiction between battery capacity and wearability by achieving both adequate power storage and comfort through flexible, thin-film-based design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested arrangement where the FPC board with mounted components is placed within a housing structure that fits on the finger. The FPC itself is folded and bent to fit within the limited space, nesting multiple functional layers (circuit board, components, battery) within the constrained finger-mounted form factor, thereby achieving adequate battery capacity without increasing external dimensions
2Adaptability or versatility
If wearable devices are made bulky to house necessary components, then device functionality is improved, but measurement precision and contact consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible printed circuit board enables the device to conform precisely to the finger's curvature, ensuring consistent contact between sensing elements and the skin surface. This flexibility maintains measurement precision while housing all necessary components for health monitoring, gesture recognition, and communication functions within a compact form factor
Solution Approach 2:
The patent positions specific sensing components at strategic locations on the FPC board to optimize contact with the finger surface. By concentrating measurement functions at precise contact points rather than distributing them across a large bulk device, the patent achieves both comprehensive functionality and consistent measurement quality
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
Enables prolonged, comfortable wear and accurate fitness and health monitoring with consistent skin contact, improving data accuracy and functionality through gesture recognition and biometric sensing.
Implementation Method 1
at least one concentrated photovoltaic cell configured to receive concentrated light
Implementation Method 2
concentrated photovoltaic cell configured to receive concentrated light through the transparent external potting
Implementation Method 3
at least one LED configured to emit at least one of visible light, infrared radiation, and ultraviolet radiation through the external potting
Data Source
AI summary
A finger-worn wearable ring device may include a ring-shaped housing, a printed circuit board, and a sensor module that includes one or more light-emitting components and one or more light-receiving components. The wearable ring device may further include a communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with an application executable on a user device.