Wearable Sensor Antenna Segmentation for Wet Environment Signal Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sensor devices face challenges in maintaining antenna sensitivity when clothing becomes wet due to sweat or rain, as the antenna is positioned between wet body tissue and wet clothing, creating a dielectric environment that affects radio communication.

Innovation Solution

The sensor device is designed with a clip-like configuration, where the first main body portion with the antenna is positioned on the outer side of the clothing, and the second main body portion with the measuring unit is on the inner side, ensuring the antenna remains dry and maintains optimal performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the antenna is positioned inside clothing to enable close contact with the body for motion detection, then the motion detection capability is improved, but the antenna sensitivity deteriorates when clothing becomes wet due to sweat or rain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotion detection capabilityVSAvoidantenna sensitivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor device is divided into two separate main body portions: a first main body portion containing the antenna and disposed on the outer side of clothing, and a second main body portion containing the measuring unit and disposed on the inner side facing the body. This segmentation allows the antenna to remain outside the clothing (avoiding wet conditions) while the measuring unit contacts the body for accurate motion detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a single-unit design to a distributed two-unit configuration across different spatial dimensions. The antenna is positioned in a different spatial location (outer side of clothing) than the measuring unit (inner side facing body), allowing each component to operate in its optimal environment without interference from moisture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If the antenna is positioned between wet body tissue and wet clothing to enable close contact measurement, then the measurement accuracy is improved, but the radio communication performance deteriorates due to dielectric effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoiddielectric interference with radio waves
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna is extracted from the interior position between body and clothing and relocated to the outer side of the clothing. This extraction removes the antenna from the harmful dielectric environment created by wet body tissue and wet clothing, eliminating the interference with radio wave transmission and reception while the measuring unit remains in contact with the body for accurate measurements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4154801B1Sensor device
Publication Date: 2025.03.05 CASIO COMPUTER CO LTD
  • EP4154801B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4154801B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4154801B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A sensor device includes a first main body portion and a second main body portion which are configured to be detachably attached to a holding member worn by a user, and the first main body portion is disposed on a side of the holding member which lies opposite to a side facing a body of the user and includes therein an antenna for receiving or transmitting a radio wave, while the second main body portion is disposed on the side of the holding member which lies to face the body of the user and includes therein a circuit unit including a measuring unit configured to measure information of the user.