Systems and methods for short range wireless communication

• US 20060084380A1
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U.S. Army Medical Research And Materiel Command
• Original Assignee: U.S. Army Medical Research And Materiel Command
• Inventors: Lanza, John F., Hoyt, Reed W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,933,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils

Abstract

A magnetic induction data transmission network comprising a master hub, at least one sensor node communicatively coupled to the master hub and a magnetic induction coil preferably adapted to be worn about a bodypart of a subject such as an individual'"'"'s waist or neck. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic induction coil preferably includes a connector which serves as an intermediary between the coil and the hub to allow data communication.

Claims

1. A magnetic induction data transmission network, comprising:

a master hub;

at least one sensor node communicatively coupled to said master hub to allow said master hub and said at least one sensor node to receive and transmit data; and

a magnetic induction coil adapted to be worn about a bodypart of a subject, said magnetic induction coil being connected to said master hub to allow said data reception and transmisssion.

2. The data transmission network of claim 1, wherein said magnetic induction coil conducts a current in the milliampere range.

3. The data transmission network of claim 1, wherein data transmission and reception can occur over a maximum distance range of two to three meters.

4. The data transmission network of claim 1, wherein said master hub includes a magnetic induction transceiver.

5. The data transmission network of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor node includes a magnetic induction transceiver.

6. The data transmission network of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor node and said magnetic induction coil are misaligned by an angle of plus or minus forty-five degrees.

7. The data transmission network of claim 1, wherein said coilbelt includes at least one wire forming at least one revolution around an individual'"'"'s waist.

8. The data transmission network of claim 7, wherein said at least one wire is manufactured of ribbon cable.

9. The data transmission network of claim 7, wherein said at least one wire is manufactured of Mylar cable.

10. The data transmission network of claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor node includes a physiological sensor.

11. The data transmission network of claim 1, further comprising a belt buckle connected to said magnetic induction coil, said belt buckle for allowing fastening and unfastening of said magnetic induction coil.

12. The data transmission network of claim 1, further comprising a belt buckle connected to said magnetic induction coil, wherein said belt buckle is a part of said hub and allows fastening and unfastening of said magnetic induction coilbelt.

13. The data transmission network of claim 1, further comprising a connector residing at a transaction point of said magnetic induction coil, said connector serving as an intermediary between said coil and said hub.

14. The data transmission network of claim 13, wherein said connector includes

a plug terminal including a set of plug pins;

and

a receptacle terminal including a set of receptacle pins;

wherein each of said plug pins corresponds to a receptacle pin.

15. The data transmission network of claim 14, wherein at least one wire is connected to one of said plug pins and said master hub and at least one wire is connected to one of said receptacle pins and said master hub.

16. The data transmission network of claim 15, wherein at least one wire is connected to one of said receptacle pins and one of said plug pins.

17. The data transmission network of claim 15, wherein at least one wire is connected to one of said receptacle pins and one of said plug pins, said one of said plug pins being offset from said one of said receptacle pins by one greater position.

18. The data transmission network of claim 15, wherein at least one wire is connected to one of said receptacle pins and one of said plug pins, said one of said receptacle pins being offset from said one of said plug pins by one greater position.

19. A central hub for transmitting and receiving data in a magnetic induction network, comprising:

an internal microprocessor adapted to communicate with another microprocessor located outside of the network; and

a data storage area communicatively coupled to said internal microprocessor, said data storage area for storing data received by said internal microprocessor.

20. A magnetic induction coil adapted to fit a bodypart of a individual comprising a connector residing at a transection point of the coil, said connector serving as an intermediary between said coil and said master hub to allow said communication.

21. The magnetic induction coil of claim 20, wherein said connector includes

a plug terminal including a set of plug pins;

and

a receptacle terminal including a set of receptacle pins;

wherein each of said plug pins corresponds to a receptacle pin.

22. The coil of claim 21, wherein at least one wire is connected to one of said plug pins and said master hub and at least one wire is connected to one of said receptacle pins and said master hub.

23. The coil of claim 22, wherein at least one wire is connected to one of said receptacle pins and one of said plug pins.

24. The coil of claim 22, wherein at least one wire is connected to one of said receptacle pins and one of said plug pins, said one of said plug pins being offset from said one of said receptacle pins by one greater position.

25. The coil of claim 22, wherein at least one wire is connected to one of said receptacle pins and one of said plug pins, said one of said receptacle pins being offset from said one of said plug pins by one greater position.

26. A method for communicating using the magnetic induction data transmission network of claim 1, comprising:

transmitting or receiving data to or from said master hub to said at least one sensor node;

wherein said master hub is located on a first subject and said at least one sensor node is located on a textile of a second subject.

27. A method for communicating using the magnetic induction data transmission network of claim 1, comprising transmitting or receiving data to or from said master hub to a central hub located in a remote network.

28. A method for transmitting and receiving data using the magnetic induction data transmission network of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a signal at said master hub from said at least one sensor node; and

transmitting said signal from said master hub to a central hub located in a remote network.

29. A personal area network for transmitting and receiving data via magnetic induction, comprising:

a master unit;

a magnetic induction antenna belt electrically coupled to said master unit; and

at least one slave unit communicatively coupled to said master unit;

wherein said magnetic induction antenna belt allows said master unit to transmit data to said at least one slave unit and receive data from said at least one slave unit.

30. A personal area network for transmitting and receiving data via magnetic induction, comprising:

a magnetic induction antenna belt;

a primary transceiver for inclusion in a belt buckle attached to said belt;

an adapter for inclusion in said belt buckle, said adapter for electronically coupling said primary transceiver to said magnetic induction antenna belt and

at least one secondary transceiver in communication with said primary transceiver to allow said primary transceiver to communicate with said at least one secondary transceiver via said antenna belt, said plurality of secondary transceivers being located in proximity to said primary transceiver.