BIOLOGICAL ENTITY COMMUNICATION CHANNEL

• US 20130149965A1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gilad-Bachrach, Ran, DeJean, Gerald R., Thai, Trang Thuy
• Granted Patent: US 9,331,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems

Abstract

Biological entity communication channel techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an apparatus includes a signal conductor having a side that is configured to be disposed proximal to a surface of a biological entity to use at least a part of the biological entity as a transmission channel to transmit a signal received by the signal conductor from an electrical device. The apparatus also includes a ground layer configured to be disposed on an opposing side of the signal conductor from the side of the signal conductor that is configured to be disposed against the surface of the biological entity.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a signal conductor having a side that is configured to be disposed proximal to a surface of a biological entity to use at least a part of the biological entity as a transmission channel to transmit a signal received by the signal conductor from an electrical device; and

a ground layer configured to be disposed on an opposing side of the signal conductor from the side of the signal conductor that is configured to be disposed against the surface of the biological entity.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the biological entity is a mammal.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the signal conductor and the ground layer are separated by an insulator.

4. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the signal is configured to use the part of the biological entity to serve as the transmission channel for communication to another electrical device.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein the other electrical device is proximal to another biological entity.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the signal is configured for transmission through the part of the biological entity as a guided-wave.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein a first signal is configured for transmission through the part of the biological entity as a guided-wave and a second signal is configured for transmission through space as a separate transmission in the form of space-waves simultaneously with the first signal.

8. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the signal conductor is a sole conductor used to communicate via the biological entity by the apparatus.

9. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the configuration of the ground layer in relation to the signal conductor causes formation of a coaxial channel using the part of the biological entity to serve as the transmission channel.

10. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the signal is configured to communicate data from the electrical device to another electrical device.

11. An apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein the data includes credentials usable to identify a user or purchase a good or service.

12. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the data includes protocols to communicate in compliance with one or more wireless standards.

13. A method comprising:

disposing an apparatus proximal to a surface of a human body to form a coaxial communication channel, using at least a part of the human body, that is suitable to communicate a signal from an electrical device; and

transmitting the signal using the part of the human body that forms the coaxial communication channel.

14. A method as described in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving the transmitted signal at another human body, the other human body contacting one or more parts of the human body;

communicating the transmitted signal at the other human body using a coaxial communication channel, formed using at least a part of the other human body, to another apparatus disposed proximal to a surface of the other human body; and

decoding data from the communicated signal by another electrical device that is communicatively coupled to the other apparatus.

15. A method as described in claim 14, wherein the data includes credentials usable to identify a user or purchase a good or service.

16. A method as described in claim 13, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate the signal as a guided wave through the coaxial communication channel formed using at least the portion of the human body.

17. A method as described in claim 13, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a signal conductor formed to be placed proximal to the surface of a human body; and

a ground layer configured to be disposed on an opposing side of the signal conductor from the side of the signal conductor that is configured to be disposed proximal to the surface of the human body.

18. A method comprising:

communicating a first signal by an apparatus as a guided wave to transmit data as bounded to a biological channel; and

communicating a second signal by the apparatus as a wave to transmit data as unbounded by the biological channel.

19. A method as described in claim 18, wherein the communicating of the first and second signals is performed simultaneously.

20. A method as described in claim 18, wherein the communication of the first and second signals is performed at different frequencies such that the first signal is bounded to the biological channel and the second signal is unbounded by the biological channel.