PERSONALLY POWERED APPLIANCE

• US 20150068069A1
• Filed: 07/27/2013
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BT Wearables LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: BT Wearables LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Inventors: Tran, Alexander Bach, Tran, Ha, Tran, Bao
• Application Number:
  US13/952,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20150068069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/136
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/183 Leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/184 the structure protruding from the outsole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/25 using a mesh network, e.g. a public urban network such as public lighting, bus stops or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/306 Cantilevers

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for powering a processor and a wireless transceiver in a sole having a sole plate and one or more spring elements disposed in a forefoot area of the sole plate, each of said spring elements including a piezoelectric generator coupled thereto, wherein each of the plurality of spring elements has one free end not directly connected to the sole plate.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor;

a power supply coupled to the processor and wireless transceiver located proximal to a sole, said sole including;

a sole plate; and

one or more leaf spring elements extending at an angle from the sole plate toward ground, each of said spring elements including a piezoelectric generator coupled thereto, wherein each spring element has one free end not directly connected to the sole plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one spring element extends between an insole region and an outsole region of the sole or at least one spring element comprises a region with a concave curvature and a region with a convex curvature.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sole plate extends substantially over the complete length of the sole and includes a piezoelectric element to generate energy over the length of the sole.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sole plate comprises a heel cup configured to encompass a heel of a wearer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the free ends of at least two spring elements are interconnected.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rear spring element disposed on a rear side of the sole plate, and a lateral spring element disposed on a lateral side of the sole plate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first cushioning element disposed between at least one free end of a spring element and the sole plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first cushioning element comprises a foamed material or a structural cushioning element free from foamed material and a piezoelectric element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer to detect if a wearer has fallen and computer code to automatically request help without action by people.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power regulator coupled to the piezoelectric elements and an energy storage device.

11. A method for communicating, comprising:

powering a processor and a wireless transceiver in a sole having a sole plate and one or more spring elements disposed in a forefoot area of the sole plate, each of said spring elements including a piezoelectric generator coupled thereto, wherein each of the plurality of spring elements has one free end not directly connected to the sole plate; and

communicating with a remote processor.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising forming the piezoelectric generator by applying a piezoelectric composite material or a piezoelectric film.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising forming the sole plate and the at least one piezoelectric spring element as a single piece.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising storing energy in an energy storage device positioned above the sole plate, below the sole plate, in the sole plate, or as part of the sole plate.

15. A footwear, comprising a processor and a transceiver powered by a sole having a first piezoelectric spring element coupled to a sole plate and substantially oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sole;

and a second piezoelectric spring element coupled to a forefoot part of the sole plate and positioned substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the sole.

16. The footwear of claim 15, comprising:

a sole plate including a heel cup; and

a piezoelectric spring element coupled to the sole plate and substantially oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sole, wherein the sole plate and the at least one piezoelectric spring element are formed as a single piece.

17. The footwear of claim 15, comprising a user activity sensor selected from:

an indoor position sensor, a motion sensor, a door sensor, a bathroom sensor, a water overflow sensor, an exercise equipment sensor, a smoke detector, an oven sensor, a cooking range sensor, a dish washer sensor, a cabinet door sensor, a refrigerator sensor, a refrigerator container sensor, a kitchen water flow sensor, a dish sensor, a bowl sensor, a chair sitting sensor, a sofa sitting sensor, a bed sensor, a weight sensor, a television viewing sensor, a radio listening sensor, an EMG detector, EEG detector, an EKG detector, an ECG detector, a bioimpedance sensor, an electromagnetic detector, an ultrasonic detector, an optical detector, a differential amplifier, an accelerometer, a video camera, a sound transducer, or a digital stethoscope.

18. The footwear of claim 17, comprising a bioimpedance sensor to determine one of:

total body water, compartmentalization of body fluids, cardiac monitoring, blood flow, skinfold thickness, dehydration, blood loss, wound monitoring, ulcer detection, deep vein thrombosis, hypovolemia, hemorrhage, blood loss, heart attack, stroke attack.

19. The footwear of claim 15, comprising a cellular telephone receiving power and communicating with at least one of:

a patch, a wristwatch, a band, a wristband, a chest band, a leg band, a sock, a glove, a foot pad, a head-band, an ear-clip, an ear phone, a shower-cap, an armband, an ear-ring, eye-glasses, sun-glasses, a belt, a sock, a shirt, a garment, a jewelry, a bed spread, a pillow cover, a pillow, a mattress, a blanket, each having one or more sensors in communication with the wireless network.

20. The footwear of claim 15, comprising a fall detector and computer code to automatically request help without action by people.