NETWORK OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES ASSEMBLED ON A FLEXIBLE SUPPORT AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

• US 20170093024A1
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Pagani, Alberto
• Granted Patent: US 10,250,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5387 Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/5388 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 : the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 : involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 : Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 : using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/038 : Textiles used as reinforcing materials for organic insulating substrates H05K1/0366
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 : incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 : Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an article including a garment, with a network formed on the garment. The network includes a main node with a main wired antenna, and at least one intermediate node with an intermediate wired antenna to be magnetically coupled to a respective device for that intermediate node. An electrical line electrically couples the main node to the at least one intermediate node. At least one electronic device is magnetically coupled to the intermediate wired antenna. A power supply unit is magnetically coupled to the main node via the main wired antenna thereof.

Claims

1. An article, comprising:

a garment;

a network formed on the garment and comprising;

a main node comprising a main wired antenna;

at least one intermediate node comprising an intermediate wired antenna to be magnetically coupled to a respective device for that intermediate node;

an electrical line electrically coupling the main node to the at least one intermediate node;

at least one electronic device magnetically coupled to the intermediate wired antenna;

a power supply unit magnetically coupled to the main node via the main wired antenna thereof.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the electrical line comprises a single conductive line;

wherein the main wired antenna of the main node comprises a first bent end of the single conductive line; and

wherein the intermediate wired antenna of the at least one intermediate node comprises a second bent end of the single conductive line.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the power supply unit comprises a battery, a power inverter coupled to the battery and configured to generate AC voltage therefrom, and an antenna magnetically coupled to the main node to transmit output from the power inverter thereto.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein the power supply unit further comprises a memory unit coupled to the antenna of the power supply unit, the memory unit configured to receive data transmissions made from the intermediate wired antenna of the at least one intermediate node to the at least one electronic device, via the antenna of the power supply unit, and to store those data transmissions.

5. The article of claim 1, further comprising a far field antenna coupled to the electrical line, the far field antenna enabling coupling of the at least one electronic device to an external environment.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the electrical line is embedded within fabric from which the garment is constructed.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the garment, at least one electronic device, and power supply unit are galvanically insulated from one another.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the garment has a pocket overlaying the main wired antenna;

and wherein the power supply unit is carried within the pocket.

9. The article of claim 1, further comprising a shield carried within the garment adjacent to, aligned with, and under the main wired antenna such that the shield serves to shield a wearer of the garment from a magnetic field about the main wired antenna.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the shield comprises a magnetic shield.

11. The article of claim 9, wherein the shield comprises a conductive shield.

12. The article of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic cage over and partially surrounding the main wired antenna such that the magnetic cage serves to shield a wearer of the garment from a magnetic field about the main wired antenna;

wherein a first surface of the magnetic cage is carried within the power supply unit; and

wherein the magnetic cage is electrically insulated from the main wired antenna and the power supply unit.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the magnetic cage is polyhedral in shape.

14. The article of claim 12, further comprising a shield carried within the garment adjacent to, aligned with, and under the main wired antenna such that the shield serves to shield a wearer of the garment from a magnetic field about the main wired antenna.

15. The article of claim 12, wherein the power supply unit includes a portable housing carrying components of the power supply unit;

and wherein at least a portion of the magnetic cage is carried within the portable housing of the power supply unit.

16. The article of claim 1, wherein the main wired antenna comprises:

a main conductive loop coupled to the electrical line and having a forward stretch and a return stretch formed on the garment;

a secondary conductive loop arranged between the forward stretch and the return stretch so as to form first and second fringing capacitors in series;

wherein the first and second fringing capacitors define, within the main conductive loop, a parallel LC circuit forming a resonant antenna facilitating transfer of energy from the power supply unit to the main node.

17. The article of claim 1, wherein the main wired antenna comprises:

a main conductive loop coupled to the electrical line and having a forward stretch and a return stretch;

first and second parallel stretches arranged close to sides of the main conductive loop in a spaced apart manner therefrom to form a fringing capacitor;

wherein the fringing capacitor defines, within the main conductive loop, a LC circuit forming a resonant antenna facilitating transfer of energy from the power supply unit to the main node.

18. The article of claim 1, wherein the garment has an eyelet formed therein;

and wherein the intermediate wired antenna comprises first and second semi-arched portions at least partially surrounding the eyelet on opposite sides thereof.

19. The article of claim 1, wherein the garment has an eyelet formed therein;

and wherein the intermediate wired antenna comprises;

a main conductive loop at least partially surrounding the eyelet, coupled to the electrical line, and having a forward portion and a return portion;

an additional conductor in spaced apart relation to the main conductive loop;

a fringing capacitor coupling the main conductive loop to the additional conductor;

wherein the main conductive loop, additional conductor, and fringing capacitor form a resonant antenna with a series LC circuit to facilitate transfer of energy between the at least one intermediate node and the at least one electronic device.

20. The article of claim 1, wherein the garment has a discontinuity therein dividing the garment into first and second portions, the garment being operable to switch between open and closed positions, the first and second portions being spaced apart when in the open position and being at least adjacent when in the closed position;

wherein the main node, at least one intermediate node, electrical line, and at least one electronic device are formed on the first portion;

further comprising;

at least one additional intermediate node formed on the second portion, the at least one additional intermediate node comprising an additional intermediate wired antenna to be magnetically coupled to a respective additional device for that additional intermediate node; and

at least one additional electrical line formed on the second portion, the electrical line electrically coupled to the at least one additional intermediate node;

wherein the at least one intermediate node and the at least one additional intermediate node are adjacent one another when the garment is in the open position, and are in superposition when the garment is in the closed position;

wherein the intermediate wired antenna is magnetically coupled to the additional intermediate wired antenna when the garment is in the closed position.

21. The article of claim 1, wherein the garment has an eyelet formed therein;

wherein the intermediate wired antenna is positioned about the eyelet; and

wherein the at least one electronic device is housed within a garment button to be positioned within the eyelet.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein the at least one electronic device has therein an antenna shaped as a figure eight so as to form two turns arranged alongside each other and contiguous, each turn surrounding a respective hole defined in the garment button.

23. The article of claim 21, wherein the at least one electronic device has therein an antenna formed first and second concentric circumferences, with the second circumference being interior to the first circumference and passing between first and second holes defined in the garment button.

24. The article of claim 1, wherein the garment has first and second eyelets formed therein;

wherein the at least one electronic device is housed within a two stemmed button, the two stemmed button comprising;

a first stem extending through the first eyelet;

a second stem extending through the second eyelet;

a single head carried by the first and second stems;

a first antenna within the first stem;

a second antenna within the second stem; and

at least one circuit within the single head and coupled to the first and second antennas.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the at least one intermediate wired antenna at least partially surrounds the first eyelet;

and further comprising a Hertzian antenna formed from two dipoles coupled to a conductive loop at least partially surrounding the second eyelet.

26. The article of claim 1, wherein the garment has a discontinuity therein dividing the garment into first and second portions;

further comprising a first eyelet formed within the first portion and a second eyelet formed within the second portion;

wherein the main node, at least one intermediate node, electrical line, and at least one electronic device are formed on the first portion;

further comprising an interconnection node formed on the first portion and coupled to the electrical line; and

further comprising;

an additional interconnection node formed on the second portion;

at least one additional intermediate node formed on the second portion, the at least one additional intermediate node comprising an additional intermediate wired antenna to be magnetically coupled to a respective additional device for that additional intermediate node;

at least one additional electrical line formed on the second portion, the electrical line electrically coupled to the at least one additional intermediate node and the additional interconnection node; and

an electrical coupler housed in a button positioned within the first and second eyelets when the garment is in a closed position, the electrical coupler electrically coupling the interconnection node to the additional interconnection node.

27. The article of claim 1, wherein the electrical line is embedded between threads of fabric from which the garment is constructed.

28. A smart button or use in a network formed on a garment, the smart button comprising:

a button shaped housing;

an antenna carried within the housing and configured to communicate with elements of the network formed on the garment;

at least one functional element carried within the housing; and

at least one electronic circuit carried within the housing and coupled to the antenna and the at least one functional element.

29. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the housing has at least one stem and a head carried by the stem;

wherein the at least one functional element is housed within the stem;

further comprising at least one additional functional element housed within the head, the at least one additional functional element being an interface component.

30. The smart button of claim 29, wherein the interface component comprises at least one of a LED element, a microphone, a loudspeaker, a switch, and a keyboard membrane.

31. The smart button of claim 29, wherein the antenna is housed within the head of the housing.

32. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the at least one functional element comprises at least one of an electrical component, a mechanical component, a chemical component, an electromechanical component, a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) component, a well, an electrode, a cell, and a container for liquids.

33. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the at least one electronic circuit comprises at least one of a memory element, a control unit, a converter, an adapter, a digital circuit, an analog circuit, a RF circuit, a transceiver circuit, an integrated circuit, a system on a chip, and a system in a package.

34. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the antenna is embodied within the at least one electronic circuit.

35. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the housing is comprised of a male snap portion and a female snap portion that mate together;

and wherein the antenna, at least one functional element, and at least one electronic circuit are housed within the female snap portion.

36. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the housing is comprised of a male snap portion and a female snap portion that mate together;

and wherein the antenna, at least one functional element, and at least one electronic circuit are housed within the male snap portion.

37. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the at least one functional component comprises a container for liquids;

and wherein the antenna receives a control signal from at least one other smart button indicating when to dispense liquids from the container.

38. The smart button of claim 37, wherein the housing includes therein an input channel for the container and coupled to the container;

wherein the input channel enables filling of the container.

39. The smart button of claim 38, wherein the input channel includes closing elements.

40. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the antenna is shaped as a figure eight so as to form two turns arranged alongside each other and contiguous, each turn surrounding a respective hole defined in the housing.

41. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the antenna is formed from first and second concentric circumferences, with the second circumference being interior to the first circumference and passing between first and second holes defined in the housing.

42. The smart button of claim 28, wherein the housing comprises:

a first stem;

a second stem;

a single head carried by the first and second stems;

wherein the antenna is within the first stem;

an additional antenna within the second stem; and

wherein at least one of the at least one functional element and at least one electronic circuit is housed within the single head.