INPUT DEVICE, FIBER SHEET, CLOTHING, AND BIOMETRIC INFORMATION DETECTION DEVICE

• US 20170164896A1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: School Juridical Person Kitasato Institute
• Original Assignee: School Juridical Person Kitasato Institute
• Inventors: NEBUYA, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 11,647,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 1/08 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0214 Capacitive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/182 Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0535 Impedance plethysmography for measuring blood flow A61B5/0295
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1102 Ballistocardiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0484 Garment electrodes worn by the patient

Abstract

An input device includes two conductors that are sewn onto a fiber sheet and an output unit configured to determine an impedance variation in a predetermined area on the basis of a voltage value between the two conductors to which a high-frequency current is applied.

Claims

1. An article of clothing comprising:

a cloth;

at least two conductors that are set in the cloth; and

an output unit configured to determine an impedance variation of a predetermined area on the basis of a voltage value between the at least two conductors to which a high-frequency current is applied.

2. The article of clothing according to claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit that includes at least the output unit;

an extending portion that electrically connects the at least two conductors to the circuit; and

a shield that covers at least a part of the at least two conductors and the extending portion.

3. The article of clothing according to claim 1, wherein the at least two conductors are set in the cloth to satisfy at least one of (a) a condition that at least a part of the at least two conductors be at least a partial element of a fabric structure of the cloth, (b) a condition that at least a part of the at least two conductors be disposed between layers in the cloth having a multi-layered structure, (c) a condition that at least a part of the at least two conductors be disposed between two layers of the cloth or between the cloth and another material, (d) a condition that at least a part of the at least two conductors be disposed as a sewing material in the cloth, (e) a condition that at least a part of the at least two conductors be disposed at an end of the cloth, and (f) a condition that at least a part of the at least two conductors be disposed in the cloth as a part of a pattern or a design.

4. The article of clothing according to claim 1, wherein the at least two conductors include two conductors which are set in the cloth at positions corresponding to lungs and two conductors which are set in the cloth at positions corresponding to a heart,

wherein the clothing further comprises a biological information detection unit configured to determine a pulmonary ventilation rate or heartbeat information on the basis of a signal from the output unit.

5. The article of clothing according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs a biological information detection start signal for driving the biological information detection unit depending on a pattern of the determined impedance variation.

6. The article of clothing according to claim 1, wherein the conductor has a thread shape or a belt shape.

7. The article of clothing according to claim 1, further comprising an input source that is disposed in the cloth and is used to apply the high-frequency current to the at least two conductors.

8. A biological information detection device comprising:

two first conductors that are set in an article of clothing;

two second conductors that are set in the article of clothing at positions corresponding to lungs or a heart;

an output unit configured to determine an impedance variation in an area in the vicinity of the two first conductors on the basis of a voltage value between the two first conductors to which a first high-frequency current is applied; and

a biological information detection unit configured to determine biological information on the basis of a voltage value between the two second conductors to which a second high-frequency current is applied.

9. A biological information detection device comprising:

two conductors that are set in a cloth at positions corresponding to lungs or a heart; and

a biological information detection unit configured to determine biological information on the basis of a voltage value between the two conductors to which a high-frequency current is applied.

10. An input device comprising:

two conductors that are sewn onto a fiber sheet; and

an output unit configured to determine an impedance variation in a predetermined area on the basis of a voltage value between the two conductors to which a high-frequency current is applied.

11. The input device according to claim 10, wherein the two conductors are sewn onto the fiber sheet to satisfy at least one of (a) a condition that the two conductors be at least a partial element of a fabric structure of the fiber sheet, (b) a condition that the two conductors be disposed between layers in the fiber sheet having a multi-layered structure, (c) a condition that the two conductors be disposed between two layers of the fiber sheet or between the fiber sheet and another material, (d) a condition that the two conductors be disposed as a sewing material into the fiber sheet, (e) a condition that the two conductors be disposed at an end of the fiber sheet, and (f) a condition that the two conductors be disposed in the fiber sheet as a part of a pattern or a design.

12. The input device according to claim 10, further comprising an input source that is disposed in the fiber sheet and is used to apply the high-frequency current to the two conductors.

13. A fiber sheet comprising the input device according to claim 10.