LOW POWER MAGNETIC FIELD BODY AREA NETWORK

• US 20180241483A1
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Published: 08/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: PARK, Jiwoong, MERCIER, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,623,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/266 One coil at each side, e.g. with primary and secondary coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The invention provides a body area network that uses a near magnetic field for communications. A first coil is configured to be worn on a body portion of a human. A transmitter drives the first coil to generate a magnetic body field through the first magnetic coil. A second coil couples to the signal transmitted via the first coil matched to the magnetic field and first coil. A receiver for receiving the signal from the second coil. A method for establishing network communications using the human body as a magnetic field includes associating a transmitter coil with a portion of a human body, the transmitter coil being configured to couple to a receiver coil in a near field of the human body; driving the transmitter coil to generate a magnetic near field around the human body; and coupling to the magnetic near field with a receiver coil.

Claims

1. A body area network comprising:

a first coil configured to be worn on a body portion of a human;

a transmitter to drive the first coil to generate a magnetic body field through the first magnetic coil;

a second coil coupled to the signal transmitted via the first coil matched to the magnetic field and first coil; and

a receiver for receiving the signal from the second coil.

2. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the first coil is configured to wrap around a body portion of a human.

3. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the first coil is configured to be substantially parallel to a body portion of a human.

4. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the second coil is configured to be worn on a body portion of a human.

5. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the second coil is configured to be associated with a device that is off body.

6. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the first and second and first coils are tuned to couple via a ˜

1-100 MHz magnetic field.

7. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the first and second and first coils are tuned to couple via a ˜

20-50 MHz magnetic field.

8. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the first and second and first coils are tuned to couple via a ˜

10-30 MHz magnetic field.

9. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the first and second coils comprise single turn coils.

10. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the first and second coils comprise multi-turn coils.

11. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the transmitter drives the first coil to generate a magnetic field that resonantly or inductively couples to the second coil.

13. The body area network of claim 1, wherein the near field is in the range of ˜

2-4 m around the human body.

14. The network of claim 1, wherein said first and second coils are conjugate matched with small capacitors.

15. A system including the body area network of claim 1, the system further comprising a body wearable sensor providing sensor data to the transmitter.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a smart watch or smart phone.

12. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. A method for establishing network communications using the human body as a magnetic field, the method comprising:

associating a transmitter coil with a portion of a human body, the transmitter coil being configured to couple to a receiver coil in a near field of the human body;

driving the transmitter coil to generate a magnetic near field around the human body; and

coupling to the magnetic near field with a receiver coil.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second and first coils are tuned to resonantly couple via a ˜

1-100 MHz magnetic field, a ˜

20-50 MHz magnetic field, or a ˜

10-30 MHz magnetic field.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said associating comprises wrapping the transmitter coil around a portion of the human body, or placing the transmitter coil in a plane substantially parallel to a portion of the human body.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the receiver coil is associated with a portion of the human body.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the receiver coil is associated with a device that is off body.

20-22. -22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)