Modular wearable circuit

• US 7,559,768 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Vu, Giang, Marmaropoulos, George
• Primary Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US11/576,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20080026354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 439/37, 219/211, 210/2, 2 6/9, 434/301, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 439/37
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/182 for components
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/183 for circuits

Abstract

A modular wearable circuit suitable for demonstrating basic principles and/or concepts of electronics and electronic components by providing any number of the garments that can cooperate as a set to define a variety of different circuits capable of performing electrical or electronic functions. Each garment includes an integrated conductive network connected to one or more conductive connection points and one or more electronic components. Each garment represents and operates as at least one electronic component and is cooperative with one or more complementary garments to define one or more electronic circuits capable of performing an assortment of electronic operations.

Claims

1. A plurality of cooperating interconnectable smart garments to be worn by a plurality of people (10) comprising:

a conductive network (20) operatively integrated into the garments (10) so as to connect one or more conductive connection points (22), said conductive network (20) including one or more electronic components (24), wherein said interconnectable smart garments represent and operate as said one or more electronic components in a circuit upon interconnection.

2. The smart garments (10) of claim 1, wherein one or more of said connection points (22) are in the form of a conductive area (23) operatively associated with said garment (10).

3. The smart garments (10) of claim 2, wherein said conductive area (23) is defined by a mesh of conductive fibers.

4. The smart garments (10) of claim 2, wherein each of said conductive area (23) has a magnet operatively associated therewith.

5. The smart garments (10) of claim 2, wherein said conductive area (23) is defined by a conductive hook and loop fiber construction.

6. The smart garments (10) of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more connection points (22) are suitable to conductively cooperate with any of a number of complementary connection points (22).

7. The smart garments (10) of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more electronic components (24) is releasably associated with said garment (10) so as to be operatively connected to said conductive network and said connection points (22).

8. A modular wearable circuit comprising:

a set of cooperating interconnectable garments (10) to be worn by a plurality of people having integrated electronic functions associated therewith so that each garment (10) represents and operates as at least one electronic component (24),

wherein said garments (10) cooperatively connect so as to define different circuits for performing different electronic operations.

9. The modular wearable circuit of claim 8, wherein said set of garments (10) is used for demonstrating principles of electronic circuits and electronic components (24).

10. The modular wearable circuit of claim 8, wherein said set of garments (10) includes different garment types.

11. The modular wearable circuit of claim 10, wherein said garment types are selected from a group consisting of shirts, pants, gloves, or hats, or any combination of the same.

12. The modular wearable circuit of claim 8, wherein each of said garments (10) includes one or more conductive connection points (22) suitable for operatively connecting to one or more other conductive connection points (22) associated with one or more other garments (10).

13. The modular wearable circuit of claim 12, wherein each of said conductive connection points (22) have at least one magnet operatively associated therewith so as to effectuate a conductive connection.

14. The modular wearable circuit of claim 12, wherein each of said conductive connection points (22) is defined by a conductive hook and loop fiber construction.

15. The modular wearable circuit of claim 12, wherein said at least one electronic component is releasably associated with each of said garments (10) so as to be operatively connected to said connection points (22) thereof.

16. The modular wearable circuit of claim 8, wherein some of said garments (10) represent and operate as a connecting component and other of said garments (10) represent and operate as a functioning component.

17. A method of forming an electrical circuit comprising the steps of:

providing a set of cooperating interconnected garments (10) to be worn by a plurality of people having integrated electronic functions associated therewith such that each garment operates as and represents at least one electronic component (24);

conductively connecting said garments (10) so as to arrange said electronic components (24) thereof to define an operative circuit.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of said garments (10) is worn by one or more individuals.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said individuals are positioned so that said garments (10) can be connected to selectively define said operative circuit.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein some of said garments (10) represent and operate as a connecting component and other of said garments (10) represent and operate as a functioning component.