Self-identifying electrical connector

• US 7,753,685 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellisense Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Physical Optics Corporation
• Inventors: Levin, Eugene, Savant, Gajendra, Forrester, Thomas, Jannson, Tomasz, Lee, Kang, Kostrzewski, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US12/323,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 439/37, 439/660, 439/682, 439/732
• US Class Current: 439/37
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/592 connections to contact elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5219 Sealing means between coupling parts, e.g. interfacial seal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/625 Casing or ring with bayonet engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6277 comprising annular latching means, e.g. ring snapping in an annular groove
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/64 Devices for uninterrupted current collection
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/04 using electrically conductive adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/06 Riveted connections by explosion H01R4/08

Abstract

An entirely wearable electrical connector for power/data connectivity. The principal element of a modular network is the wearable electrical connector, which is integrated into a personal area network with USB compatibility. Several wearable connector embodiments are disclosed. An enhancement to the wearable connector includes OSI Layer 2 (and potentially Layer 3) functionality. Data Link layer functionality is supported by including electronic serial numbers at wearable snap-connector points.

Claims

1. A wearable electrical connector for use in a body conformable network, the connector comprising:

a first mating element;

a printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the first mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to electrical conducting paths of a body conformable network;

a second mating element configured to be coupled to the first mating element and having a plurality of electrical contacts configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrical paths on the printed circuit board when the mating elements are coupled;

a first storage device disposed on the first mating element and configured to store identification information of the first mating element; and

a second storage device disposed on the second mating element and configured to store identification of the second mating element.

2. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising:

a second printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the second mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrically conductive paths of the printed circuit board disposed on the first mating element.

3. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first mating element is attached to a garment.

4. The wearable electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the second mating element is attached to a module.

5. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first storage device is disposed on the printed circuit board.

6. The wearable electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the second storage device is disposed on the second printed circuit board.

7. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further serves as a unique identification for the connector.

8. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further enables the connector to serve as a node connection point at an OSI Model Layer 2.

9. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further serves as a Media Access Control address.

10. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further enables the body conformable network to be assigned an OSI Model Layer 3 address.

11. The wearable electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further enables the body conformable network to maintain a dynamic inventory of attached modules.

12. The wearable electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element from both storage units further enables the identification or configuration of a non-network-aware module.

13. A method comprising:

sending a communication to a device along a path of a body conformable network which includes an electrical connector comprising;

a first mating element;

a printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the first mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to electrical conducting paths of a body conformable network;

a second mating element configured to be coupled to the first mating element and having a plurality of electrical contacts configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrical paths on the printed circuit board when the mating elements are coupled;

a first storage device disposed on the first mating element and configured to store identification information of the first mating element; and

a second storage device disposed on the second mating element and configured to store identification information of the second mating element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the connector further comprises:

a second printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the second mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrically conductive paths of the printed circuit board disposed on the first mating element.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first mating element is attached to a garment.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second mating element is attached to a receptacle or a device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first storage device is disposed on the printed circuit board.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the second storage device is disposed on the second printed circuit board.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further serves as a unique identification for the connector.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further enables the connector to serve as a node connection point at an OSI Model Layer 2.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further serves as a Media Access Control address.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the identification information further enables the body conformable network to be assigned an OSI Model Layer 3 address.

23. A garment comprising:

a garment portion;

an electrical connector coupled to the garment portion, the electrical connector comprising;

a first mating element;

a printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the first mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to electrical conducting paths of a body conformable network; and

a first storage device disposed on the first mating element and configured to store identification information of the first mating element; and

a second storage device disposed on the second mating element and configured to store identification information of the second mating element.

24. The garment of claim 23, wherein the electrical connector further comprises:

a second mating element configured to be coupled to the first mating element and having a plurality of electrical contacts configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrical paths on the printed circuit board when the mating elements are coupled.

25. The garment of claim 24, wherein the electrical connector further comprises:

a second printed circuit board disposed at least partially within the second mating element, the printed circuit board having a plurality of electrically conductive paths configured to be electrically coupled to respective electrically conductive paths of the printed circuit board disposed on the first mating element.

26. The garment of claim 23, wherein:

the garment portion further comprises an insert; and

the first mating element is attached to the insert.

27. The garment of claim 24, wherein the second mating element is attached to a receptacle, a second garment portion, or an electrical device.

28. The garment of claim 24, wherein the first storage device is disposed on the printed circuit board.

29. The garment of claim 24, wherein the second storage device is disposed on the second printed circuit board.

30. The garment of claim 23, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further serves as a unique identification for the connector.

31. The garment of claim 23, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further enables the connector to serve as a node connection point at an OSI Model Layer 2.

32. The garment of claim 23, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further serves as a Media Access Control address.

33. The garment of claim 23, wherein the identification information of the first or the second mating element further enables the body conformable network to be assigned an OSI Model Layer 3 address.