Intelligent fabrics

• US 9,330,558 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2015
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twin Harbor Labs, LLC (Bradley David Liddle)
• Original Assignee: Twin Harbor Labs, LLC (Bradley David Liddle)
• Inventors: Logan, James D, Carr, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US14/848,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20160071397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 340/687, 340/686.1, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: D06F 39/00 Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 control of washing machines D06F33/00, D06F34/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 93/005 Marking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/002 Baskets or bags specially adapted for holding or transporting laundry; Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/027 the material being suitable for use as a textile, e.g. woven-based RFID-like labels designed for attachment to laundry items markings attached to laundry items in general D06F93/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

Textiles coupled with electrical components that are responsive to actions of the wearer and the surrounding environment. The textiles comprise a variety of sensors that interface with the cloud, networks, and devices. The textiles monitor physiological characteristics of the wearer. Objects in the environment may interact with the electrical components of the textiles. Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems that include electrical components, such as, accelerometers, gyroscopes, Bluetooth chips, NFC chips, and RF tags integrate with the textiles to wirelessly communicate with networks.

Claims

1. A method of alerting a user about one or more absent items, said method comprising:

collecting fabric data from one or more fabric sensors, said one or more fabric sensors positioned on a fabric,

sending said fabric data from one or more fabric sensors to a processor that is connected to a memory,

comparing, using said processor, said fabric data from one or more fabric sensors to reference movement patterns stored in said memory,

determining a movement when said fabric data from one or more fabric sensors closely resembles said reference movement patterns,

comparing said movement to a prior movement over a time interval to determine if the fabric has transitioned from not being worn to being worn,

transmitting a message through a communication subsystem to the one or more items and

alerting the user if a response is not received.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory stores a position and timestamp from one or more fabric sensors.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more fabric sensors are an accelerometer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more fabric sensors are a temperature sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication subsystem incorporates a Bluetooth protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication subsystem incorporates a NFC protocol.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the items include one or more of a key, a wallet and a phone.

8. A method of alerting a user that a phone has been forgotten, said method comprising:

collecting fabric data from one or more fabric sensors, said one or more fabric sensors positioned on a fabric,

sending said fabric data from one or more fabric sensors to a fabric processor that is connected to a fabric memory,

comparing, using said fabric processor, said fabric data from one or more fabric sensors to reference fabric movement patterns stored in said fabric memory,

determining a fabric activity when said fabric data from one or more fabric sensors closely resembles said reference fabric movement patterns, wherein the reference fabric movement patterns include a fabric pattern related to fabric sensor values found when the fabric is not being worn,

transmitting a message through a communication subsystem to the phone if the fabric is not being worn, said message including data specifying that the fabric is not worn by said user,

collecting data from one or more phone sensors, said one or more sensors incorporated into the phone,

sending said phone sensor data from one or more phone sensors to a phone processor that is connected to a phone memory,

comparing, using said phone processor, said phone data from one or more phone sensors to reference phone movement patterns stored in said phone memory,

determining a phone activity when said phone data from one or more phone sensors closely resembles said reference phone movement patterns, wherein the reference phone movement patterns include a phone pattern related to phone sensor values found when the phone is stationary,

alerting the user if the fabric is not worn and the phone is stationary.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein one or more phone sensors are an accelerometer.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein one or more fabric sensors are an accelerometer.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein one or more fabric sensors are a temperature sensor.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the communication subsystem utilizes a Bluetooth protocol.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the communication subsystem utilizes a NFC protocol.