System and method for sensing human activity by monitoring impedance
First Claim
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1. A system for sensing interaction, comprising:
- a signal generator producing a frequency-swept signal in an object;
an impedance measurement component coupled to the object and configured to identify a change in an impedance parameter of the frequency-swept signal as an external body interacts with the object;
a switching element selectively coupling a reactive component to an electrical path propagating the frequency-swept signal, wherein the reactive component is selectively coupled to both the signal generator and the impedance measurement component via the switching element, wherein the reactive component is operable to shift a resonant frequency associated with the object based on a state of the switching element; and
an interaction signal generator indicating a characteristic of an interaction between the object and the external body based upon the change in the impedance parameter.
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Abstract
A system for sensing human activity by monitoring impedance includes a signal generator for generating an alternating current (AC) signal, the AC signal applied to an object, a reactance altering element coupled to the AC signal, an envelope generator for converting a returned AC signal to a time-varying direct current (DC) signal, and an analog-to-digital converter for determining a defined impedance parameter of the time-varying DC signal, where the defined impedance parameter defines an electromagnetic resonant attribute of the object.
23 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for sensing interaction, comprising:
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a signal generator producing a frequency-swept signal in an object; an impedance measurement component coupled to the object and configured to identify a change in an impedance parameter of the frequency-swept signal as an external body interacts with the object; a switching element selectively coupling a reactive component to an electrical path propagating the frequency-swept signal, wherein the reactive component is selectively coupled to both the signal generator and the impedance measurement component via the switching element, wherein the reactive component is operable to shift a resonant frequency associated with the object based on a state of the switching element; and an interaction signal generator indicating a characteristic of an interaction between the object and the external body based upon the change in the impedance parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for sensing a body'"'"'s interaction with an object, comprising:
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generating a frequency-swept signal within the object using a signal generator; selectively coupling a reactive component to an electrical path of the frequency-swept signal using a switching element; identifying a change in an impedance parameter of the frequency-swept signal as the body interacts with the object using an impedance measurement component, wherein the reactive component is selectively coupled to both the signal generator and the impedance measurement component via the switching element, wherein the reactive component is operable to shift a resonant frequency associated with the object based on a state of the switching element; and generating an interaction signal indicating a characteristic of an interaction between the body and the object based upon the change in the impedance parameter. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An interactive object comprising:
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a body having a characteristic reactance; a first interface configured to couple the characteristic reactance to an external scanning impedance monitoring device, wherein the external scanning impedance monitoring device comprises a switching element, wherein the switching element selectively couples a reactive component to an electrical path propagating a frequency-swept signal, and wherein the reactive component is selectively coupled, via the switching element, to both a signal generator that generates the frequency-swept signal and an impedance measurement component in the external scanning impedance monitoring device, wherein the reactive component is operable to shift a resonant frequency associated with the interactive object based on a state of the switching element; and a second interface configured to couple to a reactance altering element, whereby the characteristic reactance coupled to the scanning impedance monitoring device is distinguishably altered when the second interface is coupled to the reactance altering element. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification