Sharing a single electrode between skin resistance and capacitance measurements
First Claim
1. A wearable device, comprising:
- a housing;
first and second electrical contacts protruding from the housing, wherein the first and second electrical contacts contact skin at an external body surface when the housing is mounted on the external body surface; and
electronics disposed in the wearable device, wherein the electronics comprises;
a capacitor, wherein the capacitor has a specified capacitance;
an electronic switch in series with the capacitor, wherein the first and second electrical contacts are electronically coupled together via the series combination of the capacitor and the electronic switch;
a resistance sensor electronically coupled to the second electrical contact via the series combination of the capacitor and the electronic switch, wherein the resistance sensor obtains a measurement relating to a resistance of the skin between the first and second electrical contacts when the electronic switch is closed and the wearable device is mounted to the external body surface; and
a capacitance sensor electronically coupled to the second electrical contact via the series combination of the capacitor and the electronic switch and in parallel with the resistance sensor, wherein the capacitance sensor obtains a measurement relating to a capacitance of the skin between the first and second electrical contacts when the electronic switch is open and the wearable device is mounted to the external body surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Wearable devices are described herein including a housing and a mount configured to mount the housing to an external surface of a wearer. The wearable devices further include first and second electrical contacts protruding from the housing and configured such that the electrical contacts can be used to measure a Galvanic skin resistance of skin proximate to the electrical contacts when the wearable device is mounted to the external surface of the wearer. The electrical contacts are additionally configured to measure a capacitance between electrical contacts. The measured capacitance between the electrical contacts could be related to a capacitance of skin proximate to the electrical contacts when the wearable device is mounted to the external surface of the wearer. The wearable devices further include an electronically switched capacitor connected between the electrical contacts that can be operated to enable the Galvanic skin resistance and capacitance measurements described above.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wearable device, comprising:
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a housing; first and second electrical contacts protruding from the housing, wherein the first and second electrical contacts contact skin at an external body surface when the housing is mounted on the external body surface; and electronics disposed in the wearable device, wherein the electronics comprises; a capacitor, wherein the capacitor has a specified capacitance; an electronic switch in series with the capacitor, wherein the first and second electrical contacts are electronically coupled together via the series combination of the capacitor and the electronic switch; a resistance sensor electronically coupled to the second electrical contact via the series combination of the capacitor and the electronic switch, wherein the resistance sensor obtains a measurement relating to a resistance of the skin between the first and second electrical contacts when the electronic switch is closed and the wearable device is mounted to the external body surface; and a capacitance sensor electronically coupled to the second electrical contact via the series combination of the capacitor and the electronic switch and in parallel with the resistance sensor, wherein the capacitance sensor obtains a measurement relating to a capacitance of the skin between the first and second electrical contacts when the electronic switch is open and the wearable device is mounted to the external body surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification