Garment having wireless loopset integrated therein for person with hearing device

• US 6,823,171 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kaario, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US09/803,029
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/66.1, 455/90.3, 455/344, 455/347, 455/349, 455/351, 455/557, 340/854.8, 381/331, 379/52
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

An article of functional clothing comprises a garment; electrically conductive fibers integrated into the garment in a predetermined pattern to form an induction loop around the garment; and an activator unit arranged at a predetermined location on the induction loop to establish electrical connection and thus activate the induction loop, and to provide an interface to at least one portable electronic device.

Claims

1. An article of functional clothing comprising:

a garment;

electrically conductive fibers integrated at a predetermined location on the garment in a predetermined pattern to form an induction loop; and

an activator unit arranged at a predetermined location on the induction loop to close and thus activate the induction loop by connecting opposite ends of the induction loop, and to provide an interface to at least one portable electronic device.

2. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment corresponds to one of a jacket, a vest, a shirt and a pant.

3. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive fibers are sewed into the garment in the predetermined pattern to form the induction loop.

4. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive fibers correspond to conductive yarns which are either metallic coated yarns, yarns that incorporate non-conductive fibers with metallic fibers, or yarns that are showered with metallic fibers.

5. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive fibers each comprises a central metallic core composed of an electrically conductive material, and an insulative overcoat composed of an insulative material.

6. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electrically conductive material contains one of a metallic material, a semi-metallic material, a semi-insulative material, a semi-conductive material, a transparent conductive material and any other fiber material that provides sufficient current to induce induction coupling between the garment and a hearing device.

7. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive fibers contain a metallic material, a semi-metallic material, a semi-insulative material, a semi-conductive material, a transparent conductive material or any other fiber material that provides sufficient current to create an electromagnetic field.

8. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activator unit comprises a power source;

a microphone;

required processor electronics, and one or more interfaces which provide appropriate connection to close the induction loop and to the at least one portable electronic device, via either a wire/fiber transmission or a wireless transmission.

9. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the activator unit is a piece of jewelry, or a fastening device, such as a metallic button, a pin, a snap, a hook, and a zipper with conductive teeth for data/electric connection, arranged to close the induction loop.

10. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the garment includes a removable pocket which has required wire/fiber connectors utilized to establish connection between the activator unit and the at least one portable electronic device.

11. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activator unit includes a zipper with conductive teeth for data/electric connection utilized to establish electrical connection between the conductive fibers forming the induction loop and to provide an interface to the at least one portable electronic device.

12. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one portable electronic device includes a mobile phone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tape cassette player, a compact-disc (CD) player, a MD player, a DAT player, a mini-television set, a radio, a clock/alarm, or some other similar mobile devices.

13. A process of fabricating smart clothing, comprising:

integrating electrically conductive fibers into a garment in a predetermined pattern to form an induction loop;

forming an activator unit at a predetermined location on the induction loop; and

activating the induction loop, via the activator unit, by establishing connection between opposite ends of the induction loop, and providing an interface to at least one portable electronic device.

14. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the garment corresponds to one of a jacket, a vest, a shirt and a pant, and wherein the electrically conductive fibers are sewed into the garment in the predetermined pattern to form the induction loop.

15. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrically conductive fibers each comprises a central metallic core composed of an electrically conductive material, and an insulative overcoat composed of an insulative material.

16. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrically conductive material contains one of a metallic material, a semi-metallic material, a semi-insulative material, a semi-conductive material, a transparent conductive material, showered pieces of metallic material and any other fiber material that provides sufficient current to induce induction coupling between the garment and a hearing device.

17. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrically conductive fibers contain a metallic material, a semi-metallic material, a semi-insulative material, a semi-conductive material, a transparent conductive material, pieces of metal material or any other fiber material that provides sufficient current to create an electromagnetic field.

18. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the activator unit comprises a power source;

a microphone;

required processor electronics, and one or more interfaces which provide appropriate connection to close the induction loop and to the at least one portable electronic device, via either a wire/fiber transmission or a wireless transmission.

19. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the activator unit is a piece of jewelry, or a fastening device, such as a metallic button, a pin, a snap, a hook, and a zipper with conductive teeth for data/electric connection, arranged to close the induction loop.

20. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the garment includes a removable pocket which has required fiber/wire connectors utilized to establish connection between the activator unit and the at least one portable electronic device.

21. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the activator unit includes a zipper with conductive teeth for data/electric connection utilized to establish electrical connection between the conductive fibers forming the induction loop and to provide an interface to the at least one portable electronic device.

22. The process as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one portable electronic device includes a mobile phone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tape cassette player, a compact-disc (CD) player, a MD player, a DAT player, a mini-television set, a radio, a clock/alarm, or some other similar mobile devices.

23. An article of functional clothing comprising:

a garment having a conductive fiber integrated therein for forming an induction loop; and

an activator unit arranged to close the induction loop establishing electrical conduction between opposite ends of the induction loop, and to serve as an interface between the garment and at least one portable electronic device.

24. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 23, wherein the garment and the at least one portable electronic device are in electrical interface utilizing a wireless connection.

25. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 23, wherein the conductive fiber includes a central metallic core composed of a metallic material and an insulative overcoating composed of an insulative material.

26. The article of functional clothing as claimed in claim 25, wherein the metallic material includes at least one of copper, gold, steel, iron, nickel, cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, tin, zinc, manganese, thallium, aluminum, and magnesium.

27. An apparatus, comprising:

An inductive coil for inductively coupling a hearing device to a garment having conductive fibers integrated therein for forming an induction loop;

A speaker for conveying a message from at least one portable electronic device to a user of the hearing device; and

An activator unit for activating the induction loop by establishing a connection between opposite ends of the induction loop, and for establishing a connection between the at least one portable electronic device and the induction loop.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the conductive fibers correspond to conductive yarns that are metallic coated yarns, yarns that incorporate non-conductive fibers with metallic fibers, or yarns that are showered with metallic fibers.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the conductive fibers each comprises a central metallic core composed of an electrically conductive material, and an insulative overcoat composed of an insulative material.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the electrically conductive material contains one of a metallic material, a semi-metallic material, a semi-insulative material, a semi-conductive material, a transparent conductive material and any other fiber material that provides sufficient current to induce induction coupling between the garment and a hearing device.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the activator unit includes a zipper with conductive teeth for data/electric connection utilized to establish electrical connection between the conductive fibers forming the induction loop and to provide an interface to the at least one portable electronic device.