Article of clothing including bio-medical units
View Patent ↗An article of clothing includes a clothing fabric and a plurality of bio-medical units integrated into the clothing fabric. A bio-medical includes a power harvesting module, a communication module, a processing module, a functional module, a die, and an IC package. The die supports the power harvesting module, the processing module, the communication module, and the functional module. The IC package houses the die and includes a mechanism for adhering to the clothing fabric.
1. An integrated circuit (IC) for incorporation in a clothing fabric, the IC comprises:
a power harvesting module configured to convert at least one of body heat, body motion, and electromagnetic signal, light, and radio frequency (RF) signals into a supply voltage;
a communication module configured, when powered by the supply voltage, to:
convert an inbound wireless signal into an inbound symbol stream;
convert an outbound symbol stream into an outbound wireless signal;
a processing module configured, when powered by the supply voltage, to:
convert the inbound symbol stream into a bio-medical function;
convert a bio-medical response into the outbound symbol stream;
a functional module configured, when powered by the supply voltage, to:
perform the bio-medical function; and
when the bio-medical function is a monitoring function, generate the bio-medical response;
at least one die supporting the power harvesting module, the processing module, the communication module, and the functional module; and
an IC package housing the at least one die, wherein the IC package includes a clothing fabric adhering mechanism.
2. The IC of claim 1 , wherein the clothing fabric adhering mechanism comprises at least of:
an eyelet for facilitating sewing the IC into the clothing fabric;
a hook for facilitating sewing the IC into the clothing fabric;
a notch for facilitating sewing the IC into the clothing fabric; and
a fabric adhesive for facilitating gluing the IC into the clothing fabric.
3. The IC of claim 1 further comprises:
an encapsulant for encapsulating the IC package.
4. The IC of claim 1 , wherein the bio-medical function further comprises at least one of:
an image capture function;
a movement capture function;
a sound capture function;
a topical treatment function; and
an electronic stimulation function.
5. The IC of claim 1 , wherein the power harvesting module comprises at least one of:
an electromagnetic signal to voltage conversion module;
an RF signal to voltage conversion module;
a motion to voltage conversion module;
a light to voltage conversion module; and
a heat to voltage conversion module.
6. The IC of claim 5 , wherein the electromagnetic signal to voltage conversion module comprises at least one of:
an array of inductors and a rectifying circuit module to produce the supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal; and
an array of Hall-effect devices and the rectifying circuit module to produce the supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal.
7. An article of clothing comprises:
a clothing fabric; and
a plurality of bio-medical units integrated into the clothing fabric, wherein a bio-medical unit of the plurality of bio-medical units includes:
a power harvesting module configured to convert at least one of body heat, body motion, and electromagnetic light, and radio frequency (RF) signals into a supply voltage;
a communication module configured, when powered by the supply voltage, to:
convert an inbound wireless signal into an inbound symbol stream; and
convert an outbound symbol stream into an outbound wireless signal;
a processing module configured, when powered by the supply voltage, to:
convert the inbound symbol stream into a bio-medical function; and
convert a bio-medical response into the outbound symbol stream;
a functional module configured, when powered by the supply voltage, to:
perform the bio-medical function; and
when the bio-medical function is a monitoring function, generate the bio-medical response;
at least one die supporting the power harvesting module, the processing module, the communication module, and the functional module; and
an IC package housing the at least one die.
8. The article of clothing of claim 7 further comprises:
adhering the plurality of bio-medical units into seams of the clothing fabric.
9. The article of clothing of claim 7 , wherein the clothing fabric comprises:
a plurality of pouches for housing at least some of the bio-medical units.
10. The article of clothing of claim 7 , wherein the IC package further comprises:
a fabric adhering mechanism that includes at least of:
an eyelet for facilitating sewing the IC into the clothing fabric;
a hook for facilitating sewing the IC into the clothing fabric;
a notch for facilitating sewing the IC into the clothing fabric; and
a fabric adhesive for facilitating gluing the IC into the clothing fabric.
11. The article of clothing of claim 7 , wherein the bio-medical unit further comprises:
an encapsulant for encapsulating the IC package.
12. The article of clothing of claim 7 , wherein the bio-medical function further comprises at least one of:
an image capture function;
a movement capture function;
a sound capture function;
a topical treatment function; and
an electronic stimulation function.
13. The article of clothing of claim 7 , wherein the power harvesting module comprises at least one of:
an electromagnetic signal to voltage conversion module;
an RF signal to voltage conversion module;
a motion to voltage conversion module;
a light to voltage conversion module; and
a heat to voltage conversion module.
14. The article of clothing of claim 13 , wherein the electromagnetic signal to voltage conversion module comprises at least one of:
an array of inductors and a rectifying circuit module to produce the supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal; and
an array of Hall-effect devices and the rectifying circuit module to produce the supply voltage from the electromagnetic signal.
15. A bio-medical application for execution by a wireless communication device that includes a processing module and memory, wherein the memory stores the bio-medical application in a computer readable format, the bio-medical application comprises operational instructions that, when executed by the processing module, causes the wireless communication device to:
transmit a continuous wave (CW) signal for a predetermined period of time, wherein a power harvesting module of a bio-medical unit of a plurality of bio-medical units that is integrated into clothing fabric converts the CW signal into a supply voltage;
after expiration of the predetermined period of time, transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein:
a communication unit of the bio-medical unit converts the RF signal into an inbound symbol stream;
a processing module of the bio-medical unit converts the inbound symbol stream into a bio-medical command;
a functional module of the bio-medical unit performs the bio-medical command and, when commanded, generates a bio-medical response;
the processing module converts the bio-medical response into an outbound symbol stream; and
the communication unit converts the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF response signal; and
receive the RF response signal.
16. The bio-medical application of claim 15 further causes the wireless communication device to:
receive a request for re-transmission of the CW signal as the RF response.
17. The bio-medical application of claim 15 further causes the wireless communication device to:
instruct the power harvesting module to also convert the RF signal into the supply voltage.
18. The bio-medical application of claim 15 further causes the wireless communication device to:
after sending the RF signal, resume transmitting the CW signal;
indicate a time window for when the bio-medical is to transmit the RF response signal; and
during the time window, stop transmitting the CW signal.
19. The bio-medical application of claim 15 , wherein the bio-medical command comprises at least one of:
a gather data command;
a dispense medication command;
a new position command; and
a mechanical function command.
20. The bio-medical application of claim 19 , wherein when the bio-medical command comprises the gather data command, data conveyed via the RF response signal populates one or more databases.