Galvanic linkage for smart sock or other wearable devices
A system includes an earpiece having an earpiece housing, a processor disposed within the earpiece housing, a microphone operatively connected to the processor, a speaker operatively disposed within the ear piece housing and operatively connected to the processor, a plurality of electrodes positioned on the earpiece housing to come in contact with skin of a user, and a charge storage device disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the processor and the plurality of electrodes. The earpiece is adapted to receive galvanically communicated signals from a remote body worn device at the plurality of electrodes and apply a charge to the charge storage device. The system may further include a sock including a smart material, a plurality of coils, and a plurality of electrodes operatively connected to the plurality of coils, wherein the sock provides for generating the signals and galvanically communicating the signals to the earpiece.
1 . A system comprising:
an earpiece having an earpiece housing;
a processor disposed within the earpiece housing;
a microphone operatively connected to the processor;
a speaker operatively disposed within the ear piece housing and operatively connected to the processor;
a plurality of electrodes positioned on the earpiece housing to come in contact with skin of a user;
a charge storage device disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the processor and the plurality of electrodes;
wherein the earpiece is adapted to receive galvanically communicated signals from a remote body worn device at the plurality of electrodes and apply a charge to the charge storage device.
2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a sock comprising a smart material, a plurality of coils, and a plurality of electrodes operatively connected to the plurality of coils, wherein the sock provides for generating the signals and galvanically communicating the signals to the earpiece.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the signals received from the remote body worn device comprises data and wherein the earpiece is adapted to process the signal to extract the data.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the charge storage device is not a battery.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the charge storage device comprises a capacitor.
6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the charge storage device comprises at least one of a super capacitor and an ultra capacitor.
7 . A method of galvanically powering an earpiece, the earpiece comprising an earpiece housing, a processor disposed within the earpiece housing, a microphone operatively connected to the processor, a speaker disposed within the ear piece housing and operatively connected to the processor, a plurality of electrodes positioned on the earpiece housing to come in contact with skin of a user, and a charge storage device disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the processor and the plurality of electrodes, the method comprising:
receiving a galvanically communicated signal from a remote body worn device at the plurality of the electrodes positioned on the earpiece housing;
charging the charge storage device with charge derived from the galvanically communicated signal; and
powering the earpiece with the charge storage device.
8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising:
providing a sock comprising a smart material, a plurality of coils, and a plurality of electrodes operatively connected to the plurality of coils, wherein the sock is the remote body worn device;
sending the galvanically communicated signal from the plurality of electrodes of the sock over the skin to the plurality of the electrodes positioned on the earpiece housing.
9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising: extracting data from the galvanically communicated signal by the earpiece.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising encoding data within the galvanically communicated signal by the wireless earpiece.
11 . The method of claim 7 further comprising encoding, by the remote body worn device, data into the galvanically communicated signal.
12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising extracting the data from the galvanically communicated signal by the wireless earpiece.
13 . The method of claim 7 wherein the charge storage device is not a battery.
14 . The method of claim 7 wherein the charge storage device comprises a capacitor.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the charge storage device comprises a super capacitor.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the remote body worn device is a sock.