IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,333,371
Granted Patent B2
US 12,333,371 · App. 18/513,986 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Multi-antenna tuned wearable article

Inventor: Holli Pheil (Portland, OR)
Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
G06K19/07762G06K19/027G06K19/07767H04B1/385H04B5/77H04L67/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,333,371
App. No.
18/513,986
Granted
Jun 17, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wearable article, system, and method includes a structure configured to enclose a body part, a first antenna, in a first positon on or within the structure, tuned to communicate according to a wireless communication modality through air, a second antenna, in a second position on or within the structure, tuned to communicate according to the wireless communication modality through the body part, the first antenna being tuned differently than the second antenna, and a transceiver, operatively coupled to at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna, configured to communicate with an external antenna via the at least one of the first and second antennas according to the wireless communication modality.

Claims (32)

1. A wearable article, comprising:

a structure configured to enclose a body part of a wearer, the body part different than the structure;

a first antenna, laid out on a substrate positioned on or within the structure, the first antenna configured to emit and receive wireless signals and laid out to transmit and receive according to a wireless communication modality through air, the first position configured to allow the first antenna to transmit and receive trough air;

a second antenna, laid out in a position on or within the structure and spaced apart from the substrate on which the first antenna is positioned, the second antenna configured to emit and receive wireless signals and laid out to transmit and receive according to the wireless communication modality through the body part, the first antenna being tuned differently than the second antenna, the second position spaced apart from the first position and configured to allow the second antenna to transmit and receive trough the body part; and

a transceiver, disposed on or within the structure and operatively coupled the first antenna and the second antenna, the transceiver configured to selectively cause one of the first antenna and the second antenna to communicate with an external antenna of an external system by transmitting and receiving data via the at least one of the first and second antennas according to the wireless communication modality, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive information from the external system and transmit information to the external system.

2. The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication modality is one of an ultra high frequency (UHF) communication modality, a near field communication (NFC) modality, or an ISO 15693 modality.

3. The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver comprises:

a first transceiver, coupled to the first antenna, configured to transmit and receive according to the wireless communication modality via the first antenna; and

a second transceiver, coupled to the second antenna, configured to transmit and receive according to the wireless communication modality via the second antenna.

4. The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a first substrate and wherein the second antenna is positioned on a second substrate different from the first substrate, the first and second substrates positioned apart from one another.

5. The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second antennas are discrete components with respect to one another and the first and second positions are separate with respect to one another.

6. The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the information is about at least one of: the wearable article; or a person associated with the wearable article.

7. The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the first and second antennas are further tuned to transmit and receive according to the wireless communication modality through the structure of the article of footwear in addition to through air and the human foot, respectively.

8. The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the information includes visual information related to the article of apparel.

9. The wearable article of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises an upper for an article of footwear and a sole structure, wherein the first and second antennas are positioned on or within the sole structure and the transceiver is positioned on or within the sole structure.

10. The wearable article of claim 1 , further comprising an output device, coupled to the first and second antennas, configured to provide a first indication if the first antenna receives a wireless signal and a second indication if the second antenna receives a wireless signal.

11. The wearable article of claim 10 , wherein the first and second indications are at least one of a visual indication and an audio indication.

12. A method of making a wearable article, comprising:

forming a structure to enclose a body part of a wearer, the body part different than the structure;

laying out a first antenna in a first position on a substrate on or within the structure, the first antenna configured to emit and receive wireless signals and laid out to transmit and receive according to a wireless communication modality through air, the first position configured to allow the first antenna to transmit and receive trough air;

laying out a second antenna in a second position on or within the structure spaced apart from the substrate on which the first antenna is laid out, the second antenna configured to emit and receive wireless signals and laid out to transmit and receive according to the wireless communication modality through the body part, the first antenna being tuned differently than the second antenna, the second position spaced apart from the first position and configured to allow the second antenna to transmit and receive trough the body part; and

disposing a transceiver on or within the structure and operatively coupling the transceiver to the first antenna and the second antenna, the transceiver configured to selectively cause one of the first antenna and the second antenna to communicate with an external antenna of an external system by transmitting and receiving data via the at least one of the first and second antennas according to the wireless communication modality, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive information from the external system and transmit information to the external system.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wireless communication modality is one of an ultra high frequency (UHF) communication modality, a near field communication (NFC) modality, or an ISO 15693 modality.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein disposing the transceiver comprises:

coupling a first transceiver to the first antenna, the first transceiver configured to transmit and receive data according to the wireless communication modality via the first antenna; and

coupling a second transceiver to the second antenna, the second antenna configured to transmit and receive data according to the wireless communication modality via the second antenna.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the substrate is a first substrate and wherein laying out the second antenna is on a second substrate different from the first substrate, the first and second substrates positioned apart from one another.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second antennas are discrete components with respect to one another and the first and second positions are separate with respect to one another.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the information is about at least one of: the wearable article; or a person associated with the wearable article.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second antennas are further tuned to transmit and receive according to the wireless communication modality through the structure of the article of footwear in addition to through air and the human foot, respectively.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the information includes visual information related to the article of apparel.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the structure comprises an upper for an article of footwear and a sole structure, wherein the first and second antennas are positioned on or within the sole structure and the transceiver is positioned on or within the sole structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2024
From: PHEIL, HOLLI
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 066400/0241 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17981610 · Nov 7, 2022
Continuation 17237778 · Apr 22, 2021
Continuation 16369115 · Mar 29, 2019
Continuation 15564803
Provisional Application 62144773 · Apr 8, 2015
Related Publication 20240086676A1 · Mar 14, 2024
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