The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 20, 2009
Filed:
Apr. 28, 2004
Lyndsay Williams, Girton, GB;
William Vablais, Woodinville, WA (US);
Steven N Bathiche, Bellevue, WA (US);
Lyndsay Williams, Girton, GB;
William Vablais, Woodinville, WA (US);
Steven N Bathiche, Bellevue, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for distributing power and data to devices coupled to the human body are described. The human body is used as a conductive medium, e.g., a bus, over which power and/or data is distributed. Power is distributed by coupling a power source to the human body via a first set of electrodes. One or more devices to be powered, e.g., peripheral devices, are also coupled to the human body via additional sets of electrodes. The devices may be, e.g., a speaker, display, watch, keyboard, etc. A pulsed DC signal or AC signal may be used as the power source. By using multiple power supply signals of differing frequencies, different devices can be selectively 15 powered. For example, a 100 Hz signal may be used to power a first device while a 150 Hz signal may be used to power a second device. Digital data and/or other information signals, e.g., audio signals, can be modulated on the power signal using frequency and/or amplitude modulation techniques. The power source and peripheral devices can interact to form a complete computer network where the body serves as the bus coupling the devices together. Devices can include optional batteries, one or more CPUs, transmit/receive circuitry, and/or input/output circuitry. In one particular exemplary network implementation the first device to be placed on the body operates as a master device, e.g., bus master, with one or more subsequently added devices working as slaves.