Intra-body information transfer device

Patent 6223018 Issued on April 24, 2001. Estimated Expiration Date:

December 12, 2017. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Application

No. 989656 filed on 12/12/1997

US Classes:

455/41.1, Near field (i.e., inductive or capacitive coupling)379/55.1HAVING NEAR FIELD LINK (E.G., CAPACITIVE, INDUCTIVE)

Examiners

Primary: Hunter, Daniel S.
Assistant: Corsaro, Nick

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Pennie & Edmonds llp

Foreign Patent References

58-177672 JP. 10/11/1983
61-221479 JP. 10/11/1986
3-75065 JP. 03/11/1991
7-170215 JP. 07/11/1995

International Class

H04B 005/00

Foreign Application Priority Data

1996-12-12 JP

Abstract

An information transfer device which transfers a signal via a human body, comprising: a transmitter having a signal source for outputting a time varying signal, a modulator for modulating a signal from the signal source using a carrier frequency of from several tens of KHz to several MHz, a transmission B electrode connected to an output from the modulator and arranged in the vicinity of a human body surface, and a transmission G electrode connected to a portion giving a reference voltage of the transmitter and arranged toward an external side with respect to the human body, and a receiver having a reception B electrode arranged in the vicinity of the human body surface in the vicinity of the transmitter, a reception G electrode connected to a portion giving a reference voltage of the receiver and arranged toward an external side with respect to the human body so as to be coupled with the transmission G electrode via air, an amplifier for amplifying a voltage between the reception B electrode and the reception G electrode, and a demodulator connected to an output from the amplifier for demodulating a signal output from the signal source of the transmitter.

Other References

T.G.Zimmerman, "Personal Area Networks: Near-field intrabody communication", IBM Systems Journal, vol. 35, No. 3&4, 1986, pp. 609-617
T.G. Zimmerman, "Personal Area Networks: Near-field intrabody communication" (Japanese Counterpart of E), Nikkei Electronics 1997.6.2 (No. 690), pp. 141-148
Masaaki Fukumoto, Akira Hiraiwa, and Noboru Sonehara, "`FingeRing`: A Keyboard Device for Wearable Computers", The Transactions of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineer A, vol. J79-A, No. 2, pp. 460-470, Feb. 1996
Masaaki Fukumoto and Yoshinobu Tonomura, "`Body Coupled FingeRing`: Wireless Wearable Keyboard", CHI'97 Conference Proceedings, pp. 147-154, Atlanta Mar. 1997 (The first half portion describes the subject matter of Ref. G