Patent: transmitting power and data using the human body
2004 06 24
MICROSOFT PATENT:
United States Patent 6,754,472
Williams , et al. June 22, 2004
Method and apparatus for transmitting power and data using the human body
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 devise 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 powered. 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.
Inventors: Williams; Lyndsay (Cambridge, GB); Vablais; William (Woodinville, WA); Bathiche; Steven N. (Bellevue, WA)
Assignee: Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, WA)
Appl. No.: 559746
Filed: April 27, 2000
Current U.S. Class: 455/100; 455/95; 455/41
Intern'l Class: H04Q 007/20
Field of Search: 455/40,41,95,100,106 340/333 379/55.1 341/33
What is claimed is:
1. A network of devices comprising:
a first device for generating a first electrical signal;
a second device including first circuitry requiring an electrical signal from an external source to operate, wherein the second device generates initialization information including at least power requirement information; and
a body of a living creature for coupling the first device to the second device and for conducting the electrical signal from the first device to the second device and the initialization information from the second device to the first device, wherein the first and second devices establish a master and a slave relationship there between.
2. The network of claim 1, wherein the first device further comprises:
a first signal generator coupled to the human body for generating the first electrical signal, the first electrical signal having a first frequency.
3. The network of claim 2,
wherein the first frequency is an audible frequency; and
wherein the first circuitry is a piezo electric speaker which is powered by said first electrical signal...
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