Wireless charging assemblies for sensorized insoles, methods for charging sensorized insoles, and footwear systems including sensorized insoles
Inventors
Stevens, Travis • Purdy, Michael • LEE, Kogan • Garrity, Paul
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11700904-B2
Publication Date
2023-07-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
A footwear system includes a sensorized insole and a charger. The sensorized insole has an insole bulk having a foot-facing upper surface. A sensor is embedded in the insole bulk for measuring a parameter of a user's foot, a battery is embedded in the insole bulk for providing energy to the sensor, and a receiver pod is embedded in the insole bulk and is spaced from the foot-facing upper surface for wirelessly receiving energy and providing energy to the battery. The charger provides energy to the receiver pod, and includes a cable for connecting to an energy source, and a transmitter pod electrically connected to the cable for receiving energy from the cable and wirelessly transmitting energy to the receiver pod. The transmitter pod is positionable against the foot-facing upper surface to wirelessly provide energy to the receiver pod through the insole bulk.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a footwear system that includes at least a first sensorized insole and a second sensorized insole. Each insole has an insole bulk with a foot-facing upper surface, a sensor embedded in the insole bulk for measuring a parameter of a user's foot, a battery embedded in the insole bulk for providing energy to the sensor, and a wireless charging receiver pod embedded in the insole bulk and spaced from the foot-facing upper surface for wirelessly receiving energy and providing energy to the battery.
A charger provides energy to the first and second wireless charging receiver pods. The charger includes a first cable connected to an energy source and at least a first wireless charging transmitter pod electrically connected to the first cable for receiving energy and wirelessly transmitting energy to the receiver pods. The charger further includes at least a second wireless charging transmitter pod electrically connected to a second cable for receiving energy from the energy source and wirelessly transmitting energy to the wireless charging receiver pods.
The system positions the wireless charging transmitter pods against the foot-facing upper surfaces such that energy is wirelessly provided through the insole bulk to the spaced receiver pods. Each wireless charging receiver pod includes a receiver coil spaced from its respective foot-facing upper surface by a spacing, where the spacing for the first receiver coil differs from the spacing for the second receiver coil.
The transmitter pods are configured to detect the first and second spacings by emitting a series of stimulation pulses to the corresponding receiver coil and receiving corresponding response pulses back from the receiver coil. The system also supports determining an operating frequency from response pulses and configuring the wireless charging operation based on detected spacing.
Claims Coverage
The document provides one independent claim (clm-00001). It covers a footwear system with sensorized insoles having embedded sensors and embedded batteries, wireless charging receiver pods spaced from a foot-facing upper surface, and a charger with dual wireless charging transmitter pods that are positionable against the foot-facing upper surfaces to wirelessly provide energy through respective insole bulks, with receiver spacing detection using stimulation and response pulses.
Dual sensorized insoles with spaced wireless charging receiver pods
The footwear system comprises at least a first sensorized insole and a second sensorized insole, where each insole includes an insole bulk having a foot-facing upper surface, a sensor embedded in the insole bulk for measuring a parameter of a user's foot, a battery embedded in the insole bulk for providing energy to the sensor, and a wireless charging receiver pod embedded in the insole bulk and spaced from the foot-facing upper surface for wirelessly receiving energy and providing energy to the battery.
Charger with transmitter pods via separate cables to an energy source
The charger for providing energy to the first and second wireless charging receiver pods comprises a first cable for connecting to an energy source, at least a first wireless charging transmitter pod electrically connected to the first cable and wirelessly transmitting energy to the receiver pods, and at least a second wireless charging transmitter pod electrically connected to a second cable and wirelessly transmitting energy to the receiver pods.
Positionable transmitter pods providing energy through insole bulk
The first wireless charging transmitter pod is positionable against the first foot-facing upper surface to wirelessly provide energy to the first wireless charging receiver pod through the first insole bulk and against the second foot-facing upper surface to wirelessly provide energy to the second wireless charging receiver pod through the second insole bulk; and the second wireless charging transmitter pod is positionable against the second foot-facing upper surface to wirelessly provide energy to the second wireless charging receiver pod through the second insole bulk and against the first foot-facing upper surface to wirelessly provide energy to the first wireless charging receiver pod through the first insole bulk.
Spacing-specific receiver coil detection via stimulation and response pulses
Each wireless charging receiver pod comprises a receiver coil spaced from its foot-facing upper surface by a spacing, where the second spacing is different from the first spacing; and the first and second wireless charging transmitter pods are each configured to detect the first spacing by emitting a series of stimulation pulses to the first receiver coil and receiving a series of response pulses back from the first receiver coil and to detect the second spacing by emitting the series of stimulation pulses to the second receiver coil and receiving a second series of response pulses back from the second receiver coil.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on sensorized footwear insoles with embedded sensors and batteries, receiver pods embedded and spaced from the foot-facing upper surface, a charger with transmitter pods positioned against the upper surfaces to deliver energy through insole bulk, and transmitter/receiver spacing detection using stimulation pulses and response pulses to distinguish different spacings for the two insoles.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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