Fabrics and Garments with Information Infrastructure

Abstract

Fabrics, articles of apparel, and/or garment structures include infrastructure for transmitting information, such as signals produced by a wearer or from another source. Such fabrics may include: a textile formed through a knitting or weaving process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting or weaving process is electrically conductive to form sensor regions and/or other integrated electrically conductive infrastructure for transmitting electrical signals. Additional information is provided relating to methods for forming fabrics, articles of apparel, and/or garment structures of the types described above, as well as methods of using such products, e.g., for monitoring and/or displaying information regarding one or more physical and/or physiological parameters.

1 . An article of apparel, comprising a textile forming at least a portion of the article of apparel, wherein the textile is formed through a knitting process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting process is electrically conductive to form an integrated electrically conductive infrastructure for transmitting electrical signals.  
     
     
         2 . A fabric, comprising a textile formed through a knitting process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting process is electrically conductive to form an integrated electrically conductive infrastructure for transmitting electrical signals.  
     
     
         3 . A garment, comprising a garment structure formed, at least in part, through a knitting process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting process is electrically conductive, and wherein the garment structure includes: 
 (a) a first sensor region integrated into the garment structure during the knitting process by providing a concentration of electrically conductive yarn at the first sensor region, wherein the concentration of electrically conductive yarn is positioned and arranged with respect to the garment structure to receive a first electrical signal from a wearer's body or other source; and    (b) a first lead formed from electrically conductive yarn and integrated into the garment structure during the knitting process, the first lead in electrical communication with and extending from the first sensor region to carry the first electrical signal from the first sensor region to a first sensor data transfer region.    
     
     
         4 . A physical or physiological monitoring system, comprising: 
 a garment structure formed, at least in part, through a knitting process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting process is electrically conductive, and wherein the garment structure includes: 
 (a) a first sensor region integrated into the garment structure during the knitting process by providing a concentration of electrically conductive yarn at the first sensor region, wherein the concentration of electrically conductive yarn is positioned and arranged with respect to the garment structure to receive a first electrical signal from a wearer's body or other source; and  
 (b) a first lead formed from electrically conductive yarn and integrated into the garment structure during the knitting process, the first lead in electrical communication with and extending from the first sensor region to carry the first electrical signal from the first sensor region;  
   a data transfer system for receiving the first electrical signal and transferring a first information signal, wherein the first information signal includes at least one of the first electrical signal or information derived, at least in part, from the first electrical signal; and    a physical or physiological monitoring output device for receiving the first information signal and outputting physical or physiological data or information, wherein the physical or physiological data or information includes at least one of the first information signal or data derived, at least in part, from the first information signal.    
     
     
         5 . A method for forming a garment, comprising: 
 knitting at least a portion of a garment structure, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting is electrically conductive, wherein the knitting includes: 
 (a) knitting a concentration of electrically conductive yarn to form a knitted first sensor region in the garment structure, wherein the concentration of electrically conductive yarn is positioned and arranged in the garment structure to receive a first electrical signal from a wearer's body or other source; and  
 (b) knitting a first lead from electrically conductive yarn in the garment structure, wherein the first lead is in electrical communication with and extends from the first sensor region to carry the first electrical signal from the first sensor region; and  
   providing a first sensor data transfer region on the garment structure for receiving the first electrical signal.    
     
     
         6 . A method of monitoring a physical or physiological parameter, comprising: 
 donning a garment structure, wherein the garment structure is formed, at least in part, through a knitting process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting process is electrically conductive, and wherein the garment structure includes: 
 (a) a first sensor region integrated into the garment structure during the knitting process by providing a concentration of electrically conductive yarn at the first sensor region; and  
 (b) a first lead formed from electrically conductive yarn and integrated into the garment structure during the knitting process, the first lead in electrical communication with and extending from the first sensor region;  
   receiving a first electrical signal from a wearer's body or other source at the first sensor region; and    transmitting the first electrical signal along the first lead.    
     
     
         7 . A fabric, comprising a fabric structure formed, at least in part, through a knitting or weaving process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting or weaving process is electrically conductive, and wherein the fabric structure includes one or more sensor regions, wherein at least one sensor region includes: 
 (a) a sensor element integrated into the fabric structure during the knitting or weaving process by providing a concentration of electrically conductive yarn at a location of the sensor region; and    (b) a lead formed from electrically conductive yarn and integrated into the fabric structure during the knitting or weaving process, the lead in electrical communication with and extending from the sensor element to carry an electrical signal from the sensor region.    
     
     
         8 . A physical or physiological monitoring system, comprising: 
 a fabric structure formed, at least in part, through a knitting or weaving process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting or weaving process is electrically conductive, and wherein the fabric structure includes one or more sensor regions, wherein at least one sensor region includes: 
 (a) a sensor element integrated into the fabric structure during the knitting or weaving process by providing a concentration of electrically conductive yarn at a location of the sensor region, and  
 (b) a lead formed from electrically conductive yarn and integrated into the fabric structure during the knitting or weaving process, the lead in electrical communication with and extending from the sensor element to carry an electrical signal from the sensor region;  
   a data transfer system for receiving electrical signals from the sensor regions and transferring a first information signal, wherein the first information signal includes at least one of the electrical signals from one or more sensor regions or information derived, at least in part, from the electrical signals from one or more sensor regions; and    a physical or physiological monitoring output device for receiving the first information signal and outputting physical or physiological data or information, wherein the physical or physiological data or information includes at least one of the first information signal or data derived, at least in part, from the first information signal.    
     
     
         9 . A method for forming a fabric, comprising: 
 forming a fabric structure by a knitting or weaving process, wherein at least one yarn used in the forming is electrically conductive, wherein the forming includes: 
 (a) forming a concentration of electrically conductive yarn at one or more regions in the fabric structure to form one or more integrated sensor regions in the fabric structure, and  
 (b) forming one or more lead elements from electrically conductive yarn in the fabric structure, wherein each respective sensor region includes a respective lead element that is in electrical communication with and extends from the sensor region to carry an electrical signal from the respective sensor region; and  
   providing at least one sensor data transfer region on the fabric structure for receiving at least some of the electrical signals.    
     
     
         10 . A method of monitoring a physical or physiological parameter, comprising: 
 providing a fabric structure, wherein the fabric structure is formed, at least in part, through a knitting or weaving process, wherein at least one yarn used in the knitting or weaving process is electrically conductive, and wherein the fabric structure includes one or more sensor regions, wherein at least one sensor region includes: 
 (a) a sensor element integrated into the fabric structure during the knitting or weaving process by providing a concentration of electrically conductive yarn at a location of the sensor region, and  
 (b) a lead formed from electrically conductive yarn and integrated into the fabric structure during the knitting or weaving process, the lead in electrical communication with and extending from the sensor element to carry an electrical signal from the sensor region;  
   receiving at least one electrical signal from at least one sensor region; and    transmitting the electrical signal along the respective lead or leads associated with the sensor region or regions received the electrical signal.