# US 2013/0154441 A1 · Flooring system and floor tile > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0154441 A1 - Document ID: US20130154441A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/593,357 - Filed: 2012-08-23 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-23 - Inventors: Elizabeth Redmond - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154441A1 ## CPC - H02N 2/181: {Circuits; Control arrangements or methods} - G06K 19/067: Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards {also with resonating or responding marks without active components} - G08G 1/02: using treadles built into the road (pads or other sensitive devices responsive to passage of vehicles E01F11/00) - H02N 2/18: producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators (for measurement devices G01) - H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract One variation of a preferred flooring system includes: a first energy device configured for arrangement under a footpath, the first energy device outputting a first current in response to a force applied to the footpath; a second energy device configured for arrangement under the footpath adjacent the first energy device, the second energy device outputting a second current in response to a force applied to the footpath; a wireless transmitter; and a network that communicates the first and second currents from the first and second energy devices to the wireless transmitter; wherein the wireless transmitter is powered by the first current to transmit a data packet associated with a force applied to the footpath. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flooring system comprising: a first energy device configured for arrangement under a footpath and to output a first current in response to a force applied to the footpath; a second energy device configured for arrangement under the footpath adjacent the first energy device and to output a second current in response to a force applied to the footpath; a wireless transmitter; and a network that communicates the first and second currents from the first and second energy devices to the wireless transmitter; wherein the wireless transmitter is powered by at least one of the first and second currents to transmit a data packet associated with a force applied to the footpath. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the first energy device comprises a first floor tile and wherein the second energy device comprises a second floor tile. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The flooring system of claim 2, wherein the network comprises a mat that locates the first and second floor tiles along the footpath and further comprises a conductive conduit that electrically couples the first and second floor tiles to the wireless transmitter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The flooring system of claim 3, wherein the wireless transmitter is arranged within the mat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The flooring system of claim 2, wherein the network comprises a plurality of additional energy devices that comprise floor tiles, wherein the first energy device is in electrical contact with the second energy device, wherein the second energy device is in electrical contact with the network, and wherein the second energy device communicates the first current to the network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The flooring system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second energy devices comprises a piezoelectric energy harvester. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The flooring system of claim 6, wherein the first energy device comprises a rectifier that directs positive and negative charge gradients of a strain cycle of the first energy device to output the first current in response to a force applied to the footpath. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a Bluetooth module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The floor tile of claim 1, further comprising a radio-frequency identification reader powered by at least one of the first and second currents and configured to extract identification information from a passive radio-frequency identification tag in the near-field range by temporarily broadcasting an electromagnetic field, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits a data packet that comprises the identification information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The flooring system of claim 1, further comprising a processor coupled to the wireless transmitter and powered by the first current to extract a first step signal from the first current. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The flooring system of claim 10, wherein the processor comprises an analog-to-digital converter that converts the first current from the first energy device into the first step signal that comprises a digital signal, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits the data packet that comprises a form of the digital signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The flooring system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further powered by the second current to extract a second step signal from the second current, wherein the processor estimates a gait characteristic of a user walking across the footpath based upon the first and second step signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the first energy device is arranged within a first access floor pedestal and wherein the second energy device is arranged within a second access floor pedestal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The flooring system of claim 1, further comprising an energy storage module electrically coupled to the first and second energy devices, wherein the energy storage module stores energy harvested by the first and second energy devices. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the first energy device is configured to compress in response to a force applied to the footpath. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits the data packet that comprises a unique energy device identifier. ### Claim 17 A floor tile comprising: a flooring surface; a piezoelectric layer adjacent the flooring; a rectifier coupled to the piezoelectric layer and configured to direct positive and negative charge gradients of a strain cycle of the piezoelectric layer to output current in response to a footstep on the flooring surface that deforms the piezoelectric layer; and a wireless transmitter powered by current output from the rectifier to transmit a data packet associated with the force applied to the flooring surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The floor tile of claim 17, further comprising a second piezoelectric layer adjacent the piezoelectric layer opposite the floor surface, wherein the rectifier is further coupled to the second piezoelectric layer and directs positive and negative charge gradients of a strain cycle of the second piezoelectric layer to output current in response to a footstep on the flooring surface that deforms the second piezoelectric layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The floor tile of claim 18, further comprising an electrode arranged between the piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer, wherein the electrode electrically couples the piezoelectric layer and the second piezoelectric layer to the rectifier. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The floor tile of claim 17, wherein the flooring surface defines a textured, non-slip surface. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The floor tile of claim 17, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a wireless Bluetooth module. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The floor tile of claim 17, further comprising a housing that contains the piezoelectric layer, the rectifier, and the wireless transmitter in the form of a floor mat. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The floor tile of claim 17, further comprising a housing that contains the piezoelectric layer, the rectifier, and the wireless transmitter, wherein the housing couples to a floor array that locates the housing along the footpath. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The floor tile of claim 17, wherein the piezoelectric layer comprises a polyvinylidene fluoride piezoelectric layer. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The floor tile of claim 17, further comprising a sensor powered by current output from the rectifier. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The flooring system of claim 17, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits the data packet that comprises a unique floor tile identifier. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The flooring system of claim 26, wherein the wireless transmitter is further configured to receive a second output current from an adjacent floor tile, to be powered by the second output current, and to transmit a second data packet associated with a force applied to the adjacent floor tile, wherein the second data packet that comprises a floor tile identifier unique to the adjacent floor tile. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The floor tile of claim 17, further comprising a radio-frequency identification reader powered by current output from the rectifier and configured to extract identification information from a passive radio-frequency identification tag in the near-field range by temporarily broadcasting an electromagnetic field, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits a data packet that comprises the identification information.