Microsoft appears to be testing the smartwatch waters again, based on a 2012 patent published early this month, Pcmag.com reports, adding that the company\'s "wearable personal information system" may not be the typical smartwatch competitor that everyone seems to expect.

According to the patent, Redmond is searching for a way to revamp the fitness-based wearables market and expand use of these gadgets.

The company cites issues such as prolonged exposure to perspiration or cumbersome wristbands, not to mention the fact that users often have to connect an external accessory for feedback during exercise So, according to the patent, “the adoption of such portable electronic devices during exercise is not as widespread as it could be”.

So, Microsoft is eyeing a wearable machine with a miniature computing device that can be locked into a wristband or removed and mounted on a dock to charge or sync data.

By all accounts, the device could include connectors and sensors — likely used to measure heart rate and other fitness activities — as well as internal memory, a communications interface, and built-in GPS and compass.

And via a Wi-Fi connection, the touch-screen gadget could transmit and receive data to communicate with external computing devices, such as a smartphone or tablet.