Microsoft appears to be testing the smartwatch waters again, based on a 2012 patent published early this month.

But the company's "wearable personal information system" may not be the typical smartwatch competitor everyone expects. According to the patent, Redmond is searching for a way to revamp the fitness-based wearables market and expand adoption of these gadgets.

The company cites issues like prolonged exposure to perspiration or a cumbersome removable wristband, not to mention the fact that users often have to connect an external accessory for feedback during exercise.

"As a result, the adoption of such portable electronic devices during exercise is not as widespread as it could be," the patent said.

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

By all accounts, the device would include a series of connectors and sensors—likely used to measure heart rate and other fitness-related 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, like a smartphone or tablet.

Microsoft declined to comment on the patent application.

This is not the first time we've heard rumblings about a Microsoft smartwatch. There have been rumors for at least a year, with one report claiming that the Surface team was working on such a device. Microsoft is hosting a Surface event later this month in New York City, but it's expected to include the unveiling of a smaller, Surface Mini tablet rather than a health gadget.

Microsoft has already tried its hand at a smartwatch. In 2002, it introduced the Smart Personal Object Technology (SPOT), which delivered information like news and weather using FM signals. But the technology never caught on, and by 2008, SPOT was just another failed gadget.

Redmond might want to get cracking, meanwhile, as many of the features described in its patent are already available in wearables like the Gear lineup from Samsung, which has a health-related event planned for later this month. Fitness will probably also feature prominently in upcoming Android Wear-based devices, like the LG G Watch or Motorola Moto 360.

Apple, meanwhile, remains quiet about its own smartwatch contender; according to recent reports, CEO Tim Cook has no plans to unveil an iWatch during next month's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.

Editor's Note: This story was updated at 12:15 p.m. Eastern with comment from Microsoft.