Interactive cord with resistance touchpoints

• US 10,222,924 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2018
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sawyer, Karissa A., Lee, Seungyon, Raphael, Seth, Starner, Thad Eugene, Moeller, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Simon
• Application Number:
  US15/914,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20190004635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H

Abstract

This document describes techniques and devices for an interactive cord with resistance touchpoints. An interactive cord includes an audio wire, and a fabric cover that covers the audio wire. The fabric cover includes at least one conductive thread integrated into the fabric cover to form at least one touchpoint at which the conductive thread makes contact with the audio wire when the touchpoint is pressed. The contact of the conductive thread with the audio wire creates a resistance value that is mapped to a control. The resistance value is based on a resistance of the conductive thread and a length of the conductive thread from a base of the interactive cord to the touchpoint. The resistance value is detectable by a controller implemented at a computing device that is coupled to the interactive cord. In response to detection of the resistance value, the controller triggers the control.

Claims

1. An interactive cord for a headset, the interactive cord comprising:

an audio wire; and

a fabric cover that covers the cable, the fabric cover comprising at least one conductive thread integrated into the fabric cover to form at least one touchpoint at which the conductive thread makes contact with the audio wire when the touchpoint is pressed;

the contact of the conductive thread with the audio wire creating a resistance value that is mapped to a control, the resistance value based on a resistance of the conductive thread and a length of the conductive thread from a base of the interactive cord to the touchpoint.

2. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the resistance value is detectable by a controller implemented at a computing device that is coupled to the interactive cord, and wherein the controller triggers the control in response to detection of the resistance value.

3. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the control comprises one or more of playing audio for the headset, pausing the audio for the headset, increasing volume of the audio for the headset, decreasing the volume of the audio for the headset, powering on the headset, skipping to a next audio track for the headset, or skipping to a previous audio track for the headset.

4. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the fabric cover includes four touchpoints, each touchpoint associated with a different resistance value that is mapped to a different control.

5. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the fabric cover includes touchpoints associated with resistance values which conform to a headset standard.

6. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the fabric includes four touchpoints, and wherein the resistance values associated with the four touchpoints comprise 0 ohms, 135 ohms, 240 ohms, and 470 ohms.

7. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductive thread forms at least two touchpoints within the fabric cover each associated with a different resistance value that is mapped to a different control, and wherein the different resistance values associated with the at least two touchpoints is formed by varying a length of the conductive thread from the base of the interactive cord to the touchpoint.

8. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the fabric cover includes at least two different conductive threads that each include a different resistance, and wherein each of the at least two different conductive threads form a touchpoint within the fabric cover that is associated with a different resistance value that is mapped to a different control.

9. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductive thread is insulated, and wherein the insulation of the at least one conductive thread is removed at the position of the touchpoint to enable the conductive thread to make contact with the audio wire when the touchpoint is pressed.

10. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the interactive cord further comprises an insulated sheath positioned between the audio wire and the fabric cover, and wherein the insulation of the insulated sheath is removed at the position of the touchpoint to enable the conductive thread to make contact with the audio wire when the touchpoint is pressed.

11. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductive thread is integrated with one or more non-conductive threads that are insulated to form the fabric cover, and wherein the fabric cover exposes the conductive thread to the audio wire at the position of the touchpoint to enable the conductive thread to make contact with the audio wire when the touchpoint is pressed.

12. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the at least one touchpoint is visually distinguishable from the remainder of the fabric cover.

13. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the at least one touchpoint is formed to protrude from the fabric cover.

14. The interactive cord of claim 1, wherein the interactive cord is coupled to the computing device via a 3.5 mm audio jack.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

monitoring, by a controller of a computing device, resistance values of an interactive cord for a headset, the interactive cord for the headset coupled to the computing device;

detecting, by the controller, a resistance value in response to touch input to a touchpoint of the interactive cord;

comparing, by the controller, the detected resistance value to a standardized mapping of resistance values and controls;

determining, by the controller and based on the comparison, a control associated with the detected resistance value; and

triggering, by the controller, the control.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 wherein the control comprises one or more of playing audio for the headset, pausing the audio for the headset, increasing volume of the audio for the headset, decreasing the volume of the audio for the headset, powering on the headset, skipping to a next audio track for the headset, or skipping to a previous audio track for the headset.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the controller monitors for resistance values which conform to a headset standard.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the standardized mapping includes resistance values comprising 0 ohms, 135 ohms, 240 ohms, and 470 ohms.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the interactive cord is coupled to the computing device via a 3.5 mm audio jack.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the detected resistance value is based on a resistance of a conductive thread of the interactive cord and a length of the conductive thread from a base of the interactive cord to the touch point.