Electronic systems incorporated into textile threads or fibres

• US 20040115430A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip Noel Leonard
• Original Assignee: Philip Noel Leonard
• Inventors: Leonard, Philip Noel
• Granted Patent: US 8,536,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/364
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/002 adapted to accommodate electronic equipment patients' garments for medical monitoring A41D13/1281; luminous ornaments A41D27/085
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/441 Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/18 including electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/027 the material being suitable for use as a textile, e.g. woven-based RFID-like labels designed for attachment to laundry items markings attached to laundry items in general D06F93/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2915 including textile, cloth or fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3033 Including a strip or ribbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3195 Three-dimensional weave [e.g., x-y-z planes, multi-planar warps and/or wefts, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/339 Metal or metal-coated strand
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3976 Including strand which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous composition, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]

Abstract

A textile thread or fiber has a plurality of elements, such as electronic elements, embedded or encapsulated therein. The textile thread or fiber could also be part of a fabric article. The textile thread or fiber, for example, has the plurality of elements interconnected, or otherwise intercommunicating, with one another to form a signal processing system. This signal processing system may include, for example, a personal computer system, a personal telecommunications transmitter/receiver system or a personal television and/or radio system.

Claims

1. ) A textile thread or fibre having a plurality of elements embedded or encapsulated therein, or a piece of fabric or a fabric article having a plurality of elements embedded or encapsulated in textile threads or fibres thereof, said plurality of elements being interconnected or otherwise intercommunicating to form a signal processing system.

2. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in claim 1, in which at least some of said elements communicate with each other by radio or optical transmission.

3. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said elements are elongate in shape and are aligned lengthwise of the or their respective thread or fibre.

4. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said elements comprise at least one microprocessor element and at least one data memory element.

5. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim in which said elements include an interface to additional devices.

6. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, including an aerial or antenna embedded in or encapsulated in the or a said thread or fibre.

7. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, further including a rechargeable current source embedded in or encapsulated in the or a said thread or fibre.

8. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which at least some of said elements comprise electronic integrated circuits.

9. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which at least some of said elements comprise optical, molecular, sub-molecular or DNA strand elements.

10. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises a personal computer system.

11. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises a personal telecommunications transmitter/receiver system.

12. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises a personal television and/or radio system.

13. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises a control system.

14. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises a monitoring system.

15. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises an alarm or security system.

16. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises a data recording system.

17. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises an entertainment system.

18. ) A thread, fibre, piece of fabric or fabric article as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said signal processing system comprises an information presentation system.