ELECTRONIC TEXTILE AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A FUNCTIONAL AREA OF AN ELECTRONIC TEXTILE
First Claim
1. A method for determining a functional area of an electronic textile comprising a textile substrate having a first plurality of conductors and a second plurality of conductors, wherein the textile substrate is configured such that a plurality of capacitors, each comprising a conductor from the first plurality of conductors and a conductor from the second plurality of conductors separated by a dielectric, are formed across substantially an entire surface of the electronic textile, the method comprising, for each of the capacitors, the steps of:
- applying a voltage between the conductor from the first plurality of conductors associated with the capacitor and the conductor from the second plurality of conductors associated with the capacitor;
detecting an electrical characteristic indicative of a capacitance of the capacitor;
evaluating the detected electrical characteristic; and
determining whether the capacitor is included in the functional area of the electronic textile based on the evaluation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for determining a functional area of an electronic textile (100;200). The electronic textile comprises a textile substrate having a first plurality of conductors (108a-b;202a-d), a second plurality of conductors (104a-c;204a-d), and a plurality of capacitors (112;212a-p), each capacitor comprising a conductor from the first plurality of conductors (108a-b;202a-d) and a conductor from the second plurality of conductors (104a-c;204a-d), separated by a dielectric (103a), the capacitors (112;212a-p) being distributed across substantially an entire surface of the electronic textile, wherein each capacitor (112;212a-p) has a capacitance of at least 10 pF.
The method comprises, for each of the capacitors, the steps of (a) applying (301) a voltage between the conductor from the first plurality of conductors associated with the capacitor and the conductor from the second plurality of conductors associated with the capacitor, (b) detecting (302) an electrical characteristic indicative of a capacitance of the capacitor, (c) evaluating (303) the detected electrical characteristic, and (d) determining (304) whether the capacitor is included in the functional area of the electronic textile based on the evaluation.
As the method takes advantages of physical characteristics inherent in the electronic textile, such as the capacitors formed between conductors in the electronic textile, no electronic devices need to be arranged on the electronic textile to determine the functional area.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for determining a functional area of an electronic textile comprising a textile substrate having a first plurality of conductors and a second plurality of conductors, wherein the textile substrate is configured such that a plurality of capacitors, each comprising a conductor from the first plurality of conductors and a conductor from the second plurality of conductors separated by a dielectric, are formed across substantially an entire surface of the electronic textile, the method comprising, for each of the capacitors, the steps of:
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applying a voltage between the conductor from the first plurality of conductors associated with the capacitor and the conductor from the second plurality of conductors associated with the capacitor; detecting an electrical characteristic indicative of a capacitance of the capacitor; evaluating the detected electrical characteristic; and determining whether the capacitor is included in the functional area of the electronic textile based on the evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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- 6. An electronic textile comprising a textile substrate having a first plurality of conductors, a second plurality of conductors, and a plurality of capacitors, each capacitor comprising a conductor from the first plurality of conductors and a conductor from the second plurality of conductors, separated by a dielectric, the capacitors being distributed across substantially an entire surface of the electronic textile, wherein each capacitor has a capacitance of at least 10 pF.
Specification