Two-Layer Interactive Textiles

• US 20160282988A1
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Poupyrev, Ivan
• Granted Patent: US 9,983,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/36 Cored or coated yarns or threads D02G3/34, D02G3/40 take precedence; elastic yarns or threads D02G3/32
• 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: D03D 11/00 Double or multi-ply fabrics not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 25/005 Three-dimensional woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/18 including electronic components
• 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 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/0085 Layered switches integrated into garment, clothes or textile
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches

Abstract

This document describes two-layer interactive textiles. In one or more implementations, the interactive textile includes a top textile layer and a bottom textile layer. Conductive threads are woven into the top textile layer and the bottom textile layer. When the top textile layer is combined with the bottom textile layer, the conductive threads from each layer form a capacitive touch sensor that is configured to detect touch-input. The bottom textile layer is not visible and couples the capacitive through sensor to electronic components, such as a controller, a wireless interface, an output device (e.g., an LED, a display, or speaker), and so forth.

Claims

1. An interactive textile configured to be integrated within a flexible object, the interactive textile comprising:

a top textile layer comprising first conductive threads woven into the top textile layer;

a bottom textile layer comprising second conductive threads woven into the bottom textile layer, the first conductive threads and the second conductive threads configured to form a capacitive touch sensor; and

a textile controller coupled to the capacitive touch sensor, the textile controller configured to detect touch-input to the capacitive touch sensor when an object touches the capacitive touch sensor, and process the touch-input to provide touch data usable to control a computing device wirelessly coupled to the interactive textile.

2. The interactive textile as recited in claim 1, wherein the textile controller is coupled to the capacitive touch sensor via the second conductive threads of the bottom textile layer.

3. The interactive textile as recited in claim 1, wherein the first conductive threads woven into the top textile layer and the second conductive threads woven into the bottom textile layer form a grid of conductive threads.

4. The interactive textile as recited in claim 3, wherein the first conductive threads woven into the top textile layer are positioned substantially orthogonal to the second conductive threads woven into the second textile layer to form the grid of conductive threads.

5. The interactive textile as recited in claim 1, wherein a pitch of the second conductive threads woven into the second textile layer is constant.

6. The interactive textile as recited in claim 1, wherein a pitch of the second conductive threads woven into the second textile layer is not constant.

7. The interactive textile as recited in claim 6, wherein shrinking polymers are used to vary the pitch of the second conductive threads woven into the second textile layer.

8. The interactive textile as recited in claim 6, wherein the second conductive threads are partially woven into the second textile layer.

9. The interactive textile as recited in claim 1, wherein the first textile layer and the second textile layer are combined using a 3D-weaving process.

10. The interactive textile as recited in claim 1, wherein the flexible object comprises a clothing item.

11. The interactive textile as recited in claim 10, wherein the first textile layer comprises an outside surface of the clothing item.

12. The interactive textile as recited in claim 1, wherein the second textile layer comprises a standardized structure of second conductive threads.

13. The interactive textile as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second conductive threads each comprise a conductive wire that is twisted, wrapped, or braided with one or more flexible threads.

14. The interactive textile as recited in claim 13, wherein the conductive wire comprises a copper wire, a gold wire, or a silver wire.

15. A flexible object comprising:

an interactive textile integrated within the flexible object, the interactive textile comprising a top textile layer and a bottom textile layer, the top textile layer comprising first conductive threads woven into the top textile layer and the bottom textile layer comprising second conductive threads woven into the bottom textile layer; and

a textile controller coupled to the interactive textile, the textile controller configured to detect touch-input to the interactive textile, and process the touch-input to provide touch data usable to initiate functionality of a computing device wireless coupled to the interactive textile.

16. The flexible object as recited in claim 15, wherein the textile controller is coupled to the interactive textile via the second conductive threads of the bottom textile layer.

17. The flexible object as recited in claim 15, wherein the flexible object comprises a clothing item.

18. The flexible object as recited in claim 15, wherein the second conductive threads and the textile controller are not visible when the clothing item is worn by a user.

19. The flexible object as recited in claim 15, wherein a pitch of the second conductive threads woven into the second textile layer is constant.

20. The flexible object as recited in claim 15, wherein the first textile layer and the second textile layer are combined using a 3D-weaving process.