Sensing floor for locating people and devices
First Claim
1. A sensing surface comprising:
- a flexible substrate;
a plurality of distributed sensing elements and connections between the elements formed in a conductive material on the substrate, wherein the sensing elements are arranged to detect signals from the environment, the signals indicating a presence of at least a part of a person in proximity to a sensing element, the signals including mains hum traveling though the person, the plurality of distributed sensing elements on a part of the sensing surface arranged to operate in a selected one of a passive mode and an active mode and wherein, in the passive mode, the sensing elements in the part of the surface are arranged to use passive capacitive sensing of signals and, in the active mode, the plurality of distributed sensing elements in the part of the surface comprises;
a first element arranged to transmit a signal; and
at least one sensing element arranged to detect a signal transmitted by the first element;
and any of;
a microcontroller arranged to receive a mode selection signal from a master controller and to control operation of the plurality of distributed sensing elements in the part of the surface according to the mode selection signal received;
ora microcontroller arranged to control operation of the part of the surface such that it switches from passive mode to active mode on detection of a signal from the environment at one of the sensing elements in the part of the surface and an antenna and associated receiver circuitry arranged to detect signals from a mobile device, the microcontroller being further arranged to wake the receiver circuitry from a sleep state on detection of the signal from the environment at one of the sensing elements in the part of the surface.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sensing floor to locate people and devices is described. In an embodiment, the sensing floor (or sensing surface), is formed from a flexible substrate on which a number of distributed sensing elements and connections between sensing elements are formed in a conductive material. In an example, these elements and connections may be printed onto the flexible substrate. The sensing floor operates in one or more modes in order to detect people in proximity to the floor. In passive mode, the floor detects signals from the environment, such as electric hum, which are coupled into a sensing element when a person stands on the sensing element. In active mode, one sensing element transmits a signal which is detected in another sensing element when a person bridges those two elements. In hybrid mode, the floor switches between passive and active mode, for example, on detection of a person in passive mode.
39 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A sensing surface comprising:
-
a flexible substrate; a plurality of distributed sensing elements and connections between the elements formed in a conductive material on the substrate, wherein the sensing elements are arranged to detect signals from the environment, the signals indicating a presence of at least a part of a person in proximity to a sensing element, the signals including mains hum traveling though the person, the plurality of distributed sensing elements on a part of the sensing surface arranged to operate in a selected one of a passive mode and an active mode and wherein, in the passive mode, the sensing elements in the part of the surface are arranged to use passive capacitive sensing of signals and, in the active mode, the plurality of distributed sensing elements in the part of the surface comprises; a first element arranged to transmit a signal; and at least one sensing element arranged to detect a signal transmitted by the first element; and any of; a microcontroller arranged to receive a mode selection signal from a master controller and to control operation of the plurality of distributed sensing elements in the part of the surface according to the mode selection signal received;
ora microcontroller arranged to control operation of the part of the surface such that it switches from passive mode to active mode on detection of a signal from the environment at one of the sensing elements in the part of the surface and an antenna and associated receiver circuitry arranged to detect signals from a mobile device, the microcontroller being further arranged to wake the receiver circuitry from a sleep state on detection of the signal from the environment at one of the sensing elements in the part of the surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of operating a sensing system, the sensing system comprising a sensing surface and the sensing surface comprising a plurality of distributed sensing elements and connections between the elements formed in a conductive material on a flexible substrate, the method comprising:
-
detecting, at a sensing element, signals from the environment; and analyzing the detected signals to determine a location of a person in proximity to the sensing surface, the signals including mains hum traveling through the person; and the method further comprising at least one of; a method for operating the sensing surface in an active or passive mode comprising; the plurality of distributed sensing elements on a part of the sensing surface being operated in a selected one of a passive mode and an active mode wherein, in the passive mode, the sensing elements in the part of the surface are arranged to use passive capacitive sensing of signals and, in the active mode, the plurality of distributed sensing elements in the part of the surface comprises; a first element arranged to transmit a signal; and at least one sensing element arranged to detect a signal transmitted by the first element; and any of; a microcontroller receiving a mode selection signal from a master controller and controlling operation of the plurality of distributed sensing elements in the part of the surface according to the mode selection signal received;
ora microcontroller controlling operation of the part of the surface such that it switches from passive mode to active mode on detection of a signal from the environment at one of the sensing elements in the part of the surface and an antenna and associated receiver circuitry detecting signals from a mobile device, the microcontroller being arranged to wake the receiver circuitry from a sleep state on detection of the signal from the environment at one of the sensing elements in the part of the surface;
ora method wherein the sensing surface comprises a first sensing surface and sensing system further comprises a second sensing surface and the method further comprising; comparing a first location of a person identified using detected signals from the first sensing surface and a second location of a person identified using detected signals from the second sensing surface to determine if the first and second locations relate to a single person. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20)
-
-
17. A sensing surface comprising:
-
a flexible substrate; a plurality of distributed electrodes and connectors between the electrodes formed in a conductive layer on the substrate; a microcontroller arranged to control operation of a subset of the electrodes in a part of the surface such that in a first mode of operation, the subset of electrodes use passive capacitive sensing to detect signals from the environment relating to presence of a person, the signals including mains hum passing through the person, and in a second mode of operation, one electrode in the subset of electrodes transmits a signal for detection by another electrode when a user is in proximity to both electrodes; and the microcontroller further arranged to perform at least one of; receiving a mode selection signal from a master controller and controlling operation of the plurality of distributed sensing elements in the part of the surface according to the mode selection signal received; controlling operation of the part of the surface such that it switches from passive mode to active mode on detection of a signal from the environment at one of the sensing elements in the part of the surface and receiving signals from an antenna and associated receiver circuitry detecting signals from a mobile device, the microcontroller being arranged to wake the receiver circuitry from a sleep state on detection of the signal from the environment at one of the sensing elements in the part of the surface;
orcomparing a first location of a person identified using detected signals from a first sensing surface and a second location of a person identified using detected signals from a second sensing surface to determine if the first and second locations relate to a single person. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
Specification