Fabric sensing device
First Claim
1. A touch-sensitive textile device comprising:
- a first set of conductive threads oriented along a first direction;
a second set of conductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads and oriented along a second direction;
a first group of nonconductive threads interwoven with the second set of conductive threads, wherein the first group of nonconductive threads is oriented along the first direction and forms a nonconductive strip region, wherein the first set of conductive threads includes a group of conductive threads forming a conductive strip region that is adjacent to the nonconductive strip region;
a second group of nonconductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads oriented along the second direction; and
a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the first and second set of conductive threads, wherein the sensing circuit is configured to;
apply a drive signal to the first and second set of conductive threads, andmonitor a collective charge on the group of conductive threads that form the conductive strip region to detect a variation in capacitive coupling with an object touching or nearly touching the touch-sensitive textile device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A touch-sensitive textile device that is configured to detect the occurrence of a touch, the location of a touch, and/or the force of a touch on the touch-sensitive textile device. In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device includes a first set of conductive threads oriented along a first direction, and a second set of conductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads and oriented along a second direction. The device may also include a sensing circuit that is operatively coupled to the first and second set of conductive threads. The sensing circuit may be configured to apply a drive signal to the first and second set of conductive threads. The sensing circuit may also be configured to detect a touch or near touch based on a variation in an electrical measurement using the first or second set of conductive threads.
36 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A touch-sensitive textile device comprising:
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a first set of conductive threads oriented along a first direction; a second set of conductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads and oriented along a second direction; a first group of nonconductive threads interwoven with the second set of conductive threads, wherein the first group of nonconductive threads is oriented along the first direction and forms a nonconductive strip region, wherein the first set of conductive threads includes a group of conductive threads forming a conductive strip region that is adjacent to the nonconductive strip region; a second group of nonconductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads oriented along the second direction; and a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the first and second set of conductive threads, wherein the sensing circuit is configured to; apply a drive signal to the first and second set of conductive threads, and monitor a collective charge on the group of conductive threads that form the conductive strip region to detect a variation in capacitive coupling with an object touching or nearly touching the touch-sensitive textile device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A touch-sensitive textile device comprising:
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a first set of conductive threads oriented along a first direction; a second set of conductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads and oriented along a second direction, wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction; a set of nonconductive threads interwoven with the first and second set of conductive threads, wherein each of the conductive threads in the first and second sets of conductive threads forms a stitch that passes over at least two adjacent nonconductive threads in the set of nonconductive threads; and a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the first and second set of conductive threads, wherein the sensing circuit is configured to; apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive threads, detect a variation in resistance between any one of the first set of conductive threads and any one of the second set of conductive threads, and sense a touch on the first or second set of conductive threads based on the variation in resistance. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A touch-sensitive textile device comprising:
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a first set of conductive threads disposed in a first textile layer; a second set of conductive threads disposed in a second textile layer, wherein the first textile layer is formed from a first set of nonconductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads and the second textile layer is formed from a second set of nonconductive threads interwoven with the second set of conductive threads; a spacer structure separating the first and second textile layers, the spacer structure configured to deflect in response to a touch on the first or second textile layer; and a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the first and second set of conductive threads, wherein the sensing circuit is configured to; apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive threads, and detect a variation in resistance between any one of the first set of conductive threads and any one of the second set of conductive threads. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A touch-sensitive textile device comprising:
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a first set of conductive threads disposed in a first textile layer; a second set of conductive threads disposed in a second textile layer, wherein the first textile layer is formed from a first set of nonconductive threads interwoven with the first set of conductive threads and the second textile layer is formed from a second set of nonconductive threads interwoven with the second set of conductive threads; a spacer structure separating the first and second textile layers, the spacer structure configured to deflect in response to a touch on the first or second textile layer; and a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the first and second set of conductive threads, wherein the sensing circuit is configured to; apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive threads, and detect a variation in capacitance between any one of the first set of conductive threads and any one of the second set of conductive threads due to a deflection in the spacer structure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification