Fabric control device

• US 10,465,314 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Podhajny, Daniel A., Sunshine, Daniel D., Crews, Kathryn P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Anthony Q
• Application Number:
  US16/207,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20190112734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 36167903
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 1/005 with embedded cable or connector
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 31/02 Layered materials characterised by special function or use A41D31/04
• 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 1/0082 Fabrics for printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 1/0088 Fabrics having an electronic function
• 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 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• 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: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. Areas of the fabric may overlap input circuitry such as button switches, touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry and may overlap other components such as light-emitting components and haptic output devices. The fabric-based item may include control circuitry that gathers user input from the input circuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the control circuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wireless signals in response information from the input circuitry. The fabric-based item may have a weight that is located in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction when the housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing in response to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of the fabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiber configured to emit light.

Claims

1. A fabric-based item, comprising:

a housing;

a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing;

input circuitry that is overlapped by the fabric layer;

wireless communications circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to information from the input circuitry.

2. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the input circuitry is on a first side of the housing and wherein the fabric layer overlaps the first side of the housing.

3. The fabric-based item defined in claim 2, wherein the fabric layer has first and second areas of different appearances on the first side of the housing.

4. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the housing includes compressible material overlapped by the fabric layer and wherein the control circuitry is configured to use the input circuitry to detect deformation of the fabric layer in response to squeezing of the housing.

5. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the input circuitry is configured to gather user input and comprises an electrical component selected from the group consisting of:

a switch, a touch sensor, a force sensor, and a proximity sensor.

6. A fabric-based item comprising:

a housing;

a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing;

a light-emitting component configured to emit light through the fabric layer;

wireless communications circuitry;

control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry to in response to detecting user input.

7. The fabric-based item defined in claim 6, wherein the fabric layer includes first and second areas having different appearances and wherein the light-emitting component emits light through the first area of the fabric layer.

8. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, wherein the first area includes a button label.

9. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, further comprising a haptic output device in the first area.

10. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, wherein the first area includes first strand portions in the fabric layer, wherein the second area includes second strand portions in the fabric layer that are less transmissive to light than the first strand portions, and wherein the light-emitting component emits light through the first strand portions.

11. The fabric-based item defined in claim 10, wherein the first area is configured to form a key label that is illuminated by the light.

12. The fabric-based item defined in claim 6, further comprising sensing circuitry configured to detect the user input.

13. The fabric-based item defined in claim 12, wherein the sensing circuitry comprises a touch sensor formed from conductive strands in the fabric layer.

14. The fabric-based item defined in claim 12, wherein the sensing circuitry comprises a force sensor that is overlapped by the fabric layer.

15. The fabric-based item defined in claim 12, wherein the sensing circuitry comprises a component selected from the group consisting of:

a force sensor, a proximity sensor, a button switch, and a touch sensor, and wherein the wireless communications circuitry comprises a radio-frequency transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the wireless signals.

16. The fabric-based item defined in claim 6, further comprising an optical fiber in the fabric layer, wherein the light-emitting component is configured to emit the light through the fabric layer by supplying the light to the optical fiber.

17. The fabric-based item defined in claim 6, further comprising:

an optical proximity sensor that operates through the fabric layer using the light-emitting component and a light detector.

18. A fabric-based item comprising:

a housing;

a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing;

a touch sensor formed from conductive strands of the fabric layer;

wireless communications circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to detecting user input with the touch sensor.

19. The fabric-based item defined in claim 18, wherein the touch sensor further comprises touch sensor control circuitry coupled to the conductive strands and wherein the touch sensor control circuitry is configured to provide drive signals to the conductive strands.

20. The fabric-based item defined in claim 18, wherein the touch sensor is configured to obtain grip detection information.