Fabric control device

• US 10,689,783 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• 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:
  US16/584,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20200017999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 271 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;

a touch sensor electrode that is overlapped by the fabric layer;

wireless communications circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry.

2. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to information from the touch sensor electrode.

3. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the touch sensor electrode is on a first side of the housing and wherein the fabric layer overlaps the first side of the housing.

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

5. The fabric-based item defined in claim 4, wherein the first area of the fabric layer overlaps the touch sensor electrode and wherein the second area of the fabric layer does not overlap any touch sensor electrodes.

6. The fabric-based item defined in claim 1, wherein the touch sensor electrode is configured to gather user input.

7. A fabric-based item, comprising:

a housing;

a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing;

a haptic device that is overlapped by the fabric layer;

wireless communications circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry.

8. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, further comprising:

input circuitry that is overlapped by the fabric layer, wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to information from the input circuitry.

9. The fabric-based item defined in claim 8, 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.

10. The fabric-based item defined in claim 9, wherein the input circuitry is configured to gather the user input from a user and wherein the haptic device is configured to provide the user with tactile feedback.

11. The fabric-based item defined in claim 10, wherein the input circuitry is configured to detect a press of a virtual button by the user and wherein the haptic device is configured to provide the user with the tactile feedback in response to the input circuitry detecting the press of the virtual button.

12. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, wherein the haptic device comprises an actuator.

13. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, wherein the haptic device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of:

a vibrator, a linear solenoid, and a piezoelectric actuator.

14. The fabric-based item defined in claim 7, wherein the fabric layer includes first and second areas having different appearances and wherein the haptic device is covered by the first area of the fabric layer.

15. A fabric-based item, comprising:

a housing;

a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing;

a light sensor that is overlapped by the fabric layer;

wireless communications circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry.

16. The fabric-based item defined in claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to information from the light sensor.

17. The fabric-based item defined in claim 15, wherein the light sensor is on a first side of the housing and wherein the fabric layer overlaps the first side of the housing.

18. The fabric-based item defined in claim 17, wherein the fabric layer has first and second areas of different appearances on the first side of the housing and wherein the light sensor is overlapped by the first area of the fabric layer.

19. The fabric-based item defined in claim 18, further comprising:

a light-emitting component that emits light through the first area of the fabric layer, wherein the light sensor and the light-emitting component form a proximity sensor.

20. The fabric-based item defined in claim 15, further comprising:

a light-emitting component that emits light through the fabric layer, wherein the light sensor and the light-emitting component form a proximity sensor.