Two-Layer Interactive Textiles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282988-A1
Application number	US-201514959730-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2015
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Poupyrev Ivan

Classifications

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• D10B2401/16

  antistatic; conductive · CPC title

• D10B2401/18

  including electronic components · CPC title

• D03D1/0088

  Fabrics having an electronic function · CPC title

• D03D2700/0166

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic