Embroidered Touch Sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016328043-A1
Application number	US-201514708277-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 10, 2015
Priority date	May 10, 2015
Publication date	Nov 10, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embroidered sensor assemblies are described that are formed on a flexible substrate, such as a suitable fabric material. Conductive patterns are embroidered into the flexible substrate to form an array of sensors that can be configured in various ways and used in many different applications. A sensor assembly can implement touch sensitive sensors arranged to recognize input by measuring capacitance. The sensor assembly can also implement pressure and/or force sensitive controls for an input device, such as a keyboard. Other types of sensing are also contemplated such as detection of proximity, motion, flow, gestures, and/or strain. A conductive pattern can be formed in a single layer of material and/or via a single continuous run of conductive material. The embroidered sensor assembly is flexible and therefore can be shaped to conform to various different kinds of objects and form “smart” surfaces for those objects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sensor assembly comprising:
a flexible substrate; a pattern of conductive wires embroidered in the flexible substrate to form an array of touch sensitive sensors; and an interface disposed on the flexible substrate and in communication with the pattern of conductive wires.

2 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pattern of conductive wires is formed as a single layer.

3 . The sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the array of touch sensitive sensors comprises electrodes formed by intersections of the pattern of conductive wires.

4 . The sensor assembly as described in claim 1 , wherein the array of touch sensitive sensors are arranged to enable detection of distortions in an electrostatic field applied to the array, the distortions measurable as changes in capacitance.

5 . The sensor assembly as described in claim 1 , wherein the array of touch sensors is arranged to enable measurement of mutual-capacitance between nodes formed by the pattern of conductive wires.

6 . The sensor assembly as described in claim 1 , wherein the conductive wires comprise insulated metal wires.

7 . The sensor assembly as described in claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises a fabric material.

8 . The sensor assembly as described in claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly is embedded within a rigid structure.

9 . The sensor assembly as described in claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly is configured to attach to a cover having control indications to form a flexible input device having a plurality of touch sensitive controls.

10 . A device comprising:
a flexible substrate having an arrangement of sensors embroidered in a single layer; and a sensor controller operable to detect input signals via the arrangement of sensors and initiate control actions to control functionality of the device responsive to detection of the input signals.

11 . The device as described in claim 10 , wherein the device comprises a flexible input device having a plurality of controls corresponding to nodes formed by the arrangement of sensors.

12 . The device as described in claim 10 , wherein the device comprises a rigid object in which the arrangement of sensors is embedded.

13 . The device as described in claim 10 , wherein the sensors comprise mutual-capacitive sensors designed to form a touch sensitive surface for the device, the mutual-capacitive sensors including a pattern of driving lines and sensing lines that are embroidered as insulated conductive wires within the single layer.

14 . The device as described in claim 10 , wherein the arrangement of sensors is configured as a pattern of wires that enable measurement of strain based on positional relationships between nodes formed by the pattern of wires.

15 . The device as described in claim 10 , wherein the device further comprises an interface connectable to a computing device, the interface enabling communication of data associated with the input signals to the computing device for processing.

16 . The device as described in claim 10 , wherein sensors of the arrangement of sensors comprise conductive nodes formed by intersections of a conductive wire that is embroidered in the single layer as a continuous wire.

17 . An apparatus comprising a rigid structure encompassing an embedded sensor assembly, the embedded sensor assembly including:
a flexible substrate; and a pattern of insulated conductive wires embroidered in the flexible substrate to form an array of nodes operable as mutual-capacitive sensors that enable detection of distortions in an electrostatic field applied to the array of nodes.

18 . The apparatus as described in claim 17 , wherein the rigid structure comprises a thermoformed material surrounding a single layer of the flexible substrate having the pattern of insulated conductive wires.

19 . The apparatus as described in claim 17 , wherein the rigid structure comprises a thermoformed material and the flexible substrate comprises a permeable fabric that acts as a scrim for reinforcement of the rigid structure.

20 . The apparatus as described in claim 17 , wherein the embedded sensor assembly creates a touch sensitive surface for the apparatus.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Moller Christian Juland
• Holbery James David
• Weiss John Guido Atkins
• Fitz-Coy Aric A
• Rodgers-Ahnen Stephanie Jo

Classifications

• G06F3/0416

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title

• G06F2203/04102

  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 title

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/0446 Primary

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title