Electronic Devices

Abstract

To provide a touch-sensitive textile device that is configured to detect the occurrence of a touch, the location of the touch, and / or the force of the touch on the touch-sensitive textile device.SOLUTION: In a touch-sensitive textile device, a textile 200 includes: a first set of conductive threads 202 oriented along a first direction; and a second set of conductive threads 204 interwoven with the first set of conductive threads and oriented along a second direction. The device also includes a sensing circuit that is operatively coupled to the first and second sets of conductive threads. The sensing circuit is configured to apply a drive signal to the first and second sets of conductive threads. The sensing circuit is 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.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 058,027, filed Sep. 30, 2014, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. The following disclosure relates generally to touch-sensitive devices, and more particularly to textile-based touch-sensitive devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional electronic devices may include a variety of input devices, including buttons, keys, mice, trackballs, joysticks, and the like. Some conventional electronic devices may include touch panels or touch screens configured to receive touch input from a user. However, many conventional input devices and touch sensors are formed using rigid materials and / or rigid substrate sheets and may be limited to certain form factors. Therefore, it may be advantageous to form input devices from flexible materials that may be more easily adapted for use in a variety of applications. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Some example embodiments are directed to a touch-sensitive textile device configured to detect a change in capacitive coupling with an object touching the textile. In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device includes a first set of conductive yarns oriented in a first direction and a second set of conductive yarns interwoven with the first set of conductive yarns and oriented in a second direction. The device may also include a sensing circuit operably coupled to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. The sensing circuit may be configured to apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns to generate an electric charge on each of the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. The sensing circuit may also be configured to detect a change in the electric charge of any one of the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. In some embodiments, the sensing circuit is configured to detect a change in capacitive coupling due to an object touching or near touching the touch-sensitive textile device. The sensing circuitry can be configured to detect a touch or near-touch to the first set of conductive yarns or the second set of conductive yarns based on the change in charge. The sensing circuitry can also be configured to determine a location of the touch based on the change in charge.

[0004] In some embodiments, a touch-sensitive textile device includes a woven textile component comprising a first set of conductive yarns and a second set of conductive yarns and a set of non-conductive yarns interwoven with the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. In some embodiments, the non-conductive yarns are oriented in a first direction to form a non-conductive strip region. The first set of conductive yarns can include conductive yarns that form a conductive strip region adjacent to a non-conductive strip region. In some embodiments, the non-conductive strip regions alternate with the conductive strip regions in both the first and second directions.

[0005] Some example embodiments are directed to a touch-sensitive textile device configured to detect a change in resistance or impedance due to an object touching the textile. In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device includes a first set of conductive yarns oriented in a first direction and a second set of conductive yarns interwoven with the first set of conductive yarns and oriented in a second direction. The device may also include a sensing circuit operably coupled to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. The sensing circuit may be configured to apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. The sensing circuit may also be configured to detect a change in resistance between any one of the first set of conductive yarns and any one of the second set of conductive yarns. In some embodiments, the sensing circuit may be configured to sense a touch to the first set of conductive yarns or the second set of conductive yarns based on the change in resistance. In some embodiments, the sensing circuit may be further configured to determine a location of the touch based on the change in resistance.

[0006] Some example embodiments are directed to a touch-sensitive textile device configured to detect a change in resistance or impedance between two layers of a textile due to an object touching the textile. In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device includes a first set of conductive yarns disposed on a first textile layer and a second set of conductive yarns disposed on a second textile layer. The touch-sensitive textile may also include a spacer structure separating the first textile layer and the second textile layer. The spacer structure may be configured to deflect in response to a touch on the first textile layer or the second textile layer. In some embodiments, the spacer structure is a monofilament yarn interwoven between the first textile layer and the second textile layer.

[0007] The device may also include a sensing circuit operably coupled to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. The sensing circuit may be configured to apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. The sensing circuit may also be configured to detect a change in resistance between any one of the first set of conductive yarns and any one of the second set of conductive yarns. In some embodiments, the sensing circuit may be configured to sense a touch to the first textile layer or the second textile layer based on the change in resistance. In some embodiments, the sensing circuit may be further configured to determine a location of the touch based on the change in resistance.

[0008] Some example embodiments are directed to a touch-sensitive textile device configured to detect a force of a touch based on a change in capacitance between two textile layers. In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device includes a first set of conductive yarns disposed on a first textile layer and a second set of conductive yarns disposed on a second textile layer. The touch-sensitive textile may also include a spacer structure separating the first textile layer and the second textile layer. The spacer structure may be configured to deflect in response to a touch on the first textile layer or the second textile layer. In some embodiments, the spacer structure is a monofilament yarn interwoven between the first textile layer and the second textile layer.

[0009] The device may also include a sensing circuit operably coupled to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. The sensing circuit may be configured to apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns. The sensing circuit may also be configured to detect a change in capacitance between any one of the first set of conductive yarns and any one of the second set of conductive yarns. In some embodiments, the sensing circuit may be configured to detect a front side of a touch to the first textile layer or the second textile layer based on the change in capacitance. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an example system of devices that includes a touch-sensitive textile device.

[0011] [Figure 2A] , [Figure 2B] 1 illustrates an example self-capacitive touch-sensitive textile device according to some embodiments.

[0012] [Figure 3A] , [Figure 3B] 1 illustrates an example resistive touch-sensitive textile device according to some embodiments.

[0013] [Figure 4A] , [Figure 4B] 1 illustrates an example dual-layer resistive touch-sensitive textile device according to some embodiments.

[0014] [Figure 5A] , [Figure 5B] 1 illustrates an example dual-layer capacitive touch-sensitive textile device according to some embodiments.

[0015] [Figure 6A] , [Figure 6B] 1 illustrates example conductive yarn configurations for a touch-sensitive textile device according to some embodiments.

[0016] [Figure 7] 1 illustrates an example process for operating a touch-sensitive textile device according to some embodiments.

[0017] [Figure 8] 1 illustrates an example schematic of a touch-sensitive textile system, according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The embodiments described herein are generally directed to touch-sensitive textiles that can be used to receive touch inputs to various consumer devices. In particular, the devices and techniques described herein are applicable to a variety of textile materials that can be incorporated into consumer electronics, clothing, apparel, handbags, upholstered products, home textiles, and other articles that may include textile components or elements. The following disclosure is directed to techniques for creating touch-sensitive textiles for receiving various user touch inputs.

[0019] In general, it may be advantageous to implement touch-sensitive functionality using a variety of materials that can be combined with multiple form factors for flexibility and versatility. In some implementations, touch-sensitive textiles may be incorporated into consumer electronics, including, for example, wearable electronic devices. For example, touch-sensitive textiles may be incorporated into a portion of a band or neck strap used to secure a device to a user's body. Touch-sensitive textiles may also be incorporated into clothing, such as shirts, jackets, gloves, or other textile-based apparel. For example, touch-sensitive textiles may be incorporated into sleeves, pockets, or other portions of apparel that are easily accessible for use. In some embodiments, touch-sensitive textiles may be incorporated into small items, including, for example, purses, wallets, handbags, backpacks, and / or other small items that include textile elements. Touch-sensitive textiles may also be incorporated into articles that are not intended for wear on the body, including, for example, cloths, rugs, tapestries, upholstery materials, or other fabric-based fabrics or components.

[0020] Touch-sensitive textiles may be combined or integrated with other electronic components or circuits to form touch-sensitive textile devices. In some implementations, touch-sensitive textile devices may be configured to recognize touch gesture(s) on a surface of the textile. The touch gesture(s) may include sweeps, i.e., movements of a user's fingers across the surface of the textile that may be interpreted as commands or other user input. In some implementations, touch-sensitive textile devices may be configured to detect and measure the force of a touch on the textile. The detected and measured force may be used to interpret additional user inputs and / or commands. Touch-sensitive textile devices may also be incorporated into or configured to interface with electronic devices to provide user input to programs or instructions executed on the electronic devices.

[0021] In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile may include a capacitive touch sensor configured to detect and estimate the location of a touch or near-touch on a surface of the textile. In some implementations, the touch-sensitive textile includes two sets of conductive yarns oriented across one another within the textile material. The conductive yarns may be operatively coupled to a sensing circuit configured to generate and monitor an electric charge in each of the conductive yarns of the touch-sensitive textile. When an object, such as a user's finger, approaches the conductive yarns, the charge may dissipate or discharge, which can be detected by the sensing circuit. By determining which conductive yarns have discharged, the sensing circuit (or other processing unit) can be used to estimate the location of the touch on the textile material.

[0022] In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile may include a resistive touch sensor configured to characterize and estimate the location of a touch on a surface of the textile. In some implementations, the touch-sensitive textile includes two sets of conductive yarns interwoven in the textile, one set oriented generally transverse to the other set. A touch, such as a finger, may contact the surface of a yarn belonging to each set of conductive yarns. As a result, the resistance or impedance between the two yarns may be lowered or changed. The lowered resistance or impedance due to the touch can be detected with a sensing circuit configured to monitor and detect the resistance and / or impedance between the conductive yarn pair. Additionally, by determining which conductive yarn is associated with the change in resistance or impedance, the sensing circuit (or other processing unit) can be used to estimate the location of the touch on the surface of the textile material.

[0023] In some embodiments, a touch-sensitive textile may include a two-layer touch sensor separated by a spacer, such as a monofilament yarn. Each layer of the textile may include a set of conductive yarns. The spacer layer compresses or deforms in response to a touch on the textile, which may cause the conductive yarns of each of the layers to come into contact with one another in some cases. The contact between the conductive yarns may cause a change in electrical resistance or impedance between the layers, which may be detected by a sensing circuit. As in the previous example, by determining which conductive yarn is associated with a change in resistance or impedance, the sensing circuit (or other processing unit) may be used to estimate the location of the touch on the textile material.

[0024] In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile may include a two-layer capacitive force sensor, with each layer including a pair of conductive yarns. The two layers are separated by a compressible spacer, such as a monofilament yarn. When a force is applied to the surface of the textile, the two layers may be brought closer together, which may result in a change in capacitance between the conductive yarn pairs of the two layers. In some implementations, a sensing circuit may monitor the capacitance between the conductive yarn pairs of the two layers, which is adapted to estimate the force applied to the textile based on the change in capacitance.

[0025] One or more of the above sensing configurations may be integrated with a touch-sensitive textile device or component configured to generate a touch output that may be interpreted as a command or other user input to an electronic device or system. In some implementations, the touch-sensitive textile device or component is used to receive user input for one or more of a variety of different electronic devices. By way of example and not limitation, a touch-sensitive textile device or component may be used to provide user input to a mobile phone, a portable media player, a wearable electronic device, a tablet computing device, a notebook computing device, a desktop computing device, a television, an electronic appliance, or other electronic device or system.

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates an example system of devices including a touch-sensitive textile device 100. In particular, FIG. 1 illustrates a touch-sensitive textile device that is incorporated into a garment that can be worn by a user. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the touch-sensitive textile device is incorporated into a sleeve of the article of clothing. However, as previously described, in other examples, the touch-sensitive textile device may be incorporated into a bracelet, wristband, armband, scarf, or other wearable article. Additionally, the touch-sensitive textile device may be incorporated into a variety of other fabrics that are not intended to be worn by a user, including, for example, cloths, rugs, tapestries, upholstery, purses, backpacks, neck straps, or other fabric-based fabrics or components.

[0027] In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device 100 may be configured to interface with a variety of electronic devices. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the touch-sensitive textile device 100 may be configured to provide user input to a mobile electronic device 110 and / or a computing device 120. In this example, the mobile electronic device 110 is a mobile phone. In some embodiments, the mobile electronic device 110 may include a portable media player, a wearable electronic device, or other mobile device. As shown in FIG. 1, the computing device 120 is a notebook computer system. In some embodiments, the computing device 120 may include a desktop computer system, a server computing system, a remote computer system connected over a communications network, or other computing devices.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1 , the touch-sensitive textile device 100 may be configured to relay a user's touch on the touch-sensitive textile device 100 to a mobile electronic device 110 and / or a computing device 120, which may interpret the touch as a command or user input. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , a touch gesture or other type of touch command may be made by touching a surface of the touch-sensitive textile device 100. In this example, a user provides touch input by contacting a portion of a touch-sensitive sleeve with a finger or a detectable object. The gesture or touch command made on the touch-sensitive textile device 100 may be translated into a command or acknowledgment that is communicated to the mobile electronic device 110 and / or the computing device 120.

[0029] In one example, the mobile electronic device 110 may generate an alert output, including audio, tactile, and / or visual output. The mobile electronic device 110 may not be readily accessible to the user because the mobile electronic device 110 is in the user's pants pocket. To acknowledge receipt of the alert output, the user may perform a touch-based gesture or other touch input on a surface of the touch-sensitive textile device 100. The touch-sensitive textile device 100 may then generate an output that is communicated to the mobile electronic device 110 indicating that the user has received and acknowledged the alert. In response to the acknowledgment, the mobile electronic device 110 may take additional action and / or terminate or mute the alert output.

[0030] In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device 100 may be used to provide commands to the mobile device 110 and / or the computing device 120. For example, a user may make a gesture that corresponds to a command to initiate a communication using the mobile device 110 and / or the computing device 120. In some cases, the user command may include an instruction to initiate an email, SMS, or other communication using a pre-defined message that corresponds to the gesture input on the surface of the touch-sensitive textile device 100. When a user inputs a touch gesture into the touch-sensitive textile device 100, a communication may be sent to the mobile device 110 and / or the computing device 120 to initiate a communication.

[0031] In some embodiments, user commands may include instructions to enter a do not disturb mode, which silences alarms from either mobile device 110 or computing device 120. User commands may also include instructions to enter or invoke a secure mode that requires a passcode or other authentication to perform certain functions on either mobile device 110 or computing device 120. More generally, a touch on touch-sensitive textile device 100 may be used to invoke a variety of user commands that may be performed and / or interpreted by mobile device 110, computing device 120, or any other electronic device in communication with touch-sensitive textile device 100.

[0032] In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive textile device 100 may be used to control programs or operations running on the mobile electronic device 100 or the computing device 120. For example, the touch-sensitive textile device 100 may be used to control the volume of an audio output of either the mobile electronic device 100 or the computing device 120. The touch-sensitive textile device 100 may also be used to select the next track or indicate a media item as the next item during media playback. In this example, the mobile electronic device 100 is in a pocket of the user's pants and may not be readily accessible to the user. However, because the touch-sensitive textile device 100 is integrated into the sleeve of the user's apparel, touch-based user controls may always be within easy reach of the user.

[0033] As briefly discussed above, touch-sensitive textile devices may include a variety of sensing techniques for detecting touch and / or the force of touch on a textile surface. Figures 2A-2B through 5A-5B show example sensing techniques that may be used to detect and interpret touch input on a textile surface. The following examples are provided with respect to woven-type textiles, although similar principles may be applied to textiles of different constructions, including, for example, knit textiles, lace textiles, mesh textiles, etc.

[0034] 2A-2B illustrate an example self-capacitive touch-sensitive textile, according to some embodiments. FIG. 2A illustrates a top view of textile 200, and FIG. 2B illustrates an example cross-sectional view at cross section 2B-2B. Simplified details of conductive textile 200 are shown in FIGS. 2A-2B for clarity. In some embodiments, textile 200 may include other elements or components (e.g., stitching, zippers, embroidery) that are not explicitly illustrated. Textile 200 may also be operatively connected to one or more sensing circuits, as described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2A, textile 200 includes a first set of conductive yarns 202 oriented generally in a first (horizontal) direction. Textile 200 also includes a second set of conductive yarns 204 oriented generally in a second (vertical) direction transverse to the first direction. In this embodiment, first set of conductive yarns 202 and second set of conductive yarns 204 are substantially perpendicular, i.e., orthogonal, to one another. However, in other embodiments, the two sets of conductive yarns may be oriented at another non-orthogonal angle to one another. Textile 200 also includes a set of non-conductive yarns 206 also oriented generally in the first (horizontal) direction and another set of non-conductive yarns 208 oriented generally in a second (vertical) direction.

[0036] In the example shown in Figures 2A-2B, a first set of conductive yarns 202 may be interwoven with a second set of conductive yarns 204 to form a woven structure. Figures 2A-2B show a simple woven structure, with the first set of conductive yarns 202 forming the warp (or weft) of the woven structure and the second set of conductive yarns 204 forming the weft (or warp) of the woven structure. The woven configuration shown in Figures 2A-2B is an illustrative example and other woven patterns may be used.

[0037] The conductive threads (202, 204) may be formed using a variety of conductive materials. In some embodiments, the conductive threads are formed from conductive metallic materials, including, for example, stainless steel threads, iron fiber threads, copper threads, silver threads, and the like. In some embodiments, the conductive threads are formed from non-conductive materials that are coated or plated with a conductive material. For example, the conductive threads may be formed from natural or synthetic fibers coated with a metallic conductive material, including, for example, silver material, nickel material, gold material, and the like. The non-conductive portion or core of the conductive threads may include synthetic materials, including nylon materials, aramid fibers, acrylic fibers, polyester fibers, and the like. Natural materials include, for example, cotton, wool, flax, silk, and the like. In this example, the conductive threads 202, 204 may include an electrically insulating coating or may include a conductive material along at least a portion of the outer surface of the thread.

[0038] In some embodiments, the conductive yarns 202, 204 are operably connected to a circuit configured to drive the conductive yarns with an electrical signal and sense an electrical property of the conductive yarns to determine the occurrence and / or location of a touch on the surface of the textile 200. An example sensing circuit is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. In some embodiments, a drive signal is applied to both the first set of conductive yarns 202 and the second set of conductive yarns 204. In some implementations, the drive signal generates an electric charge in both the first set of conductive yarns 202 and the second set of conductive yarns 204. The drive signal may include an electrical pulse, a series of electrical pulses, and / or an alternating current delivered to the conductive yarns 202, 204.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2B, a touch can be detected by the sensing circuit when a charge is dissipated or discharged by the presence of an object (e.g., a user's finger) touching or nearly touching the surface of the textile 200. In some embodiments, the object, e.g., the user's finger, is conductive and connected to ground or a substantial current sink. The presence of the object can capacitively couple to one or more conductive yarns in proximity to the touch (or nearly touch) by the object, resulting in a net change in the charge held on each yarn. The change in charge can be detected by the sensing circuit and used to identify the occurrence of a touch. In some cases, the capacitive coupling between the conductive yarn and the object may be referred to as a self-capacitive sensing configuration.

[0040] In some embodiments, the location of the touch can also be determined by monitoring the capacitive coupling between the object (e.g., a user's finger) and the conductive yarns of the textile. For example, the sensing circuitry can be configured to selectively measure or sense an electrical property of each conductive yarn of the first set of conductive yarns 202. The yarn(s) determined to be capacitively coupled to the object touching (or nearly touching) the textile 200 can be used to determine a first coordinate of the location of the touch. In the example shown in FIG. 2A, the first set of conductive yarns 202 can be used to determine the vertical or y coordinate of the location of the touch. Similarly, a second coordinate can be determined by measuring or sensing an electrical property of each conductive yarn of the second set of conductive yarns 204. In this example, the second set of conductive yarns 204 can be used to determine the horizontal or x coordinate of the location of the touch on the textile 200.

[0041] Each of the conductive yarns may be selectively measured or sensed using a time multiplexing scheme to sense each of the yarns at different times. Other multiplexing schemes may also be used, including, for example, wavelength multiplexing, frequency multiplexing, etc. Modulation schemes such as amplitude modulation may also be used to distinguish measurements between different conductive yarns. Additionally or alternatively, each conductive yarn may have a dedicated portion of a sensing circuit configured to detect changes in one or more electrical properties of the yarn.

[0042] In this example, a finger is shown as an example object that touches or nearly touches the surface of textile 200. In other embodiments, another object, such as a stylus, probe, wand, etc., may be used to capacitively couple with the conductive yarns of textile 200. Additionally, textile 200 may be configured to detect multiple occurrences of touches and / or multiple types of objects on the surface of textile 200.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 2A-2B, the first set of conductive yarns 202 and the second set of conductive yarns 204 are arranged in adjacent yarn groups to form a plurality of conductive strip regions in the textile 200. Similarly, adjacent non-conductive yarn groups form non-conductive strip regions in the textile 200. In this example, the conductive strip regions and the non-conductive strip regions are adjacent to each other and are arranged in alternation. That is, the conductive yarn groups of the first set of conductive yarns 202 form conductive strip regions oriented in a first (horizontal) direction alternating with non-conductive yarns 206 oriented in the same direction and forming non-conductive strips alternating with conductive strips. Similarly, the second set of conductive yarns 204 are arranged in groups to form conductive strip regions oriented in a second (vertical) direction alternating with non-conductive yarns 208 oriented in the same direction and forming non-conductive strips alternating with conductive strips.

[0044] In some embodiments, adjacent conductive yarns arranged into groups are treated as a single conductor for purposes of detecting the occurrence and location of touches on the textile 400. For example, in some implementations, the collective charge of the conductive yarn groups is monitored to detect capacitive coupling with objects touching or nearly touching respective areas of the textile 400. Combining the effects of multiple yarns arranged into groups can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the sensor. As a trade-off, the location sensing resolution of the textile 200 may be reduced. However, depending on the density of the yarns in the textile 200, the reduced resolution may not be noticeable in many practical sensing operations.

[0045] 3A-3B illustrate an example resistive touch-sensitive textile, according to some embodiments. FIG. 3A illustrates a top view of textile 300, and FIG. 2B illustrates an example cross-sectional view at section 3B-3B. A simplified detailed view of conductive textile 300 is shown in FIGS. 3A-3B for clarity. As discussed with respect to the previous examples, textile 300 may include other elements or components (e.g., stitching, zippers, embroidery) that are not explicitly illustrated. Textile 300 may also be operatively connected to one or more sensing circuits, as described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3A, textile 300 includes a first set of conductive yarns 302 oriented generally in a first (horizontal) direction. Textile 300 also includes a second set of conductive yarns 304 oriented generally in a second (vertical) direction transverse to the first direction. In this embodiment, first set of conductive yarns 302 and second set of conductive yarns 304 are substantially perpendicular, i.e., orthogonal, to one another. However, in other embodiments, the two sets of conductive yarns may be oriented at other non-orthogonal angles to one another. Textile 300 also includes a set of non-conductive yarns 308 also oriented generally in the first (horizontal) direction and another set of non-conductive yarns 308 oriented generally in a second (vertical) direction.

[0047] In the example shown in Figures 3A-3B, a first set of conductive yarns 302 may be interwoven with a second set of conductive yarns 304 to form a woven structure. Figures 3A-3B show a simple woven structure, with the first set of conductive yarns 302 forming the warp (or weft) of the woven structure and the second set of conductive yarns 304 forming the weft (or warp) of the woven structure. In this embodiment, the conductive yarns 302, 304 are woven across multiple yarns to create courses or elongated loops. The elongated loops may expose longer continuous sections of the conductive yarns 302, 304 that may be contacted by an object such as a finger. This may improve or enhance the sensing capabilities of the textile 300, as described in more detail below. The woven configuration shown in Figures 3A-3B is an illustrative example, and other weaving patterns may be used.

[0048] The conductive threads (302, 304) may be formed using a variety of conductive materials. As described above with reference to Figures 2A-2B, the conductive threads may be formed from a conductive material or from a natural or synthetic non-conductive material coated or plated with a conductive material. For example, the conductive threads may be formed from natural or synthetic fibers coated with a metallic conductive material, including, for example, a silver material, a nickel material, a gold material, and the like. In this example, at least a portion of the outer surface of the thread may be conductive. This may facilitate an electrical connection with an object touching the textile.

[0049] In some embodiments, the conductive yarns 302, 304 are operably connected to a circuit configured to drive the conductive yarns with an electrical signal and sense an electrical property of the conductive yarns to determine the occurrence and / or location of a touch on the surface of the textile 300. An example sensing circuit is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. In some embodiments, a drive signal is applied to either the first set of conductive yarns 302 or the second set of conductive yarns 304. In some implementations, the drive signal generates a voltage or potential in one or more of the first (or second) set of conductive yarns. The drive signal may include a DC voltage, a voltage pulse, a series of voltage pulses, and / or an AC voltage delivered to the conductive yarns 302, 304.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 3B, a touch can be detected by a sensing circuit when the resistance or impedance between the two conductive yarns 302, 304 of the textile 300 is altered by the presence of an object (e.g., a user's finger) touching the two conductive yarns 302, 304. In some embodiments, the object, e.g., a user's finger, is conductive and electrically couples the two conductive yarns 302, 304. In some embodiments, the two conductive yarns 302, 304 have at least a portion of their outer surfaces formed of a conductive material, such that when the yarns come into contact with an object, such as a user's finger, a current or electrical signal flows between the yarns. In some cases, a single touch on the textile 300 can electrically connect two or more pairs of conductive yarns. Thus, in some embodiments, the sensing circuit can be configured to detect the occurrence of a touch on the textile 300 by monitoring a change in resistance or impedance between the conductive yarn pairs.

[0051] In some embodiments, the weave pattern can enhance or improve the touch sensing capabilities of the textile 300. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A-3B, each conductive yarn can be woven across multiple non-conductive yarns to form a strip or section of continuously exposed yarn. In some cases, this can improve electrical contact between the object and the conductive yarn, resulting in more reliable or consistent resistance or impedance measurements. Additionally, as shown in FIGS. 3A-3B, the conductive yarns 302, 304 are separated by multiple non-conductive yarns 306, 308, reducing accidental electrical coupling between the conductive yarns 302, 304, which can also improve the consistency and / or reliability of the sensing properties of the textile 300.

[0052] In some embodiments, the location of the touch can also be determined by monitoring the resistance or impedance between one or more pairs of conductive yarns of the textile 300. For example, the sensing circuitry can be configured to selectively measure or sense an electrical characteristic between each conductive yarn of the first set of conductive yarns 302 and one or more conductive yarns of the second set of conductive yarns 304. The electrically coupled (due to an object touch) pairs of yarns can be used to determine the coordinates of the touch location. In the example shown in FIG. 3B, the conductive yarn 302 of the first set of conductive yarns is electrically coupled to the conductive yarn 304 of the second set of conductive yarns by a touching object (e.g., a user's finger). Knowing the location of the electrically connected first conductive yarn 302 and second conductive yarn 304 allows the location of the touch to be estimated. As mentioned above, a single touch may connect two or more pairs of conductive yarns. In some cases, the location of the touch is estimated based on the center of gravity or near the center of the electrically connected pairs of yarns.

[0053] Similar to that discussed in the above examples, the electrical properties (including resistance or impedance) of each pair of conductive yarns may be selectively measured or sensed using a time multiplexing scheme that senses the resistance or impedance between each pair of yarns at different times. When a time-varying voltage signal is used to drive the yarns, other multiplexing schemes may also be used, including, for example, wavelength multiplexing, frequency multiplexing, etc. Modulation schemes such as amplitude modulation may also be used to distinguish measurements between different conductive yarns. Additionally or alternatively, each conductive yarn may have a dedicated portion of a sensing circuit configured to detect changes in one or more electrical properties of the yarn.

[0054] In this example, a finger is shown as an example object that touches or nearly touches the surface of textile 300. However, as previously described, another object, such as a conductive stylus, probe, wand, etc., may be used to electrically couple or connect with pairs of conductive yarns of textile 300. Additionally, textile 300 may be configured to detect multiple occurrences of touches and / or multiple types of objects on the surface of textile 300.

[0055] 4A-4B illustrate an example two-layer resistive touch-sensitive textile, according to some embodiments. As shown in FIGS. 4A-4B, the textile 400 is formed from two layers of textile, an upper textile layer 410 and a lower textile layer 420. In this example, a spacer structure including a monofilament yarn 402 maintains a gap between the two textile layers. In this example, the monofilament yarn 402 is interwoven with both the upper textile layer 410 and the lower textile layer 420. As shown in FIG. 4B, the monofilament yarn 402 (an example spacer structure) is configured to flex and compress in response to a touch on the upper textile layer 410. The monofilament yarn 402 may also flex or compress in response to a touch on the lower textile layer 420 (not shown).

[0056] 4A , the first set of conductive yarns 406 may be oriented in a first direction and incorporated into the first textile layer 410. In some embodiments, the first set of conductive yarns 406 are interwoven with other yarns of the upper textile layer 410. In some embodiments, the first set of conductive yarns 406 are attached to a surface of the upper textile layer 410. In some embodiments, the first set of conductive yarns 406 are positioned in an interstitial space and offset away from the lower textile layer 420.

[0057] 4A , the second set of conductive yarns 404 may be oriented in a second direction transverse to the first direction of the first set of conductive yarns 406. The second set of conductive yarns 404 may be interwoven with other yarns of the fibers of the lower textile layer 420. In some embodiments, the second set of conductive yarns 404 are attached to a surface of the lower textile layer 420. In some embodiments, the second set of conductive yarns 404 are positioned in an interstitial space at an offset location away from the upper textile layer 410.

[0058] The conductive threads (406, 404) may be formed using a variety of conductive materials. As described above with reference to Figures 2A-2B, the conductive threads may be formed from a conductive material or from a natural or synthetic non-conductive material coated or plated with a conductive material. For example, the conductive threads may be formed from natural or synthetic fibers coated with a metallic conductive material, including, for example, a silver material, a nickel material, a gold material, and the like. In this example, at least a portion of the outer surface of the threads may be conductive. This may facilitate an electrical connection between the conductive threads when the textile is compressed by the touch of an object.

[0059] In some embodiments, the first set of conductive yarns 406 and the second set of conductive yarns 404 are operably connected to a circuit configured to drive the conductive yarns with an electrical signal and sense electrical properties of the conductive yarns to determine the occurrence and / or location of a touch on the surface of the textile 400. Example sensing circuitry is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. In some embodiments, a drive signal is applied to either the first set of conductive yarns 406 or the second set of conductive yarns 404. In some implementations, the drive signal generates a voltage or potential in one or more of the first (or second) set of conductive yarns. The drive signal may include a DC voltage, a voltage pulse, a series of voltage pulses, and / or an AC voltage delivered to the conductive yarns 406, 404.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 4B, a touch to one (or both) of the textile layers 410, 420 may cause the monofilament yarn 402 to collapse, causing the first conductive yarn 406 and the second conductive yarn 404 to contact each other. In some embodiments, the touch may be detected by the sensing circuit when a resistance or impedance between the two conductive yarns 406, 404 is changed due to contact between the two conductive yarns 406, 404. In some embodiments, the two conductive yarns 406, 404 have at least a portion of their outer surfaces formed of a conductive material, such that when the yarns contact each other, a current or electrical signal flows between the yarns. In some cases, a single touch to the textile 400 may electrically connect two or more pairs of conductive yarns. Thus, in some embodiments, the sensing circuit may be configured to detect the occurrence of a touch to the textile 400 by monitoring a change in resistance or impedance between the conductive yarn pairs.

[0061] In some embodiments, the location of the touch can also be determined by monitoring the resistance or impedance between one or more pairs of conductive yarns of the textile 400. For example, the sensing circuitry can be configured to selectively measure or sense an electrical characteristic between each conductive yarn of the first set of conductive yarns 406 and one or more conductive yarns of the second set of conductive yarns 404. The electrically coupled (due to an object touch) pairs of yarns can be used to determine the coordinates of the touch location. In the example shown in FIG. 4B, the conductive yarn 406 of the first set of conductive yarns is electrically coupled to the conductive yarn 404 of the second set of conductive yarns. Knowing the location of the first conductive yarn 406 and the second conductive yarn 404 in the textile can estimate the location of the touch. As mentioned above, a single touch may connect two or more pairs of conductive yarns. In some cases, the location of the touch is estimated based on the center of gravity or near the center of the electrically connected pairs of yarns.

[0062] Similar to that discussed in the above examples, the electrical properties (including resistance or impedance) of each pair of conductive yarns may be selectively measured or sensed using a time multiplexing scheme that senses the resistance or impedance between each pair of yarns at different times. When a time-varying voltage signal is used to drive the yarns, other multiplexing schemes may also be used, including, for example, wavelength multiplexing, frequency multiplexing, etc. Modulation schemes such as amplitude modulation may also be used to distinguish measurements between different conductive yarns. Additionally or alternatively, each conductive yarn may have a dedicated portion of a sensing circuit configured to detect changes in one or more electrical properties of the yarn.

[0063] In this example, a finger is shown as an example object that touches or nearly touches the surface of the textile 400. However, any other object, such as a stylus, probe, wand, etc., may be used to deflect the upper (or lower) textile layer in order to detect a touch with the textile 400.

[0064] 5A-5B illustrate an example two-layer capacitive touch-sensitive textile, according to some embodiments. As shown in FIGS. 5A-5B, the textile 500 is formed from two textile layers: an upper textile layer 510 and a lower textile layer 530. In this example, a spacer structure including a monofilament yarn 530 maintains a gap between the two textile layers. In this example, the monofilament yarn 530 is interwoven with both the upper textile layer 510 and the lower textile layer 520. As shown in FIG. 5B, the monofilament yarn 502 (an example spacer structure) is configured to flex and / or compress in response to a touch on the upper textile layer 510. The monofilament yarn 520 may also flex or compress in response to a touch on the lower textile layer 520 (not shown).

[0065] 5A, the first set of conductive yarns 502 may be oriented in a first direction and incorporated into the first textile layer 510. In some embodiments, the first set of conductive yarns 502 are interwoven with other yarns of the upper textile layer 510. In some embodiments, the first set of conductive yarns 502 are attached to a surface of the upper textile layer 510. In some embodiments, the first set of conductive yarns 502 are positioned in a gap and offset away from the lower textile layer 520.

[0066] 5A, the second set of conductive yarns 504 may be oriented in a second direction transverse to the first direction of the first set of conductive yarns 502. The second set of conductive yarns 504 may be interwoven with other yarns of the fibers of the lower textile layer 530. In some embodiments, the second set of conductive yarns 504 are attached to a surface of the lower textile layer 530. In some embodiments, the second set of conductive yarns 504 are positioned in an interstitial space at an offset location away from the upper textile layer 510.

[0067] The conductive threads (302, 304) may be formed using a variety of conductive materials. As discussed above with reference to Figures 2A-2B, the conductive threads may be formed from a conductive material or may be formed from a natural or synthetic non-conductive material that is coated or plated with a conductive material. For example, the conductive threads may be formed from natural or synthetic fibers coated with a metallic conductive material, including, for example, a silver material, a nickel material, a gold material, and the like. In this example, the conductive threads 202, 204 may include an electrically insulating coating or may include a conductive material along at least a portion of the outer surface of the thread.

[0068] In some embodiments, the first set of conductive yarns 506 and the second set of conductive yarns 504 are operably connected to a circuit configured to drive the conductive yarns with an electrical signal and sense an electrical property of the conductive yarns to determine the magnitude and / or location of a force on the surface of the textile 500. An example sensing circuit is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. In some embodiments, a drive signal is applied to the first set of conductive yarns 502 and / or the second set of conductive yarns 504. In some implementations, the drive signal generates an electric charge in one or more of the first (or second) set of conductive yarns. The drive signal may include an electrical pulse, a series of electrical pulses and / or an alternating current / voltage delivered to the conductive yarns 502, 504.

[0069] As shown in Figure 5B, the force of a touch to one (or both) of the textile layers 510, 530 may cause the monofilament yarn 520 to collapse. As a result of the touch, the distance between the upper textile layer 510 and the lower textile layer 530 decreases from distance "A" as shown in Figure 5A to distance "B" as shown in Figure 5B. The change in distance between the upper textile layer 510 and the lower textile layer 530 can be detected by a sensing circuit configured to monitor the capacitance between one or more yarns of the first set of conductive yarns 502 (associated with the upper textile layer 510) and one or more yarns of the second set of conductive yarns 504 (associated with the lower textile layer 530).

[0070] In some embodiments, the distance the monofilament yarn 502 (an example spacer structure) is compressed corresponds to the force of the touch. Thus, for example, the force of the touch can be estimated by determining the relative deflection of the two textile layers 510, 530 using capacitance measurements. In some embodiments, the monofilament yarn 502 (an example spacer structure) has an approximately linear response, at least for some compression. Thus, in some cases, the deflection measured by the change in capacitance between one or more conductive yarns 502, 504 may be directly proportional to the force of the touch on the textile 500. In some embodiments, the monofilament yarn 502 (an example spacer structure) exhibits a known non-linear response to compression force. The non-linear response may be approximated by a function that can be derived from empirical data. Thus, in some cases, the change in capacitance between one or more conductive yarns 502, 504 can be related to the force of the touch on the textile 500 by a non-linear function.

[0071] In some embodiments, a touch on the upper textile layer 510 may also change or affect the capacitive coupling between one or more conductive yarns 502, 504. In some cases, the presence of an object, such as a user's finger, at or near the textile 500 results in a change in capacitance between the conductive yarns 502, 504 due to the capacitive properties of the object. In some cases, the capacitive coupling between the conductive yarns 502, 504 and an object touching (or nearly touching) the textile 500 can be used to determine the occurrence of a touch (or nearly touch) without deflecting or compressing the two textile layers 510, 530 as described above. In some cases, the effect of the capacitive coupling with the object is estimated or compensated for when calculating a force measurement using deflection or compression between the textile layers. In some embodiments, one or both of the textile layers include a shield or shielding layer that suppresses the capacitive coupling between the conductive yarns and an object touching the textile 500.

[0072] In some embodiments, the location of the touch can also be determined by monitoring the capacitance between one or more pairs of conductive yarns of the textile 500. For example, the sensing circuitry can be configured to selectively measure or sense electrical properties between each conductive yarn of the first set of conductive yarns 502 and one or more conductive yarns of the second set of conductive yarns 504. The pairs of yarns that have a changed capacitive coupling (due to an object touch) can be used to determine the coordinates of the touch location. In the example shown in FIG. 5B, the conductive yarn 502 of the first set of conductive yarns capacitively couples to the conductive yarn 504 of the second set of conductive yarns, and the capacitive coupling can change as a result of a touch or force on the textile 500. Knowing the location of the first conductive yarn 502 and the second conductive yarn 504 in the textile can allow an estimate of the location of the touch. In some cases, more than one pair of conductive yarns may be affected by a single touch. Thus, in some cases, the location of the touch is estimated based on the center of gravity or approximate center of the pairs of threads whose capacitance is altered by the touch or force.

[0073] Similar to that discussed in the above examples, the electrical properties (including capacitance) of each pair of conductive yarns may be selectively measured or sensed using a time multiplexing scheme that senses the capacitance between each pair of yarns at different times. Other multiplexing schemes may also be used, including, for example, wavelength multiplexing, frequency multiplexing, etc. Modulation schemes such as amplitude modulation may also be used to distinguish measurements between different conductive yarns. Additionally or alternatively, each conductive yarn may have a dedicated portion of a sensing circuit configured to detect changes in one or more electrical properties of the yarn.

[0074] In this example, a finger is shown as an example object that touches or nearly touches the surface of the textile 500. However, any other object, such as a stylus, probe, wand, etc., may be used to deflect the upper (or lower) textile layer in order to detect a touch with the textile 500.

[0075] In each of the embodiments described above with reference to Figures 2A-2B through 5A-5B, conductive yarns can be used to detect touch or the force of a touch on the textile. Additionally, the conductive yarns may be used as conduits or conductors for transmitting electrical signals to and from the touch-sensitive portion of the textile. In some cases, the textile may be configured to reduce noise or crosstalk between conductive yarns used as conduits for electrical signals.

[0076] 6A-6B show example conductive yarn configurations for a touch-sensitive textile device, according to some embodiments. FIG. 6A shows a flat pattern of textile 600, and FIG. 6B shows a folded or bent version of textile 600. In this example, textile 600 may form a portion of a wristband or strap, with the conductive yarn connecting the touch-sensitive area to other circuits or components. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A-6B can be used to minimize or reduce crosstalk or noise caused by integrating two sets of conductive yarns into a textile. As described below, a first set of conductive yarns 602 can be electrically isolated from a second set of conductive yarns 604 by folding the first set of conductive yarns 602 under a portion of textile 600.

[0077] FIG. 6B shows an example flat pattern of textile 600 in which two sets of conductive yarns 602, 604 are used to form a touch-sensitive area near the right edge of textile 600. The touch-sensitive area may correspond to one or more of the touch-sensitive textile embodiments described above with reference to FIGS. 2A-2B through 5A-5B. In this example, conductive yarns 603, 604 are also used to carry electrical signals to and from the touch-sensitive area. As shown in FIG. 6A, the second set of conductive yarns 604 is disposed in a central portion of textile 600. The first set of conductive yarns 602 is disposed in an edge portion of flat textile 600.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 6A, the flat textile 600 can be folded along fold lines 610a and 610b to form a folded version shown in FIG. 6B. As shown in FIG. 6B, the first set of conductive wires 602 can be folded under a portion of the textile 600, thereby reducing the profile or size of the textile 600 without significantly increasing crosstalk or interference between the first set of conductive yarns 602 and the second set of conductive yarns 604. In some embodiments, a shielding component 620 is disposed between the central portion of the textile 600 and the edge portion that is folded under the central portion. The shielding component 620 can increase electrical insulation between the first set of conductive yarns 602 and the second set of conductive yarns 604, further reducing crosstalk and / or electrical interference between the first set of conductive yarns 602 and the second set of conductive yarns 604.

[0079] 6A-6B, the first conductive yarn 602 and the second conductive yarn 604 may be formed from continuous conductive yarns interwoven into the material of the textile 600. As shown in FIG. 6A, the continuous conductive yarns of the first set of conductive yarns 602 may be woven to create an approximately 90 degree fold near the right edge of the textile 600. In some cases, the fold of the first set of conductive yarns 602 is formed as the textile 600 is weaved.

[0080] 6A-6B depict one example embodiment. However, in alternative embodiments, the textile can be formed in a variety of different ways. For example, the first set of conductive wires can be folded under the second set of conductive wires with a single fold of material. As a further example, a portion of the first set of conductive wires can be folded over the second set of conductive wires and another portion of the first set of conductive wires can be folded under the second set of conductive wires. Shielding layers or components can be disposed between each fold of the textile that is folded over and under the second set of conductive wires.

[0081] 7 illustrates an example process 700 for operating a touch-sensitive textile device, according to some embodiments. The example process 700 can be used to operate one or more of the example touch-sensitive textile devices described above with reference to Figures 2A-2B through 5A-5B. While the specific sensing principles and electrical measurements may vary depending on the touch-sensitive textile, the operation of process 700 outlined below has universal application.

[0082] At operation 702, a drive signal is applied to the touch-sensitive textile. As described above with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. 2A-2B through 5A-5B, the touch-sensitive textile may include one or more sets of conductive yarns operatively connected to a circuit. In some embodiments, the circuit is configured to drive the conductive yarns with an electrical signal. Responses to the signal can be used to sense the occurrence, location and / or force of a touch on the textile. An example sensing circuit is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 8. With respect to operation 702, the drive signal may include a DC signal or a portion of a signal that is applied to one or more of the conductive yarns of the textile. In some embodiments, the drive signal includes an electrical pulse, a series of electrical pulses and / or an AC electrical signal that is applied to one or more of the conductive yarns of the textile. In particular, for resistive touch-sensitive textiles, the drive signal may include a characteristic voltage or potential. Examples of resistive touch-sensitive textiles are described above with reference to FIGS. 3A-3B and 4A-4B. For capacitive touch-sensitive textiles, the drive signal may include an electrical signal having time-varying current and / or voltage components. Examples of capacitive touch-sensitive textiles are described above with reference to Figures 2A-2B and 5A-5B.

[0083] At operation 704, a no-touch condition is detected. In particular, an electrical measurement or series of electrical measurements may be taken when the touch-sensitive textile is not being touched. Sensor measurements taken during the no-touch condition may represent a rest or steady state condition of the touch-sensitive textile. In some cases, the no-touch condition is detected by taking a series of measurements over a period of time to determine or confirm that the touch-sensitive textile is not being touched by a user input. In some cases, particularly when the textile is incorporated into a wearable article of apparel, there may be some degree of accidental user contact due to the fact that the textile is near or on the user's body. For purposes of operation 704, an accidental touch is not considered a touch input.

[0084] In some embodiments, operation 704 is repeated at regular intervals. In some cases, no action is taken upon detection of a no-touch condition. In some cases, upon detection of a no-touch condition, sensor measurements are recorded or used to calculate a baseline condition(s). In some cases, sensor measurements taken during a no-touch condition may be used to compensate the sensor for effects due to changing temperature or other environmental conditions.

[0085] At operation 706, a touch condition is detected. In some embodiments, a touch condition is detected due to a change or deviation in a sensor measurement compared to the baseline measurement(s) obtained with respect to operation 704 above. The details of the touch sensing may depend on the type of touch-sensitive textile used. For example, similar to the embodiments described above with reference to FIGS. 3A-3B and 4A-4B, if the touch-sensitive textile is in a resistive sensing configuration, a change in electrical resistance or impedance between one or more pairs of conductive yarns may indicate a touch condition. Similarly, similar to the embodiments described above with reference to FIGS. 2A-2B through 5A-5B, if the touch-sensitive textile is in a capacitive sensing configuration, a change in capacitance between one or more pairs of conductive yarns may indicate a touch condition.

[0086] In response to detecting a touch state, the touch input may be interpreted, relayed, and / or stored for use by other aspects of the system. For example, in response to detecting a touch state, the location of the touch may be determined and relayed to other aspects of the system. In some embodiments, the touch input provided to the touch-sensitive textile may be used to control a cursor or other elements of a graphical user interface. In some implementations, the movement of the touch (if any) is determined and used to interpret a gesture made by the user. The gesture and / or a command associated with the gesture may be relayed to other aspects of the system that may take further action based on the touch input.

[0087] Figure 8 illustrates an example schematic diagram of a touch-sensitive textile system 800, according to some embodiments. In general, Figure 8 illustrates a simplified version of a sensing system 800 that may be used to operate one or more of the touch-sensitive textiles described above with reference to Figures 2A-2B through 5A-5B.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 8 , the touch-sensitive textile 830 may include two sets of conductive yarns. In this example, a first set of conductive yarns 811 is oriented in a first (vertical) direction and a second set of conductive yarns 812 is oriented in a second (horizontal) direction. The intersection of a pair of conductive yarns may act as a sensing node 801. For example, in an embodiment that detects touch by measuring resistance between a conductive yarn pair, the intersection of the yarns (or near the intersection) may function as the sensing node 801. Similarly, in an embodiment that detects touch by measuring a change in capacitance between a conductive yarn pair or capacitive coupling of one or more conductive yarns, the intersection of the yarns may also function as the sensing node 801. When an object touches the sensing node 801, both the occurrence of a touch and the location of the touch may be determined.

[0089] 8, the first set of conductive yarns 811 may be operably coupled to a column selector 810 configured to selectively couple one or more of the conductive yarns 811 to a sensing circuit 850. Similarly, the second set of conductive yarns 812 may be operably coupled to a row selector 820 configured to selectively couple one or more of the conductive yarns 812 to the sensing circuit 850. In some embodiments, the column selector 810 and the row selector 820 may include a switch bank configured to couple the conductive yarns to the sensing circuit in a time multiplexed sequence. Additionally or alternatively, the column selector 810 and the row selector 820 may include wavelength or frequency division multiplexing units used to multiplex the signals from the conductive yarns.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 8 , the system 800 also includes a sensing circuit 850 operably coupled to the conductive yarns via a column selector 810 and a row selector 820. The sensing circuit 850 includes one or more subsystems for generating a drive signal according to the embodiments described above. In some embodiments, the sensing circuit 850 includes a voltage source for generating a DC voltage signal. In some embodiments, the sensing circuit includes a voltage source and / or a current source for generating an electrical pulse, a series of electrical pulses and / or an AC current / voltage to drive the conductive yarns 811, 812 of the textile 830.

[0091] The sensing circuit 850 may also include one or more subsystems for detecting a change in one or more aspects of the electrical response of the touch-sensitive textile 830. As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, the sensing circuit 850 may be configured to detect a change in resistance and / or impedance between one or more pairs of conductive yarns. The change in resistance may be measured using a circuit configured to measure an electric potential relative to a ground potential or another reference potential. Also, as previously mentioned, in some embodiments, the sensing circuit 850 may be configured to detect a change in capacitance or a change in capacitive coupling between the conductive yarn pairs. The change in capacitance or capacitive coupling may be performed using, for example, a current integrator, a current amplifier, a charge amplifier, or other similar type of circuit. In some cases, the sensing circuit 850 is formed using one or more application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) components.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 8 , the sensing circuitry 850 may be operatively coupled to an input / output circuitry 855 configured to communicate signals between the system 800 and other components of the device or other devices. In some implementations, the input / output circuitry is configured to transmit commands or touch input information to other components of the device or other devices to perform actions in response to a touch on the touch-sensitive textile 830. In some embodiments, the input / output circuitry includes a wireless communication circuit configured to transmit signals using a wireless communication interface. In general, a wireless communication interface may include, but is not limited to, radio frequency signals, optical signals, acoustic signals, and / or magnetic signals and may be configured to operate over a wireless interface or protocol. Example wireless interfaces include a radio frequency cellular interface, an optical fiber interface, an acoustic interface, a Bluetooth interface, an infrared interface, a USB interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a TCP / IP interface, a network communication interface, or any conventional communication interface.

[0093] According to one embodiment, a touch sensitive textile device is provided that includes: a first set of conductive yarns oriented in a first direction; a second set of conductive yarns interwoven with the first set of conductive yarns and oriented in a second direction; and a sensing circuit operably coupled to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns, the sensing circuit configured to apply drive signals to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns and to detect a change in capacitive coupling of one of the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns in response to an object touching or nearly touching the touch sensitive textile device.

[0094] According to another embodiment, the sensing circuitry is configured to detect a touch or near-touch to the touch-sensitive textile based on a change in charge.

[0095] According to another embodiment, the sensing circuitry is further configured to determine a location of the touch based on the change in charge.

[0096] According to another embodiment, a touch sensitive textile device includes a woven textile component comprising a first set of conductive yarns and a second set of conductive yarns and a set of non-conductive yarns interwoven with the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns.

[0097] According to another embodiment, a touch-sensitive textile device includes non-conductive yarns oriented in a first direction forming a non-conductive strip region, and a first set of conductive yarns includes conductive yarns forming a conductive strip region adjacent the non-conductive strip region.

[0098] According to another embodiment, a touch-sensitive textile device includes non-conductive strip regions formed from non-conductive yarns and conductive strip regions formed from a first set of conductive yarns and a second set of conductive yarns, the non-conductive strip regions and the conductive strip regions alternating in both a first direction and a second direction.

[0099] According to one embodiment, a touch sensitive textile device is provided that includes a first set of conductive yarns oriented in a first direction, a second set of conductive yarns interwoven with the first set of conductive yarns and oriented in a second direction, and a sensing circuit operably coupled to the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns, the sensing circuit configured to apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive yarns and detect a change in resistance between any one of the first set of conductive yarns and one of the second set of conductive yarns.

[0100] According to another embodiment, the sensing circuitry is configured to sense a touch to the first set of conductive threads or the second set of conductive threads based on a change in resistance.

[0101] According to another embodiment, the sensing circuitry is further configured to determine the location of the touch based on the change in resistance.

[0102] According to another embodiment, a touch sensitive textile device includes a woven textile component comprising a first set of conductive yarns and a second set of conductive yarns and a set of non-conductive yarns interwoven with the first set of conductive yarns and the second set of conductive yarns.

[0103] According to one embodiment, there is provided a touch sensitive textile device including: a first set of conductive yarns disposed on a first textile layer; a second set of conductive yarns disposed on a second textile layer; a spacer structure separating the first and second textile layers, the spacer structure configured to deflect in response to a touch to the first or second textile layer; and a sensing circuit operably coupled to the first and second sets of conductive yarns, the sensing circuit configured to apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive yarns and detect a change in resistance between any one of the first set of conductive yarns and any one of the second set of conductive yarns.

[0104] According to another embodiment, the sensing circuitry is configured to sense a touch to the first textile layer or the second textile layer based on a change in resistance.

[0105] According to another embodiment, the sensing circuitry is further configured to determine the location of the touch based on the change in resistance.

[0106] According to another embodiment, the first textile layer is formed from a first set of non-conductive yarns interwoven with a first set of conductive yarns, and the second textile layer is formed from a second set of non-conductive yarns interwoven with a second set of conductive yarns.

[0107] According to another embodiment, the spacer structure is a monofilament yarn interwoven between the first and second textile layers.

[0108] According to one embodiment, there is provided a touch sensitive textile device including: a first set of conductive yarns disposed on a first textile layer; a second set of conductive yarns disposed on a second textile layer; a spacer structure separating the first and second textile layers, the spacer structure configured to deflect in response to a touch to the first or second textile layer; and a sensing circuit operably coupled to the first and second set of conductive yarns, the sensing circuit configured to apply a drive signal to the first set of conductive yarns and detect a change in capacitance between any one of the first set of conductive yarns and one of the second set of conductive yarns due to deflection of the spacer structure.

[0109] According to another embodiment, the sensing circuitry is configured to sense a touch to the first textile layer or the second textile layer based on a change in capacitance.

[0110] According to another embodiment, the sensing circuitry is further configured to determine a location of the touch based on the change in capacitance.

[0111] According to another embodiment, the first textile layer is formed from a first set of non-conductive yarns interwoven with a first set of conductive yarns, and the second textile layer is formed from a second set of non-conductive yarns interwoven with a second set of conductive yarns.

[0112] According to another embodiment, the spacer structure is a monofilament yarn interwoven between the first and second textile layers.

[0113] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. More generally, embodiments according to the present disclosure have been described in the context of specific embodiments. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, functions may be separated or combined differently within a procedure and may be described in different terminology. These variations, modifications, additions, and improvements, as well as other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements, may fall within the scope of the present disclosure, as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. a portable media player configured to provide an audio output; a spacer fabric having yarns forming a touch sensor, the touch sensor configured to receive a touch input; a circuit configured to adjust the audio output in response to the touch input; Equipped with The spacer fabric includes a first textile layer and a second textile layer, a gap between the first textile layer and the second textile layer is maintained by a weaving yarn, the weaving yarn being interwoven with the first textile layer and the second textile layer.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to adjust a volume of the audio output in response to the touch input.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to select a next track of the audio output in response to the touch input.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fabric comprises a knit fabric.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fabric comprises the first textile layer and the second textile layer separated by a spacer layer.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the spacer layer comprises a monofilament yarn bonded between the first textile layer and the second textile layer.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the spacer layer maintains the gap between the first textile layer and the second textile layer.

8. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the yarn comprises a first conductive yarn of the first textile layer and a second conductive yarn of the second textile layer.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first conductive yarn is orthogonal to the second conductive yarn.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the circuit is configured to detect a change in capacitance between the first conductive thread and the second conductive thread.

11. a portable media player configured to provide an audio output; a touch-sensitive spacer fabric integrated with the portable media player and configured to receive touch input; a circuit configured to adjust the audio output in response to the touch input; Equipped with the touch-sensitive spacer fabric includes a first textile layer and a second textile layer, a gap between the first textile layer and the second textile layer being maintained by a yarn, the yarn being interwoven with the first textile layer and the second textile layer.

12. 12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the touch-sensitive spacer fabric comprises the first textile layer and the second textile layer separated by a spacer layer.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the spacer layer comprises a monofilament yarn that maintains the gap between the first and second textile layers.

14. 14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the first textile layer includes a first conductive yarn and the second textile layer includes a second conductive yarn that is orthogonal to the first conductive yarn.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is configured to detect a change in capacitance between the first conductive thread and the second conductive thread.

16. a portable media player configured to provide an audio output; a fabric integrated with the portable media player, the fabric including conductive yarns forming a capacitive touch sensor configured to receive touch input; a circuit configured to adjust the audio output in response to the touch input; Equipped with The fabric includes a first textile layer and a second textile layer, a gap between the first textile layer and the second textile layer is maintained by a weaving yarn, and the weaving yarn is interwoven with the first textile layer and the second textile layer.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the fabric comprises a deformable spacer fabric.

18. 20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the deformable spacer fabric includes the first textile layer and the second textile layer separated by a spacer layer, and the conductive yarn includes a first conductive yarn of the first textile layer and a second conductive yarn disposed in the second textile layer.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the circuitry is configured to apply a drive signal to the first conductive yarn.

20. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the circuitry is configured to detect an amount of force associated with the touch input.

21. An electronic device as described in any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the woven yarn is a monofilament yarn.

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