Microsoft Corporation
SMART FABRIC THAT RECOGNIZES OBJECTS AND TOUCH INPUT

Abstract:

A piece of smart fabric for recognizing an object or a touch gesture includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer has multiple resistive sensors and multiple capacitive sensors. Each resistive sensor corresponds to each capacitive sensor. Each capacitive sensor includes a first piece of conductive fabric and a second piece of conductive fabric, and each resistive sensor includes a piece of pressure sensing fabric sandwiched between the first piece of conductive fabric and the second piece of conductive fabric of the corresponding capacitive sensor. The second layer has multiple inductive sensors and multiple NFC sensors. Each of the multiple inductive sensors corresponds to each of the NFC sensors. Each inductive sensor and its corresponding NFC sensor share a same coil.