Patent Publication Number: US-2022213624-A1

Title: Fiber optic light pipes integrated into a textile via weft knitting

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefits of and priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/134,673 filed Jan. 7, 2021 by Bowels et. al. and entitled “Fiber Optic Light Pipes Integrated into a Textile Via Weft Knitting” of which the entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to methods and systems for knitted textiles and more particularly to a knitted textile with integrated fiber optic light pipes. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the disclosure provide systems and methods for a knitted textile with integrated fiber optic light pipes and systems and methods for using such a knitted textile. According to one embodiment, a knitted textile can comprise a woven fabric, one or more fiber optic light pipes woven into a plurality of courses within the woven fabric, and two or more supporting structures disposed at opposite sides of the knitted textile. The one or more fiber optic light pipes can be woven into the plurality of courses within the woven fabric, can extend beyond an edge of the woven fabric, and can wrap around each of the two or more supporting structures. 
     The two or more supporting structures can each have a diameter greater than a minimum bending radius of the one or more fiber optic light pipes. For example, the two or more supporting structures each have a diameter equal to or greater than five millimeters. 
     The one or more fiber optic light pipes can be woven into the plurality of courses within the woven fabric by a three-dimensional knitting process. For example, the three-dimensional knitting process can comprise a weft knitting process. 
     In some cases, the one or more fiber optic light pipes can comprise a plurality of separate fiber optic light pipes. In such cases, each of the plurality of separate fiber optic light pipes can be individually addressable. 
     According to another embodiment, a lighted fabric panel system can comprise a knitted textile comprising a woven fabric, one or more fiber optic light pipes woven into a plurality of courses within the woven fabric, and two or more supporting structures can be disposed at opposite sides of the knitted textile. The one or more fiber optic light pipes can be woven into the plurality of courses within the woven fabric, extend beyond an edge of the woven fabric, and wrap around each of the two or more supporting structures. The system can further comprise one or more light sources. Each of the one or more light sources can be optically coupled with one of the one or more fiber optic light pipes. A processor can be electrically coupled with each of the one or more light sources and a memory coupled with and readable by the processor. The memory can have stored therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to determine a color or a pattern for the knitted textile, and adjust the one or more light sources based on the determined color or pattern for the knitted textile. 
     The lighted fabric panel system can further comprise one or more input devices electrically coupled with the processor. In such cases, the instructions can further cause the processor to receive an input signal from each of the one or more input devices and determine the color of the pattern for the knitted textile based on the received input signal from each of the one or more input devices. For example, at least one of the one or more input devices can comprise a clock and the instructions can cause the processor to determine the color of the pattern for the knitted textile based on an elapsed time or a time of day. In another example, at least one of the one or more input devices can comprise a sound source. In yet another example, at least one of the one or more input devices can comprise an accelerometer. In such cases, the determined color or pattern for the knitted textile indicates motion and/or a change in direction. The lighted fabric panel can be installed on an interior surface of a passenger vehicle, for example. 
     According to yet another embodiment, a method for producing a knitted textile can comprise disposing two or more supporting structures disposed at opposite sides of the knitted textile, weaving one or more fiber optic light pipes into a plurality of courses within a woven fabric of the knitted textile, wherein the one or more fiber optic light pipes are extend beyond an edge of the woven fabric, and wrap around each of the two or more supporting structures, and tightening the one or more fiber optic light pipes around the supporting structures. The two or more supporting structures can each have a diameter greater than a minimum bending radius of the one or more fiber optic light pipes. The one or more fiber optic light pipes can be woven into the plurality of courses within the woven fabric by a three-dimensional knitting process. For example, the three-dimensional knitting process can comprise a weft knitting process. In some cases, the one or more fiber optic light pipes can comprise a plurality of separate fiber optic light pipes and wherein each of the plurality of separate fiber optic light pipes is individually addressable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary knitted textile with integrated fiber optic light pipes according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary system utilizing a knitted textile with integrated fiber optic light pipes according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for constructing a knitted textile according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for utilizing a knitted textile with integrated fiber optic light pipes according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a letter that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments disclosed herein. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that various embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without some of these specific details. The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope or applicability of the disclosure. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure, the preceding description omits a number of known structures and devices. This omission is not to be construed as a limitation of the scopes of the claims. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It should however be appreciated that the present disclosure may be practiced in a variety of ways beyond the specific detail set forth herein. 
     As used herein, the phrases “at least one,” “one or more,” “or,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “A, B, and/or C,” and “A, B, or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. 
     The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” can be used interchangeably. 
     The term “automatic” and variations thereof, as used herein, refers to any process or operation done without material human input when the process or operation is performed. However, a process or operation can be automatic, even though performance of the process or operation uses material or immaterial human input, if the input is received before performance of the process or operation. Human input is deemed to be material if such input influences how the process or operation will be performed. Human input that consents to the performance of the process or operation is not deemed to be “material.” 
     The term “computer-readable medium” as used herein refers to any tangible storage and/or transmission medium that participate in providing instructions to a processor for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory (NVRAM), or magnetic or optical disks. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, magneto-optical medium, a Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a Random-Access Memory (RAM), a Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), and Erasable Programable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), a Flash-EPROM, a solid state medium like a memory card, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read. A digital file attachment to e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives is considered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storage medium. When the computer-readable media is configured as a database, it is to be understood that the database may be any type of database, such as relational, hierarchical, object-oriented, and/or the like. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include a tangible storage medium or distribution medium and prior art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations of the present disclosure are stored. 
     A “computer readable signal” medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, Radio Frequency (RF), etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
     The terms “determine,” “calculate,” and “compute,” and variations thereof, as used herein, are used interchangeably and include any type of methodology, process, mathematical operation or technique. 
     It shall be understood that the term “means” as used herein shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C., Section 112, Paragraph 6. Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term “means” shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein, and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materials or acts and the equivalents thereof shall include all those described in the summary of the disclosure, brief description of the drawings, detailed description, abstract, and claims themselves. 
     Aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. 
     In yet another embodiment, the systems and methods of this disclosure can be implemented in conjunction with a special purpose computer, a programmed microprocessor or microcontroller and peripheral integrated circuit element(s), an ASIC or other integrated circuit, a digital signal processor, a hard-wired electronic or logic circuit such as discrete element circuit, a programmable logic device or gate array such as Programmable Logic Device (PLD), Programmable Logic Array (PLA), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Programmable Array Logic (PAL), special purpose computer, any comparable means, or the like. In general, any device(s) or means capable of implementing the methodology illustrated herein can be used to implement the various aspects of this disclosure. Exemplary hardware that can be used for the disclosed embodiments, configurations, and aspects includes computers, handheld devices, telephones (e.g., cellular, Internet enabled, digital, analog, hybrids, and others), and other hardware known in the art. Some of these devices include processors (e.g., a single or multiple microprocessors), memory, nonvolatile storage, input devices, and output devices. Furthermore, alternative software implementations including, but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be constructed to implement the methods described herein. 
     Examples of the processors as described herein may include, but are not limited to, at least one of Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 800 and 801, Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 610 and 615 with 4G LTE Integration and 64-bit computing, Apple® A7 processor with 64-bit architecture, Apple® M7 motion coprocessors, Samsung® Exynos® series, the Intel® Core™ family of processors, the Intel® Xeon® family of processors, the Intel® Atom™ family of processors, the Intel Itanium® family of processors, Intel® Core® i5-4670K and i7-4770K 22 nm Haswell, Intel® Core® i5-3570K 22 nm Ivy Bridge, the AMD® FX™ family of processors, AMD® FX-4300, FX-6300, and FX-8350 32 nm Vishera, AMD® Kaveri processors, Texas Instruments® Jacinto C6000™ automotive infotainment processors, Texas Instruments® OMAP™ automotive-grade mobile processors, ARM® Cortex™-M processors, ARM® Cortex-A and ARM926EJ-S™ processors, other industry-equivalent processors, and may perform computational functions using any known or future-developed standard, instruction set, libraries, and/or architecture. 
     In yet another embodiment, the disclosed methods may be readily implemented in conjunction with software using object or object-oriented software development environments that provide portable source code that can be used on a variety of computer or workstation platforms. Alternatively, the disclosed system may be implemented partially or fully in hardware using standard logic circuits or Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) design. Whether software or hardware is used to implement the systems in accordance with this disclosure is dependent on the speed and/or efficiency requirements of the system, the particular function, and the particular software or hardware systems or microprocessor or microcomputer systems being utilized. 
     In yet another embodiment, the disclosed methods may be partially implemented in software that can be stored on a storage medium, executed on programmed general-purpose computer with the cooperation of a controller and memory, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, or the like. In these instances, the systems and methods of this disclosure can be implemented as program embedded on personal computer such as an applet, JAVA® or Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, as a resource residing on a server or computer workstation, as a routine embedded in a dedicated measurement system, system component, or the like. The system can also be implemented by physically incorporating the system and/or method into a software and/or hardware system. 
     Although the present disclosure describes components and functions implemented in the aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations with reference to particular standards and protocols, the aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations are not limited to such standards and protocols. Other similar standards and protocols not mentioned herein are in existence and are considered to be included in the present disclosure. Moreover, the standards and protocols mentioned herein and other similar standards and protocols not mentioned herein are periodically superseded by faster or more effective equivalents having essentially the same functions. Such replacement standards and protocols having the same functions are considered equivalents included in the present disclosure. 
     Various additional details of embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the figures. While the flowcharts will be discussed and illustrated in relation to a particular sequence of events, it should be appreciated that changes, additions, and omissions to this sequence can occur without materially affecting the operation of the disclosed embodiments, configuration, and aspects. 
     According to various embodiments, the problem of integrating compact inlay of fiber optic light pipes can be solved by including a knitted support structure to pull the light pipes through the machine without damaging the glass or deforming it past the appropriate bend radius. A support structure can be knitted on either side of the fiber optic fabric so that it catches the fiber optic inlay and locks it in place. Additional courses of the support structure can be knit while the main fiber optic fabric remains so that the support structure pulls the edges of the fiber optic light pipe down off of the needle bed without damaging or overbending the light pipe; and without adding courses to the main fabric, therefore leaving a high density of fiber optic light pipe in the main fabric. This allows the additive, automated integration of a fiber optic light pipe into a textile without damaging the light pipe while maintaining high density of fiber in the fabric, which means a higher density of light emanating from the fabric. Previous approaches to using weft knitting for fiber optic integration have lower density light and therefore look like stripes rather than a single source of light. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary knitted textile with integrated fiber optic light pipes according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to one embodiment, and as illustrated in this example a knitted textile  100  can comprise a woven fabric  105 , one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  woven into a plurality of courses within the woven fabric  105 , and two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B disposed at opposite sides of the knitted textile  100 . The one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  can be woven into the plurality of courses within the woven fabric  105 , can extend beyond an edge of the woven fabric  105 , and can wrap around each of the two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B. 
     The two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B can each have a diameter greater than a minimum bending radius of the one or more fiber optic light pipes  110 . For example, the two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B each have a diameter equal to or greater than five millimeters. 
     The one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  can be woven into the plurality of courses within the woven fabric  105  by a three-dimensional knitting process. For example, the three-dimensional knitting process can comprise a weft knitting process. 
     In some cases, the one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  can comprise a plurality of separate fiber optic light pipes  110 . In such cases, each of the plurality of separate fiber optic light pipes  110  can be individually addressable, i.e., for providing a variety of patterns etc. when illuminated. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an exemplary system utilizing a knitted textile with integrated fiber optic light pipes according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in this example, a lighted fabric panel system  200  can comprise a knitted textile  100  as described above. As described, the knitted textile  100  can comprise a woven fabric  105 , one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  woven into a plurality of courses within the woven fabric  105 , and two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B can be disposed at opposite sides of the knitted textile  100 . The one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  can be woven into the plurality of courses within the woven fabric  105 , extend beyond an edge of the woven fabric  105 , and wrap around each of the two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B. 
     The system can further comprise one or more light sources  215 . Each of the one or more light sources  215  can be optically coupled with one of the one or more fiber optic light pipes  110 . A processor  205  can be electrically coupled with each of the one or more light sources  215  and a memory coupled with and readable by the processor  205 . The memory can have stored therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processor  205 , causes the processor  205  to determine a color or a pattern for the knitted textile  100 , and adjust the one or more light sources  215  based on the determined color or pattern for the knitted textile  100 , e.g., a predetermined or pre-selected color and/or pattern. 
     The lighted fabric panel system  200  can further comprise one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B electrically coupled with the processor  205 . In such cases, the instructions can further cause the processor  205  to receive an input signal from each of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B and determine the color of the pattern for the knitted textile  100  based on the received input signal from each of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B. For example, at least one of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B can comprise a clock and the instructions can cause the processor  205  to determine the color of the pattern for the knitted textile  100  based on an elapsed time or a time of day. In another example, at least one of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B can comprise a sound source. In yet another example, at least one of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B can comprise an accelerometer. In such cases, the determined color or pattern for the knitted textile  100  indicates motion and/or a change in direction. 
     The knitted textile  100  and the lighted fabric panel system  200  as described herein can be implemented in a different environments and products. According to one embodiment, the lighted fabric panel system  200  can be installed in a passenger vehicle, e.g., an automobile, aircraft, watercraft, etc., and the knitted textile  100  of the lighted fabric panel system  200  can be installed on an interior surface of the passenger vehicle, for example. As described above, the processor  205  can receive an input signal from each of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B, such as one or more accelerometers etc., and determine the color of the pattern for the knitted textile  100  based on the received input signal from each of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B. These colors and/or patterns can indicate speed, motion, a change of direction, etc., for the vehicle and presentation of these colors and/or patterns can thereby reduce motion sickness or sensory confusion for passengers of the vehicle. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for constructing a knitted textile according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in this example, producing or constructing a knitted textile  100  can comprise disposing  305  two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B at opposite sides of the knitted textile  100 , weaving  310  one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  into a plurality of courses within a woven fabric  105  of the knitted textile  100 , wherein the one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  are extend beyond an edge of the woven fabric  105 , and wrap around each of the two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B, and tightening  315  the one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  around the supporting structures  115 A and  115 B. The two or more supporting structures  115 A and  115 B can each have a diameter greater than a minimum bending radius of the one or more fiber optic light pipes  110 . The one or more fiber optic light pipes  110  can be woven into the plurality of courses within the woven fabric  105  by a three-dimensional knitting process. For example, the three-dimensional knitting process can comprise a weft knitting process. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for utilizing a knitted textile with integrated fiber optic light pipes according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in this example, the process can comprise receiving  405  an input signal from each of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B and determine  410  the color of the pattern for the knitted textile  100  based on the received input signal from each of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B. For example, at least one of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B can comprise a clock and the instructions can cause the processor  205  to determine the color of the pattern for the knitted textile  100  based on an elapsed time or a time of day. In another example, at least one of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B can comprise a sound source. In yet another example, at least one of the one or more input devices  220 A and  220 B can comprise an accelerometer. In such cases, the determined color or pattern for the knitted textile  100  indicates motion and/or a change in direction. The light source  215  for the knit textile  100  can then be adjusted  415  based on the determined color. 
     The present disclosure, in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations, includes components, methods, processes, systems, and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various aspects, embodiments, configurations embodiments, sub-combinations, and/or subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the disclosed aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations after understanding the present disclosure. The present disclosure, in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and\or reducing cost of implementation. 
     The foregoing discussion has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and/or configuration. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Moreover, though the description has included description of one or more aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.