PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11905629-B2
Application Number: US-202217570191-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Fabric control device

Abstract:
A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. Areas of the fabric may overlap input circuitry such as button switches, touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry and may overlap other components such as light-emitting components and haptic output devices. The fabric-based item may include control circuitry that gathers user input from the input circuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the control circuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wireless signals in response information from the input circuitry. The fabric-based item may have a weight that is located in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction when the housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing in response to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of the fabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiber configured to emit light.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fabric-based item comprising:
 a housing; 
 a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing; 
 at least one light-emitting component configured to display an alphanumeric character through the fabric layer; 
 wireless communications circuitry; and 
 control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry. 
 
     
     
       2. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a battery, wherein the at least one light-emitting component comprises a light-emitting diode. 
 
     
     
       3. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-emitting component comprises an array of light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
       4. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , wherein the fabric-based item is a voice-controlled speaker. 
     
     
       5. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 touch-sensitive buttons labeled with symbols. 
 
     
     
       6. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 touch-sensitive buttons that are at least partially covered by the fabric layer. 
 
     
     
       7. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mechanical button comprising a dome switch. 
 
     
     
       8. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a capacitive touch sensor. 
 
     
     
       9. A voice-controlled speaker comprising:
 a housing; 
 a fabric layer covering at least some of the housing; 
 at least one light-emitting component configured to emit light for an alphanumeric symbol through the fabric layer; 
 wireless communications circuitry; and 
 control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry. 
 
     
     
       10. The voice-controlled speaker defined in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one light-emitting component comprises a light-emitting diode. 
     
     
       11. The voice-controlled speaker defined in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one light-emitting component comprises an array of light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
       12. The voice-controlled speaker defined in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 touch-sensitive buttons labeled with symbols. 
 
     
     
       13. The voice-controlled speaker defined in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 touch-sensitive buttons that are at least partially covered by the fabric layer. 
 
     
     
       14. The voice-controlled speaker defined in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a mechanical button comprising a dome switch. 
 
     
     
       15. The voice-controlled speaker defined in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a capacitive touch sensor. 
 
     
     
       16. A fabric-based item comprising:
 a housing having a deformable housing wall; 
 a fabric layer covering a majority of the housing, wherein the fabric layer covers the deformable housing wall; 
 sensing circuitry configured to detect deformation of the deformable housing wall; 
 wireless communications circuitry; and 
 control circuitry configured to transmit wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry. 
 
     
     
       17. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 16 , wherein the deformable housing wall comprises a layer of foam and wherein the sensing circuitry is configured to detect compression of the layer of foam. 
     
     
       18. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 16 , wherein the sensing circuitry comprises a force sensor. 
     
     
       19. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 16 , wherein the sensing circuitry comprises a touch sensor. 
     
     
       20. The fabric-based item defined in  claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the wireless signals with the wireless communications circuitry in response to the sensing circuitry detecting deformation of the deformable housing wall.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/112,323, filed Dec. 4, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/871,531, filed May 11, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,883,203, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/584,005, filed Sep. 26, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,689,783, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/207,407, filed Dec. 3, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,465,314, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/940,842, filed Mar. 29, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,156,029, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/519,386, filed Jun. 14, 2017, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to fabric-based items and, more particularly, to fabric-based items such as electronic devices with fabric surfaces. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It may be desirable to form bags, furniture, clothing, electronic devices, and other items using materials such as fabric. If care is not taken, however, fabric-based items such as these may not offer desired features. For example, a fabric-based electronic device may be awkward to use, may not have an attractive appearance, or may not offer desired functionality. 
     SUMMARY 
     A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. The fabric may include conductive strands that form touch sensor circuitry. The fabric may include portions that are patterned differently and that have different properties. For example, the fabric may include areas that transmit more light than other areas or are more opaque than other areas or may include areas that are smoother than other areas or that are coarser than other areas. Button labels and other features may be formed by weaving or otherwise intertwining strands of material in the fabric with desired patterns, by processing fabric through application of heat and using other processing techniques, and by applying ink or other materials. 
     Areas of the fabric such as areas with enhanced light transmission, button labels, distinct textures, or other attributes may overlap input circuitry such as button switches, touch sensor circuits, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry. The fabric-based item may include control circuitry that gathers user input from the input circuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the control circuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wireless signals in response information from the input circuitry. Remote control commands may be used to remotely control electronic equipment. 
     In some configurations, the fabric-based item may have a weight that is located in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction when the housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing in response to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of the fabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiber configured to emit light. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of an illustrative fabric-based item in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of illustrative woven fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a top view of illustrative knit fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram of an illustrative touch sensor formed using fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layer overlapping electrical components in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layer that is overlapping a light-based component in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layer with an optical fiber that is used in emitting light from a portion of the fabric layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of a fabric-based item such as a remote control device or other electronic device covered with fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device with a fabric covering having hidden seams in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  10  and  11    are top views of illustrative fabric-based items such as a fabric-covered remote controls or other electronic devices with fabric coverings in accordance with embodiments. 
         FIG.  12    is a perspective view of an illustrative fabric-based item such as a remote control or other electronic device with fabric covering in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  13 A and  13 B  are side views of illustrative fabric-based items such as remote controls or other electronic devices showing how the items may have self-righting features in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric-based item with a movable weight system that can be used to dynamically tilt the item in a desired direction in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  15    is a perspective view of an illustrative self-righting fabric-based item with a cylindrical housing surface in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  16    is a side view of an illustrative fabric-based item with deformable housing walls in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  17    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric-based item having a fabric-covered housing structure with ribs or other protrusions that form a textured surface in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Items such as item  10  of  FIG.  1    may be based on fabric. Item  10  may be an electronic device or an accessory for an electronic device such as a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a remote control, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which fabric-based item  10  is mounted in a kiosk, in an automobile, airplane, or other vehicle, other electronic equipment, or may be equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices. If desired, item  10  may be a removable external case for electronic equipment, may be a strap, may be a wrist band or head band, may be a removable cover for a device, may be a case or bag that has straps or that has other structures to receive and carry electronic equipment and other items, may be a necklace or arm band, may be a wallet, sleeve, pocket, or other structure into which electronic equipment or other items may be inserted, may be part of a chair, sofa, or other seating (e.g., cushions or other seating structures), may be part of an item of clothing or other wearable item (e.g., a hat, belt, wrist band, headband, sock, glove, shirt, pants, etc.), or may be any other suitable fabric-based item. 
     Item  10  may include intertwined strands of material that form fabric  12 . Fabric  12  may form all or part of a housing wall or other layer in an electronic device, may form an outer covering for a housing wall structure, may form internal structures in an electronic device, or may form other fabric-based structures. Item  10  may be soft (e.g., item  10  may have a fabric surface that yields to a light touch), may have a rigid feel (e.g., the surface of item  10  may be formed from a stiff fabric), may be coarse, may be smooth, may have ribs or other patterned textures, and/or may be formed as part of a device that has portions formed from non-fabric structures of plastic, metal, glass, crystalline materials, ceramics, or other materials. 
     The strands of material in fabric  12  may be single-filament strands (sometimes referred to as fibers or monofilaments), may be yarns or other strands that have been formed by intertwining multiple filaments (multiple monofilaments) of material together, or may be other types of strands (e.g., tubing). Monofilaments for fabric  12  may include polymer monofilaments and/or other insulating monofilaments and/or may include bare wires and/or insulated wires. Monofilaments formed from polymer cores with metal coatings and monofilaments formed from three or more layers (cores, intermediate layers, and one or more outer layers each of which may be insulating and/or conductive) may also be used. 
     Yarns in fabric  12  may be formed from polymer, metal, glass, graphite, ceramic, natural materials as cotton or bamboo, or other organic and/or inorganic materials and combinations of these materials. Conductive coatings such as metal coatings may be formed on non-conductive material. For example, plastic yarns and monofilaments in fabric  12  may be coated with metal to make them conductive. Reflective coatings such as metal coatings may be applied to make yarns and monofilaments reflective. Yarns may be formed from a bundle of bare metal wires or metal wire intertwined with insulating monofilaments (as examples). 
     Strands of material may be intertwined to form fabric  12  using intertwining equipment such as weaving equipment, knitting equipment, or braiding equipment. Intertwined strands may, for example, form woven fabric, knit fabric, braided fabric, etc. Conductive strands and insulating strands may be woven, knit, braided, or otherwise intertwined to form contact pads that can be electrically coupled to conductive structures in item  10  such as the contact pads of an electrical component. The contacts of an electrical component may also be directly coupled to an exposed metal segment along the length of a conductive yarn or monofilament. 
     Conductive and insulating strands may also be woven, knit, or otherwise intertwined to form conductive paths. The conductive paths may be used in forming signal paths (e.g., signal buses, power lines, etc.), may be used in forming part of a capacitive touch sensor electrode, a resistive touch sensor electrode, or other input-output device, or may be used in forming other patterned conductive structures. Conductive structures in fabric  12  may be used in carrying power signals, digital signals, analog signals, sensor signals, control signals, data, input signals, output signals, or other suitable electrical signals. 
     Item  10  may include additional mechanical structures  14  such as polymer binder to hold strands in fabric  12  together, support structures such as frame members, housing structures (e.g., an electronic device housing), and other mechanical structures. 
     Item  10  may include circuitry  16 . Circuitry  16  may include electrical components that are coupled to fabric  12 , electrical components that are housed within an enclosure formed by fabric  12  and/or an enclosure formed using other housing structures such as housing walls formed from plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, or other materials, electrical components that are attached to fabric  12  using welds, solder joints, adhesive bonds (e.g., conductive adhesive bonds such as anisotropic conductive adhesive bonds or other conductive adhesive bonds), crimped connections, or other electrical and/or mechanical bonds. Circuitry  16  may include metal structures for carrying current, electrical components such as integrated circuits, light-emitting diodes, sensors, controller circuitry for applying currents and/or magnetic fields to materials, and other electrical devices. Control circuitry in circuitry  16  (e.g., control circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits such as microprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits, digital signal processors, etc.) may be used to gather information from user input circuitry, sensing circuitry such as touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry, and other input-output circuits. The control circuitry may be used to control the operation of item  10  based on this gathered information and/or based on other information by controlling electrically controllable (electrically adjustable) components in circuitry  16 . The control circuitry may have wireless communications circuitry and other communications circuitry and may be used in supporting communications with item  18  and/or other devices. 
     Item  10  may interact with electronic equipment or other additional items  18 . Items  18  may be attached to item  10  or item  10  and item  18  may be separate items that are configured to operate with each other (e.g., when one item is a case and the other is a device that fits within the case, when one item such as item  10  is a remote control and another item such as item  18  is an electronic device that is controlled by the remote control such as a set-top box, television, computer, gaming unit, speaker, or other electronic equipment that is controlled remotely, etc.). Circuitry  16  may include wireless communications circuitry such as antennas, wireless radio-frequency transceivers (e.g., transceivers operating at 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and/or other wireless communications frequencies) and other electrical components for supporting wireless communications with item  18 . The wireless communications circuitry may include communications circuitry based on infrared transmitters such as infrared light-emitting diodes or lasers for transmitting infrared commands to electronic equipment such as item  18 . Item  18  may also interact with item  10  using a wired communications link or other connection that allows information to be exchanged. 
     In some situations, item  18  may be an electronic device such as a cellular telephone, computer, or other portable electronic device and item  10  may form a cover, case, bag, or other structure that receives the electronic device in a pocket, an interior cavity, or other portion of item  10 . 
     In other situations, item  18  may be a wrist-watch device or other electronic device and item  10  may be a strap or other fabric-based item that is attached to item  18  (e.g., item  10  and item  18  may be used together to form a fabric-based item such as a wristwatch with a strap). Item  10  may also be a cellular telephone, tablet computer, wearable device, voice-controlled speaker, or other equipment. 
     In still other situations, item  10  may be an electronic device such as a fabric-covered remote control device (e.g., a fabric-covered remote control that has a majority of its surface or other suitable fraction of its surface covered with fabric  12 ). The remote control device may be used in controlling external electronic equipment (e.g., item  18 ). 
     Fabric  12  may be used in forming a remote control device or other electronic device. The fabric may serve as a covering layer for the housing of a remote control or other device and may cover one or more user input areas associated with virtual buttons, switches, touch-sensitive buttons labeled with symbols, track pad areas formed from two-dimensional touch sensors, or other user input components (e.g., sensors for detecting user touch input, proximity input, and/or force input). In these situations, control circuitry in item  10  may use wireless communications circuitry in item  10  to communicate wirelessly with item  18  (e.g., to wirelessly transmit control commands to item  18  such as channel change commands, media playback adjustment commands such as fast forward and reverse playback commands, track navigation commands, power on/off commands, volume change commands, media search commands, etc.). Item  18  in this scenario may be electronic equipment that is wirelessly controlled by item  10  such as a set-top box, speaker, television, computer, gaming unit, etc. 
     The fabric that makes up item  10  may be formed from strands that are intertwined using any suitable intertwining equipment. With one suitable arrangement, which may sometimes be described herein as an example, fabric  12  may be woven fabric formed using a weaving machine. In this type of illustrative configuration, fabric may have a plain weave, a basket weave, a satin weave, a twill weave, or variations of these weaves, may be a three-dimensional woven fabric, or may be other suitable fabric. With other suitable arrangements, fabric  12  is knit or braided. If desired, signal paths formed from conductive yarns and monofilaments (e.g., insulated and bare wires) may be used to route signals in item  10  and/or item(s)  18 . 
     A cross-sectional side view of illustrative woven fabric  12  is shown in  FIG.  2   . As shown in  FIG.  2   , fabric  12  may include strands  20  such as warp strands  20 A and weft strands  20 B. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  2   , fabric  12  has a single layer of woven strands  20 . Multi-layer fabric constructions may be used for fabric  12  if desired. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , fabric  12  may be a knit fabric. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  3   , fabric  12  has a single layer of knit strands  20  that form horizontally extending rows of interlocking loops (courses  23 ) and vertically extending wales  24 . Other types of knit fabric may be used in item  10 , if desired. 
     Fabric-based item  10  may include non-fabric materials (e.g., structures such as structures  14  that are formed from plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, crystalline materials such as sapphire, etc.). These materials may be formed using molding operations, extrusion, machining, laser processing, and other fabrication techniques and may be used in forming housing structures, internal mounting structures, buttons, portions of display components and other electronic components, and/or other structures in item  10 . In some configurations, some or all of fabric-based item  10  may include one or more layers of material. The layers in item  10  may include layers of polymer, metal, glass, fabric, adhesive, crystalline materials, ceramic, substrates on which components have been mounted, patterned layers of material, layers of material containing patterned metal traces, thin-film devices such as transistors, and/or other layers. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , item  10  may include a sensor such as a touch sensor. The touch sensor may have electrodes formed from metal electrodes (e.g., patterned metal traces on a printed circuit or other substrate), transparent conductive electrodes (e.g., indium tin oxide electrodes), and/or other touch sensor electrodes. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  4   , item  10  includes a touch sensor formed from electrodes in fabric  12  such as conductive strands  20  in fabric  12 . These conductive strands may be coupled to input circuitry such as touch sensor circuitry  22  (e.g., touch sensor circuitry in circuitry  16  of  FIG.  1   ) or other sensing circuitry. For example, fabric  12  may include conductive weft strands  20 A and overlapping orthogonally oriented warp strands  20 B. These conductive strands form column and row electrodes in an intersecting grid (electrode array). During operation, a user&#39;s finger or other external object (e.g. a stylus, etc.) may be present at the intersection between a horizontal and vertical electrode and can perturb capacitive coupling between these electrodes. Touch sensor control circuitry such as touch sensor circuitry  22  may supply strands  20 B (or strands  20 A) with drive signals and may gather and analyze corresponding sense signals from warp strands  20 A (or strands  20 B). By processing the touch sensor signals from touch sensor circuitry  22  and/or other control circuitry in item  10 , item  10  can detect capacitance variations due to the presence of a user&#39;s finger or other external object at an intersection between a weft and warp strand, thereby allowing item  10  to determine the location of a touch input. 
       FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the surface of an illustrative fabric-based item. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  5   , item  10  includes structures  24  such as sensing circuitry and housing structures. Structures  24  may include fabric  12  (e.g., a fabric covering layer that forms the exterior surface of item  10 ). Fabric  12  may include strands such as warp strands  20 B and weft strands  20 A. If desired, fabric  12  may include a grid of conductive strands for forming a touch sensor such as the two-dimensional touch sensor of  FIG.  4    or other suitable touch sensor. Fabric  12  may overlap components  26  and internal structures  28 . Internal structures  28  may be housing structures such as housing walls or supporting housing structures formed from rigid polymer, foam or other soft polymer (e.g., an elastomeric material), metal, ceramic, glass, etc. Components  26  may be electrodes for a touch sensor or a capacitive proximity sensor, may include light-based components such as light-emitting diodes and/or light sensors (e.g., optical proximity sensors), may include haptic output devices, may include force sensors, and/or may include other electrical components or circuitry  16 . 
     Light-based devices in components  26  may include light-emitting diodes, lasers, and other light-emitting components that produce light. The emitted light may serve as illumination for a camera or other sensor, may serve as decorative trim, may serve as a visual status indicator (e.g., a power on/off indicator light), may illuminate a key label (button label) or other symbol, may be used in displaying images (e.g., in configuration in which components  26  form an array of pixels in a display), may be used as part of an optical proximity sensor (e.g., in a sensor that detects reflected light such as infrared light to determine whether external objects such as user body part or other object  30  is within the vicinity of item  10  (e.g., whether an external object is within a predetermined distance of item  10 ), or may be used in other light-based circuitry for item  10 . 
     If desired, optical touch sensors may operate through fabric  12 . In this type of configuration, components  26  may include an array of light-emitting devices such as an array of light-emitting diodes and may include an array of light detectors (e.g., photodiodes). The light-emitting array and the light detecting array may each extend over some or all of the surface of fabric  12  (e.g., in the X-Y plane in the example of  FIG.  5   ). When a user&#39;s finger or other external object (see, e.g., finger  30 ) touches fabric  12 , light that has been emitted by one of the light-emitting devices will be detected by a nearby light detector, thereby allowing the location of the external object to be detected (e.g., allowing the XY location of the external object on fabric  12  to be detected). If desired, fabric  12  and/or strain gauges in components  26  may be used in forming a force sensor under one or all of the surfaces of item  10  that are covered with fabric  12 . Optical proximity sensors based on light emitters and light detectors may also operate through fabric  12 . 
     Capacitive proximity sensors may use electrodes formed from conductive strands or may use electrodes formed from metal traces on a printed circuit in components  26 . Capacitive proximity sensors or optical proximity sensors may be used to detect hand swipes and other user gestures. 
     Haptic devices in components  26  may be used to provide a user with tactile feedback. Haptic devices may be based on electromagnetic actuators (e.g., vibrators, linear solenoids that move to produce a clicking sensation, piezoelectric actuators, and/or other haptic devices). Haptic output may be used, for example, to confirm to a user that a user has pressed a button (e.g., a virtual button) on the surface of fabric  12 . A virtual button may be created, for example, by using light sources in components  26  to emit light (e.g., a button trim pattern, a glyph such as an alphanumeric key label or other symbol, etc.) while monitoring for touch input in the region associated with the emitted light (e.g., in the area associated with the virtual button). If touch input in the virtual button area is detected, tactile feedback may be provided using an overlapping haptic device so that a user is reassured that the virtual button press has been detected by circuitry  16 . In general, haptic output may be used to provide any suitable tactile output for a user (e.g., to provide a user with an alert, to serve as a vibrating feedback when item  10  is being used as a game controller or pointing device, to provide button press feedback, etc.). 
     In some configurations, portions of fabric  12  such as illustrative portion  12 P of  FIG.  6    may be configured to facilitate light transmission and/or to help modify light  32  that has been emitted from components  26  and/or that is being detected by components  26 . In the example of  FIG.  6   , fabric  12  overlaps component  26 . Component  26  may, as an example, be a light-emitting device such as a light-emitting diode, an array of light-emitting diodes or other structures forming a status indicator light or forming a pixelated display (e.g., a pixel array in the X-Y plane). In portions of fabric  12  other than portion  12 P, fabric  12  may be opaque to hide internal components in item  10  from view. In portions of fabric  12  such as portion  12 P, fabric  12  may be transparent (e.g., hazy and therefore translucent or clear with a low haze) or may otherwise be less opaque (more light transmissive and therefore more transparent) than in the rest of fabric  12 . Portions such as portion  12 P, which may sometimes be referred to as optical windows or light-transmitting windows, may be formed by heat treating a localized area of fabric  12  (e.g., to melt strands  20  together to form portion  12 P), by selectively incorporating clear polymer binder or other material into portion  12 P, by forming portion  12 P from a different type of strand (e.g., clear strands) than the other portions of fabric  12 , and/or by otherwise processing fabric  12  to form portion  12 P. If desired, portions such as portion  12 P may be heat treated, chemically treated, impregnated with polymer or other materials, and/or otherwise processed to form other type of features in fabric  12  (e.g., features with low surface roughness, features that have the pattern of a logo or other visible item), etc. In these configurations, portion  12 P need not be transparent. 
     In the example of  FIG.  7   , light  32  has been coupled into optical light guide  34  (e.g., a strand such as a glass optical fiber, a strand such as a polymer optical fiber, a strand formed from other clear structures, etc.) from a light source (e.g., an electrical component  26  such as a light-emitting diode or other light-emitting component). Light guide  34  may have light-scattering structures  38  such a recesses and/or protrusions that scatter light from light guide (fiber)  34  outwardly as light  32  (e.g., for a status indicator light, for an illuminated key symbol, for a pixel in a pixel array, etc.). Control circuitry in item  10  may adjust the amount of light that is emitted from component  26  to adjust the brightness of emitted light  32 . Light guide  34  may be selectively incorporated into fabric  12  in desired locations (e.g., when the thickness of fabric  12  is thickness T 1  as shown by line  36 ) or may be embedded into fabric  12  (e.g., when fabric  12  has thickness T 2 ). If desired, optical light guide  34  may be a warp or weft strand in fabric  12 . 
       FIG.  8    shows how strands  20  may wrap around some or all of the faces of an illustrative electronic device. In general, any suitable fraction of the total surface area of item  10  (e.g., the total surface area of the housing of item  10 ) may be covered with fabric  12  formed from strands  20 . For example, the majority (&gt;50%) of the surface may be covered with fabric to provide item  10  with a substantially fabric-covered appearance and feel, at least 25% of the surface may be covered with fabric, at least 50% of the surface may be covered with fabric, at least 75% of the surface may be covered, 20-80% of the surface may be covered, 50-95% of the surface may be covered, at least 85% of the surface may be covered, at least 95% of the surface may be covered, less than 90% of the surface may be covered, less than 60% of the surface may be covered, and/or other suitable fractions of the surface of the housing of item  10  and/or the total surface area of item  10  may be covered with one or more pieces of fabric  12 . 
     As shown by the illustrative configuration of item  10  in  FIG.  8   , item  10  may be an electronic device having six sides  39  each of which is partly or fully covered by fabric  12  formed from strands  20 . In general, an item such as item  10  of  FIG.  8    may have any suitable number of sides and any suitable number of these sides may be fully or partly covered with fabric  12  (e.g., at least one side, at least two sides, at least three sides, at least four sides, at least five sides, six sides, etc.). 
     In configurations such as these, touch sensors such as the touch sensor of  FIG.  4    may be formed from conductive strands on one or more sides  39  of item  10 . For example, touch sensors formed from conductive strands may cover one to six surfaces (e.g., all six sides) of the electronic device. The touch sensors on an item such as item  10  may be used by the control circuitry of item  10  to detect different grip patterns when users grip the surfaces of item  10 . Grip detection information may include information such as finger location, hand size, left/right hand identification information, and/or other information that allows users or types of users to be distinguished (e.g., to distinguish between adults and small children). Left/right grip detection may also be used to alter the location and/or appearance of virtual buttons on item  10  and/or to customize other features. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  8   , item  10  has a box-shaped (rectangular-prism-shaped) housing, but other housing shapes may be used in forming a fabric-covered housing for item  10 , if desired. Sensors other than capacitive touch sensors formed from fabric  12  (e.g., capacitive and/or optical touch and/or proximity sensors, force sensors, etc.) and/or haptic devices or other components  26  may also be located on one or all of the faces of the electronic device and may be overlapped by fabric  12 , as described in connection with  FIGS.  6  and  7   . 
     If desired, seams between mating panels of fabric  12  can be hidden from view by a user by using an arrangement of the type shown in  FIG.  8   . As shown in the illustrative cross-sectional side view of item  10  of  FIG.  9   , item  10  may have internal components  40  (e.g., circuitry  16 ) on substrates such as substrate  42 . Substrate  42  may be a printed circuit or other substrate and may be located in interior  44  of housing  46 . Housing  46  may be formed from plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, and/or other materials (e.g., housing structures of the type described in connection with structures  28  of  FIG.  5   ). Fabric  12  may cover housing  46  and may be attached to housing  46  using an optional layer of adhesive such as adhesive  48 . Fabric  12 , which may be considered to cover housing  46  and/or form a portion of the housing for item  10  may have an upper portion such as portion  12 T and a lower portion such as portion  12 B. The edges of fabric  12 T and the edge of fabric  12 B may be inserted into notches  50  in housing  46 . Notches  50  may run along the sides of housing  46  parallel to the longitudinal axis of housing  46  and may help hide the seam that is formed between fabric  12 A and fabric  12 B along these sides from view by a user. Notches  50  may be formed on vertical sidewall portions of item  10  (e.g., in a configuration in which item  10  normally lies flat in the X-Y plane as shown in  FIG.  9   ), and/or may be formed elsewhere on item  10  in which fabric seams are located. 
       FIG.  10    is a view of the front face of an illustrative fabric-based item. As shown in  FIG.  10   , fabric  12  may have portions with different visual appearances. Illustrative fabric-based item  10  may be, for example, a remote control or other electronic device that gathers user input using touch sensors, buttons with switches, force sensors, proximity sensors, and/or other user input devices and that transmits the gathered information wirelessly to remote equipment (e.g., item  18  of  FIG.  1   ) to control the operation of item  18  (e.g., to change video channels or other media playback changes, to navigate between audio tracks or other media tracks, to fast forward or rewind in a song or video, to adjust playback volume by adjusting the gain of output audio amplifiers coupled to speakers in item  18 , etc.). 
     Fabric  12  of  FIG.  10    covers item  10  on one or more sides (faces) of the housing for item  10 . In the example of  FIG.  10   , area  12 - 1  has a first appearance and is free of touch sensor electrodes. Area  12 - 2  may contain a touch sensor such as the touch sensor formed from fabric  12  in  FIG.  4    (or other input circuitry formed from components  26 ) and may have a second appearance that is the same as the first appearance or that is different than the first appearance (e.g., to visually distinguish area  12 - 2 ). Strands  20  may have a coarse weave or other characteristics that form a first texture in area  12 - 2  and a finer weave or other characteristics that form a second texture in other areas such as area  12 - 1 ,  12 - 3 , and/or  12 - 4  to provide a user with a distinct feel in each of these regions. This may help a user identify different regions of the surface of item  10  in dim lighting conditions. 
     Strands  20  in area  12 - 3  may be woven with a finer texture than strands  20  in area  12 - 2 , so that area  12 - 3  feels smoother than area  12 - 2  to the touch and may have a distinct appearance. Area  12 - 3  may be free of touch sensors (as an example). Area  12 - 4  may be associated with a button. The button may be a mechanical button that is used by pressing inwardly on area  12 - 4  to deform fabric  12  in area  12 - 4  and thereby actuate a dome switch or other button mechanism that is overlapped by area  12  or may be a capacitive sensor button (e.g., using a capacitive touch sensor formed from conductive strands in the fabric of area  12 - 4 ). Haptic devices in components  26  may overlap the input areas of item  10  such as area  12 - 4  and other areas. If desired, letters or other symbols may be woven or otherwise formed in areas such as area  12 - 4  (see, e.g., area  12 - 5 ). 
     In addition to variations in weaving techniques, fabric coarseness and/or other fabric construction differences, fabric treatments may be used in forming the different areas of item  10  shown in  FIG.  10   . These fabric treatments may include printing techniques or other coloring techniques, heating techniques (e.g., to locally fuse strands  20  together and thereby create denser and smoother areas of fabric  12  that stand out from surrounding untreated areas), cutting techniques (e.g., laser processing techniques such as laser fabric removal techniques to create ribs or other features), and/or other fabric treatment techniques such as locally embedding polymer or other material into fabric  12 . 
       FIG.  11    shows how item  10  may include areas such as areas  12 A 1 ,  12 A 2 , and  12 A 3  that contain symbols such as plus symbols  52  and minus symbols  54 . Symbols  52  and  54  may be formed by locally altering the construction of fabric  12 , by impregnating fabric  12  with patterned polymer (e.g., polymer containing dye or pigments to form ink) or printing or otherwise patterning other material in the shape of symbols  52  and  54  onto fabric  12 , by locally heating the portion of fabric  12  associated with symbols  52  and  54 , by using laser processing techniques to pattern the fabric in these areas, etc. The characteristics of areas  12 A 1 ,  12 A 2 , and  12 A 3  may also be modified to vary from other areas (e.g., areas  12 A 4 ) using these processing techniques. Touch sensors and other components  26  (haptic components, input devices such as button switches, proximity sensors, force sensors, etc.) may be located under areas  12 A 1 ,  12 A 2 , and  12 A 3  and/or other areas of item  10 . If desired, touch sensors and other components  26  may be omitted from some areas of item  10  (e.g., areas  12 A 4 ). Configurations in which all fabric surfaces include touch sensors and/or overlap components  26  may also be used, if desired. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  12   , item  10  has a wedge shape in which the housing of item  10  tapers (narrows) progressively at increasing distances from end  56  towards end  58 . Surface  60  at end  56  forms a curved (rounded) base for the housing of item  10 . As shown in  FIG.  12   , surface  60  may have a curved shape such as a spherical surface shape or other shape with compound curvature. A weight (batteries, metal ballast, etc.) may be placed in the housing of item  10  in a location near to end  56  such as location  62  to provide item  10  with a self-righting feature (e.g., the portion of the housing that forms the rounded base for the housing may be weighted with a self-righting mass formed from iron or other heavy metal that is configured to hold the housing upright so that its longitudinal axis is aligned parallel to the surface normal of the surface on which item  10  is resting and perpendicular to the surface). Surfaces such as surface  60  and the other surfaces of item  10  may be covered with fabric  12 . In regions such as region  12 ′, the appearance and functionality of fabric  12  and the electrical components overlapped by fabric  12  may vary (e.g., touch sensors and/or other components  26  may be located under symbols  52  and  54  in region  12 ′ but not in other portion of fabric  12 , etc.). 
       FIG.  13 A  illustrates how the incorporation of weight in region  62  may help provide item  10  with an asymmetrical weight distribution that allows item  10  to right itself. As shown in  FIG.  13 A , item  10  may rest on a surface such as surface  66  (e.g., a table top). The housing of item  10  may be characterized by a longitudinal axis such as axis  64 . When off balance, item  10  will tip on surface  66  so that the longitudinal axis of item  10  is not parallel to surface normal n of surface  66  (see, e.g., off-axis item  10 ′ and tilted longitudinal axis  64 ′). In this situation, the location of weight  62  at end  56  and the curved shape of lower surface  60  of item  10  cooperate to force item  10  upwards in direction  68  (e.g., to the vertical position shown by item  10  and axis  64 , where axis  64  is parallel to surface normal n and is therefore perpendicular to surface  66 ). 
     If desired, the weight in region  62  may be located at a position that self-rights item  10  in a horizontal orientation (e.g., with longitudinal axis  64  parallel to surface  66 ). This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG.  13 B . As shown in  FIG.  13 B , a weight may be located in a location such as region  62  that is adjacent to rear surface  69  of item  10  (e.g., relatively far from front surface  71 ). This provides item  10  with an asymmetrical weight distribution that allows item  10  to right itself so that buttons and other input-output devices in regions such as region  12 ′ face upwardly for viewing and use by a user of item  10 . As shown in  FIG.  13 B , item  10  may rest on a surface such as surface  66  (e.g., a table top). When originally placed on surface  66 , buttons and other input-output components such as component  65  may be facing downward towards surface  66  (e.g., component  65  may be in location  65 ′). Due to the presence of weight in region  62 , item  10  may rotate in direction  67  to its normal face-up configuration. In this configuration, component  65  and other components (e.g., input devices associated with symbols  52  and  54  of  FIG.  12    in region  12 ′, etc.) may be viewed by a user and pressed when it is desired to supply user input to item  10 . In general, any suitable asymmetric weighting scheme may be used with item  10 . The configurations of  FIGS.  13 A and  13 B  are merely illustrative. 
       FIG.  14    is a diagram of item  10  in an illustrative configuration in which circuitry  16  can actively control the tilt of item  10  based on sensor input or other input. As shown in  FIG.  14   , item  10  may include an electrically adjustable weight such as electrically adjustable weight system  70  (sometime referred to as an electrically adjustable moveable mass system). System  70  may include an electrically adjustable positioner and movable mass (see, e.g., movable mass and positioner  72 , which may move on a track or other support such as support  74 ). During operation, the movable mass may be positioned by the electrically adjustable positioner (e.g., an electromagnetic actuator) in one or more dimensions (e.g., in the X-Y plane of  FIG.  14   ). The positioner is electrically controllable by control circuitry in item  10 , so the mass may be moved, for example in directions such as direction  76  and direction  78 . Item  10  may have a sensor such as proximity sensor  26 P (e.g., an optical proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, etc.). When a user&#39;s hand or other external object  30  is detected in the vicinity of item  10 , the control circuitry of item  10  may move the mass of system  70  in direction  76 , thereby causing item  10  to tilt towards the user&#39;s hand in direction  80  (e.g., so that longitudinal axis  64  tips towards the user&#39;s hand away from surface normal n of surface  66 ). This behavior may be used, for example, to facilitate user gripping of item  10  in dim lighting conditions. 
       FIG.  15    is a perspective view of an illustrative cylindrically shaped fabric-based item. Illustrative item  10  of  FIG.  15    may have a weight that allows item  10  to right itself (e.g., by restoring its desired orientation by movement in directions  82  or  84 , as appropriate) and/or may have an electrically adjustable movable mass mechanism such as adjustable weight system  70  of  FIG.  14   . Item  10  may have areas with touch sensors and/or other components  26 , areas with symbols or other patterns, and/or other features that allow item  10  to serve as a remote control (see, e.g., illustrative symbol  86  in area  88 ). 
     As shown in  FIG.  16   , item  10  may have deformable portions. Some or all of the surface of the housing of item  10  may be covered with fabric  12 . Fabric  12  may include conductive strands that serve as touch sensor electrodes and/or may overlap force sensors, touch sensors, proximity sensors, mechanical switches, or other components (see, e.g., the touch sensor of  FIG.  4    and components  26  of  FIG.  5   ). This sensor circuitry may, for example, be located on the sides of item  10  of  FIG.  16   . A layer of foam (see, e.g., layer  28  of  FIG.  5   ) may be formed under the sensor circuitry to detect deformation of the sides of item  10  when pressed inwardly by a user (e.g., when a user squeezes item  10 ). In the example of  FIG.  16   , item  10  initially has an undeformed shape given by unbent housing wall surfaces  92 . When a user grips and squeezes item  10  inwardly in directions  90 , the walls of item  10  (e.g., the foam or other compressible material under fabric  12  and/or fabric  12 ) compress inwardly, so that straight housing wall surfaces become deformed as shown by deformed housing wall surfaces  92 ′. Control circuitry in item  10  can take suitable action in response to detection of deformation of fabric  12  and the associated surfaces of item  10 . For example, a wireless command may be issued (e.g., to increase or decrease volume of remote equipment  18 , to change a media playback track, to adjust household equipment such as heating or lighting, etc.). 
     If desired, support structures such as illustrative structures  28  of  FIG.  5    may be provided with a texture that can be felt by the fingers of a user through fabric  12  when gripping item  10 . This type of arrangement is shown in the cross-sectional side view of illustrative item  10  of  FIG.  17   . In the example of  FIG.  17   , item  10  has a housing formed from support structures  94  covered with fabric  12 . Fabric  12  may be sufficiently thin to allow underlying features to locally change the texture and feel of fabric  12 . Structures  94  may be formed from molded plastic, metal, and/or other materials. Surface features such as protrusions (ribs, bumps, etc.), recesses (grooves, pits, etc.), or other textured features such as textured structures  96  may provide item  10  with a textured surface when item  10  is handled by a user. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20220106
Publication Date: 20240220
Grant Date: 20240220
Priority Date: 20170614
Inventors: PODHAJNY, DANIEL A.
SUNSHINE, Daniel D.
CREWS, KATHRYN P.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "D03D1/0088", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A41D1/005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A41D31/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D1/0082", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/042", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0445", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0446", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04883", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D02G3/441", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D10B2401/16", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D10B2401/18", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D1/0088", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D1/0088", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/042", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A41D1/005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D10B2401/16", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D10B2401/18", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A41D31/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0446", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0445", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A41D1/005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A41D31/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D1/0082", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F2203/04102", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D10B2401/16", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D10B2401/18", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D02G3/441", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04883", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/042", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0445", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0446", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 64605488