Apple receives U.S. patent for “fabric control device”

Apple received a U.S. patent, dated February 20, for a fabric-based item with circuit-related elements such as switches and sensors

As per the filing, the patent application was filed on January 6, 2022 [File] | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Apple on Tuesday received a patent in the U.S. for a “fabric control device,” which described a fabric-based item that could contain circuit-related elements such as switches and sensors.

As per the document, the patent application was filed on January 6, 2022.

“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,” stated a passage from the patent filing.

It added that the tech could be applied to bags, furniture, clothing, and electronic devices. Basic diagrams showed possible textile patterns for the proposed item, as well as a finger interacting with the surface.

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The inventors named in the patent application were Daniel A. Podhajny, Daniel D. Sunshine, and Kathryn P. Crews. All were listed as being from the U.S.

“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 wire-less signals in response information from the input circuitry,” said the filing.

However, the filing also detailed risks such as the fabric-based device being awkward to use, unattractive, or non-functional.

Apple this month released its Vision Pro headset at a price of $3,500, with many early users praising its visuals while others complained of headache and strain.