# US 10,768,725 B2 · Touch sensitive control system for non-electronic display substrate surfaces > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,725 B2 - Document ID: US10768725B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/081,248 - Filed: 2017-03-01 - Published: 2019-03-07 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-02 - Assignees: Resene Paints Limited - Applicants: Resene Paints Limited - Inventors: Matthew John Van Der Werff; Zacharias Johannes Frank; Terry Robin Southern; Mark William Glenny - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768725B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/01: Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) - G06F 3/0334: {Foot operated pointing devices} - G06F 3/0354: with detection of two-dimensional [2D] relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers} - G06F 3/04186: {Touch location disambiguation} - G06F 3/0445: {using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer} - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 3/045: using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06F 2203/04106: Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection - H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches} - H03K 17/9645: {Resistive touch switches} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A touch sensitive control system is disclosed, capable of providing touch activated control for use on substrate surfaces such as walls, flooring, doors, furniture, cabinetry, vehicles and machinery. The system may find particular application in large area substrates such as building walls, floors or ceilings, but may alternatively or additionally find application in any other non-active, non-electronic substrate such as furniture, cupboard doors or drawers, or tables for example. The touch sensitive system comprises at least one electrically active layer having at least one electrical property and configured to be applied to the substrate and an electronic controller. The electrically conductive active layer is configured to have an electrical connection with the electronic controller wherein a differentiated touch on the substrate disrupts the electrical property of the electrically active layer; and wherein the disruption is detected by the electronic controller to provide a control signal. The differentiated touch is selected from: one or more of multiple sequential touches, and/or one or more touches of extended duration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A touch sensitive liquid coating system comprising a liquid coating configured to be applied to a non-electronic display substrate surface in liquid form, the non-electronic display substrate surface including any one of walls, floors, ceilings, doors, cabinetry, furniture or vehicles, the touch sensitive liquid coating system comprising: at least one electrically active layer formed by the liquid coating when applied to the non-electronic display substrate surface and having a number of electrical properties including: a) a capacitive property (capacitance); b) a resistive property (resistance); and c) a capacitive-resistive property an electronic controller; wherein the active layer is selected to particularly exhibit or enhance at least one of the number of electrical properties, wherein the at least one electrically active layer is configured to have an electrical connection with the electronic controller, wherein the electronic controller is configured to detect a differentiated touch on the non-electronic display substrate surface, that disrupts the at least one electrical property of the at least one electrically active layer and which is detected by the electronic controller to provide a control signal to actively control an electrical device, wherein the controller is further configured to dismiss false touch being: a non-intentional touch generated by a person or object brushing against the substrate surface; a person or object leaning against the substrate surface; electrical noise sources; or random noises by dismissing any single touch: below a predetermined duration, below a predetermined measure of disruption of the selected at least one electrical property, or by filtering out the noise associated with a slow increase or decrease of the at least one electrical property, and wherein the differentiated touch is selected from: one or more of multiple sequential touches, one or more touches of extended duration, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one electrically active layer comprises an active material, and wherein the active material is present in the at least one electrically active layer in the range of from about 1% w/w to about 30% w/w of the at least one electrically active layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the control signal is transmitted wirelessly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the disruption to the at least one electrical property of the at least one electrically active layer is transmitted wirelessly to the electronic controller for processing, generation of the control signal and system monitoring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, having two or more electronic controllers that connect the at least one electrically active layer to a network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 4, wherein the non-electronic display substrate surface has an area greater than 0.5. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the electrical device controlled by the control signal is lighting. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrically active layer substantially covers the non-electronic display substrate surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrically active layer partially covers the non-electronic display substrate surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 8, wherein the at least one electrically active layer comprises one or more active regions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 9, wherein the one or more active regions are configured to provide a plurality of discrete active regions each of which, or one or more of which, when touched is configured to provide a different control function of a common electrical device, and/or to control a different electrical device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the non-electronic display substrate surface has an area greater than 0.05 m2. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the active material is responsible for providing the at least one electrical property of the at least one electrically active layer. ### Claim 13 The touch sensitive liquid coating system of 12, wherein the active material comprises any one or more of carbon; metals; metal coated materials; and metal oxides or a combination thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrically active layer comprises film forming polymers selected from: acrylic copolymers; polyurethanes; epoxies; hydrocarbon polymers; modified hydrocarbon polymers; polycarbonates; polyesters, including natural oil derived polymers, alkyds; silicone polymers; mixtures and hybrid polymers of the aforementioned. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrically active layer is operated through one or more dielectric layers and the one or more dielectric layers comprise dielectric material selected from the group consisting of polymers, coatings, ceramics, cementitious materials, wood and wood composites, paper, cardboard, wallpaper, vinyl, laminates and glass. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrically active layer is coated with at least one topcoat layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 16, wherein the at least one topcoat layer provides an aesthetic feature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) An electronic controller configured for use with, or to comprise part of, the touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 1. ### Claim 19 A touch sensitive liquid coating system comprising a liquid coating configured to be applied to a non-electronic display substrate surface in liquid form, the non-electronic display substrate surface including any one of walls, floors, ceilings, doors, cabinetry, furniture or vehicles, the touch sensitive liquid coating system comprising: at least one electrically active layer formed by the liquid coating when applied to the non-electronic display substrate surface and having: a resistive property (resistance); and an electronic controller; wherein the at least one electrically active layer is configured to have an electrical connection with the electronic controller; and wherein the electronic controller is configured to detect a differentiated touch on the non-electronic display substrate surface, that disrupts the resistive property of the at least one electrically active layer and which is detected by the electronic controller to provide a control signal to actively control an electrical device, wherein the controller is further configured to dismiss false touch being: a non-intentional touch as could be generated by a person or object brushing against the substrate surface; a person or object leaning against the substrate surface; electrical noise sources; or random noises by dismissing any single touch: below a predetermined duration, below a predetermined measure of disruption of the resistive property, or by filtering out the noise associated with a slow increase or decrease of the resistive property, and wherein the differentiated touch is selected from: one or more of multiple sequential touches, one or more touches of extended duration, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one electrically active layer comprises an active material, wherein the active material is present at a level exceeding the percolation threshold for the at least one electrically active layer where the percolation threshold denotes the lower limit of conductivity for a particular active material in an active layer, and wherein the active material is present in the at least one electrically active layer in the range of from about 1% w/w to about 30% w/w of the at least one electrically active layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The touch sensitive liquid coating system of claim 19, wherein the active material comprises of carbon. ### Claim 21 A touch sensitive liquid coating system comprising a liquid coating configured to be applied to a non-electronic display substrate surface in liquid form, the non-electronic display substrate surface including any one of walls, floors, ceilings, doors, cabinetry, furniture or vehicles, the touch sensitive liquid coating system comprising: at least one electrically active layer formed by the liquid coating when applied to the non-electronic display substrate surface and having a resistive property (resistance); and an electronic controller; wherein the at least one electrically active layer is configured to have an electrical connection with the electronic controller, wherein the electronic controller is configured to detect a differentiated touch on the non-electronic display substrate surface, that disrupts the resistive property of the at least one electrically active layer and which is detected by the electronic controller to provide a control signal to actively control an electrical device, wherein the controller is further configured to dismiss false touch being: a non-intentional touch generated by a person or object brushing against the substrate surface; a person or object leaning against the substrate surface; electrical noise sources; or random noises by dismissing any single touch: below a predetermined duration, below a predetermined measure of disruption of the resistive property, or by filtering out the noise associated with a slow increase or decrease of the resistive property; wherein the differentiated touch is selected from: one or more of multiple sequential touches, one or more touches of extended duration, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one electrically active layer comprises an active material, and wherein the active material is present in the at least one electrically active layer in the range of from about 1% w/w to about 30% w/w of the at least one electrically active layer.