Motorized shade with capacitive touch fabric

A motorized shade for covering an architectural opening comprising:

• a shade material comprising and extending between an upper end and a lower end, wherein the shade material comprises a plurality of warp threads each comprising an electrically conductive material;
• a roller tube comprising an electrically conductive material, wherein the upper end of the shade material is attached to the roller tube, wherein the roller tube creates an electrically conductive path between the conductive warp threads of the shade material and the roller tube;
• a capacitive touch sensor electrically connected to the roller tube via at least one electrical contact;
• and
• a controller electrically connected to the capacitive touch sensor and adapted to detect a touch of the shade material via the capacitive touch sensor.

A motorized roller shade for covering an architectural opening comprising:

• a shade material comprising and extending between an upper end and a lower end, wherein the shade material at least partially comprises electrically conductive material;
• a roller tube comprising an electrically conductive material, wherein the upper end of the shade material is attached to the roller tube, wherein the roller tube creates an electrically conductive path between the conductive material of the shade material and the roller tube;
• an RC oscillator electrically connected to the roller tube via at least one electrical contact and adapted to generate an output signal that oscillates at an oscillation frequency, wherein the output signal is used to charge and discharge the conductive material of the shade material;
• and
• a controller adapted to measure the output signal to detect output frequency values and in response to detect at least one gesture.