# US 12,118,268 B2 · Playback device with conforming capacitive touch sensor assembly

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- Number: US 12,118,268 B2
- Document ID: US12118268B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/731,601
- Filed: 2022-04-28
- Published: 2022-12-01
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-01
- Assignees: Sonos, Inc.
- Applicants: Sonos, Inc.
- Inventors: Mark S. Viscusi; Randel W. Roberts, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118268B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path}
- G04G 9/007: {combined with a calculator or computing means}
- G04G 21/08: Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
- G06F 3/0416: {Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers}
- G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes}
- H03K 17/962: {Capacitive touch switches}
- H04R 1/1008: {Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type}
- H04R 1/1041: {Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H)}
- H04R 1/105: {Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks (for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335)}
- G06F 2203/04102: Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
- H03K 2017/9602: {characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes}
- H03K 2217/960755: Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
- H04R 1/1091: {Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083}
- H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)}
- H04R 2227/005: Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
- H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G04G: ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
- 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)
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to playback devices having a non-flat surface and comprising a flexible electronic assembly conforming to that surface. The flexible electronic assembly may include (i) a flexible substrate having a first portion and a second portion, (ii) an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes arranged on the first portion, and (iii) a plurality of conductors that are electrically coupled to the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes and that extend onto the second portion. The first portion may include a plurality of cutouts. Each cutout of a first subset of the plurality of cutouts may be positioned between a respective set of two or more electrodes in the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes. Each cutout of a second subset of the plurality of cutouts may be configured to reduce a wrinkling of the first portion when conforming the first portion to the non-flat surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A playback device comprising:
a housing portion comprising a non-flat surface;
a flexible touch-sensitive electronic assembly comprising:
a flexible substrate having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion extends from the first portion, and wherein the first portion is at least partially disposed on the non-flat surface of the housing portion;
an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes arranged on the first portion of the flexible substrate; and
a plurality of conductors that are electrically coupled to the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes and that extend onto the second portion of the flexible substrate,
wherein the first portion of the flexible substrate includes a plurality of cutouts,
wherein the plurality of cutouts includes one or more cross-shaped cutouts,
wherein at least one cross-shaped cutout of the one or more cross-shaped cutouts includes a circular cutout at one or more ends of the at least one cross-shaped cutout, and
wherein each cutout of a subset of the plurality of cutouts is positioned between a respective set of two or more electrodes in the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes;
one or more audio drivers;
at least one processor;
at least one communication interface;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
receive, via the at least one communication interface, media content;
cause the one or more audio drivers to play back the media content;
detect, using the flexible touch-sensitive electronic assembly, a touch input; and
after detection of the touch input, modify playback of the media content based on the touch input.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cutouts include one or more linear cutouts, one or more triangular cutouts, or one or more circular cutouts.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cutouts include one or more linear cutouts, and wherein at least one linear cutout of the one or more linear cutouts includes a circular cutout at one or both ends of the at least one linear cutout.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cutouts include one or more triangular cutouts, and wherein at least one triangular cutout of the one or more triangular cutouts includes a circular cutout at a vertex of the at least one triangular cutout.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes includes a plurality of electrode columns and a plurality of electrode rows, and wherein the one or more cross-shaped cutouts are positioned at one or more intersections of the electrode columns and electrode rows.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cutouts include one or more triangular cutouts, and wherein at least one triangular cutout of the one or more triangular cutouts extends inward from an outer edge of the flexible substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The playback device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor includes (i) a first processor electrically coupled to the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes via the plurality of conductors and (ii) a second processor electrically coupled to the first processor via a communication bus, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to detect the touch input comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
determine, by the first processor, a type of the touch input based on one or more signals representing the touch input; and
send, by the first processor to the second processor via the communication bus, data indicating the determined type of the touch input.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The playback device of claim 7, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to detect the touch input comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
determine, by the first processor, one or more of a location or a movement of the touch input; and
determine, by the first processor, the type of the touch input based on the determined location or movement of the touch input.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The playback device of claim 8, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to modify playback of the media content based on the touch input comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the playback device is configured to:
modify playback of the media content based on the determined type of the touch input.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The playback device of claim 8, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprises a first memory storing a first portion of the program instructions and a second memory storing a second portion of the program instructions.

### Claim 11

A headphone device comprising:
a housing portion comprising a non-flat surface, wherein the housing portion is an earpiece of the headphone device and the earpiece is attached to a headband of the headphone device;
a flexible touch-sensitive electronic assembly comprising:
a flexible substrate having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion extends from the first portion, and wherein the first portion is at least partially disposed on the non-flat surface of the housing portion;
an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes arranged on the first portion of the flexible substrate; and
a plurality of conductors that are electrically coupled to the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes and that extend onto the second portion of the flexible substrate,
wherein the first portion of the flexible substrate includes a plurality of cutouts,
wherein the plurality of cutouts includes one or more cross-shaped cutouts,
wherein at least one cross-shaped cutout of the one or more cross-shaped cutouts includes a circular cutout at one or more ends of the at least one cross-shaped cutout, and
wherein each cutout of a subset of the plurality of cutouts is positioned between a respective set of two or more electrodes in the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes;
one or more audio drivers;
at least one processor;
at least one communication interface;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the headphone device is configured to:
receive, via the at least one communication interface, audio content;
cause the one or more audio drivers to play back the audio content;
detect, using the flexible touch-sensitive electronic assembly, a touch input; and
after detection of the touch input, modify playback of the audio content based on the touch input.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The headphone device of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor includes (i) a first processor electrically coupled to the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes via the plurality of conductors and (ii) a second processor electrically coupled to the first processor via a communication bus, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the headphone device is configured to detect the touch input comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the headphone device is configured to:
determine, by the first processor, a type of the touch input based on one or more signals representing the touch input; and
send, by the first processor to the second processor via the communication bus, data indicating the determined type of the touch input.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The headphone device of claim 12, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the headphone device is configured to detect the touch input comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the headphone device is configured to:
determine, by the first processor, one or more of a location or a movement of the touch input; and
determine, by the first processor, the type of the touch input based on the determined location or movement of the touch input.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The headphone device of claim 13, wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the headphone device is configured to modify playback of the audio content based on the touch input comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the headphone device is configured to:
modify playback of the audio content based on the determined type of the touch input.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The headphone device of claim 13, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprises a first memory storing a first portion of the program instructions and a second memory storing a second portion of the program instructions.

### Claim 16

A wearable device comprising:
a housing portion configured to be worn by a subject, the housing portion comprising a non-flat surface;
a flexible touch-sensitive electronic assembly comprising:
a flexible substrate having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion extends from the first portion, and wherein the first portion is at least partially disposed on the non-flat surface of the housing portion;
an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes arranged on the first portion of the flexible substrate; and
a plurality of conductors that are electrically coupled to the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes and that extend onto the second portion of the flexible substrate,
wherein the first portion of the flexible substrate includes a plurality of cutouts,
wherein the plurality of cutouts includes one or more cross-shaped cutouts,
wherein at least one cross-shaped cutout of the one or more cross-shaped cutouts includes a circular cutout at one or more ends of the at least one cross-shaped cutout, and
wherein each cutout of a subset of the plurality of cutouts is positioned between a respective set of two or more electrodes in the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes;
one or more audio drivers;
at least one processor;
at least one communication interface;
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
program instructions stored on the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by the at least one processor such that the wearable device is configured to:
receive, via the at least one communication interface, media content;
cause the one or more audio drivers to play back the media content;
detect, using the flexible touch-sensitive electronic assembly, a touch input; and
after detection of the touch input, modify playback of the media content based on the touch input.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The wearable device of claim 16, wherein the wearable device is a pair of smart-glasses and the non-flat surface is a temple portion of the smart-glasses.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The wearable device of claim 16, wherein the wearable device is a smart watch and the non-flat surface is a body of the smart watch or a band of the smart watch.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The wearable device of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor includes (i) a first processor electrically coupled to the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes via the plurality of conductors and (ii) a second processor electrically coupled to the first processor via a communication bus, and wherein the program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the wearable device is configured to detect the touch input comprise program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor such that the wearable device is configured to:
determine, by the first processor, a type of the touch input based on one or more signals representing the touch input; and
send, by the first processor to the second processor via the communication bus, data indicating the determined type of the touch input.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The wearable device of claim 16, wherein:
the array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes includes a plurality of electrode columns and a plurality of electrode rows; and
the one or more cross-shaped cutouts are positioned at one or more intersections of the electrode columns and electrode rows.