US 12,716,790 B2 · Systems and methods for dual-function foam pressure sensors

Abstract

A pressure sensing system that includes a dual-function foam is disclosed. The dual-function foam may be integrated into padding of a variety of objects to measure pressures and locations of pressures/strains exerted by a user on the padding. The dual-function foam may respond to a pressure/strain with a piezoelectric effect or a piezoresistive effect depending on the nature of the applied pressure/strain. Each effect may require different sensing approaches. Accordingly, the pressure sensor system may include a controller that is configurable into one of a plurality of operating modes based on the sensing approach suitable for the applied pressure/strain. One of the operating modes may be a sleep mode, which can reduce the power consumed by the controller when no pressure/strain is applied to the dual-function foam for a period.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A pressure sensing system comprising:

a pressure sensor including:
a dual-function foam configured to:
generate a piezoelectric effect in response to a transient pressure;
and
generate a piezoresistive effect in response to a sustained pressure;
and
an electrode pair disposed on a surface of the dual-function foam;
and
a controller electrically coupled to the electrode pair, the controller configured to:
receive a signal from the electrode pair, the signal corresponding to the piezoelectric effect or the piezoresistive effect;
and
select an operating mode from a plurality of operating modes based on the signal in order to measure the transient pressure or the sustained pressure, the plurality of operating modes including a static mode in which the controller is configured to measure the piezoresistive effect of the sustained pressure and a dynamic mode in which the controller is configured to measure the piezoelectric effect of the transient pressure.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for dual-function foam pressure sensors

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for dual-function foam pressure sensors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17