US 12,736,420 B1Granted

Capacitive mat for detecting placement or removal of items

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsRachid M. Alameh, Jiri Slaby, Gregory Donald Hager, Thomas Keenan, Jonathan Guy, Nir Charny, Nathan P. O'Neill, Frederick Hershel Savage, Amelia Capilongo, Alexander Eugene Choi, David Bryan Michelman, Jonathan Alan Jenkins

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Abstract

A capacitive mat includes a first set of conductors that function as sensing electrodes applied to a first side of a substrate and a second set of conductors that function as shield electrodes applied to a second side of the substrate. Upper and lower exterior layers are placed over the sets of conductors. The substrate and the exterior layers may be formed from flexible materials. Circuitry in the mat determines a capacitance associated with the conductors at a region of the mat that is associated with an object on the mat. To reduce thickness and improve flexibility, the shield electrodes may be used to determine a ground reference value and use of separate ground electrodes may be omitted. Conductive regions on the mat may be used to couple with adjacent mats, allowing several mats to be easily combined to cover a larger surface.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A mat for determining position of an object relative to a surface, the mat comprising:

capacitive sensor circuitry;
a flexible substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the substrate is formed from a non-conductive material;
a first set of conductors on the first side of the substrate, wherein the first set of conductors is connected to the capacitive sensor circuitry;
a second set of conductors on the second side of the substrate, wherein the second set of conductors is connected to the capacitive sensor circuitry;
a flexible upper exterior covering for placement of the object, wherein the first set of conductors is between the flexible upper exterior covering and the substrate;
and
a flexible lower exterior covering for placement on the surface, wherein the second set of conductors is between the flexible lower exterior covering and the substrate;
wherein the capacitive sensor circuitry is configured to:
determine a capacitance associated with a first conductor of the first set of conductors and a second conductor of the second set of conductors associated with a region of the flexible upper exterior covering that encompasses the first conductor and the second conductor;
and
generate output indicative of the capacitance.

8 more elements

A system comprising:

a first mat having at least a first edge and a second edge, the first mat comprising:
capacitive sensor circuitry;
a first conductor connected to the capacitive sensor circuitry;
a second conductor connected to the capacitive sensor circuitry;
a first conductive contact positioned at the first edge, wherein the first conductive contact is connected to at least a first of the first conductor or the second conductor;
and
a second conductive contact positioned at the second edge, wherein the second conductive contact is connected to at least a second of the first conductor or the second conductor;
wherein the capacitive sensor circuitry is configured to determine a first capacitance associated with the first conductor and the second conductor, and wherein the first capacitance is associated with a first region of the first mat.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/618,796Filed 27 Mar 2024
Granted: 15 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01L 1/146
Using capacitors: for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays
G06Q 10/087
Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management: inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling,…
G06Q 10/08724
Using inventory planning: by shelf level inventory management, e.g. planograms
G06Q 10/0877
Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders: by inventory control or reporting using inventory…