# US 2021/0240290 A1 · Interactive display surfaces > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240290 A1 - Document ID: US20210240290A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/169,192 - Filed: 2021-02-05 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-05 - Assignees: Touchwood Labs, Inc. - Applicants: Touchwood Labs, Inc. - Inventors: Matthew Dworman; Gaurav Asthana; Charles Hart - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240290A1 ## CPC - A47B 13/08: Table tops; Rims therefor (not restricted to table tops A47B95/04) - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - A47B 97/00: Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass - G06F 3/04164: {Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads} - 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} - A47B 2021/0076: {the screen being incorporated in the desk top} - A47B 2220/0091: Electronic or electric devices - A47B: TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE (furniture jointing F16B) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Touch responsive displays that may be integrated into a wide variety of non-transparent, non-glass surfaces to provide on-demand human computer interfaces that blend with the environment, i.e., remain invisible unless activated, effectively adding digital user interfaces (UI) to non-technology products and surfaces. The interactive display devices are frameless assemblies of a sensor layer, a light layer, and a support layer housing a microcontroller, wherein the device is configured to be positioned beneath a non-transparent surface layer with the sensor layer arranged below the surface layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An interactive display device having a frameless outer perimeter, a top surface, and a bottom surface, the device comprising: a touch sensor layer; a light layer comprising a plurality of light elements that extend to the outer perimeter of the interactive display device and are configured to render digital information; a substantially transparent insulation layer arranged between the touch sensor and light layers; a microcontroller having a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions, a memory storing the computer-executable instructions, and a wireless transceiver circuit in communication with the processor; and a support layer arranged beneath the light layer and forming the bottom surface of the device, the support layer providing rigidity to the device and supporting the microcontroller thereon, wherein the device is configured to be positioned beneath a non-transparent surface layer with the touch sensor layer arranged below the surface layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the support layer comprises a recess configured to accommodate the microcontroller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processor of the microcontroller is configured to receive signals related to a touch position on the top surface of the device and generate responsive output signals corresponding to the digital information to be rendered on the light layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the wireless transceiver circuit is for receiving and transmitting wireless communication signals via a wireless network, wherein the wireless communication signals comprise the digital information to be rendered on the light layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light elements are arranged in a grid and are selected from the group consisting of LED, OLED, and fiber optic lighting. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of light elements is independently powered. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of light elements is a red-green-blue light emitting diode (RGB LED) or red-green-blue-white light emitting diode (RGBW LED). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a non-transparent surface layer, wherein the layers of the device are not visible beneath the non-transparent surface layer when the light layer is inactive. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the non-transparent surface layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of wood, fiber, stone, leather, Corian®, quartz®, polymers, ceramics, alloys, vinyl, opaque acrylics, plastics, and composite materials. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor layer comprises: a capacitive touch sensor configured to generate an input signal related to a touch position on the touch sensor layer; and an electronic input-output control system configured to receive the input signal and generate a responsive output signal receivable by the processor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the capacitive touch sensor layer comprises: a conductive material arranged on a surface of a substrate; and a plurality of electrodes electrically coupled to the conductive material and spaced apart at predetermined intervals, wherein the conductive material comprises at least one of metal nanowires or traces arranged in an x-y grid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the insulation layer comprises a lens positioned above each of the plurality of light elements, wherein the lenses are formed as recesses or protrusions in the insulation layer and focus or diffuse light from the light elements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light elements are arranged in a grid having a pitch of 1 mm to 5 mm, and wherein a thickness of the insulation layer is equal to or greater than 0.5× the pitch of the grid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A piece of furniture having the device of claim 1 embedded on a surface thereof, wherein the sensor layer is arranged below and bonded to a non-transparent surface veneer of the piece of furniture such that the device blends with the surface when the light layer is inactive. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A wall, floor, or door having the device of claim 1 embedded therein, wherein the sensor layer is arranged below and bonded to a non-transparent surface constituting at least a portion of the wall, floor, or door such that the device blends with the surface when the light layer is inactive. ### Claim 16 A method for providing digital information on a non-transparent surface, the method comprising: positioning a touch sensor layer of an interactive display device below the non-transparent surface, the interactive display having a frameless outer perimeter and further comprising: a light layer comprising a plurality of light elements that extend to the outer perimeter of the interactive display device and are configured to render the digital information, a substantially transparent insulation layer arranged between the touch sensor layer and the light layer, a microcontroller having a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions, a memory storing the computer-executable instructions, and a wireless transceiver circuit in communication with the processor, and a support layer arranged beneath the light layer and forming a bottom surface of the device, the support layer providing rigidity to the device and comprising a recess configured to accommodate the microcontroller, providing the digital information responsive to a touch contact on the non-transparent surface at a position over the touch sensor layer of the device, wherein the processor of the microcontroller is configured to receive signals related to the position and generate responsive output signals corresponding to the digital information to be rendered on the light layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless transceiver circuit is for receiving and transmitting wireless communication signals via a wireless network, wherein the wireless communication signals comprise the digital information to be rendered on the light layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the digital information is any of an image, a text, a light, a pattern, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the non-transparent surface is part of a piece of furniture, a wall, a floor, a door, a motor vehicle, a transit vehicle, or a decorative element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the non-transparent surface comprises a material selected from the group consisting of wood, fiber, stone, leather, Corian®, quartz®, polymers, ceramics, alloys, vinyl, opaque acrylics, plastics, and composite materials.