EP1595013A1 - Textile fabric structure, surface covering structure and method for determining the interspacing of microelectronic elements of the textile fabric structure with respect to at least one reference position - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a textile fabric structure having a plurality of microelectronic components that are arranged in said textile fabric structure, in addition to electrically conductive threads coupling the plurality of microelectronic components to one another, conductive data transmission threads coupling the plurality of microelectronic components to one another and electrically non-conductive threads. The conductive threads and the conductive data transmission threads are provided with electrical interfaces or data transmission interfaces on the edge of the textile fabric structure.

Description

description

Textile fabric structure, surface covering structure and method for determining a distance from microelectronic elements of the textile fabric structure to at least one reference position

The invention relates to a textile fabric structure, a surface covering structure and a method for. Determining a distance from microelectronic elements of the textile fabric structure to at least one reference position.

In many areas of domestic technology and for many trade fair set-ups, there is a need to easily install sensors and actuators, preferably display elements, in floors, walls or ceilings. Floors, walls or ceilings should be able to perceive contact and / or pressure optionally or in combination and react to the existence of a touch and / or pressure with an optical display or an acoustic display.

The required large-area sensors or the large-area display units should be able to be attached and operated in a simple, inexpensive and fault-tolerant manner. In particular, the installation of the sensors or actuators should be adaptable to a variety of sizes and geometric shapes from a floor, a wall or a ceiling.

To integrate sensors or actuators into a floor, a side wall or the ceiling of a room, it is known to install the desired sensors or actuators in the floor, the wall or the ceiling in a customer-specific solution.

The special solutions require a high level of planning effort, while still planning the building it must be specified exactly at which locations the respective sensor or actuator system is to be provided.

Another disadvantage of such a special solution is that each sensor or actuator is controlled individually and is provided separately with power lines and data lines. The data lines were routed individually or via routers to be installed separately to a central processing unit. Furthermore, according to the prior art, complex control software is required to control the respective sensors or actuators, which has to be adapted to the special geometry of the respective special solution in order to enable spatial or level detection of objects, in particular people.

Such special solutions are therefore unsuitable for the mass market because they are inflexible and expensive.

Furthermore, a fault-tolerant architecture of self-organizing display fields and sensor fields in the field of microelectronics, in other words in the field of a micro system, is known in [1].

In the post-published German patent application [2] a device with textile material is proposed, in which flexible wire and / or thread-like electrical conductors are arranged. Furthermore, at least one electronic component is electrically connected to the conductor by means of a contact point. A first hard encapsulation covers the contact point and stabilizes it mechanically. A second encapsulation is designed in such a way that it enables a mechanical connection of the component with the textile material.

[3] describes a fabric of a monitoring element for installation in conveyor belts, the fabric consisting of a continuous fabric web with fabric elements for Stabilization and electrically non-conductive material such as plastic threads or rubber threads or textile threads and mainly on the outer edges of electrically conductive fabric elements.

The invention provides a textile fabric structure, a surface covering structure and a method for determining a distance from microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure to at least one reference position.

A textile fabric structure has a plurality of microelectronic components, which in the

Textile fabric structure are arranged, electrically conductive threads, which couple the plurality of microelectronic components with each other, conductive data transmission threads, which couple the plurality of microelectronic components with one another, and electrically non-conductive threads. Furthermore, the conductive threads and the conductive data transmission threads at the edge of the textile fabric structure are each provided with electrical interfaces or data transmission interfaces.

The invention can clearly be seen in that a textile fabric structure is created which can be used to clad a surface, preferably a floor, a wall or a ceiling. The textile fabric structure can be used in any textile fabrics, for example also in curtains, textile roller blinds or awnings. The textile fabric structure has a plurality of microelectronic components for electronic data processing, which plurality of microelectronic components can be supplied with current via electrically conductive threads also provided in the textile fabric structure and which receives the data to be processed by means of the data transmission threads or can transmit them. The structure of the textile fabric has compared to that of Prior art has the advantage that it can be produced over a large area and can easily be cut into any desired shape. This means that it can be adapted to any surface on which it is to be installed. It is not necessary for the individual

Microelectronic components, e.g. LEDs, sensors, actuators or processor units to be subsequently coupled with one another, since the microelectronic components are already coupled to one another within the textile fabric structure.

In other words, a plurality of microelectronic components are embedded in a textile fabric structure to cover a surface. The individual microelectronic components are preferably able, on the basis of additionally provided components, to exchange electronic messages with other microelectronic components in the textile fabric structure via the data transmission threads and thus, for example, to enable a local position determination of the respective microelectronic component within the textile fabric structure or with respect to a predetermined reference position, i.e. to carry out a self-organization.

This makes it very easy for a microelectronic component to determine its position within a surface without additional external information, even if a textile fabric structure is brought into a predetermined shape by cutting, microelectronic components or coupling lines between the individual microelectronic components being destroyed or removed by the cutting can.

Thus, in the case of self-organization of the microelectronic components, it is possible for the mass market in a very simple and inexpensive way to design a textile fabric structure and to lay the textile fabric structure according to a predefined, desired shape and, despite the additional electronics integrated in this, you do not have to pay attention to the positions of the

Microelectronic components are arranged within the area covered with this, so that the respective

Microelectronic component within the textile fabric structure is clearly addressable.

A flat panel structure has one

Textile fabric structure on which a surface covering is fixed. The fixation is preferably carried out by means of gluing and / or laminating and / or vulcanizing.

In the method for determining a distance from microelectronic components of a textile fabric structure to at least one reference position while exchanging electronic messages between adjacent microelectronic components, a first message is generated by a first microelectronic component, the first message containing first distance information, which is the distance between the first microelectronic component or the Distance of a second microelectronic component receiving the first message contains from the reference position. The first message is sent from the first microelectronic component to the second microelectronic component. Depending on the distance information, the distance of the second microelectronic component from the reference position is determined or stored. Furthermore, the second microelectronic component generates a second message which contains a second distance information which contains the distance of the second microelectronic component or the distance of a third microelectronic component receiving the second message from the reference position. The second message is sent from the second microelectronic component to the third microelectronic component. Depending on the second Distance information, the distance of the third microelectronic component from the reference position is determined or stored. The method steps described above are carried out for all microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure which are coupled to one another.

After this method has been carried out, the respective position of each microelectronic component within the textile fabric structure and its distance from at least one reference position has only been determined using local information.

This aspect of the invention can clearly be seen in the fact that an architecture developed for microsystems and there for micro data display devices and sensors, and algorithms developed therefor, have been transferred to the macro systems for building services and measurement technology, the required microelectronic components being incorporated into the textile fabric structure, to which Elements of a cladding can be fixed, are embedded.

This opens up a wealth of new ones

Possible applications, which are explained in more detail below.

The reference position can in principle be arbitrary, preferably the reference position is a position at which a portal processor described below is located, which controls the microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure and initiates communication from outside the textile fabric structure. The portal processor can be a microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure or an additional processor. The reference position can also be a position within the textile fabric structure, in which case preferably a microelectronic component at the reference position arranged and this is assigned. In this case, the reference position is preferably on the edge, ie on the top or bottom row or the left or right column in the event that the microelectronic components in the textile fabric structure are arranged in a matrix in rows and columns. The transmission of information into or out of the textile fabric structure is preferably carried out by means of the portal processor exclusively via at least part of the microelectronic components located at the edge of the textile fabric structure.

This procedure clearly means that starting from an "introductory microelectronic component" at the reference position, usually at the edge of the textile fabric structure, that is to say at a microelectronic component external to the textile fabric structure, a first distance is assigned, for example the distance value "1", which indicates that the microelectronic component is at a distance "1" from the portal processor. In the event that the distance of the microelectronic component sending the message from the reference position is inserted into the message in each case and transmitted to the microelectronic component to be received, the distance value "1" from the second microelectronic component becomes from the first microelectronic component transmitted in the first message and by the second

Microelectronic component, the received distance value is incremented by a value "1". The incremented value "2" is now stored as an updated second distance value of the second microelectronic component. The second distance value is incremented by a value "1" and a third distance value is generated and transmitted to the third microelectronic component and stored there. The corresponding procedure is carried out in a corresponding manner for all microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure and the one The distance value assigned to the microelectronic component is updated after receipt of a message with distance information whenever the received distance value is smaller than the stored distance value.

A textile fabric structure has a large number of microelectronic components. each

Microelectronic component is coupled to at least one microelectronic component adjacent to it via a bidirectional communication interface, the data transmission interface. To determine the respective distance of a microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure from a reference position, messages are exchanged between the microelectronic components, preferably between adjacent microelectronic components, each message containing distance information, which is the distance between a microelectronic component sending the message or a microelectronic component receiving the message from the reference position , specifies (also referred to as distance value) and each microelectronic component is set up in such a way that the distance of the microelectronic component from the reference position can be determined or stored from the distance information of a received message.

Due to the use of only local information and the exchange of electronic messages, especially between immediately neighboring ones

Microelectronic components is the procedure very robust against occurring malfunctions and failures of individual 'microelectronic components or individual connections between two microelectronic components if these connections are destroyed, for example when the textile fabric structure is cut to a predetermined shape. Preferred developments of the invention result from the dependent claims. The embodiments of the invention described below relate to the method according to the invention and the textile fabric structure according to the invention.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the electrically conductive threads are set up in such a way that they can be used to supply energy to the plurality of microelectronic components.

In the textile fabric structure, the conductive data transmission threads can be electrically conductive.

In a further development of the textile fabric structure, the conductive data transmission threads are optically conductive.

The plurality of microelectronic components can be arranged in a regular grid in the textile fabric structure, preferably in a regular rectangular or square grid.

Most preferably, each microelectronic component from the plurality of microelectronic components is coupled to all neighboring microelectronic components by means of the conductive threads and the conductive data transmission threads, i.e. with a regular rectangular grid with four neighboring microelectronic components.

In a further development, the microelectronic components are processor units.

At least one sensor can preferably be coupled to the plurality of processor units. Such a sensor can be, for example, a pressure sensor, a heat sensor, a smoke sensor, an optical sensor or a noise sensor. ^* In a further development, the textile fabric structure on at least one imaging element and / or a sound wave-generating element and / or a vibration generation member which is coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of microelectronic components.

This means that the textile fabric structure has at least one actuator integrated therein. The actuator is, for example, an imaging unit or a sound-generating unit, preferably a liquid crystal display unit or a polymer electronics display unit, generally any type of display unit, or a loudspeaker that generates a sound wave, generally any element that generates an electromagnetic wave. Another possible actuator provided is a vibration-generating element.

According to another embodiment, the majority of the textile fabric structure is

Microelectronic components set up in such a way that electronic messages are exchanged between the first microelectronic component and a second, adjacent microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure in order to determine a respective distance between a first microelectronic component and a reference position. Each message contains distance information, which indicates the distance of a microelectronic component sending the message or a microelectronic component receiving the message from the reference position. Furthermore, the plurality of microelectronic components are set up in such a way that the distance from a received message can be used to determine or to store one's own distance from the reference position. The flat cladding structure is preferably designed as a wall cladding structure or floor cladding structure or ceiling cladding structure.

The flat cladding structure can have a textile that is uniformly interspersed with electrically conductive wires, at least over partial regions of the textile fabric structure.

The textile, which is covered with electrically conductive wires, can be used to avoid "electrosmog" in the vicinity of people. In this way, the "electrosmog" can be shielded,. However, it should be ensured that certain areas, e.g. Areas above capacitive sensors, must not be covered by the shield.

According to one embodiment, in the method for determining a distance before determining the distance of the microelectronic components from the reference position, the local positions of the microelectronic components within the textile fabric structure are ascertained, starting from a microelectronic component at an introduction point of the textile fabric structure, each position detection messages, which contain at least one line parameter, e.g. and have a column parameter s, which is the row number or column number of the microelectronic component sending the message or the row number or column number of the receiving the message

Contains microelectronic components within the textile fabric structure, are transmitted to neighboring microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure and the following steps are carried out by the respective microelectronic component. If the line parameter in the received message is greater than the previously stored line number of the microelectronic component, the line parameter value z of the received message is assigned to the own line number of the microelectronic component. If the column parameter in the received message is greater than the own column number of the microelectronic component, the column parameter value of the received message is assigned to the stored column number. If the own line number and / or the own column number have been changed due to the above-described method steps, then new position measurement messages are generated with new line parameters and new column parameters, which each contain the line number and column number of the microelectronic component sending the message or the line number and column number of the receiving the message

Contain microelectronic component, and these are transferred to an adjacent microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure.

This development further expands the concept of local message exchange between mutually adjacent microelectronic components, since the individual positions are already local

Microelectronic components within the textile fabric structure according to this concept based on local

Position information, which only results from position information obtained from the immediately adjacent microelectronic components. This enables a very robust, robust procedure within the framework of the self-organization of the textile fabric structure.

According to another development of the invention, the own distance value of the microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure is changed in an iterative method if the previously stored distance value is greater than the distance value received in the message received, which value has been increased by a predetermined value. Furthermore, in the case of a method in which a microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure changes its own distance value, this is used Microelectronic component generates a distance measuring message and sent to neighboring microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure, the distance measuring message each containing its own distance as distance information or the distance value that the receiving microelectronic component from a portal processor has.

The distance value can be changed by a value increased by a predetermined value compared to the own distance value, preferably by the value “1 ^w .

The invention is particularly suitable for use in the following areas of application:

• home automation, in particular to increase home comfort,

• alarm systems with position determination and optional weight determination of an intruder,

• automatic visitor guidance at trade fairs at an exhibition or in a museum,

For a control system in an emergency situation, for example in an airplane or on a train, to show the passengers a route to an emergency exit,

In textile concrete constructions in which textile fabric structures can serve to detect possible damage,

• Obtaining information to keep statistics on which areas in a store customers are in and for how long.

The invention can be clearly seen in that a desired electronic data processing and optionally desired sensors or display elements as well as communication network components are integrated into wall, floor or ceiling cladding known per se. A textile fabric structure according to the invention contains, in addition to a base fabric, preferably made of synthetic fiber (electrically non-conductive threads), conductive threads, preferably conductive warp and weft threads, which preferably consist of metal wires, for example copper, poly-inventions, carbon filaments or other electrically conductive wires. If metal wires are used, a coating of nobler metals, for example gold or silver, is preferably used as corrosion protection in the event of moisture or aggressive media. Another possibility is to isolate metal threads by applying an insulating varnish, for example polyester, polyamideimide, or polyurethane.

In addition to electrically conductive fibers, optical fibers made of plastic or glass can also be used as data transmission threads.

The base fabric of the textile fabric structure is preferably produced in a thickness which corresponds to a thickness of the microelectronic components to be integrated, hereinafter also called microprocessor modules, e.g. Sensors, LEDs and / or microprocessors is adapted. A sensor can e.g. a pressure sensor, a heat sensor, a smoke sensor, an optical sensor or a noise sensor. A distance between the optically and / or electrically conductive fibers is preferably selected such that it matches a connection grid of the microelectronic components to be integrated.

Even if the following exemplary embodiment describes a carpet arrangement, the invention is not restricted to a carpet, but can be applied to any element suitable for covering or covering the surface.

The textile fabric structure according to the invention with integrated microelectronics, processor units and / or sensors and / or actuators, for example display lamp, is fully functional by itself and can be fixed under various surface coverings. Examples include non-conductive textiles, carpets, parquet, plastic, curtains, roller blinds, wallpapers, insulating mats, tent roofs, plaster layers, screed and textile concrete. The fixing is preferably carried out by means of gluing, laminating or vulcanizing.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the figures and are explained in more detail below. Identical components are provided with identical reference symbols in the figures.

Show it:

1 shows a textile fabric structure according to the invention, as a coarse-mesh fabric with conductive threads and integrated microelectronics, four areas a), b), c) and d) being marked in the figure;

FIG. 2 shows a concept study of a textile fabric structure on which a dark carpet is fixed in some areas;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a regular 11 × 11 network of microelectronic components of a textile fabric structure according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of a

Textile fabric structure with microelectronic components in a regular square grid;

Pig. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a textile fabric structure 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The textile fabric structure 100 according to the invention has a coarse-mesh fabric as the basic structure, which is formed from non-conductive threads 101. Furthermore, the textile fabric structure 100 has electrically conductive threads 102, 107. The electrically conductive threads 102 serve as grounding for microelectronic components 103 to be integrated into the textile fabric structure 100. The electrically conductive threads 107 are used for the power supply of the microelectronic components 103 to be integrated into the textile fabric structure 100. Furthermore, the textile fabric structure 100 has conductive threads 104, which are used for data transmission from and to the microelectronic components to be integrated.

The electrically conductive threads 102, 107 and the conductive data transmission threads 104 are preferably arranged in the fabric in a square grid, so that a square grid of intersection points 105 is formed in the textile fabric structure 100, an area of such a cross point is shown in FIG a) marked.

Furthermore, in the area marked with b) in FIG. 1 of such a crossing point, the electrically conductive threads 102, 107 and the conductive data transmission threads 104 are removed, as a result of which a gap is formed in the textile fabric structure 100.

In area c) of FIG. 1, a microelectronic component (microelectronic module) 103 is arranged in a gap 105 in the textile fabric structure 100, the electrically conductive threads 102 and 107 and the conductive data transmission threads 104 being coupled to the microelectronic module 103 in order to form the microelectronic module 103 to supply electrical energy and to provide a data transmission line for the microelectronic module 103. In the textile fabric structure 100 according to the invention, each microelectronic module 103 is preferably at a respective crossing point 105 of the electrically conductive threads 102 and 107 and the conductive ones Data transmission threads 104 arranged and subsequently coupled to the electrically conductive threads 102 and 107 and the conductive data transmission threads 104, which lead the microelectronic module 103 from four sides.

The coupling between the microelectronic module 103 and the electrically conductive threads 102 and 107 and the conductive data transmission threads 104 can be realized by means of contacting by a flexible printed circuit board or by means of so-called wire bonds.

In area d) of Fig.l is a schematic

Microelectronic module 103 is shown, which is encapsulated to isolate the coupling area (contact points) between the microelectronic module 103 and the electrically conductive threads 102 and 107 and the conductive data transmission threads 104 and also to provide a mechanically robust and waterproof protection.

A textile fabric structure 100 according to the invention has a microelectronic module 103 at a plurality of intersection points 105. Such an "intelligent" textile fabric structure can form as a base layer or as an intermediate layer of wall or floor cladding or other types of technical textiles. It can also be used, for example, as a layer of a textile concrete structure. The microelectronic modules 103 of the textile fabric structure can be equipped with a large number of different types of sensors and / or actuators, for example LEDs, display elements or displays in order to display information which is being transmitted to the microelectronic modules.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a so-called intelligent carpet. In the lower right part of FIG. 2, a coarse-mesh basic fabric 206 is shown, into which conductive threads 102, 104 and 107 are woven in a square grid. At intersection points 105 the Conductive threads 102, 104 and 107, microelectronic modules 103 are arranged in the coarse-mesh base fabric 206. This creates a regular grid of microelectronic modules 103, each of which is contacted on four sides with supply and data lines. Whereby the

Microelectronic modules 103 are additionally provided with an encapsulation and with a light-emitting diode. Furthermore, a carpet is fixed on the textile fabric structure 100 in the left and rear part of FIG.

The textile fabric structure 100 according to the invention with integrated microelectronics, sensors and / or actuators, e.g. Indicator light is fully functional and can be fixed under different types of surface cladding. Examples include non-conductive textiles, carpets, parquet, plastic, curtains, wallpaper, insulating mats, tent roofs, plaster layers, screed and textile concrete. The fixing is preferably carried out by means of gluing, laminating or vulcanizing. In order to avoid "electrosmog" in the surroundings of people, a textile which is uniformly interspersed with electrically conductive wires can also be applied for shielding via the textile fabric structure according to the invention. However, care must be taken that certain areas, for example areas above capacitive sensors, are not of the shield may be covered.

The textile fabric structure according to the invention with integrated microelectronics is preferably located at a point on the edge of the textile fabric structure with a central control unit, e.g. a simple personal computer.

With simple algorithms, the microelectronic modules begin to organize themselves. If a textile fabric structure which has a network of microelectronic modules is connected, ie put into operation, one begins Learning phase, after which each microelectronic module knows its exact physical position in the grid. Furthermore, paths for data streams are automatically configured through the grid, whereby sensor or display information can be routed around defective areas of the textile fabric structure. Due to the self-organization of the network, defective areas are recognized and avoided. As a result, the network of microelectronic modules is also still functional if the textile fabric structure is cut into a shape which is predetermined by the respective intended use. In addition, the self-organization means that no manual installation work is required for the network of microelectronic modules.

The method for determining distances between microelectronic components 103 of the textile fabric structure 100 and the self-organization is explained on the basis of the following figures.

3 shows a schematic representation of a regular square 11x11 network of microelectronic modules, which are numbered in FIG. 3, of a textile fabric structure according to the invention, in which an example of a self-organization is shown. The regular square 11x11 network of FIG. 3 has nine defective microelectronic modules, which are marked with a “lightning” in the figure. The lines drawn in show new connection routes for the individual

Microelectronic modules which are obtained by means of the method after the nine defective microelectronic modules have failed and are therefore no longer available for a functional connection route. The new connection routes shown have been obtained by means of the method for determining distances between microelectronic components. Generally, a is carried out in a first phase of the method for determining distances between microelectronic components, the so-called self-organization

• Self-recognition of the local positions of the individual microelectronic components within the textile fabric structure and thus the overall shape of the textile fabric structure;

• • Self-organization of routing routes based on that

Portal processor 302 for each microelectronic component 103 in the textile fabric structure 100 in such a way that an electronic message can be supplied by the portal processor 302 within a predetermined maximum number of time cycles of each microelectronic component.

In a second phase, the actual use of the textile fabric structure 100, e.g. In the context of the representation of visual data or the generation of sound, the data are sent from the portal processor 302 to the microelectronic components 103, that is to say transmitted, whereby the visual data (“images”) or sounds by means of actuators which are connected to the microelectronic components in the textile fabric structure 100 Conversely, the microelectronic components 103 can also transmit data detected by means of sensors, for example pressure or visual sensors, to the portal processor In the following, the method will be explained on the basis of image data, that is, to the individual, without any restriction of the general validity Microelectronic components 103 of the textile fabric structure 100 display units (display units) are coupled.

For the case that they have a rectangular shape, preferably a square shape, the microelectronic components 103 are, in each case on each side of the rectangle, via one of the four bidirectional communication interfaces 401 per microelectronic component 103 provided, which are provided with the Data transmission threads 104 (hereinafter also referred to as bidirectional connections) of the textile fabric structure are coupled, and via the electrically conductive threads 102 and 107 (hereinafter also referred to as electrical lines 402) are each coupled to the microelectronic component 103 directly adjacent to a respective microelectronic component 103.

In other words, this means that a message exchange is possible between two immediately adjacent microelectronic components, but not an immediate, i.e. direct messaging over a greater distance than the immediate vicinity of a microelectronic component 103.

Self-organization is carried out using the method known from [1].

In the method for determining a distance from microelectronic components of a textile fabric structure to at least one reference position while exchanging electronic messages between adjacent microelectronic components, a first message is generated by a first microelectronic component, the first message containing first distance information, which is the distance between the first microelectronic component or the Distance of a second microelectronic component receiving the first message contains from the reference position. The first message is sent from the first microelectronic component to the second microelectronic component. Depending on the distance information, the distance of the second microelectronic component from the reference position is determined or stored. Furthermore, a second message is generated by the second microelectronic component, which contains a second distance information, which is the distance between the second microelectronic component or the Distance of a third microelectronic component receiving the second message contains from the reference position. The second message becomes from the second microelectronic component to the third

Microelectronic component sent. Depending on the second distance information, the distance of the third microelectronic component from the reference position is determined or stored. The method steps described above are carried out for all microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure which are coupled to one another.

After this method has been carried out, the respective position of each microelectronic component within the textile fabric structure and its distance from at least one reference position has only been determined using local information.

This aspect of the invention can clearly be seen in the fact that an architecture developed for microsystems and there for micro data display devices and sensors, and algorithms developed therefor, have been transferred to the macro systems for building services and measurement technology, the required microelectronic components being incorporated into the textile fabric structure, to which Elements of a cladding can be fixed, are embedded.

This opens up a wealth of new ones

Possible applications, which are explained in more detail below.

The reference position can in principle be arbitrary, preferably the reference position is a position at which a portal processor described below is located, which controls the microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure and initiates communication from outside the textile fabric structure. The Portal processor can be a microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure or an additional processor. The reference position can also be a position within the textile fabric structure, in which case a microelectronic component is preferably arranged at and assigned to the reference position. In this case, the reference position is preferably on the edge, ie on the top or bottom row or the left or right column in the event that the microelectronic components in the textile fabric structure are arranged in a matrix in rows and columns. The transmission of information into or out of the textile fabric structure is preferably carried out by means of the portal processor exclusively via at least part of the microelectronic components located at the edge of the textile fabric structure.

This procedure clearly means that starting from an "introductory microelectronic component" at the reference position, usually at the edge of the textile fabric structure, that is to say at a microelectronic component external to the textile fabric structure, a first distance is assigned, for example the distance value "1", which indicates that the microelectronic component is at a distance "1" from the portal processor. In the event that the distance of the microelectronic component sending the message from the reference position is inserted into the message in each case and transmitted to the microelectronic component to be received, the distance value "1" from the second microelectronic component becomes from the first microelectronic component transmitted in the first message and by the second

Microelectronic component, the received distance value is incremented by a value "1". The incremented value "2" is now stored as an updated second distance value of the second microelectronic component. The second distance value is incremented by a value "1" and on third distance value is generated and transmitted to the third microelectronic component and stored there. The corresponding procedure is carried out in a corresponding manner for all microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure, and the distance value assigned to a microelectronic component is updated after receipt of a message with distance information whenever the received distance value is less than the stored distance value.

A textile fabric structure has a large number of microelectronic components. each

Microelectronic component is coupled to at least one microelectronic component adjacent to it via a bidirectional communication interface, the data transmission interface. To determine the respective distance of a microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure from a reference position, messages are exchanged between the microelectronic components, preferably between adjacent microelectronic components, each message containing distance information, which is the distance between a microelectronic component sending the message or a microelectronic component receiving the message from the reference position , specifies (also referred to as distance value) and each microelectronic component is set up in such a way that the distance of the microelectronic component from the reference position can be determined or stored from the distance information of a received message.

Due to the use of only local information and the exchange of electronic messages, especially between immediately neighboring ones

Microelectronic components, the procedure is very robust against occurring faults and failures of individual microelectronic components or individual connections between two microelectronic components if these connections are destroyed, for example when the textile fabric structure is cut to a predetermined shape.

According to one embodiment, in the method for determining a distance before determining the distance of the microelectronic components from the reference position, the local positions of the microelectronic components within the textile fabric structure are ascertained, starting from a microelectronic component at an introduction point of the textile fabric structure, each position detection messages, which contain at least one line parameter, e.g. and have a column parameter s, which is the row number or column number of the microelectronic component sending the message or the row number or column number of the receiving the message

Contains microelectronic components within the textile fabric structure, are transmitted to neighboring microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure and the following steps are carried out by the respective microelectronic component. If the line parameter in the received message is greater than the previously stored line number of the microelectronic component, the line parameter value z of the received message is assigned to the own line number of the microelectronic component. If the column parameter in the received message is larger than the own column number of the microelectronic component, the column parameter value of the received message is assigned to the stored column number. If the own line number and / or the own column number have been changed due to the above-described method steps, then new position measurement messages are generated with new line parameters and new column parameters, each of which contains the line number and column number of the microelectronic component sending the message or the line number and Column number of the recipient of the message

Contain microelectronic component, and these are transferred to an adjacent microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure.

This development further expands the concept of local message exchange between mutually adjacent microelectronic components, since the individual positions are already local

Microelectronic components within the textile fabric structure according to this concept based on local

Position information, which only results from position information obtained from the immediately adjacent microelectronic components. This enables a very robust, robust procedure within the framework of the self-organization of the textile fabric structure.

According to another development of the invention, the own distance value of the microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure is changed in an iterative method if the previously stored distance value is greater than the distance value received in the message received, which value has been increased by a predetermined value. Furthermore, in the case of a method in which a microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure changes its own distance value, this is used

Microelectronic component generates a distance measuring message and sent to neighboring microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure, the distance measuring message each containing its own distance as distance information or the distance value that the receiving microelectronic component from a portal processor has.

The distance value can be changed by a value increased by a predetermined value compared to one's own distance value, preferably by the value “1”. In summary, the invention creates one

Textile fabric structure, which serves as a chassis for integrated microelectronics. This textile fabric structure can be fixed under almost any floor, ceiling and / or wall covering. Large "intelligent surfaces" can thus be produced, which can be used as sensor or display surfaces. The self-organization processes allow the textile fabric structure with integrated microelectronics to be cut into almost any shape without the need for any removed microelectronic modules or coupling lines between them Faulty or missing microelectronic modules are avoided by appropriate routing in such a way that the function of all functioning microelectronic modules is retained and the installation effort of such an “intelligent surface” remains very low.

The following publication is cited in this document:

[1] T.F. Sturm, S. Jung, G. Stromberg, A. Stöhr, A Novel

Fault Tolerant Architecture for Self-Organizing Display and Sensor Arrays, International Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, Volume XXXIII, No. II, Society for Information Display, Boston, Massachusetts, May 22-23, 2002, pages 1316 to 1319, 2002;

[2] DE 102 02 123 AI;

[3] DE 196 52 236 AI.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100 textile fabric structure

101 non-conductive threads

102 electrically conductive threads (earthing)

103 processor unit

104 conductive threads (data transmission)

105 crossing point

107 electrically conductive threads (power supply)

206 basic fabric

302 portal processor

303 processor unit arrangement

401 bidirectional communication interfaces

402 Electrical line

Claims

i 3 °: Claims 1. Textile fabric structure With a plurality of microelectronic components which are arranged in the textile fabric structure, With electrically conductive threads which couple the plurality of microelectronic components to one another, With conductive data transmission threads, which couple the plurality of microelectronic components to one another, and • with electrically non-conductive threads, and • in which the conductive threads and the conductive data transmission threads are each provided with electrical interfaces or data transmission interfaces at the edge of the textile fabric structure. 2. Textile fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive threads are set up such that they can be used to supply energy to the plurality of microelectronic components. 3. Textile fabric structure according to claim 1 or 2 claim, wherein the conductive data transmission threads are electrically conductive. 4. Textile fabric structure according to claim 1 or 2 claim, wherein the conductive data transmission threads are optically conductive. 5. Textile fabric structure according to one of the claims _. 1 to 4, in which the plurality of microelectronic components are arranged in a regular grid in the textile fabric structure. 6. Textile fabric structure according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of microelectronic components 34 multiple pages is coupled with the conductive threads and the conductive data transmission threads. 7. Textile fabric structure according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the microelectronic components are processor units. 8. Textile fabric structure according to claim 7, wherein at least one sensor is coupled to the plurality of processor units. 9. Textile fabric structure according to one of claims 1 to 8, with at least one of the following elements, which is coupled to at least a part of the plurality of microelectronic components: • imaging element, or • sound wave generating element, or • Vibration generating element 10. Textile fabric structure according to one of claims 1 to 9, In which the plurality of microelectronic components are set up in such a way that for determining a respective distance from a first one Microelectronic component from a reference position electronic messages are exchanged between the first microelectronic component and a second, adjacent microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure, Wherein each message contains distance information which indicates the distance of a microelectronic component or the microelectronic component receiving the message from the reference position, and • The plurality of microelectronic components are set up in such a way that the distance from a received message can be used to determine or to store one's own distance from the reference position. 3λ 11. surface covering structure, in which a surface covering is fixed on a textile fabric structure according to one of claims 1 to 10. 12. The flat cladding structure according to claim 11, wherein the fixing is carried out by means of gluing and / or laminating and / or vulcanizing. 13. The flat cladding structure according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the flat cladding structure is designed as: • Wall cladding structure, or • Floor covering structure, or • Ceiling cladding structure. 14. Flat cladding structure according to one of claims 11 to 13, in which at least over partial areas of the textile fabric structure a textile layer is applied uniformly with electrically conductive wires. 15. Method for determining distances between microelectronic components of a textile fabric structure according to one of claims 1 to 10 or a flat cladding structure according to one of claims 11 to 14 and at least one reference position while exchanging electronic messages between adjacent microelectronic components, In which a first message is generated by a first microelectronic component, the first message containing first distance information which contains the distance of the first microelectronic component or the distance of a second microelectronic component receiving the first message from the reference position, In which the first message is sent from the first microelectronic component to the second microelectronic component, In which, depending on the distance information, the distance of the second microelectronic component from the reference position is determined or stored, and In which a second message is generated by the second microelectronic component, which contains a second distance information, which contains the distance of the second microelectronic component or the distance of a third microelectronic component receiving the second message from the reference position, In which the second message is sent from the second microelectronic component to the third microelectronic component, In which, depending on the second distance information, the distance of the third microelectronic component from the reference position is determined or stored, • in which the process steps are carried out for all microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure. 16.- The method according to claim 15, in which, prior to determining the distance of the microelectronic components from the reference position, the local positions of the microelectronic components within the textile fabric structure are determined by starting from a microelectronic component at an introduction point of the textile fabric structure in each case position-determining messages which contain at least one line parameter z and have a column parameter s which contains the line number or column number of the microelectronic component sending the message or the line number or column number of the microelectronic component receiving the message within the textile fabric structure ^' 3H-. neighboring microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure are transmitted and the following steps are carried out by the respective microelectronic component: • If the line parameter in the received message is greater than the previously stored line number of the microelectronic component, the own line number of the microelectronic component becomes the Assigned line parameter value z to the received message, If the column parameter in the received message is larger than the own column number of the microelectronic component, the column parameter value of the received message is assigned to the stored column number, • If the own line number and / or the own column number have been changed due to the above-described method steps, then new position measuring messages are generated with new line parameters and new column parameters, each of which contains the line number and column number of the microelectronic component sending the message or the line number and column number of the microelectronic component receiving the message, and these are sent to an adjacent one Microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure. 17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, In which, in an iterative process, the own distance value of the microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure is changed when the previously stored distance value is greater than the distance value received in the message received, which is increased by a predetermined value, and • in the event that a microelectronic component of the textile fabric structure changed their own distance value, this Microelectronic component generates a distance measuring message and sends it to neighboring microelectronic components of the textile fabric structure, the distance measuring message each containing its own distance as distance information or the distance value that the receiving microelectronic component has from the portal processor. 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the distance value has a value increased by a predetermined value compared to the own distance value.