/Patent Tracker
AmazonGranted patentChips & hardwareInterest 6/10

Amazon patents flexible mat that detects when items are placed or removed

Amazon describes a thin, flexible mat that uses electrical sensors to detect when an object is placed on or taken off its surface. The design uses conductive layers on both sides of a non-conductive base to measure changes in electrical charge, allowing the mat to identify the presence of items without needing heavy components.

Why it mattersThis technology could help warehouses or delivery hubs automatically track packages or inventory as they move across conveyor belts or sorting tables.

In the filing’s own words

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.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. 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.

Facts

Company
Amazon (AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.)
Official title
Capacitive mat for detecting placement or removal of items
Patent number
US12736420B1
Application number
18618796
Filed
Mar 27, 2024
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Inventors
12
Claims
20

Classified under

G01L 1/146 Physics & computingG06Q 10/087 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

More from Amazon in Chips & hardware

Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.