FORCE-DETECTING INPUT STRUCTURE
    111.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20250013202A1

    公开(公告)日:2025-01-09

    申请号:US18889878

    申请日:2024-09-19

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An input mechanism, such as a crown, detects amounts of applied force. In various examples, an assembly including an input mechanism has an enclosure; a stem coupled to the enclosure such that the stem is rotatable, translatable, and transversely moveable with respect to the enclosure; a sensor, coupled between the stem and the housing, to which force is transferred when the stem moves with respect to the housing; and a processing unit coupled to the sensor. The processing unit is operable to determine a measurement of the force, based on a signal from the sensor.

    Laser-based rotation sensor for a crown of an electronic watch

    公开(公告)号:US12092996B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-09-17

    申请号:US17377482

    申请日:2021-07-16

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    CPC classification number: G04G21/08 G01D5/30 G04G9/007 G04G17/08

    Abstract: An electronic watch includes a housing and a crown assembly including a rotatable actuation member. The rotatable actuation member includes a knob external to the housing and configured to receive a rotational input and a shaft assembly coupled to the knob and positioned at least partially within the housing, the shaft assembly defining a sensing surface configured to rotate in response to the rotational input. The electronic watch further includes an optical sensing system configured to detect the rotational input, the detecting including directing light onto the sensing surface, receiving reflected light from the sensing surface, and producing a signal corresponding to a rotational motion of the sensing surface, the signal based at least in part on an interference between the light directed onto the sensing surface and the reflected light.

    Electronic device with intuitive control interface

    公开(公告)号:US11924055B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-03-05

    申请号:US17096769

    申请日:2020-11-12

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device may include a display system and control circuitry. The user's environment may be presented on the display system. The environment on the display system may be a captured image of the environment, may be the actual real world viewed through an optical combiner, or may be a completely virtual image representing the environment. The control circuitry may gather information about external electronic devices in the user's environment, including determining a type and location of each external electronic device and a status of wireless communications links between external electronic devices. The display system may overlay computer-generated display elements onto the user's environment to indicate the status of wireless communications links between the external electronic devices. In response to touch or gesture input, the control circuitry may send control signals to the external electronic devices to establish or break wireless communications links between external electronic devices.

    CROWN ASSEMBLY FOR AN ELECTRONIC WATCH
    115.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240045383A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-02-08

    申请号:US18492110

    申请日:2023-10-23

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic watch may include a housing defining a side wall having a through-hole and a crown assembly including an actuation member. The actuation member may include a crown shaft extending through the through-hole and having an exterior portion defining an input surface and a crown ring coupled to the exterior portion of the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft. The crown assembly may further include an optical encoder component attached to the actuation member and defining a group of optical features. The electronic watch may further include an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly by detecting motion of the group of optical features and an electrocardiograph sensor comprising a sensing component. The sensing component may be conductively coupled to the actuation member via a conductive path at least partially defined by the crown shaft.

    Consistently-tight watch band
    118.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11490697B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-11-08

    申请号:US16591511

    申请日:2019-10-02

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A watch band is disclosed. The watch band maintains a substantially constant tension throughout changes in its length while worn by a user. Such changes in length may occur automatically to accommodate changes in the size and circumference of a user's wrist as they move their wrist normally. By maintaining a constant tension, the watch band also maintains a constant force on the user's wrist, and causes a watch body attached to the watch band to also maintain a constant force on the user's wrist. This can increase a user's comfort, since the watch will not get tighter or constrict their wrist as they straighten and bend their wrist. It can also help optimize operation of any sensors in the watch band or watch body that benefit from being held against the user's wrist with a constant force, such as some physiological sensors.

    Electronic Devices With Curved Display Surfaces

    公开(公告)号:US20220113834A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-04-14

    申请号:US17558103

    申请日:2021-12-21

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: An electronic device may have light-emitting devices. A light-emitting device may include light-emitting diodes, a display, or other components that emit visual output. One or more image transport layers may be included in the electronic device. An image transport layer may have an input surface that receives an image and an output surface to which the image transport layer transports the image for viewing by a user. The image transport layers may have areas with compound curvature and other shapes. Deformed image transport layer structures such as deformed fibers in a coherent fiber bundle may be configured to hide gaps in displays and other structures. Displays may include light detectors that serve as a two-dimensional touch sensor. The touch sensor may detect touch input on an output surface of an image transport layer. Image transport layer material may be incorporated into buttons, elongated housings, wearable devices, and other equipment.

Patent Agency Ranking