公开(公告)号：US10948880B2

公开(公告)日：2021-03-16

申请号：US16738198

申请日：2020-01-09

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Colin M. Ely ,  Erik G. de Jong ,  Fletcher R. Rothkopf

IPC: G04C3/00 ,  G01D5/241 ,  G04G21/00 ,  H03K17/975 ,  G06F3/0362 ,  G06F3/0346

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.

公开(公告)号：US20210067418A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-04

申请号：US17096769

申请日：2020-11-12

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Colin M. Ely ,  Erik G. de Jong ,  Stephen Brian Lynch ,  Fletcher R. Rothkopf

IPC: H04L12/24 ,  G06F3/0488 ,  H04W16/20 ,  G06T19/00 ,  H04W76/14 ,  G06F3/0481 ,  G02B27/01

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.

公开(公告)号：US20200233529A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-23

申请号：US16840336

申请日：2020-04-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Anna-Katrina Shedletsky ,  Christopher M. Werner ,  Colin M. Ely ,  Samuel Weiss

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G06F1/16 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F3/042 ,  G06F3/0362

Abstract: Various embodiments for detecting and rejecting false, unintended rotations of rotary inputs of electronic devices are disclosed herein. In one example, an electronic device is provided with an optical detector that measures the distance between the electronic device and the wearer's forearm or hand, and when the distance is smaller than a threshold distance, the turns of the rotary input are false, unintended turns. In another example, a crown of a rotary input includes a plurality of capacitive sensors that detects the presence of a wearer's finger, which when absent, the turns of the rotary input are false turns. In another example, deflections or positions of a shaft of the rotary input are measured and if the deflections/positions indicate an upward force on the rotary input (which are likely caused by the wearer's forearm or hand), the turns of the rotary input are false turns. Other embodiments are described herein.

公开(公告)号：US10664074B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-26

申请号：US15627321

申请日：2017-06-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Camille Moussette ,  Duncan Kerr ,  Colin M. Ely ,  John B. Morrell

IPC: G06F3/0362 ,  G04G21/00 ,  G04B3/04 ,  G06F3/0485 ,  G06F3/0482 ,  G06F1/16 ,  G06F3/0484 ,  G04G17/04 ,  G04C3/00 ,  G04G21/08

Abstract: A method of operating a wearable electronic device having a display and a rotatable crown includes initiating a rotation-tracking mode based on a detection of a contact between a user and the rotatable crown. In response to initiating the rotation-tracking mode, the electronic device controls a graphical output of the display in accordance with rotational movement or absence of rotational movement of the rotatable crown, terminates the rotation-tracking mode based on a termination of the contact between the user and the rotatable crown, and in response to terminating the rotation-tracking mode, controls the graphical output of the display without regard to rotational movement or absence of rotational movement of the rotatable crown.

公开(公告)号：US20200153092A1

公开(公告)日：2020-05-14

申请号：US16744710

申请日：2020-01-16

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Colin M. Ely ,  Christopher D. Prest ,  Lucy E. Browning ,  Stephen B. Lynch ,  Eric S. Laakmann ,  Paul L. Nangeroni

IPC: H01Q1/42 ,  H01Q1/24 ,  C23C28/00 ,  C23C16/06 ,  C23C14/58 ,  C23C14/16

Abstract: A housing for an electronic device, including an aluminum layer enclosing a volume that includes a radio-frequency (RF) antenna is provided. The housing includes a window aligned with the RF antenna; the window including a non-conductive material filling a cavity in the aluminum layer; and a thin aluminum oxide layer adjacent to the aluminum layer and to the non-conductive material; wherein the non-conductive material and the thin aluminum oxide layer form an RF-transparent path through the window. A housing for an electronic device including an integrated RF-antenna is also provided. A method of manufacturing a housing for an electronic device as described above is provided.

公开(公告)号：US10572053B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-25

申请号：US16391856

申请日：2019-04-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Colin M. Ely ,  Erik G. de Jong ,  Fletcher R. Rothkopf

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G01D5/241 ,  G04G21/00 ,  G04C3/00 ,  H03K17/975 ,  G06F3/0362 ,  G06F3/0346 ,  G06F3/044

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.

公开(公告)号：US20190250754A1

公开(公告)日：2019-08-15

申请号：US16391856

申请日：2019-04-23

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Colin M. Ely ,  Erik G. de JONG ,  Fletcher R. Rothkopf

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/0346 ,  G06F3/0362 ,  H03K17/975 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G04C3/00 ,  G04G21/00 ,  G01D5/241

CPC classification number: G06F3/0414 ,  G01D5/2412 ,  G04C3/007 ,  G04G21/00 ,  G06F3/0346 ,  G06F3/0362 ,  G06F3/044 ,  H03K17/975 ,  H03K2217/960755

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.

公开(公告)号：US10372166B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-06

申请号：US15212029

申请日：2016-07-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Brian M. Gable ,  Carlo Di Nallo ,  Colin M. Ely ,  Craig A. Horton ,  Erik G. de Jong ,  Fletcher R. Rothkopf ,  Henry B. Wettersten ,  Hoishun Li ,  Jason C. Sauers ,  Jayesh Nath ,  Mario Martinis ,  Mattia Pascolini ,  Michael P. Coleman ,  Rex T. Ehman ,  Zheyu Wang

IPC: G06F1/16 ,  H01Q1/22 ,  H04B1/3888 ,  H04M1/02 ,  H05K5/00 ,  H05K5/04 ,  B29C70/76 ,  H01Q1/24 ,  H01Q21/28 ,  H04M1/18 ,  B29L31/34

Abstract: A housing for an electronic device is disclosed. The housing includes a first conductive component defining a first interface surface, a second conductive component defining a second interface surface facing the first interface surface, and a joint structure between the first and second interface surfaces. The joint structure includes a molded element forming a portion of an exterior surface of the housing, and a sealing member forming a watertight seal between the first and second conductive components. Methods of forming the electronic device housing are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US10331082B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-25

申请号：US16247335

申请日：2019-01-14

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Colin M. Ely ,  John B. Morrell ,  Duncan Kerr ,  Camille Moussette

IPC: G04B27/00 ,  G04G21/08 ,  G06F1/16 ,  G06F3/0362 ,  H01H3/12 ,  H01H9/16 ,  H01H25/00 ,  H01H25/06 ,  G06F3/0488

Abstract: An electronic watch may include a tactile switch and/or one or more sensors for detecting rotational and translational inputs. The watch may include a display configured to produce graphical outputs that may change in response to rotational inputs, translational inputs, and/or touch inputs received at the display. The watch include a crown positioned along an exterior of the watch enclosure and a shaft coupled to the crown and extending into the enclosure. The tactile switch and/or the one or more sensors may be used to detect rotational and/or translational inputs provided at the crown.

公开(公告)号：US10327326B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-18

申请号：US15819243

申请日：2017-11-21

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Brad G. Boozer ,  Colin M. Ely ,  Steven P. Cardinali

IPC: H05K1/00 ,  H05K1/02 ,  H05K1/18 ,  H03K17/96 ,  H05K5/00 ,  H05K3/28 ,  H05K5/06 ,  H05K9/00

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a circuit assembly for an electronic device having an electromagnetic shield that defines a sensing element or contact pad along an outer surface of the assembly. The circuit assembly includes a group of electrical components attached to a surface of a printed circuit board. A molded structure may encapsulate the group of electrical components and at least a portion of the surface of the printed circuit board. A metal layer may be formed over an outer surface of the molded structure. The metal layer may define both a shield portion configured to provide shielding for one or more of the group of electrical components and an electrode configured to detect an input applied to the electronic device.