Electronic watch with obscured sensor for detecting an applied force
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsTyler S. Bushnell, Vikram Garg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic watch is described. The watch has one or more sensors, including a sensor that may be used to detect a force applied to a cover of the watch. The sensor may variously include a capacitive sensor assembly configured to detect a deflected position of the cover; a sensor having electrical components that move toward one another in response to an input applied to the cover; or a deformable component that is configured to compress in response to a press input, thereby allowing first and second electrical traces to move toward one another. Portions or all of the various sensors may be obscured by an ink layer on an underside of the cover.
Claims20
An electronic watch, comprising:
- a housing having an opening;
- a button positioned along a side of the housing to receive user input to the electronic watch;
- a cover disposed over the opening and defining an exterior face of the electronic watch;
- a display disposed at least partially within the opening and visible through the cover;
- an ink layer disposed around a perimeter of an underside of the cover;
- and
- a capacitive sensor assembly positioned within the housing and visually obscured by the ink layer;
- wherein,
- the display comprises a touch sensor;
- the capacitive sensor assembly is configured to detect a deflected position of the cover when the exterior face is pressed inward toward the housing;
- and
- the display is responsive to user input received via the button, the touch sensor, or the cover.
An electronic watch, comprising:
- a housing defining a watch body;
- a button along a side of the housing;
- a first sensor in electrical communication with internal components of the electronic watch and configured to detect a first input received at the button;
- a transparent cover disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to receive a second input;
- an opaque layer disposed on a surface of the transparent cover within the housing;
- and
- a second sensor at least partially obscured by the opaque layer and having electrical components that move toward one another in response to the second input.
An electronic watch, comprising:
- a housing having:
- an internal volume;
- and
- an opening along an exterior surface and extending into the internal volume;
- a cover positioned over the opening;
- an ink layer defining an opaque region about a perimeter of the cover;
- a first electrical trace positioned along the ink layer and within the internal volume;
- a deformable component within the internal volume;
- and
- a second electrical trace connected to the deformable component and capacitively coupled to the first electrical trace, wherein
- the deformable component is configured to compress in response to a press input received at the cover, thereby moving the first electrical trace and the second electrical trace toward one another within the internal volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.