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US 10,331,081 B2Granted
Tactile switch for an electronic device
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsColin M. Ely, John B. Morrell, Duncan Kerr, Camille Moussette
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims20
A watch, comprising:
- a watch enclosure having a portion configured to act as a first lead for an electrocardiograph (ECG);
- a crown positioned along a side of the watch enclosure and configured to act as a second lead for the ECG;
- a touch-sensitive display positioned at least partially within the watch enclosure and configured to receive a touch input and display a graphical output;
- a processor configured to determine the ECG using the first and second leads;
- a rotation sensor positioned within the watch enclosure and configured to detect a rotational input;
- and
- a translation sensor positioned within the watch enclosure and configured to detect a translational input;
- wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to modify the graphical output in response to each of:
- the ECG;
- the rotational input detected by the rotation sensor;
- the translational input detected by the translation sensor;
- and
- the touch input detected by the touch-sensitive display.
10 more elements
A watch, comprising:
- a watch enclosure defining an interior volume and an opening extending to the interior volume, the watch enclosure having a first conductive portion that is configured to contact a first body part contacting the watch enclosure and act as a first electrode;
- a crown having a second conductive portion that is configured to contact a second body part contacting the crown and act as a second electrode;
- a shaft coupled to the crown and extending through the opening and into the interior volume of the watch enclosure;
- a processor positioned in the interior volume;
- a touch-sensitive display positioned at least partially within the interior volume and having a touch sensor configured to detect a touch input;
- a rotation sensor configured to detect a rotational input;
- and
- a tactile switch configured to detect a translational input;
- wherein:
- the first and second electrodes are used to detect at least one voltage;
- the processor uses the at least one voltage to determine a characteristic of a user's heart;
- the shaft and the tactile switch electrically couple the second conductive portion of the crown to the processor;
- and
- the touch-sensitive display is configured to depict a graphical output, the graphical output responsive to each of:
- the rotational input;
- the translational input;
- and
- the touch input.
15 more elements
A watch, comprising:
- an enclosure comprising a conductive material and configured to contact a wrist of a user when the watch is worn;
- a crown positioned along a side of the enclosure and electrically isolated from the enclosure;
- a touch-sensitive display carried by the enclosure and configured to detect touch input and display graphical objects;
- a rotation sensor carried by the enclosure and configured to detect rotational input;
- a translation sensor carried by the enclosure and configured to detect translational input;
- and
- a processor operably coupled to the enclosure, the crown, the touch-sensitive display, the rotation sensor, and the translation sensor, the processor configured to:
- measure electrocardiograph (ECG) characteristics of the user using a signal from at least one of the enclosure or the crown;
- in response to the touch input, cause the graphical objects to move across the touch-sensitive display;
- in response to the rotational input, cause the graphical objects to move across the touch-sensitive display;
- and
- in response to the translational input, cause a display of different graphical objects on the touch-sensitive display.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.