Wearable electronic device with an inductive user interface

A wearable electronic device comprising:

• a housing including
• a bottom wall configured to contact a wearer's body,
• a side wall coupled to the bottom wall, and
• a sealed internal cavity formed in part by the bottom wall and the side wall;
• a pushbutton coupled to an outer surface of the side wall, the pushbutton including a plunger configured to move axially toward the side wall when the pushbutton is pushed;
• a sensor positioned in the internal cavity adjacent to an inner surface of the side wall, the sensor including at least one coil axially aligned with the plunger and through which an electronic signal is operable to flow, the sensor configured to modify an electrical characteristic of the electronic signal according to a distance between the plunger and the coil;
• and
• a processing element including a converter circuit configured to receive the electronic signal from the sensor and to generate a data output whose value varies according to the electrical characteristic of the electronic signal,
• wherein the processing element is configured to receive the data output and to determine that the pushbutton has been pressed when the value of the data output exceeds a detection threshold value indicating a button push.

A wearable electronic device comprising:

• a housing including
• a bottom wall configured to contact a wearer's body,
• a side wall coupled to the bottom wall, and
• a sealed internal cavity formed in part by the bottom wall and the side wall;
• a plurality of pushbuttons coupled to an outer surface of the side wall, each pushbutton including a conductive plunger configured to move axially toward the side wall when the pushbutton is pushed;
• a plurality of sensors positioned in the internal cavity adjacent to an inner surface of the side wall, each sensor associated with a successive one of the pushbuttons, each sensor including at least one coil axially aligned with the plunger of its associated pushbutton and through which one of a plurality of electronic signals is operable to flow, each sensor configured to modify an electrical characteristic of its electronic signal according to a distance between the plunger of its associated pushbutton and its coil;
• and
• a processing element including a plurality of converter circuits, each converter circuit associated with a successive one of the sensors, each converter circuit configured to receive the electronic signal from the sensor and to generate one of a plurality of data outputs, each of whose value varies according to the electrical characteristic of the electronic signal,
• wherein the processing element is configured to receive the data outputs and to determine that one pushbutton has been pushed when the value of the data output of its associated converter circuit exceeds a detection threshold value indicating a button push.