Force-detecting input structure
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsColin M. Ely, Erik G. de Jong, Fletcher R. Rothkopf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims20
An electronic watch comprising:
- a housing;
- a touch display configured to display a graphical output and coupled to the housing;
- a crown coupled to the housing and configured to receive a force input;
- a force sensor coupled to the crown and configured to produce an electrical signal in response to the force input;
- and
- a processing unit positioned within the housing and operably coupled to the force sensor, the processing unit configured to:
- in response to the electrical signal exceeding a first threshold, cause the touch display to display a first modification to the graphical output of the touch display;
- and
- in response to the electrical signal exceeding a second threshold, cause the touch display to display a second modification to the graphical output of the touch display.
An electronic watch comprising:
- a housing;
- a display coupled to the housing;
- a crown coupled to the housing and configured to receive a force input;
- a force sensor configured to produce an electrical signal in response to the force input wherein a value of the electrical signal corresponds to an amount of the force input;
- and
- a processing unit positioned within the housing and operably coupled to the force sensor, the processing unit configured to:
- in response to detecting that the value of the electrical signal is between a first value and a second value, perform a first operation;
- and
- in response to detecting that the value of the electrical signal is between the second value and a third value, perform a second operation.
An electronic watch comprising:
- a housing;
- a display at least partially surrounded by the housing and configured to display a graphical output;
- a crown coupled to the housing and configured to receive a force input and a rotational input;
- a force sensor configured to detect the force input;
- a detector configured to detect the rotational input;
- and
- a processing unit positioned within the housing and operably coupled to the force sensor and the detector, the processing unit configured to:
- estimate an amount of the force input using the force sensor;
- estimate an amount of the rotational input using the detector;
- in response to the amount of the force input exceeding a first amount, perform a first function;
- and
- in response to the amount of the force input exceeding a second amount, perform a second function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.