# US 12,007,727 B2 · Watch band with fit detection

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- Number: US 12,007,727 B2
- Document ID: US12007727B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/475,195
- Filed: 2021-09-14
- Published: 2023-03-16
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-14
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: William Leith; Daniel W. Labove; Rimple Bhatia; Osamu Yabe; Yoji Hamada; Timothy S. Lui
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007727B2

## CPC

- G04G 17/04: Mounting of electronic components
- G04G 21/02: Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature
- G04G 17/06: Electric connectors, e.g. conductive elastomers
- G04G 17/08: Housings
- G04G 19/12: Arrangements for reducing power consumption during storage
- G04G: ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES

## Abstract

Characteristics of a watch band can change when placed in different configurations, and each of these characteristics can be correlated with each of the various configurations. The characteristics can be measured to detect in which of the various configurations the watch band is in. For example, the watch band can include an adjustable capacitor that changes it capacitance when the watch band changes its configuration. For example, the capacitance can change based on stretching of the watch band, bending of the watch band, and/or securement and release of an engagement element. The watch or another device can perform one or more operations based on the detected characteristic and configuration of the watch band.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A watch comprising:
a watch body comprising a detector; and
a watch band configured to be coupled to the watch body and comprising:
a substrate of an elastic material; and
conductive plates positioned to move relative to each other as the substrate stretches,
wherein the detector of the watch body is configured to:
measure a capacitance between conductive plates; and
perform an operation based on the capacitance.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The watch of claim 1, wherein the detector is further configured to detect, based on the capacitance, whether the watch band is securing the watch to a wrist of a user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The watch of claim 2, wherein the detector detects, based on the capacitance, that the watch band is not securing the watch to the wrist of the user, the detector is further configured to prevent access to at least one function of the watch until a passcode is provided.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The watch of claim 1, wherein the detector is further configured to detect, based on the capacitance, a tension across the watch band.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The watch of claim 4, wherein the watch band further comprises a tensioner configured to alter an effective length of the watch band.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The watch of claim 5, wherein the tensioner is configured to alter the effective length of the watch band based on the capacitance.

### Claim 7

A watch band comprising:
a core configured to transition between a first configuration when the watch band defines a first dimension and a second configuration when the watch band defines a second dimension, different than the first dimension; and
conductive plates configured to provide a first capacitance while the core is in the first configuration and a second capacitance, different than the first capacitance, while the core is in the second configuration.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The watch band of claim 7, wherein the conductive plates comprise:
a ground electrode on a first side of the core;
a sense electrode on a second side of the core; and
a shield electrode on the second side of the core, the sense electrode being between the ground electrode and the shield electrode to reduce an electric field on a side of the sense electrode that is opposite from the ground electrode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The watch band of claim 7, wherein the conductive plates comprise:
a first ground electrode;
a second ground electrode; and
a sense electrode between the first ground electrode and the second ground electrode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The watch band of claim 9, wherein:
the sense electrode is separated from the first ground electrode by the core; and
the sense electrode is separated from the second ground electrode by an additional core.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The watch band of claim 7, wherein:
the first configuration is achieved when the watch band is securing a watch to a wrist of a user; and
the second configuration is achieved when the watch is removed from the wrist of the user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The watch band of claim 7, wherein:
the first dimension is a length of the watch band in a relaxed configuration; and
the second dimension is a length of the watch band in a stretched configuration.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The watch band of claim 7, wherein:
in the first configuration, the watch band is under a first tension; and
in the second configuration, the watch band is under a second tension, different than the first tension.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The watch band of claim 7, wherein:
the watch band further comprises:
a first band portion having a first engagement element; and
a second band portion having a second engagement element;
in the first configuration, the first engagement element engages the second engagement element; and
in the second configuration, the first engagement element does not engage the second engagement element.

### Claim 15

A watch band comprising:
a substrate configured to stretch in at least one dimension;
a ground electrode;
a sense electrode separated from the ground electrode by a core that is configured to compress or expand as the substrate stretches in the at least one dimension; and
a shield electrode on a side of the sense electrode that is opposite the ground electrode, the shield electrode being operable to reduce an electric field on a side of the sense electrode that is opposite from the ground electrode.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The watch band of claim 15, wherein the shield electrode is larger than the sense electrode.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

A watch comprising:
the watch band of claim 15; and
a watch body comprising a detector operably connected to the ground electrode, the sense electrode, and the shield electrode.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The watch of claim 17, wherein the detector is configured to drive the sense electrode and the shield electrode at a same voltage.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The watch of claim 15, wherein:
the core is configured to transition between a first configuration when the watch band defines a first dimension and a second configuration when the watch band defines a second dimension, different than the first dimension; and
the sense electrode and the ground electrode are configured to provide a first capacitance while the core is in the first configuration and a second capacitance, different than the first capacitance, while the core is in the second configuration.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The watch of claim 15, further comprising an additional ground electrode on a side of the sense electrode.