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
An electronic watch comprising:
- an enclosure defining a sidewall having an opening;
- a cover coupled to the enclosure;
- a display positioned below the cover;
- a processor within the enclosure;
- a crown positioned at the sidewall and configured to receive a rotational input, the crown comprising:
- a head positioned at the sidewall and defining an external surface;
- a touch sensor positioned at the head and configured to detect a touch input applied to the external surface of the head;
- and
- a shaft extending from the head and through the opening in the sidewall, the shaft configured to rotate in conjunction with the head in response to the rotational input;
- and
- a rotation sensor configured to detect the rotational input by detecting rotation of the shaft.
A wearable electronic device comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a processor within the enclosure;
- a touch-sensitive display positioned at least partially within the enclosure and operably coupled to the processor and configured to:
- receive a touch input;
- and
- display a graphical output;
- a crown coupled to the enclosure and configured to receive a rotational input and a force input, the crown comprising a shaft extending into the enclosure and configured to rotate in response to the rotational input;
- a rotation sensor at least partially within the enclosure and configured to detect the rotational input, the rotation sensor comprising an optical sensing element configured to detect the rotational input based on rotation of the shaft;
- and
- a force sensor positioned in the crown, the force sensor configured to detect the force input.
A watch comprising:
- a display;
- a cover covering the display;
- a processor operatively coupled to the display;
- an enclosure at least partially enclosing the display and the processor and coupled to the cover;
- a crown coupled to the enclosure and configured to receive a rotational input, the crown comprising:
- a head positioned at an exterior side of the enclosure and defining a crown surface;
- a shaft coupled to the head and extending at least partially into the enclosure, the shaft configured to rotate in conjunction with the head in response to the rotational input;
- and
- a sensor positioned in the head and configured to detect at least one of a touch input applied to the crown surface or a force input applied to the crown surface;
- and
- a rotation sensor configured to detect the rotational input applied to the crown based at least in part on detecting rotation of the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.