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.
Claims21
1-25. (canceled)
An electronic watch, comprising:
- a watch enclosure comprising a first electrically conductive portion and defining:
- an interior volume;
- and
- an opening extending to the interior volume;
- a crown comprising a second electrically conductive portion;
- a shaft coupled to the crown and extending through the opening and into the interior volume;
- a tactile switch positioned within the interior volume and coupled to the shaft;
- and
- a processor within the interior volume and electrically coupled to the crown by the tactile switch and the shaft, the processor electrically coupled to the first electrically conductive portion of the watch enclosure, wherein:
- the first electrically conductive portion is configured to contact a first body part;
- the second electrically conductive portion is configured to contact a second body part;
- the first and second electrically conductive portions are used to detect at least one voltage;
- and
- the processor is configured to determine an electrocardiogram at least partly from the at least one voltage.
An electronic watch, comprising:
- a watch enclosure having a first portion that is configured as a first electrode;
- 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 crown positioned along a side of the watch enclosure, configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input, and having a second portion that is configured as a second electrode;
- a processor positioned within the watch enclosure and electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes;
- and
- a translation sensor configured to:
- detect the translational input;
- and
- electrically couple the second electrode to the processor, wherein:
- the processor is configured to:
- determine an electrocardiogram measurement using the first and second electrodes;
- and
- modify the graphical output of the touch-sensitive display in response to determining the electrocardiogram measurement.
An electronic watch, comprising:
- an enclosure comprising a conductive material and configured to contact a wrist of a user;
- a crown positioned along a side of the enclosure, electrically isolated from the enclosure, and configured to be touched by a finger of the user;
- a shaft coupled to the crown, extending through an opening in the enclosure, and electrically isolated from the enclosure;
- a processor electrically coupled to the crown by the shaft, and further electrically coupled to the enclosure;
- and
- a display carried by the enclosure and configured to display graphical objects, wherein the processor is configured to:
- determine, based on an electrical signal received from a body of the user by at least one of the enclosure or the crown, an electrocardiograph (ECG) of the user;
- and
- in response to determining the ECG of the user, cause a graphical object related to the ECG to be displayed on the display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.