Removable clip with user interface

• US 10,061,423 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Dabov, Teodor
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiau, Shen
• Application Number:
  US14/604,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20150130741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver

Abstract

Various embodiments of removable user interfaces, electronic computing devices, and systems are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a body having a bend and a user interface area, a connector adapted to couple to a corresponding connector on an electronic device, and a plurality of conductive elements. The bend enables the user interface area to wrap around a portion of the electronic device when the connector is coupled to the corresponding connector on the electronic device. In another embodiment, a portable electronic system includes a removable user interface and an electronic computing device having a display surface, where the removable user interface is couplable to the electronic computing device such that the removable user interface is disposed over at least a part of the display surface.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic system comprising:

an electronic device having a processor operatively coupled to a device display and a device interconnect, wherein the device display is at a first exterior surface that is opposite a second exterior surface;

a separate apparatus comprising;

a releasable connector configured to electrically and mechanically interface with the device interconnect; and

a body including an engagement end, a bent portion, a first outside surface having a user interface and a second outside surface that is opposite the first outside surface, wherein the bent portion enables the engagement end to engage with the device interconnect such that at least a portion of the body wraps around a portion of the electronic device to position a portion of the second outside surface opposite and spaced apart from the second exterior surface, and wherein the second outside surface and the second exterior surface define a gap that enables the wearable electronic system to be attached to a user.

2. The wearable electronic system of claim 1 further comprising one or more user interface elements disposed on the separate apparatus.

3. The wearable electronic system of claim 2 wherein the one or more user interface elements can be used to control the electronic device.

4. The wearable electronic system of claim 2 wherein the one or more user interface elements comprise a touch sensitive region disposed on the separate apparatus.

5. The wearable electronic system of claim 2 further comprising one or more tactile feedback elements corresponding to each of the one or more user interface elements.

6. The wearable electronic system of claim 1 wherein the separate apparatus is configured to receive electrical power from the electronic device through the device interconnect.

7. The wearable electronic system of claim 1 wherein the separate apparatus further comprises an apparatus display.

8. The wearable electronic system of claim 7 wherein the device interconnect is configured to mate with the separate apparatus in a first and a second orientation and the apparatus display displays a first set of data when mated in the first orientation and displays a second set of data when mated in the second orientation.

9. The wearable electronic system of claim 1 wherein the device interconnect is configured to mate with the separate apparatus in a first and a second orientation.

10. The wearable electronic system of claim 9 wherein the separate apparatus is configured to communicate with the electronic device such that the electronic device determines if the separate apparatus is mated in the first orientation or the second orientation.

11. The wearable electronic system of claim 1 wherein the separate apparatus comprises linked elements that are rotatable with respect to one another.

12. The wearable electronic system of claim 11 wherein at least one of the linked elements comprises a tactile feedback element.

13. A portable electronic system comprising:

a first electronic device including a processor, a first connector, a first exterior surface having a first device display and a second exterior surface that is positioned opposite the first exterior surface;

a second electronic device, separate from the first electronic device, comprising;

a second device display;

a second connector configured to releasably connect the second electronic device to the first electronic device and to provide electrical communication there between; and

a body including an engagement end, a bent portion, a first outside surface having a user interface and a second outside surface that is opposite the first outside surface, wherein the bent portion enables the second connector at the engagement end to engage with the first connector such that at least a portion of the body wraps around a portion of the first electronic device to position a portion of the second outside surface opposite and spaced apart from the second exterior surface, and wherein the second outside surface and the second exterior surface define a gap that enables the portable electronic system to be attached to a user.

14. The portable electronic system of claim 13 wherein the second electronic device is rotatable relative to the first electronic device while remaining electrically and mechanically connected to the first electronic device.

15. The portable electronic system of claim 13 wherein the first electronic device is configured to detect a connection to and a disconnection from the second electronic device.

16. The portable electronic system of claim 15 wherein the first electronic device is further configured to identify the second electronic device when a connection is detected and determine a physical orientation of the second electronic device relative to the first electronic device.

17. The portable electronic system of claim 16 wherein the processor is configured to display data on the second device display based on the physical orientation of the second electronic device relative to the first electronic device.

18. A portable electronic system comprising:

a first electronic device including an electrical connector, a first exterior surface having a display, and a second exterior surface that is opposite the first exterior surface;

a second electronic device releasably connected to the electrical connector of the first electronic device, the second electronic device comprising;

a body including an engagement end, a bent portion, a first outside surface having a user interface and a second outside surface that is opposite the first outside surface, wherein the bent portion enables the engagement end to engage with the electrical connector such that at least a portion of the body wraps around a portion of the first electronic device to position a portion of the second outside surface opposite and spaced apart from the second exterior surface, and wherein the second outside surface and the second exterior surface define a gap that enables the portable electronic system to be attached to a user;

an electrical connection between the first and second electronic devices through the electrical connector such that the first electronic device can communicate with the user interface.

19. The portable electronic system of claim 18 wherein a processor is configured to detect establishment of an electrical connection to the second electronic device and to display data simultaneously on both the first display and the user interface.

20. The portable electronic system of claim 18 wherein the user interface is manipulable relative to the first electronic device between a first orientation and a second orientation.

21. The portable electronic system of claim 20 wherein the user interface is manipulable while remaining mechanically and electrically coupled to the first electronic device.

22. The portable electronic system of claim 20 wherein a processor is configured to determine if the user interface is in the first orientation or the second orientation.

23. The portable electronic system of claim 20 wherein the user interface displays a first set of data when in the first orientation and displays a second set of data when in the second orientation.

24. The portable electronic system of claim 18 wherein the user interface comprises a touch sensitive input device.

25. The portable electronic system of claim 18 wherein the second electronic device may be used to control the first electronic device.