Sensing contact force related to user wearing an electronic device

• US 10,285,645 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bushnell, Tyler S., Martisauskas, Steven J., de Jong, Erik G., Baranski, Andrzej T., Isikman, Serhan O., Banaska, Steven J., Whitehurst, Todd K., Sartee, Ming L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abouelela, May A
• Application Number:
  US14/867,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20170086743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 600300, 600322, 600587, 600595, 3404071
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0261 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors

Abstract

A wearable electronic device includes a body, a housing component, a band operable to attach the body to a body part of a user, and a force sensor coupled to the housing component. The force sensor is operable to produce a force signal based on a force exerted between the body part of the user and the housing component. A processing unit of the wearable electronic device receives the force signal from the force sensor and determines the force exerted on the housing component based thereon. The processing unit may use that force to determine a tightness of the band, determine health information for the user, adjust determined force exerted on a cover glass, and/or to perform various other actions.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a watch body;

a back plate coupled to the watch body;

a band coupled to the watch body and configured to attach the watch body to a body part of a user;

a force sensor, coupled to the back plate, configured to produce a force signal using a force exerted between the body part of the user and the back plate, the force sensor positioned between the watch body and the back plate, wherein the back plate is coupled to the watch body via the force sensor; and

a processing unit, communicably coupled to the force sensor, configured to determine a tightness of the band using the force signal received from the force sensor.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the force sensor comprises a strain gauge mounted to a deflection element that is connected to the watch body and the back plate; and

the force signal indicates deflection of the deflection element using strain data detected by the strain gauge.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the force sensor comprises a gasket positioned between the watch body and the back plate;

the gasket comprises a pair of electrodes separated by a deformable material; and

the force signal indicates a capacitance between the pair of electrodes.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the force sensor includes an electrode; and

the force signal indicates a capacitance between the electrode and the body part of the user.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the electrode is coupled to one of the back plate, the watch body, or a circuit board coupled to the watch body.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the electrode comprises indium tin oxide.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a circuit board coupled to the watch body, wherein:

the force sensor comprises;

a first electrode coupled to the back plate; and

a second electrode coupled to the circuit board; and

the force signal indicates a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first electrode comprises a first set of electrodes and the second electrode comprises a second set of electrodes.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the back plate is flexible.

10. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a watch body;

a back plate coupled to the watch body, the back plate configured to be positioned adjacent to a body part of a user when the wearable electronic device is worn;

a health sensor, coupled to the watch body, configured to obtain a measurement of the body part of the user;

a force sensor, coupled to the back plate, configured to produce a force signal using a force exerted between the body part of the user and the back plate, the force sensor positioned between the back plate and the watch body, wherein the back plate is coupled to the watch body via the force sensor; and

a processing unit, communicably coupled to the force sensor, configured to determine health information for the user using the force signal received from the force sensor and the measurement obtained by the health sensor.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the processing unit determines whether the measurement obtained by the health sensor is accurate using the force signal.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a band coupled to the watch body that is configured to attach the watch body to the body part of the user;

wherein the processing unit;

determines a tightness of the band using the force signal;

when the tightness of the band is within a range of force values, determines the measurement obtained by the health sensor is accurate; and

when the tightness of the band is outside the range of force values, determines the measurement obtained by the health sensor is inaccurate.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the health information includes at least one of a swelling indication, a blood pressure, a body fat indication, an allergic reaction indication, a hydration indication, or an edema indication.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 10, further comprising:

a band operable coupled to the watch body that is configured to attach the watch body to the body part of the user; and

a band tightness adjustment mechanism;

wherein the processing unit;

determines a tightness of the band using the force signal; and

causes the tightness of the band to be altered using the band tightness adjustment mechanism.

15. The wearable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processing unit provides a notification to the user by causing the tightness of the band to be altered.

16. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a watch body;

a band coupled to the watch body;

a back plate coupled to the watch body;

a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor, coupled to the watch body, configured to obtain a measurement;

a force sensor, coupled to the back plate, configured to produce a force signal indicating a tightness of the band, the force sensor positioned between the back plate and the watch body, wherein the back plate is coupled to the watch body via the force sensor; and

a processing unit, communicably coupled to the force sensor, configured to determine when the measurement is accurate using the tightness of the band.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit determines the measurement is accurate when the tightness of the band is within a tightness range.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit uses the PPG sensor to obtain an additional measurement when the processing unit determines that the measurement is inaccurate.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit disregards the measurement when the processing unit determines that the measurement is inaccurate.

20. The wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit determines the measurement is accurate when the tightness of the band is outside a tightness range.