Capacitive gap sensor ring for an electronic watch

• US 10,509,486 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2019
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bushnell, Tyler S., Petty, Collin R., Clavelle, Adam T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Laurence J
• Application Number:
  US16/442,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20190302902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 183 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/005 Multiple switches G04C3/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/007 Electromechanical contact-making and breaking devices acting as pulse generators for setting
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

An input mechanism for an electronic watch includes a rotational manipulation mechanism, such as a cap or shaft. The input mechanism also includes a sensor having first capacitive elements coupled to the manipulation mechanism, second capacitive elements, and a dielectric positioned between the first and second capacitive elements. Movement of the manipulation mechanism alters the positions of the first and second capacitive elements with respect to each other and is determinable based on capacitance changes resulting therefrom. In some implementations, the second capacitive elements may be part of an inner ring or partial ring nested at least partially within an outer ring or partial ring.

Claims

1. An electronic watch comprising:

a housing defining a display opening and a crown aperture;

a display positioned within the display opening;

a crown positioned along a side of the housing at least partially within the crown aperture, the crown including a cap;

a first set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the cap;

a second set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the housing;

a compliant dielectric material that is configured to deform in response to movement of the cap; and

a processing unit that is electrically coupled to the second set of capacitive elements and is configured to;

detect an inward translational movement of the cap toward the housing based on a first change in capacitance between one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and one or more of the second set of capacitive elements; and

detect an outward translational movement away from the housing based on a second change in capacitance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements.

2. The electronic watch of claim 1, wherein the processing unit interprets:

the inward translational movement of the cap as a first input; and

the outward translational movement of the cap as a second input that is different from the first input.

3. The electronic watch of claim 1, wherein the processing unit interprets:

a first inward translational movement of the cap a first amount a first input; and

a second inward translational movement of the cap a second amount as a second input.

4. The electronic watch of claim 1, wherein the processing unit estimates a force applied to the cap using at least one of the first change in capacitance or the second change in capacitance.

5. The electronic watch of claim 4, wherein:

the processing unit interprets the force as a first input when the force is a first amount; and

the processing unit interprets the force as a second input when the force is a second amount.

6. The electronic watch of claim 1, wherein:

the processing unit is configured to detect a first rotational movement of the cap using a third change in capacitance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements; and

the processing unit is configured to detect a second rotational movement of the cap, opposite to the first rotational movement, using a fourth change in capacitance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements.

7. The electronic watch of claim 1, wherein:

the processing unit is configured to detect a first lateral translational movement of the cap in a third direction that is lateral with respect to the housing using a third change in capacitance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements; and

the processing unit is configured to detect a first lateral translational movement of the cap in a fourth direction that is lateral with respect to the housing using a fourth change in capacitance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements.

8. An electronic watch comprising:

a housing defining a display opening and a crown aperture;

a display positioned at least partially within the display opening;

a crown positioned along a side of the housing at least partially within the crown aperture, the crown including a cap;

a first set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the cap;

a second set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the housing;

a compliant component positioned between the first and second sets of capacitive elements, the compliant component configured to deform in response to a rotational input applied to the cap; and

a processing unit that is electrically coupled to the second set of capacitive elements, the processing unit configured to;

detect a first rotational input to the cap in a first direction using a first change in capacitance between one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and one or more of the second set of capacitive elements; and

detect a second rotational input applied to the cap in a second direction opposite the first direction using a second change in capacitance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements.

9. The electronic watch of claim 8, wherein the processing unit alters a graphical element presented on the display:

in a first manner in response to detecting the first rotational input in the first direction; and

in a second manner in response to detecting the second rotational input in the second direction.

10. The electronic watch of claim 8, wherein the compliant component allows the cap to rotate and translate.

11. The electronic watch of claim 10, wherein the compliant component allows the cap to translate:

toward the housing;

away from the housing; and

laterally with respect to the housing.

12. The electronic watch of claim 8, wherein:

the compliant component deforms when a force is applied to the cap; and

the processing unit is configured to estimate an amount of the force based on a change in capacitance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements.

13. The electronic watch of claim 12, wherein:

the cap moves from an initial position when the force is applied; and

the compliant component returns the cap to the initial position when the force is no longer applied.

14. The electronic watch of claim 8, wherein the compliant component comprises at least one of:

silicone;

gel;

foam;

or

adhesive.

15. An electronic watch comprising:

a housing;

a display at least partially within the housing;

a crown positioned along a side of the housing including a cap;

a first set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the cap;

a second set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the housing; and

a dielectric that is configured to deform in response to an input applied to the crown;

a processing unit that is electrically coupled to the first and second sets of capacitive elements, the processing unit configured to;

detect a first movement of the cap in a first direction that is lateral with respect to the housing based on a first change in capacitance between one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and one or more of the second set of capacitive elements; and

detect a second movement of the cap in a second direction that is lateral with respect to the housing based a second change in capacitance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements.

16. The electronic watch of claim 15, wherein:

the first movement changes an offset between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements a first amount; and

the second movement changes the offset between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements a second amount that is greater than the first amount.

17. The electronic watch of claim 15, wherein:

the first movement changes a distance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements a first amount; and

the second movement changes the distance between the one or more of the first set of capacitive elements and the one or more of the second set of capacitive elements a second amount that is greater than the first amount.

18. The electronic watch of claim 15, wherein the dielectric is an elastomer ring that is positioned between the first and second sets of capacitive elements.

19. The electronic watch of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is operative to determine a location of a touch on the cap.

20. The electronic watch of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is configured to modify a graphical element presented on the display:

in a first manner when the first movement is in the first direction; and

in a second manner when the second movement is in the second direction.