Sensing Contact Force Related to User Wearing an Electronic Device

• US 20170086743A1
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Banaska, Steven J., Bushnell, Tyler S., Martisauskas, Steven J., de Jong, Erik G., Baranski, Andrzej T., Isikman, Serhan O., Whitehurst, Todd K., Sartee, Ming L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,285,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 body;

a housing component coupled to the body;

a band operable to attach the body to a body part of a user;

a force sensor, coupled to the housing component, operable to produce a force signal based on a force exerted between the body part of the user and the housing component; and

a processing unit, communicably coupled to the force sensor, operable to determine a tightness of the band based on 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 body and the housing component; and

the force signal indicates deflection of the deflection element based on 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 body and the housing component;

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 housing component, the body, or a circuit board coupled to the 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 body, wherein:

the force sensor comprises;

a first electrode coupled to the housing component; 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 housing component is flexible.

10. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a body;

a surface component coupled to the body, the surface component positioned adjacent to a body part of a user when the wearable electronic device is worn;

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

a force sensor, coupled to the surface component, operable to produce a force signal based on a force exerted between the body part of the user and the surface component; and

a processing unit, communicably coupled to the force sensor, operable to determine health information for the user based on 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 based on the force signal.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 11, further comprising a band operable to attach the body to the body part of the user;

wherein the processing unit;

determines a tightness of the band based on the force signal;

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

if 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 to attach the body to the body part of the user; and

a band tightness adjustment mechanism;

wherein the processing unit;

determines a tightness of the band based on 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 body;

a cover glass coupled to the body;

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

a first force sensor, coupled to the cover glass, operable to produce a first force signal based on a first force exerted on the cover glass;

a second force sensor, coupled to the plate, operable to produce a second force signal based on a second force exerted between the body part of the user and the plate; and

a processing unit, communicably coupled to the first and second force sensors, operable to;

determine an amount of the first force based on the first force signal;

determine an amount of the second force based on the second force signal; and

adjust the amount of the first force based on the second force signal.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is further operable to adjust the amount of the second force based on the first force signal.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is further operable to determine a pressure to which the body is exposed based on the first force signal and the second force signal.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 18, wherein the pressure is a water pressure.

20. The wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit determines whether the wearable electronic device is worn by the user based on the second force signal.