Clasp assembly and data interconnection for wearable computing devices

• US 9,992,883 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Peek, Gregory A., Francis, Mark R., Idsinga, Andy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Anthony Q
• Application Number:
  US15/015,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20160262275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/42 Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• 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: H01R 12/7076 for connection between PCB and component, e.g. display
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention describe a clasp assembly for detachably coupling a first housing to a second housing. The clasp assembly to further includes a data connector to provide an input/output (I/O) interface to a computing component of the first housing, and a data connector housing corresponding to the data connector, wherein the data connector is exposed when the clasp assembly is in an open position, and wherein the data connector is disposed in the data connector housing when the clasp assembly is in a closed position.

Claims

1. A wearable computing device comprising:

a computing component;

a power supply; and

a wearable band, the wearable band including a first member and a second member with a separation point preventing an electrical connection between the first member and second member, the first member including at least the computing component and the power supply, and a clasp assembly for opening and closing the wearable band, the clasp assembly further including a data connector, the data connector to provide access both to the power supply to charge the wearable computing device and to the computing component to access data in memory of the wearable computing device included in the first member;

wherein the data connector is accessible when the clasp assembly is in an open state and is concealed when the data connector is in a closed state, and wherein the second member of the wearable computing device does not receive power when the clasp assembly is in the open state.

2. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the data connector of the clasp assembly comprises a data connector plug.

3. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the data connector of the clasp assembly comprises a data connector port.

4. The wearable computing device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a display or a user input/output (I/O) interface for the computing component.

5. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the data connector of the clasp assembly comprises at least one of a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) connector, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, a FireWire connector, a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connector, Mini DisplayPort Connector, a Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) connector, or a Thunderbolt connector.

6. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the clasp assembly comprises a cover to enclose the data connector.

7. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the separation point is a hinge.

8. The wearable computing device of claim 1, wherein the second member includes one or more sensors.

9. A wearable mobile system comprising:

a computing component;

a power supply;

a display device to display data from the computing component;

a biometric sensor;

a wearable wrist band including a first member and a second member with a separation point preventing an electrical connection between the first member and the second member, the first member including at least the computing component and power supply and the second member including at least the biometric sensor, and a clasp assembly;

wherein the clasp assembly is for opening and closing the wearable wrist band, the clasp assembly to further include;

a data connector to provide access both to power supply to charge the wearable mobile system and to the computing component to access data in memory of the wearable computing device included in the first member;

wherein the data connector is accessible when the clasp assembly is in an open position, and wherein the data connector is concealed when the clasp assembly is in a closed position, and wherein the second member of the wearable computing device does not receive power when the clasp assembly is in the open state.

10. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, wherein the data connector of the clasp assembly comprises a data connector plug.

11. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, wherein the data connector of the clasp assembly comprises a data connector port.

12. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, wherein the data connector housing of the clasp assembly comprises a cover to enclose the data connector.

13. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, wherein the display device is coupled with the wearable wrist band.

14. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, wherein the computing component is to track activity-related data for a user of the wearable mobile system.

15. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, wherein the clasp assembly is to open and close the wrist band to allow a user to put on and take off the device.

16. The wearable mobile system of claim 15, wherein the wearable band includes flexible material.

17. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, further comprising one or more of a motion sensor to track movements of a user, or a location sensor to dynamically determine a location of the device.

18. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, wherein the clasp assembly is to protect the data connector from external elements.

19. The wearable mobile system of claim 9, wherein the separation point is a hinge.