Tactile switch for an electronic device

• US 10,216,147 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2018
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ely, Colin M., Morrell, John B., Kerr, Duncan, Moussette, Camille
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon, Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US16/033,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20180329368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: 200 4, 368 69, 368185-187, 368289, 368308, 368319
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 27/002 The setting apparatus being crown shaped G04B27/02 takes precedence
• 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 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/006 Force isolators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/006 Only mechanical function
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/01 also rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/002 sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/122 with enlarged actuating area, e.g. of the elongated bar-type; Stabilising means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/16 Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off"

Abstract

An electronic watch may include a tactile switch and/or one or more sensors for detecting rotational and translational inputs. The watch may include a display configured to produce graphical outputs that may change in response to rotational inputs, translational inputs, and/or touch inputs received at the display. The watch include a crown positioned along an exterior of the watch enclosure and a shaft coupled to the crown and extending into the enclosure. The tactile switch and/or the one or more sensors may be used to detect rotational and/or translational inputs provided at the crown.

Claims

1. A watch comprising:

a watch enclosure;

a touch-sensitive display positioned at least partially within the watch enclosure and configured to receive a touch input and display a graphical output;

a rotational sensor positioned within the watch enclosure and configured to detect a rotational input; and

a translational sensor positioned within the watch enclosure and configured to detect a translational input;

wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to modify the graphical output in response to;

the rotational input detected by the rotational sensor;

the translational input detected by the translational sensor; and

the touch input detected by the touch-sensitive display.

2. The watch of claim 1, wherein:

the rotational sensor is an optical sensor; and

the translational sensor is a tactile dome switch.

3. The watch of claim 1, wherein:

the watch further comprises a crown positioned along a side of the watch enclosure; and

the crown is configured to receive the translational input.

4. The watch of claim 3, wherein the crown is configured to receive the rotational input.

5. The watch of claim 1, wherein:

the watch further comprises a crown that is configured to receive the rotational input;

the watch further comprises a shaft coupled to the crown;

the shaft extends into an interior volume of the watch enclosure; and

a dome is positioned within the interior volume and is configured detect the translational input when the shaft collapses the dome.

6. The watch of claim 1, wherein:

the graphical output includes a group of icons; and

the group of icons is scrolled in a continuous manner in response to both the rotational input and the touch input.

7. The watch of claim 1, wherein:

the graphical output includes a group of icons;

an icon of the group of icons corresponds to a received message; and

a position of the icon is varied in a continuous manner in accordance with either the rotational input or the touch input.

8. A watch comprising:

a watch enclosure defining an interior volume;

a touch-sensitive display positioned at least partially within the interior volume and having a touch sensor configured to detect a touch input;

a first sensor configured to detect a rotational input; and

a second sensor configured to detect a translational input;

wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to depict a graphical output that is responsive to;

the rotational input;

the translational input; and

the touch input.

9. The watch of claim 8, wherein:

the first sensor comprises an optical sensor that is configured to detect the rotational input using reflected light; and

the second sensor comprises a switch having a dome that is configured to collapse in response to the translational input.

10. The watch of claim 8, wherein:

the watch enclosure defines an opening extending into the interior volume;

the watch further comprises;

a crown positioned along a side of the watch enclosure; and

a shaft that is coupled to the crown and extends into the opening; and

the first sensor is configured to detect the rotational input by detecting movement of the shaft.

11. The watch of claim 10:

wherein;

the first sensor comprises an optical sensor; and

the optical sensor is configured to detect the movement of the shaft using reflected light.

12. The watch of claim 10, wherein:

the second sensor comprises a dome; and

the second sensor is configured to detect the translational input when the shaft collapses the dome.

13. The watch of claim 8, wherein:

the graphical output includes a group of graphical objects; and

the group of graphical objects are moved in a continuous manner in response to both the rotational input and the touch input.

14. The watch of claim 13, wherein:

the touch input is a first touch input; and

the touch-sensitive display is configured to display a selection of one of the group of graphical objects in response to a second touch input.

15. A watch comprising:

an enclosure;

a touch-sensitive display carried by the enclosure and configured to detect touch input and display graphical objects;

a rotational sensor carried by the enclosure and configured to detect rotational input;

a translational sensor carried by the enclosure and configured to detect translational input; and

a processor operably coupled to the touch-sensitive display, the rotational sensor, and the translational sensor, the processor configured to;

in response to the touch input, cause the graphical objects to move across the touch-sensitive display;

in response to the rotational input, cause the graphical objects to move across the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to the translational input, cause a display of different graphical objects on the touch-sensitive display.

16. The watch of claim 15, wherein:

the touch-sensitive display is configured to move the graphical objects in a continuous manner in accordance with both the rotational input and the touch input.

17. The watch of claim 15, wherein:

the graphical objects include a group of icons; and

moving the graphical objects includes scrolling the group of icons across the touch-sensitive display.

18. The watch of claim 15, wherein:

the touch input is a first touch input; and

the processor is further configured to cause a selection of an object of the graphical objects in response to a second touch input.

19. The watch of claim 15, wherein:

the rotational sensor comprises an optical sensor configured to detect the rotational input; and

the translational sensor comprises a switch configured to detect the translational input.

20. The watch of claim 15, wherein:

the rotational sensor comprises a magnetic sensor configured to detect the rotational input; and

the translational sensor comprises a switch configured to detect the translational input.