WATCH DEVICE HAVING TOUCH-BEZEL USER INTERFACE

• US 20090059730A1
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Downey, David J., Massoth, Kristin M., Lyons, Justin R., Lovitt, John H., Stevenson, Claudette D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/69
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• 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 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A watch device includes a touch-sensitive user interface employing a sensor positioned within the bezel of the display for detecting when the bezel is touched by a user of the watch device. The sensor may be capable of detecting single presses, multiple simultaneous presses, and scrolling motion presses about the bezel.

Claims

1. A watch device, comprising:

a housing;

a wristband coupled to the housing for holding the housing to the wrist of a user of the watch device;

a display disposed in the housing for displaying information to the user; and

a bezel at least partially surrounding the display, the bezel including a sensor for sensing when the bezel is touched,

wherein the user of the watch device may provide an input to the watch device by touching the bezel

2. The watch device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive sensor for sensing a change in capacitance when the bezel is touched.

3. The watch device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises a flex sensor and a plurality of sensor pads.

4. The watch device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is operable for detecting scrolling motion presses on the bezel.

5. The watch device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sensor is operable for detecting single presses on the bezel

6. The watch device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sensor has a resolution of at least approximately 128 touch positions.

7. The watch device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a button disposed on the housing adjacent to the bezel, the button for being actuated to provide input to the watch device.

8. The watch device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the button is operable for providing input to the watch device in cooperation with the sensor.

9. The watch device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a position determining component disposed within the housing for determining a geographic position of the watch device.

10. The watch device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the position determining component comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and an antenna.

11. The watch device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processing system for determining a first training parameter for the user of the watch device and calculating a second training parameter for a virtual training partner, the first and second training parameters being displayed by the display, wherein the second training parameter may be adjusted in response to a scrolling motion press on the bezel

12. The watch device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display further comprises a backlight, and wherein the backlight is operable to be activated in response to simultaneous touches of two points on the bezel.

13. The watch device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display is operable for displaying a plurality of display screens, and where at least one of the display screens displayed is selectable using the bezel.

14. A watch device, comprising:

a housing having an upper surface and a bottom surface;

a wristband coupled to the housing for holding the housing to the arm of a user of the watch device so that the bottom surface generally rests against the arm;

a processing system disposed in the housing for processing information;

a display disposed in the upper surface of the housing for displaying information to the user; and

a bezel disposed in the housing so that the bezel at least partially surrounds the display, the bezel including a capacitive sensor for sensing when the bezel is touched and providing an input to the processing system,

wherein the user of the watch device may provide an input to the watch device by touching the bezel.

15. The watch device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises a flex sensor and a plurality of sensor pads.

16. The watch device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the sensor is operable for detecting scrolling motion presses on the bezel.

17. The watch device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor is operable for detecting single presses on the bezel

18. The watch device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sensor has a resolution of at least approximately 128 touch positions.

19. The watch device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a button disposed on the housing adjacent to the bezel, the button for being actuated to provide input to the watch device.

20. The watch device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the button is operable for providing input to the watch device in cooperation with the sensor.

21. The watch device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a position determining component disposed within the housing for determining a geographic position of the watch device.

22. The watch device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the processing system for determining a first training parameter for the user of the watch device and calculating a second training parameter for a virtual training partner, the first and second training parameters being displayed by the display, wherein the second training parameter may be adjusted in response to a scrolling motion press on the bezel

23. The watch device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the position determining component comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and an antenna.

24. The watch device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display further comprises a backlight, and wherein the backlight is operable to be activated in response to simultaneous touches of two points on the bezel.

25. The watch device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display is operable for displaying a plurality of display screens, and where at least one of the display screens displayed is selectable using the bezel.

26. An input device for a watch device having a housing including a display and a processing system, comprising:

a bezel disposed in the housing so that the bezel at least partially surrounds the display; and

a sensor disposed in the bezel for sensing when the bezel is touched and providing an input to the processing system.

27. The input device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive sensor for sensing a change in capacitance when the bezel is touched.

28. The input device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the capacitive sensor comprises a flex sensor and a plurality of sensor pads.

29. The input device as claimed in claim 26, wherein the sensor is operable for detecting scrolling motion presses on the bezel.

30. The input device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the sensor is operable for detecting single presses on the bezel

31. The input device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the sensor has a resolution of at least approximately 128 touch positions.