IP Library Granted Patent US 11,474,483
Granted Patent B2
US 11,474,483 · App. 17/672,653 · Granted Oct 18, 2022

Wearable electronic device

Inventors: Fletcher R. Rothkopf (Los Altos, CA); Jonathan Ive (San Francisco, CA); Julian Hoenig (San Francisco, CA); Rico Zorkendorfer (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
G04G17/02A61B5/0205A61B5/0261A61B5/0295A61B5/14551A61B5/681G04B39/02G04G21/025G06F1/163G06F1/169G06F1/1643G06F3/015G06F3/016A61B5/02427A61B5/02438A61B5/0816A61B5/14552G04B3/04G04G13/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,474,483
App. No.
17/672,653
Filed
Feb 15, 2022
Granted
Oct 18, 2022
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3792
USPC
368/10
Abstract

A consumer product that is a portable and, in some cases, a wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device may have functionalities including: keeping time; monitoring a user's physiological signals and providing health-related information based on those signals; communicating with other electronic devices or services; visually depicting data on a display; gather data form one or more sensors that may be used to initiate, control, or modify operations of the device; determine a location of a touch on a surface of the device and/or an amount of force exerted on the device, and use either or both as input.

Claims (64)

1. A wearable electronic device comprising:

a housing defining a first opening and a second opening;

a display positioned at least partially within the first opening;

a front cover positioned over the display and defining at least a portion of a front exterior surface of the wearable electronic device;

a biosensor module comprising:

a rear cover positioned at least partially within the second opening and defining an optically transparent window and a protruding convex surface;

an optical sensor aligned with the optically transparent window;

a first electrode positioned along a rear surface of the wearable electronic device; and

a second electrode positioned along the rear surface of the wearable electronic device; and

a third electrode positioned along a side of the wearable electronic device, wherein:

the wearable electronic device is configured to measure a first physiological parameter of a wearer using the optical sensor; and

the wearable electronic device is configured to measure a second physiological parameter using the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the wearable electronic device further includes a watch band coupled to the housing and configured to couple the wearable electronic device to a wearer;

the optical sensor is a heart-rate sensor;

the first electrode is an electrode of an electrocardiograph sensing system; and

the second physiological parameter is an electrocardiogram.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an input device positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive at least one of a rotational input or a translational input.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second physiological parameter is a galvanic skin response.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an input device positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive at least one of a rotational input or a translational input.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor comprises:

an optical emitter configured to emit an optical signal; and

an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected portion of the optical signal.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:

the optical emitter is a first optical emitter configured to emit light having a first wavelength; and

the optical sensor further comprises a second optical emitter configured to emit light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an input device positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless charging system configured to receive power wirelessly, from an external charging dock, through the rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device.

10. An electronic watch comprising:

a display;

a housing at least partially enclosing the display;

a front cover positioned over the display and defining at least a portion of a front exterior surface of the electronic watch;

a biosensor module defining at least a portion of a rear exterior surface of the electronic watch opposite the front exterior surface, the biosensor module comprising:

a rear cover defining an optically transparent window;

an optical sensor positioned below the optically transparent window;

a first electrode positioned along the rear exterior surface of the electronic watch; and

a second electrode positioned along the rear exterior surface of the electronic watch; and

a third electrode positioned along a side of the electronic watch, wherein:

the electronic watch is configured to measure a first physiological parameter of a wearer using the optical sensor; and

the electronic watch is configured to measure a second physiological parameter using the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode.

11. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the rear cover defines a convex exterior surface.

12. The electronic watch of claim 11 , wherein the optically transparent window is located within a portion of the rear cover that defines the convex exterior surface.

13. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are part of an electrocardiograph sensing system.

14. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the first physiological parameter is a heart rate.

15. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the rear cover comprises sapphire.

16. A wearable electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a band attached to the housing and configured to couple the wearable electronic device to a user;

a touch-sensitive display positioned at least partially within the housing;

a rear cover positioned at least partially within a rear opening defined along a rear portion of the housing, the rear cover defining at least a portion of a rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device and having an optically transparent portion;

an optical sensor positioned within the housing and configured to emit an optical signal through the optically transparent portion;

a first electrode positioned along the rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device;

a second electrode positioned along the rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device; and

a third electrode positioned along a side of the wearable electronic device, wherein:

the wearable electronic device is configured to measure a first physiological parameter using the optical sensor; and

the wearable electronic device is configured to measure a second physiological parameter using the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein:

the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are part of an electrocardiograph sensing system; and

the second physiological parameter is an electrocardiogram.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , further comprising an input device positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive at least one of a rotational input or a translational input.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the rear cover defines a convex exterior surface.

20. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the optical sensor comprises:

an optical emitter configured to emit the optical signal through the optically transparent portion; and

an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected portion of the optical signal through the rear cover.

Continuity (13)
Continuation 17188995 · Mar 1, 2021
Continuation 17188966 · Mar 1, 2021
Continuation 16826130 · Mar 20, 2020
Continuation 16826130 · Mar 20, 2020
Continuation 15261917 · Sep 10, 2016
Continuation 15261912 · Sep 10, 2016
Continuation 15261914 · Sep 10, 2016
Continuation 14842617 · Sep 1, 2015
Continuation 14842617 · Sep 1, 2015
Continuation 14842617 · Sep 1, 2015
Continuation 14842617 · Sep 1, 2015
Provisional Application 62044974 · Sep 2, 2014
Related Publication 20220171344A1 · Jun 2, 2022
Cited By (15)
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