Placement of optical sensor on wearable electronic device
In one embodiment, a wearable device includes a body that includes a touch-sensitive display. The wearable device includes a band coupled to the body and an optical sensor placed on or in the band so that an image of an object displayed on the touch-sensitive display is viewable while the object is also viewable without the wearable device blocking a view of the object.
1. A wrist-wearable device comprising:
a device body comprising a touch-sensitive display;
a wristband coupled to the device body; and
an optical sensor placed on or in the wristband through which the wrist-wearable device is operable to capture an image of at least a portion of an object and, simultaneously, at least a portion of a hand of a person wearing the wrist-wearable device;
wherein the wrist-wearable device is operable to:
display simultaneously on the touch-sensitive display both the portion of the object and the portion of the hand of the person wearing the wrist-wearable device; and
process the image of the portion of the hand as at least part of a gesture input indicating a user interaction with the object.
2. The wrist-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:
the touch-sensitive display has a viewing cone; and
the optical sensor has an angle of view and is oriented when the device is affixed to a person to form an angle between a center of the angle of view of the optical sensor and a center of the viewing cone of the touch-sensitive display, the angle enabling the person to view the device from within the viewing cone of the touch-sensitive display and to view unblocked by the device the object that is within the angle of view of the optical sensor.
3. The wrist-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein processing the image of the portion of the hand as at least part of a gesture input comprises:
identifying the object;
accessing information about the object; and
displaying the information on the touch-sensitive display.
4. The wrist-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a camera.
5. The wrist-wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising a depth sensor.
6. The wrist-wearable device of claim 5 , wherein the depth sensor comprises an optical depth sensor.
7. The wrist-wearable device of claim 1 , further operable to:
receive through the touch-sensitive display a touch input to interact with the image; and
process the touch input.
8. The wrist-wearable device of claim 7 , wherein the touch input comprises touching the touch-sensitive display on or near the object in the image.
9. The wrist-wearable device of claim 7 , wherein processing the touch input comprises:
identifying the object;
accessing information about the object; and
displaying the information on the touch-sensitive display.
10. The wrist-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the gesture input comprises:
pointing at the object;
covering at least a portion of the object;
moving the portion of the hand relative to the object; or
maintaining the portion of the hand in a fixed position relative to the object.
11. The wrist-wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the user interaction comprises:
selecting the object;
turning on the object;
turning of the object;
adjusting a function of the object.
12. A wrist-wearable device comprising:
a device body comprising a touch-sensitive display;
an optical sensor through which the wrist-wearable device is operable to capture an image of at least a portion of an object and, simultaneously, at least a portion of a hand of a person wearing the wrist-wearable device; and
means for housing the optical sensor and affixing the wrist-wearable device to a person's wrist; and
means for simultaneously displaying on the touch-sensitive display both the portion of the object and the portion of the hand of the person wearing the wrist-wearable device; and
means for processing the image of the portion of the hand as at least part of a gesture input indicating a user interaction with the object.
13. The wrist-wearable device of claim 12 , wherein:
the touch-sensitive display has a viewing cone; and
the optical sensor has an angle of view and is oriented when the device is affixed to a person to form an angle between a center of the angle of view of the optical sensor and a center of the viewing cone of the touch-sensitive display, the angle enabling the person to view the device from within the viewing cone of the touch-sensitive display and to view unblocked by the device the object that is within the angle of view of the optical sensor.
14. The wrist-wearable device of claim 12 , wherein processing the image of the portion of the hand as at least part of a gesture input comprises:
identifying the object;
accessing information about the object; and
displaying the information on the touch-sensitive display.
15. The wrist-wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a camera.
16. The wrist-wearable device of claim 12 , further comprising a depth sensor.
17. The wrist-wearable device of claim 16 , wherein the depth sensor comprises an optical depth sensor.
18. The wrist-wearable device of claim 12 , further comprising:
means for receiving through the touch-sensitive display a touch input to interact with the image; and
means for processing the touch input.
19. The wrist-wearable device of claim 18 , wherein the touch input comprises touching the touch-sensitive display on or near the object in the image.
20. The wrist-wearable device of claim 18 , wherein processing the touch input comprises:
identifying the object;
accessing information about the object; and
displaying the information on the touch-sensitive display.
21. The wrist-wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the gesture input comprises:
pointing at the object;
covering at least a portion of the object;
moving the portion of the hand relative to the object; or
maintaining the portion of the hand in a fixed position relative to the object.
22. The wrist-wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the user interaction comprises:
selecting the object;
turning on the object;
turning of the object;
adjusting a function of the object.
23. A method comprising:
coupling a wristband to a device body of a wrist-wearable device, wherein the device body includes a touch-sensitive display; and
placing an optical sensor on or in a wristband of a wrist-wearable device through which the wrist-wearable device is operable to capture an image of at least a portion of an object and, simultaneously, at least a portion of a hand of a person wearing the wrist-wearable device,
wherein the wrist-wearable device is operable to:
display simultaneously on the touch-sensitive display both the portion of the object and the portion of the hand of the person wearing the wrist-wearable device; and
process the image of the portion of the hand as at least part of a gesture input indicating a user interaction with the object.
24. A method comprising:
capturing, using an optical sensor on or in a wristband of a wrist-wearable device, an image of at least a portion of an object and, simultaneously, at least a portion of a hand of a person wearing the wrist-wearable device;
displaying simultaneously on a touch-sensitive display of the wrist-wearable device both the portion of the object and the portion of the hand of the person wearing the wrist-wearable device; and
processing the image of the portion of the hand as at least part of a gesture input indicating a user interaction with the object.
25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:
viewing the image of at least the portion of the object on the touch-sensitive display of the wrist-wearable device while also simultaneously viewing the object itself without the wrist-wearable device blocking the view of the object.