Flexible band wearable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10228725-B2
Application number	US-201615282633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A flexible band wearable electronic device includes a plurality of rigid links. The flexible band wearable electronic device also includes a number of pivot joints coupling the plurality of rigid links together. The flexible band wearable electronic device further includes a first electronic device on a first of the plurality of rigid links, and a second electronic device on a second of the plurality of rigid links. The flexible band wearable electronic device still further includes an electrical communication pathway between first electronic device and the second electronic device and through at least a portion of one of the number of pivot joints.

First claim

The claimed invention is:

1. A flexible band wearable electronic device, comprising:
a plurality of rigid links, including a first rigid link and a second rigid link, wherein the first rigid link and the second rigid link each include a passage configured to receive a connector;
a first set of electrically conductive gears coupled to the first rigid link, wherein each of the first set of electrically conductive gears are electrically isolated;
a second set of electrically conductive gears coupled to the second rigid link, wherein:
each of the second set of electrically conductive gears are electrically isolated, and
the first set of conductive gears are sized and shaped to intermesh with the second set of electrically conductive gears;

the connector configured to engage with the passages of the first rigid link and the second rigid link, wherein the connector is configured to couple the first rigid link with the second rigid link, the first rigid link and the second rigid link pivot about the connector at the passages, and the coupling of the first rigid link with the second rigid link intermesh the first set of electrically conductive gears with the second set of electrically conductive gears;
a first electronic device included in the first rigid link, and a second electronic device included in the second rigid link; and
wherein the intermeshing of the first set of electrically conductive gears with the second set of electrically conductive gears establishes a plurality of isolated electrical communication pathways between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, and the coupling of the connector with the first rigid link and the second rigid link:
establishes an additional isolated electrical communication pathway between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, and
maintains the intermeshing of the first set of electrically conductive gears with the second set of electrically conductive gears.

2. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first set of electrically conductive gears includes a central gear axis, and the central gear axis of each of the first set of electrically conductive gears are collinear.

3. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the passage of the first rigid link is aligned with the central gear axis of first set of electrically conductive gears.

4. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the connector is removable by a user to facilitate the interchanging of the first rigid link or the second rigid link with a third rigid link.

5. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the connector includes a plurality of isolated channels configured to allow a plurality of isolated electrical signals to transmit through the connector.

6. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first or second electronic device includes a printed circuit board.

7. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first or second electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a processor, battery, accelerometer, gyroscope, inertial measurement unit, global positioning system receiver, cellular radio, Bluetooth radio, solid state memory, random access memory, microphone, speaker, induction coil, heart rate sensor, blood pressure sensor, temperature sensor, barometric pressure sensor, photosensor, liquid sensor, diode, and a display.

8. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the the connector is coupled with a seal that provides an interference fit with the connector when the seal is coupled with the connector.

9. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device are sub-components of an electronic system.

10. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the sub-components are in wireless communication.

11. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second electronic devices are in wireless communication.

12. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the rigid links are components of a piece of jewelry.

13. The flexible band wearable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the piece of jewelry is a watch.

14. A method for modifying a wearable electronic device, comprising:
decoupling a first rigid link from a second rigid link, wherein the decoupling includes:
removing a connector from the first rigid link and the second rigid link, wherein the connector is configured to engage with a first passage of the first rigid link and a second passage of the second rigid link, and
demeshing a first set of electrically conductive gears of the first rigid link from a second set of electrically conductive gears of the second rigid link;

placing the first rigid link within physical proximity of a third rigid link; and
coupling the first rigid link with the third rigid link, wherein the coupling of the first rigid link with the third rigid link includes:
intermeshing a third set of electrically conductive gears of the third link with the first set of electrically conductive gears,
coupling the connector with the first passage and a third passage of the third rigid link, wherein the first rigid link and the third rigid link are configured to pivot about the connector at the first passage and the third passage, and
wherein the intermeshing of the first set of electrically conductive gears with the third set of electrically conductive gears establishes a plurality of isolated electrical communication pathways between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, and the coupling of the connector with the first rigid link and the third rigid link:
establishes an additional isolated electrical communication pathway between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, and
maintains the intermeshing of the first set of electrically conductive gears with the third set of electrically conductive gears.

15. The method for modifying a wearable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the third rigid link is a replacement for the second rigid link.

16. The method for modifying a wearable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the third rigid link is added to increase functionality of the wearable electronic device.

17. The method for modifying a wearable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the first or second electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a processor, battery, accelerometer, gyroscope, inertial measurement unit, global positioning system receiver, cellular radio, Bluetooth radio, solid state memory, random access memory, microphone, speaker, induction coil, heart rate sensor, blood pressure sensor, temperature sensor, barometric pressure sensor, photosensor, liquid sensor, diode, and a display.

18. The method for modifying a wearable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein coupling the first rigid link with the third rigid link includes intermeshing one or more electrically conductive gears of the first rigid link with one or more electrically conductive gears of the third rigid link.

Assignees

• Intel Ip Corp

Inventors

• Albers Sven
• Reingruber Klaus
• Wolter Andreas
• Seidemann Georg
• Geissler Christian
• Meyer Thorsten
• Ofner Gerald

Classifications

• A44C5/105

  with links made of one piece and linked together by one connecting element · CPC title

• A44C5/02

  Link constructions · CPC title

• A45F2005/008

  Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg · CPC title

• A44C5/00

  Bracelets; Wrist-watch straps; Fastenings for bracelets or wrist-watch straps {(settings for holding gems or the like A44C17/02; devices for putting-on or pulling-off bracelets A47G25/901)} · CPC title

• A61B2560/0443

  Modular apparatus · CPC title