Extensible wrist band for wearable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10485477-B1
Application number	US-201414303073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 12, 2014
Priority date	Jun 12, 2014
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

A wearable device includes a strap configured for removable placement about an external body surface. The wearable device also includes an electronics module having a communication port. The wearable device further includes a biological sensor coupled to the electronics module and configured to obtain a measurement via the external body surface. The wearable device also includes a holder coupled to the strap. The holder defines a frame configured to receive the electronics module, and the frame defines an opening through which the biological sensor is able to obtain the measurement via the external body surface. The wearable device further includes a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) embedded within at least one of the holder or the strap. The wearable device also includes a connector configured to electrically connect the flexible PCB to the communication port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable device, comprising:
a strap;
an electronics module comprising a communication port;
a biological sensor electrically coupled to the electronics module;
a holder coupled to the strap, wherein the holder defines a frame configured to receive the electronics module, wherein the frame defines an opening, wherein the strap is configured to mount the wearable device to an external body surface such that the opening is over the external body surface and the biological sensor is positioned to obtain a measurement via the external body surface through the opening, and wherein the frame has at least two sides bounding the opening, the at least two sides bounding the opening including two sides in contact with each other;
a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) embedded within the holder and disposed in the two sides in contact with each other, such that the flexible PCB surrounds, at least partially, the opening defined by the frame; and
a connector coupled to the flexible PCB and protruding into the opening defined by the frame, wherein the connector is configured to electrically connect the flexible PCB to the communication port when the electronics module is received in the frame.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an antenna in communication with the flexible PCB.

3. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the external body surface is a wrist location.

4. The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user-interface comprising at least a display mounted on the holder or the strap, wherein the display is configured to provide information associated with one or more measurements obtained by the biological sensor.

5. The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rechargeable battery disposed in the holder or strap, wherein the rechargeable battery is configured to power (i) the flexible PCB and (ii) the electronics module.

6. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the connector is configured to secure the electronics module within the holder such that the frame surrounds the electronics module.

7. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the biological sensor is a first biological sensor, the wearable device further comprising:
a second biological sensor connected to the flexible PCB, wherein the second biological sensor is able to obtain a different measurement via the external body surface.

8. The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising a user-interface configured to provide a user-discernible indication of the one or more measurements obtained by the biological sensor.

9. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the electronics module further includes at least one of a motion sensor and a location sensor.

10. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the electronics module further includes data storage and a touch sensor.

11. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the electronics module includes the biological sensor.

12. The wearable device of claim 2 , wherein the electronics module includes the antenna.

13. A wearable device, comprising:
a strap;
an electronics module comprising a communication port;
a biological sensor electrically coupled to the electronics module;
a holder coupled to the strap, wherein the holder defines a frame configured to receive the electronics module, wherein the frame defines an opening, wherein the strap is configured to mount the wearable device to an external body surface such that the opening is over the external body surface and the biological sensor is positioned to obtain a measurement via the external body surface through the opening, and wherein the frame has four sides bounding the opening, the four sides bounding the opening including two sides in contact with each other;
a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the two sides in contact with each other such that the flexible PCB surrounds, at least partially, the opening defined by the frame; and
a connector coupled to the flexible PCB and protruding into the opening defined by the frame, wherein the connector is configured to electrically connect the flexible PCB to the communication port when the electronics module is received in the frame.

Assignees

• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

• Lapetina John
• Mirov Russell Norman

Classifications

• A61B2562/227

  Sensors with electrical connectors · CPC title

• A61B2562/166

  the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board · CPC title

• A61B2560/045

  with a separable interface unit, e.g. for communication · CPC title

• A61B5/742

  using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339) · CPC title

• A61B5/0533

  Measuring galvanic skin response · CPC title