Identification of bands for wearable electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10691072-B1
Application number	US-201715849520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 20, 2017
Priority date	Sep 11, 2017
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A wearable device can include an electronic device and a band for securing the electronic device to the user. The electronic device can detect an identification of the band, which can serve as an input to initiate actions performed by the electronic device. For example, a type, model, color, size, or other characteristic of a band can be determined and used to select a corresponding action performed by the electronic device. Identification of the band can be performed by components of the electronic device that also serve other purposes. Existing sensors, communication elements, and/or detectors can be used to detect and identity a band provided to the electronic device. The electronic device can respond to the identification of a particular band by performing particular functions, such as changing an aspect of a user interface or altering settings of the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable device comprising:
an electronic device comprising:
a processor; and
a sensor; and

a band that is attachable to the electronic device for securing the electronic device to a user;
wherein the band includes an identification element corresponding to a characteristic of the band, and wherein the processor is operably connected to the sensor and configured to detect the identification element with the sensor and determine whether to execute an action based on the detected identification element;
wherein the sensor is configured to measure a health metric of the user, wherein the sensor comprises:
a light emitting device for emitting light, wherein the identification element reflects the light from the light emitting device; and
a photodetector for capturing the light reflected from the identification element;
wherein the electronic device further comprises a display, wherein the characteristic of the band is a color of the band, and wherein the action based on the detected identification element is changing a feature on the display.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the feature is changed to include the color.

3. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a photoplethysmography sensor.

4. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the identification element is a marking on a surface of the band, and the marking reflects light that is outside the visible spectrum.

5. A method comprising:
detecting, with a sensor of an electronic device, an identification element of a band for securing the electronic device to a user, wherein the identification element indicates a characteristic of the band, the characteristic comprising a color of the band, the detecting comprising:
emitting light from a light emitting device of the electronic device, wherein the identification element reflects the light from the light emitting device; and
capturing the light reflected from the identification element with a photodetector;

determining whether to perform an action associated with the identification element; and
executing, with the electronic device, the action comprising changing a feature on a display of the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the action associated with the identification element comprises:
transmitting, from the electronic device, the identification element to an external device; and
receiving, at the electronic device, the action from the external device.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
transmitting, from the electronic device, the identification element to an external device; and
receiving, at the electronic device, an authorization from the external device, wherein executing the action is after receiving the authorization.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein executing the action further comprises changing a setting of the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein executing the action further comprises launching an application from a memory of the electronic device.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the feature is changed to include the color.

11. A watch comprising:
an electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display;
a processor within the housing; and
a sensor comprising a light emitting device for emitting light and a photodetector for capturing light; and

a band that is attachable to the housing of the electronic device for securing the electronic device to a user, wherein the band includes an identification element corresponding to a color of the band;
wherein the processor is operably connected to the sensor and configured to detect the identification element with the light emitted from the light emitting device and reflected from the identification element to the photodetector, the processor being configured to determine whether to execute an action based on the detected identification element, the action comprising changing a feature on the display.

12. The watch of claim 11 , wherein the feature is changeable to include the color.

13. The watch of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is a photoplethysmography sensor.

14. The watch of claim 11 , wherein the identification element is a marking on a surface of the band, and the marking reflects light that is outside the visible spectrum.

15. The watch of claim 11 , wherein the housing further comprises a channel for receiving a lug of the hand, the identification element is positioned at the lug of the hand, and the sensor is arranged to detect the identification element when the lug of the band is received into the channel.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Johnson Timothy M

Classifications

• A44C5/0015

  providing information, e.g. bracelets with calendars (identification bracelets G09F3/005) · CPC title

• G04G21/04 Primary

  using radio waves (radio-controlled time-pieces G04R) · CPC title

• G04G9/0064

  in which functions not related to time can be displayed (digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14) · CPC title

• G04B47/06

  with attached measuring instruments, e.g. pedometer, barometer, thermometer or compass {(in combination with a tachometer which winds up the clockwork G04B5/206)} · CPC title

• G04B37/1486 Primary

  Arrangements for fixing to a bracelet (building watches into bracelets (montre marquise) G04B37/12; arrangements for hanging pocket- or other watches on chains G04B37/1446) · CPC title