Wearable electronic device with haptic rotatable input

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10936071-B2
Application number	US-201916377197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2019
Priority date	Aug 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

One embodiment described herein takes the form of a watch, comprising: a housing; a crown comprising: a crown body outside the housing; and a shaft extending from the crown body into the housing; and an actuator coupled to the crown and configured to provide haptic output through the crown.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic watch, comprising:
a housing;
a display coupled to the housing;
a crown configured to receive a rotational input, the crown comprising:
a crown body outside the housing; and
a shaft extending from the crown body into the housing; and

a linear actuator coupled to the crown and configured to:
in response to receiving the rotational input at the crown, cause a movement of the crown in a first direction, thereby providing a first haptic output to a finger in contact with the crown body, the first haptic output having a first level of perceptibility along a surface of the crown, the first direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the shaft; and
in response to receiving the rotational input at the crown, cause a movement of the housing in the first direction, thereby providing a second haptic output to skin in contact with the housing, the second haptic output having a second level of perceptibility along a surface of the housing, the first level of perceptibility being greater than the second level of perceptibility.

2. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein:
the rotational input causes rotation of the shaft;
the electronic watch further comprises:
an optical sensor configured to detect the rotation of the shaft; and
a processing unit operatively connected to the display, the optical sensor, and the linear actuator;

the processing unit is configured to instruct the linear actuator to provide the first haptic output and the second haptic output in response to the optical sensor detecting the rotation of the shaft;
the processing unit is configured to instruct the display to change the graphical output in response to the input;
the first haptic output is transmitted through the shaft to the crown body.

3. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the linear actuator is coupled to the shaft.

4. The electronic watch of claim 3 , wherein the linear actuator is further coupled to the housing.

5. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein:
the first haptic output simulates a detent during the rotational input.

6. The electronic watch of claim 5 , wherein the first haptic output simulates multiple detents during a single revolution of the crown.

7. The electronic watch of claim 5 , wherein:
the crown is further configured to accept a second input that is different from the rotational input;
the linear actuator is further configured to provide a third haptic output through the crown in response to the second input; and
the third haptic output is different from the second haptic output.

8. The electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein:
the second input moves the crown toward the housing; and
the third haptic output moves the crown away from the housing.

9. An electronic watch, comprising:
a housing;
a crown body;
a shaft extending from the crown body through the housing;
a linear actuator operably connected to the shaft;
an internal input structure operably connected to the shaft;
a processing unit operably connected to the internal input structure and the actuator;
a display attached to the housing; and
a battery configured to supply power to the processing unit and the linear actuator; wherein:
the internal input structure is configured to detect a rotational input to the crown body;
the processing unit is configured to instruct the linear actuator to provide, in response to the rotational input:
a first haptic output to a finger contacting the crown body; and
a second haptic output to skin contacting the housing; wherein:

the linear actuator is configured to provide the first haptic output by causing the crown body to move in a first direction, the first direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the shaft; and
the linear actuator is configured to provide the second haptic output by causing the housing to move in the first direction.

10. The electronic watch of claim 9 , wherein:
moving the linear actuator moves the shaft to provide the first haptic output.

11. The electronic watch of claim 9 , wherein:
the electronic watch further comprises the display attached to the housing;
the display is configured to show a graphical output;
the display is configured to change the graphical output in response to the rotational input; and
the graphical output changes substantially simultaneously with the linear actuator providing the first haptic output and the second haptic output.

12. The electronic watch of claim 11 , wherein the graphical output changes within 20 milliseconds of the linear actuator providing the first haptic output and the second haptic output.

13. The electronic watch of claim 9 , wherein:
the shaft is configured to rotate and translate;
the internal input structure is a first internal input structure configured to detect the rotational input by detecting rotation of the shaft; and
the electronic watch further comprises a second internal input structure configured to detect translation of the shaft.

14. The electronic watch of claim 13 , wherein:
the linear actuator is configured to provide the first haptic output in response to the first internal input structure detecting rotation of the shaft; and
the linear actuator is configured to provide a third haptic output in response to the second internal input structure detecting translation of the shaft.

15. The electronic watch of claim 14 , wherein:
the display is configured to show a graphical output;
the display is configured to change the graphical output in a first manner in response to rotation of the shaft; and
the display is configured to change the graphical output in a second manner in response to translation of the shaft.

16. The electronic watch of claim 15 , wherein the display is touch-sensitive.

17. A method for operating an electronic watch, comprising:
receiving a rotational input at a crown extending through a housing of the electronic watch; and
in response to the rotational input:
changing a graphical output of a display attached to the housing;
causing, by a linear actuator, a movement of the crown in a first direction, thereby providing a first haptic output to a finger in contact with the crown, the first haptic output having a first level of perceptibility along a surface of the crown, the first direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the crown; and
causing, by the linear actuator, a movement of the housing in the first direction, thereby providing a second haptic output to skin in contact with the housing, the second haptic output having a second level of perceptibility along a surface of the housing, the first level of perceptibility being greater than the second level of perceptibility.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
changing the graphical output comprises scrolling a list; and
the first haptic output simulates a detent.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Pandya Sameer
• De Jong Erik G
• Ely Colin M
• Jackson Benjamin G
• Ma Lei
• Roach Steven C
• Cardinali Steven P

Classifications

• G04G17/08

  Housings · CPC title

• G04G17/04 Primary

  Mounting of electronic components · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G04G21/08

  Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title