Capacitive gap sensor ring for an input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10955937-B2
Application number	US-201916708064-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2019
Priority date	Jul 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

An input mechanism for a portable electronic device includes a rotational manipulation mechanism, such as a cap or shaft. The input mechanism also includes a sensor having first capacitive elements coupled to the manipulation mechanism, second capacitive elements, and a dielectric positioned between the first and second capacitive elements. Movement of the manipulation mechanism alters the positions of the first and second capacitive elements with respect to each other and is determinable based on capacitance changes resulting therefrom. In some implementations, the second capacitive elements may be part of an inner ring or partial ring nested at least partially within an outer ring or partial ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wearable electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display positioned at least partially within the housing;
a crown positioned along a side of the housing;
a first set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the housing;
a second set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the crown;
a compliant dielectric material that is configured to deform in response to an input provided to the crown; and
a processing unit that is electrically coupled to the first and second sets of capacitive elements and is configured to:
determine a direction of the input based on a change in capacitance between one or more first capacitive elements of the first set of capacitive elements and one or more second capacitive elements of the second set of capacitive elements.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the crown includes a cap that defines an external surface of the crown;
the second set of capacitive elements is coupled to the cap; and
the second set of capacitive elements is arranged in a radial array around an axis of the cap.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the input is a translational input applied to the crown;
the processing unit is configured to detect the direction of the translational input based on the change in capacitance; and
the direction is an inward direction toward the housing.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the input is a lateral translational input applied to the crown that is lateral to a central axis of the crown; and
the processing unit is configured to detect the direction of the lateral translational input based on the change in capacitance.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the input is a rotational input that is applied to the crown about a central axis of the crown; and
the processing unit is configured to detect the direction of the rotational input based on the change in capacitance.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing defines a shaft that extends outward from the side of the housing;
the first set of capacitive elements is arranged around an outer surface of the shaft;
the crown includes a cap; and
the second set of capacitive elements is arranged along an inner surface of the cap.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the compliant dielectric material includes a silicone material that is positioned at least partially between the first and second sets of capacitive elements.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to detect a location of a touch on the crown using the second set of capacitive elements.

9. A wearable electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display positioned at least partially within the housing;
a crown having an input member positioned along a side of the housing;
a first set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the housing;
a second set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the input member of the crown;
a compliant dielectric material that is configured to deform in response to an input provided to the input member; and
a processing unit that is electrically coupled to the first and second sets of capacitive elements and is configured to determine a type of input that is applied to the input member based on a change in capacitance between the first set of capacitive elements and the second set of capacitive elements.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the type of input is one or more of:
a rotational input;
an inward translational input; or
a lateral input.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine a direction of the input that is applied to the input member.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit is configured to estimate an amount of force applied to the input member using the change in capacitance.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the housing defines a shaft;
the first set of capacitive elements is arranged around an axis of the shaft;
the input member includes a cap that at least partially surrounds the shaft; and
the second set of capacitive elements is arranged around an axis of the cap.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein:
a first capacitive element of the first set of capacitive elements overlaps a second capacitive element of the second set of capacitive elements; and
the processing unit is configured to determine that the type of input is a rotational input based on a change in an amount of overlap between the first capacitive element and the second capacitive element.

15. A watch comprising:
a housing;
a display at least partially surrounded by the housing;
a crown cap coupled to the housing;
a first set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the housing and arranged in a first radial pattern;
a second set of capacitive elements fixed with respect to the crown cap and arranged in a second radial pattern;
a compliant component positioned between the housing and the crown cap and configured to deform in response to a force applied to the crown cap; and
a processing unit that is electrically coupled to the first and second sets of capacitive elements and is configured to estimate an amount of the force applied to the crown cap using a change in capacitance between a first capacitive element of the first set of capacitive elements and a second capacitive element of the second set of capacitive elements.

16. The watch of claim 15 , wherein the processing unit is configured to detect an inward input applied to the crown cap using the change in capacitance.

17. The watch of claim 15 , wherein the processing unit is configured to detect a lateral input applied to the crown cap using the change in capacitance.

18. The watch of claim 15 , wherein the processing unit is configured to detect a rotational input applied to the crown cap using the change in capacitance.

19. The watch of claim 15 , wherein:
the housing defines a protrusion that extends outward from a side of the housing; and
the crown cap at least partially surrounds the protrusion.

20. The watch of claim 19 , wherein the compliant component includes a silicone material that is positioned between a portion of the protrusion and the crown cap.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Bushnell Tyler S
• Petty Collin R
• Clavelle Adam T

Classifications

• G04G21/08

  Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces · CPC title

• G06F3/0338 Primary

  with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks · CPC title

• G06F3/0362

  with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts · CPC title

• G06F2203/0339

  Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys · CPC title

• G04C3/007

  Electromechanical contact-making and breaking devices acting as pulse generators for setting · CPC title