Wearable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11474483-B2
Application number	US-202217672653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2022
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A consumer product that is a portable and, in some cases, a wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device may have functionalities including: keeping time; monitoring a user's physiological signals and providing health-related information based on those signals; communicating with other electronic devices or services; visually depicting data on a display; gather data form one or more sensors that may be used to initiate, control, or modify operations of the device; determine a location of a touch on a surface of the device and/or an amount of force exerted on the device, and use either or both as input.

First claim

We claim:

1. A wearable electronic device comprising:
a housing defining a first opening and a second opening;
a display positioned at least partially within the first opening;
a front cover positioned over the display and defining at least a portion of a front exterior surface of the wearable electronic device;
a biosensor module comprising:
a rear cover positioned at least partially within the second opening and defining an optically transparent window and a protruding convex surface;
an optical sensor aligned with the optically transparent window;
a first electrode positioned along a rear surface of the wearable electronic device; and
a second electrode positioned along the rear surface of the wearable electronic device; and

a third electrode positioned along a side of the wearable electronic device, wherein:
the wearable electronic device is configured to measure a first physiological parameter of a wearer using the optical sensor; and
the wearable electronic device is configured to measure a second physiological parameter using the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the wearable electronic device further includes a watch band coupled to the housing and configured to couple the wearable electronic device to a wearer;
the optical sensor is a heart-rate sensor;
the first electrode is an electrode of an electrocardiograph sensing system; and
the second physiological parameter is an electrocardiogram.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an input device positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive at least one of a rotational input or a translational input.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second physiological parameter is a galvanic skin response.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an input device positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive at least one of a rotational input or a translational input.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor comprises:
an optical emitter configured to emit an optical signal; and
an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected portion of the optical signal.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the optical emitter is a first optical emitter configured to emit light having a first wavelength; and
the optical sensor further comprises a second optical emitter configured to emit light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an input device positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive a rotational input and a translational input.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless charging system configured to receive power wirelessly, from an external charging dock, through the rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device.

10. An electronic watch comprising:
a display;
a housing at least partially enclosing the display;
a front cover positioned over the display and defining at least a portion of a front exterior surface of the electronic watch;
a biosensor module defining at least a portion of a rear exterior surface of the electronic watch opposite the front exterior surface, the biosensor module comprising:
a rear cover defining an optically transparent window;
an optical sensor positioned below the optically transparent window;
a first electrode positioned along the rear exterior surface of the electronic watch; and
a second electrode positioned along the rear exterior surface of the electronic watch; and

a third electrode positioned along a side of the electronic watch, wherein:
the electronic watch is configured to measure a first physiological parameter of a wearer using the optical sensor; and
the electronic watch is configured to measure a second physiological parameter using the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode.

11. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the rear cover defines a convex exterior surface.

12. The electronic watch of claim 11 , wherein the optically transparent window is located within a portion of the rear cover that defines the convex exterior surface.

13. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are part of an electrocardiograph sensing system.

14. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the first physiological parameter is a heart rate.

15. The electronic watch of claim 10 , wherein the rear cover comprises sapphire.

16. A wearable electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a band attached to the housing and configured to couple the wearable electronic device to a user;
a touch-sensitive display positioned at least partially within the housing;
a rear cover positioned at least partially within a rear opening defined along a rear portion of the housing, the rear cover defining at least a portion of a rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device and having an optically transparent portion;
an optical sensor positioned within the housing and configured to emit an optical signal through the optically transparent portion;
a first electrode positioned along the rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device;
a second electrode positioned along the rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device; and
a third electrode positioned along a side of the wearable electronic device, wherein:
the wearable electronic device is configured to measure a first physiological parameter using the optical sensor; and
the wearable electronic device is configured to measure a second physiological parameter using the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein:
the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are part of an electrocardiograph sensing system; and
the second physiological parameter is an electrocardiogram.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , further comprising an input device positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive at least one of a rotational input or a translational input.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the rear cover defines a convex exterior surface.

20. The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the optical sensor comprises:
an optical emitter configured to emit the optical signal through the optically transparent portion; and
an optical receiver configured to receive a reflected portion of the optical signal through the rear cover.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Rothkopf Fletcher R
• Ive Jonathan
• Hoenig Julian
• Zorkendorfer Rico

Classifications

• A61B5/14552

  Details of sensors specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• G04G21/025

  for measuring physiological data · CPC title

• A61B5/14551

  for measuring blood gases · CPC title

• G04B3/04

  Rigidly-mounted keys, knobs or crowns {(jointed winding-stem G04B37/06)} · CPC title

• G06F1/163 Primary

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title