Rejection of false turns of rotary inputs for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11669205-B2
Application number	US-202217735695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2022
Priority date	Feb 12, 2014
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

Various embodiments for detecting and rejecting false, unintended rotations of rotary inputs of electronic devices are disclosed herein. In one example, an electronic device is provided with an optical detector that measures the distance between the electronic device and the wearer's forearm or hand, and when the distance is smaller than a threshold distance, the turns of the rotary input are false, unintended turns. In another example, a crown of a rotary input includes a plurality of capacitive sensors that detects the presence of a wearer's finger, which when absent, the turns of the rotary input are false turns. In another example, deflections or positions of a shaft of the rotary input are measured and if the deflections/positions indicate an upward force on the rotary input (which are likely caused by the wearer's forearm or hand), the turns of the rotary input are false turns. Other embodiments are described herein.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic watch comprising:
a housing;
a processor;
a touch screen configured to detect a touch input provided to a front surface of the electronic watch; and
a crown positioned along a side of the housing and comprising a sensor configured to detect user contact with an exterior surface of the crown, wherein the electronic watch is configured to:
determine a characteristic of an input to the crown based at least in part on information from the sensor;
in response to the characteristic of the input satisfying a condition, alter graphical content displayed on the touch screen in response to the input to the crown; and
in response to the characteristic of the input not satisfying the condition, not alter the graphical content displayed on the touch screen in response to the input of the crown.

2. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the input is a location of the user contact on the exterior surface of the crown.

3. The electronic watch of claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the input satisfies the condition if the user contact is detected along a top portion of the exterior surface of the crown.

4. The electronic watch of claim 2 , wherein the characteristic of the input satisfies the condition if the user contact is detected along a top portion of the exterior surface of the crown and along a bottom portion of the exterior surface of the crown.

5. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein:
the electronic watch further comprises a rotation sensor configured to detect a rotation of the crown; and
altering the graphical content in response to the input includes altering the graphical content in accordance with a characteristic of the rotation of the crown.

6. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a capacitive sensor.

7. The electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor is a first sensor and is configured to detect user contact at a first location on the exterior surface of the crown; and
the electronic watch further comprises a second sensor and is configured to detect user contact at a second location on the exterior surface of the crown, the second location different from the first location.

8. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display coupled to the housing; and
a crown coupled to the housing and comprising a sensing element positioned along an exterior surface of the crown and configured to detect a characteristic of an input to the crown, wherein the electronic device is configured to, while the electronic device is in a first mode of operation:
detect the input to the crown;
determine if the characteristic of the input satisfies a condition,
in response to the characteristic of the input satisfying the condition, transition the electronic device from the first mode of operation to a second mode of operation; and
in response to the characteristic of the input not satisfying the condition, maintaining the electronic device in the first mode of operation, the maintaining including not altering a graphical content of the display.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein transitioning the electronic device from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation comprises transitioning the display from an inactive mode to an active mode.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a sensing system configured to detect a rotational component of the input.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic device is configured to, after transitioning the display from the inactive mode to the active mode, altering a graphical output displayed on the display in accordance with the rotational component of the input.

12. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the sensing element includes a capacitive sensing element.

13. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the characteristic of the input is a location of a touch on the exterior surface of the crown.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein:
the input satisfies the condition if the location of the touch is indicative of a finger touching the crown; and
the input does not satisfy the condition if the location of the touch is indicative of a wrist touching the crown.

15. A wearable electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a display coupled to the housing; and
a crown coupled to the housing and configured to receive a user input, the crown comprising a sensor configured to detect a position of an object relative to an exterior surface of the crown, wherein the wearable electronic device is configured to, in accordance with a determination that the user input satisfies zero or more conditions:
in response to detecting the object at a first location relative to the exterior surface of the crown while receiving the user input, alter graphical content displayed on the display in accordance with a characteristic of the user input; and
in response to detecting the object at a second location relative to the exterior surface of the crown while receiving the user input, the second location different than the first location, not alter graphical content displayed on the display.

16. The wearable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the user input satisfies the zero or more conditions if a rotational distance of the crown satisfies a rotational distance condition.

17. The wearable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:
the first location corresponds to a top of the exterior surface of the crown; and
the second location corresponds to a bottom of the exterior surface of the crown.

18. The wearable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein detecting the object at the first location relative to the exterior surface is indicative of a finger applying the user input to the crown.

19. The wearable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a capacitive sensor.

20. The wearable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:
the sensor is a first sensor;
the housing defines a window; and
a second sensor detects a rotational component of the user input through the window.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Shedletsky Anna-Katrina
• Werner Christopher M
• Ely Colin M
• Weiss Samuel

Classifications

• G06F1/163

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

• G06F2203/04106

  Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection · 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

• G06F3/0421

  by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title