Wristband device input using wrist movement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016299570-A1
Application number	US-201315031705-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2013
Priority date	Oct 24, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A function of an electronic device can be invoked using a wrist gesture (e.g., flexion or extension) that is detected by a wrist-worn device. The gesture can be detected using sensors in the wrist-worn device, e.g., in the wristband and/or behind a face member. A specific gesture can be identified from a library based on analysis of sensor signals. The invoked function can be executed on the wrist-worn device or another device that is in communication with the wrist-worn device.

First claim

1 . A method of operating a wrist-worn device, the method comprising:
detecting, using a sensor on the wrist-worn device, a force acting on a band element of the wrist-worn device, the force indicative of a wrist articulation; determining, using data from an accelerometer in the wrist-worn device, whether the user's arm is in motion; interpreting, by a processing subsystem of the wrist-worn device, the detected force as corresponding to a wrist gesture, wherein the interpretation is based in part on the detected force and in part on whether the user's arm is in motion; and invoking a function of the wrist-worn device based on the wrist gesture.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the wrist gesture includes a dorsiflexion of the wrist.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the wrist gesture includes a palmar flexion of the wrist.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein invoking the function includes activating a voice input mode of the wrist-worn device.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein invoking the function includes scrolling a list of items displayed on a display of the wrist-worn device.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein invoking the function includes waking the wrist-worn device from a sleep state.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein invoking the function includes returning the wrist-worn device to a home state.

8 . (canceled)

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein interpreting the detected force as corresponding to a wrist gesture includes:
matching the detected pattern to one of a plurality of wrist gestures defined in a gesture library,
wherein the plurality of wrist gestures includes a single extend-and-release gesture and a double extend-and-release gesture.

10 . The method of claim 8 claim 1 wherein interpreting the detected force as corresponding to a wrist gesture includes:
matching the detected pattern to one of a plurality of wrist gestures defined in a gesture library,
wherein the plurality of wrist gestures includes an extend-and-release gesture and an extend-and-hold gesture.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein interpreting the detected force as corresponding to a wrist gesture includes comparing the detected pattern to each of a plurality of signature patterns defined in a gesture library, wherein different ones of the signature patterns correspond to different ones of the wrist gestures.

12 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . A wrist-worn device comprising:
a face member; a wristband connected to the face member; an accelerometer configured to detect motion of a user's arm; a plurality of sensors disposed in one or both of the wristband and the face member, the plurality of sensors configured to generate signals in response to a wrist articulation; and a processing subsystem coupled to the plurality of sensors and the accelerometer and configured to:
analyze the signals generated by the plurality of sensors to identify a wrist gesture, wherein the identification is based at least in part on whether the user's arm is in motion;
identify an action associated with the identified wrist gesture; and
execute the identified action.

18 . The wrist-worn device of claim 17 wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one pressure sensor disposed on a back surface of the face member.

19 . The wrist-worn device of claim 17 wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one pressure sensor disposed on an inner surface of the wristband.

20 . The wrist-worn device of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of the wristband is made of an elastic material and the plurality of sensors includes at least one strain sensor disposed at least partially in the elastic material.

21 . The wrist-worn device of claim 17 further comprising an expandable strap holder connected to a first end surface of the face member and to the wristband and wherein the plurality of sensors includes a sensor configured to detect expansion of the expandable strap holder.

22 . The wrist-worn device of claim 17 wherein the processing subsystem is further configured such that analyzing the signals includes matching the signals to a signature of one of a plurality of wrist gestures in a gesture library.

23 . The wrist-worn device of claim 22 wherein the plurality of wrist gestures in the gesture library include one or more of a dorsiflexion gesture, a palmar flexion gesture, an abduction gesture, an adduction gesture, a pronation gesture, or a supination gesture.

24 . The method of claim 1 wherein in response to determining that the user's arm is in motion, the detected force is interpreted as not corresponding to any wrist gesture.

25 . The method of claim 1 wherein a set of criteria for interpreting the detected force as corresponding to a wrist gesture depends on whether the user's arm is in motion.

26 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining whether the user is looking at a display of the wrist-worn device,
wherein a set of criteria for interpreting the detected force as corresponding to a wrist gesture depends on whether the user is looking at the display.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Davydov Anton M

Classifications

• G06F3/0485

  Scrolling or panning · CPC title

• G06F3/014

  Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G06F1/163

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

• G06F3/017 Primary

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title