Wearable electronic devices having a multi-use single switch and methods of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019187813-A1
Application number	US-201816226314-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2018
Priority date	Dec 19, 2017
Publication date	Jun 20, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A wearable electronic device includes a body defining an aperture therethrough, sized and shaped to receive a digit of a user. The wearable electronic device may include a processor housed in the body and an input device at least partially extending from an outer surface of the body to receive input from another digit of the user. The input device has an actuating surface that is movable between a first position and a second position. Movement of the actuating surface between the first position and second position provides an input to the processor. The wearable electronic device includes a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to send electronic transmissions to an external electronic device, the electronic transmissions corresponding to the inputs received from the user, and a power source for providing power to the processor, the input device, and the transmitter.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a wearable electronic device comprising: a body defining an aperture therethrough, the aperture sized and shaped to receive a first digit of a user; a processor housed in the body; an input device at least partially extending from an outer surface of the body and communicatively coupled to the processor, the input device operable to receive a multitude of different inputs from a second digit of the user, each input characterized by a respective combination of input parameters; and a transmitter communicatively coupled to the processor, the transmitter to send wireless transmissions, each wireless transmission corresponding to a respective input received by the input device; and an external electronic device communicatively coupled to the wearable electronic device to receive the wireless transmissions corresponding to the inputs received from the input device.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the input device is a joystick and inputs received from the second digit of the user include: side-to-side movement of the joystick, up and down movement of the joystick, and depression of the joystick in a direction towards the aperture of the body.

3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the joystick partially extends from a first end of the wearable electronic device proximate to a top portion of the wearable device.

4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the input device includes a split ring that surrounds the body, the split ring providing at least two segments, each segment movable by the second digit of the user between a first position and a second position to provide input to the processor.

5 . The system of claim 4 wherein the split ring is discontinuous at a first end of the body to provide the at least two segments.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the body has an inner surface and an outer surface and at least a portion of the inner surface is a vertical segment to inhibit rotation of the wearable electronic device about the first digit.

7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the vertical segment is adjacent to the input device.

8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the wearable electronic device further includes a power source communicatively coupled to at least the processor and the transmitter.

9 . The system of claim 1 wherein each respective combination of input parameters comprises at least one input parameter selected from a group consisting of: an input nature, an input direction, an input duration, and an input actuation pressure.

10 . The system of claim 9 wherein each respective combination of input parameters comprises at least two input parameters selected from a group consisting of: an input nature, an input direction, an input duration, and an input actuation pressure.

11 . The system of claim 10 wherein each respective combination of input parameters comprises at least three input parameters selected from a group consisting of: an input nature, an input direction, an input duration, and an input actuation pressure.

12 . The system of claim 11 wherein each respective combination of input parameters comprises an input nature, an input direction, an input duration, and an input actuation pressure.

13 . The system of claim 1 wherein the wearable electronic device further comprises a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor, the non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing data and/or processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to map each respective input received by the input device to a respective command based at least in part on the combination of input parameters that characterize the input, and cause the transmitter to transmit the command.

14 . The system of claim 1 wherein the external electronic device comprises smart glasses.

Assignees

• North Inc

Inventors

• Choi Jaehong
• Stipancik Marie
• Pretti Jennifer Anne
• Griffin Jason T

Classifications

• G06F2203/0331

  Finger worn pointing device · 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

• G06F1/163

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

• H03K17/965 Primary

  Switches controlled by moving an element forming part of the switch · CPC title

• G06F3/014

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