Modular functional band links for wearable devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9553625-B2
Application number	US-201514623683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2015
Priority date	Sep 27, 2014
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A wearable device is coupled to a band including multiple modular functional band links that are each electrically and mechanically connected to one or more other of the band links and/or the wearable device and include one or more electronic components. In various implementations, the wearable device may receive identifiers from each of the band links, determine functionality available using the identifiers, and communicate with the band links to utilize the determine functionality. In some implementations, the band links may include multiple different output devices and the wearable device may determine to provide an output pattern and signal the respective output devices according to the output pattern. In various implementations, the band links may include multiple different input devices and the wearable device may receive input indications from the input devices and perform an action based on a pattern in which the input indications were detected by the respective input devices.

First claim

We claim:

1. A band system, comprising:
a wearable device; and
multiple modular functional band links, each comprising:
an electronic component; and
a pin operative to electrically and mechanically connect its modular functional band link to at least one of the wearable device or another of the multiple modular functional band links; the pin comprising
a first conductive portion;
a second conductive portion; and
a nonconductive portion separating the first and second conductive portions;

wherein the pin maintains its electrical connection during rotation of its modular functional band link;
wherein the wearable device:
receives identifiers from each of the multiple modular functional band links;
determines functionality available via the multiple modular functional band links utilizing the received identifiers; and
communicates with one of the multiple modular functional band links to utilize the determined functionality.

2. The band system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic component comprises at least one of a battery, an input device, an output device, a haptic device, a display, a sensor, an actuator, a processor, an electricity generator, a photovoltaic cell, a camera, a photo sensor, an indicator, an accelerometer, a speedometer, a compass, a gyroscope, a global positioning system, a thermometer, a hygrometer, a blood pressure sensor, a sweat sensor, a magnetic field sensor, an antenna, a vibrator, a speaker, a track wheel, a track ball, a touch sensor, a button, a slider, or a force sensor.

3. The band system of claim 1 , wherein the identifiers each include information specifying the electronic component included in the respective modular functional band link and uniquely identifying the respective modular functional band link.

4. The band system of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device uses the identifiers to address communications to the multiple modular functional band links.

5. The band system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection comprises at least one of a power connection, a ground connection, or a communication connection.

6. The band system of claim 1 , wherein the other modular functional band link electrically connects to the pin via flexible conductive material extending from the first of the modular functional band links.

7. The band system of claim 6 , wherein the pin is rotatable with respect to the other modular functional band links and the flexible conductive material remains electrically connected to the pin despite the rotation.

8. The band system of claim 1 , wherein a first of the modular functional band links is communicably connected to at least one of a second of the modular functional band links or the wearable device via a fiber optic connection.

9. The band system of claim 1 , wherein:
the multiple modular functional band links include multiple input components; and
the wearable device receives input indications from the multiple input components and performs an action based on a pattern in which the input indications were detected by the respective multiple input components.

10. The band system of claim 1 , wherein:
the multiple modular functional band links include multiple output components; and
the wearable device determines to provide an output pattern using the multiple output components and signals the multiple output components according to the pattern.

11. The band system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple modular functional band links are configured to be:
connected in multiple sequences;
connected omitting one of the multiple modular functional band links; or
connected utilizing an additional modular functional band link.

12. The band system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple modular functional band links include multiple batteries that are connected in at least one of series or parallel.

13. The band system of claim 12 , wherein the multiple batteries are chargeable by coupling the wearable device to a power source.

14. The band system of claim 13 , wherein the multiple modular functional band links are configured to be disconnected from the wearable device and connected to a power adapter that is operable to charge the multiple batteries by coupling to the power source.

15. The band system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one modular band link without an electronic component that is mechanically connect to at least one of the wearable device or one of the multiple modular functional band links.

16. The band system of claim 15 , at least one modular band link electrically connects at least one of two of the multiple modular functional band links or one of the multiple modular functional band links and the wearable device.

17. A band system for a wearable device, comprising:
a wearable device; and
multiple modular functional band links that electrically and mechanically connect to at least one of the wearable device or another of the multiple modular functional band links;
wherein:
the multiple modular functional band links each include an input component and the wearable device receives input indications from the multiple modular functional band links and performs an action based on a pattern in which the input indications were detected by the respective modular functional band links; or
the multiple modular functional band links each include an output component and the wearable device determines to provide an output pattern using the multiple modular functional band links and signals the multiple modular functional band links according to the pattern.

18. A band for a wearable device, comprising:
multiple modular functional band links that each include an electronic component and:
at least a first one of the multiple modular functional band links electrically and mechanically connects to a wearable device; and
at least a second one of the multiple modular functional band links electrically and mechanically connects to another of the multiple modular functional band links; wherein:

the first one of the modular functional band links electrically connects to the wearable device or the second one of the modular functional band links electrically connects to the other of the multiple modular functional band links via:
conductive portions of a groove that contact conductive portions of a tongue that is inserted into the groove;
the conductive portions of the groove and the conductive portions of the tongue allow rotation with respect to each other; and
the conductive portions of the groove and the conductive portions of the tongue maintain electrical connection during the rotation.

19. The band of claim 18 , wherein the tongue is inserted into the groove in a direction parallel to a length of the band.

20. The band of claim 18 , wherein the conductive portions of the groove and the conductive portions of the tongue maintain physical contact during the rotation.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hatanaka Motohide
• Weber Douglas J
• Shadle Brian
• Lee Alex M
• Herman David S
• Wieler Patrick S
• Lancaster-Larocque Simon R

Classifications

• H04M1/724094

  Interfacing with a device worn on the user's body to provide access to telephonic functionalities, e.g. accepting a call, reading or composing a message · CPC title

• G04G17/083

  Watches distributed over several housings · CPC title

• G04G21/00

  Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces · CPC title

• G06F1/163

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

• H04M1/72527

  Electricity · mapped topic