Sensor and wearable device

Abstract

A sensor and a wearable device, the sensor comprising a sensing element (110), the sensing element (110) being applied to a housing (120), the housing (120) being configured to carry the sensing element (110); the sensing element (110) comprises electrodes and detection ends, each electrode corresponds to one detection end, one end of each detection end is connected with the corresponding electrode, the other end of each detection end is connected with a circuit of the sensor, and when a user makes contact with the electrodes or the shell areas corresponding to the electrodes, the body impedance of the user is connected into the sensor through the electrodes.

Description

Sensor and wearable device Technical Field

[0001] This specification relates to the technical field of sensor devices, and in particular to a sensor and a wearable device. Background Art

[0002] Touch control is a key human-computer interaction method for wearable devices. Users can control the wearable device by inputting various control commands through touch operations (e.g., swiping, single-clicking, double-clicking, and long-pressing). However, currently used sensors (e.g., capacitive sensors and inductive sensors) fail when used on wearable devices, making them unsuitable for use in environments prone to liquid contamination (e.g., swimming or sweaty exercise).

[0003] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a sensor that can effectively avoid liquid interference.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] One of the embodiments of this specification provides a sensor, comprising: a sensing element and a conductive structure, wherein the sensor is applied to a shell; the shell is configured to carry the sensing element and the conductive structure, and the sensing element is located inside or on the inner wall of the shell; at least part of the conductive structure is exposed to the external environment of the shell, and the conductive structure is electrically connected to the sensing element.

[0006] An embodiment of this specification also provides a wearable device, comprising: a sensor, the sensor comprising: a sensing element; a conductive structure, one end of the conductive structure being electrically connected to the sensing element; and a wearable device body, the wearable device body comprising at least a supporting structure, configured to support the sensing element and the conductive structure, the sensing element being located inside or on the inner side wall of the supporting structure, at least a portion of the conductive structure being exposed to the external environment of the supporting structure, and the conductive structure being electrically connected to the sensing element.

[0007] One of the embodiments of this specification also provides a sensor, including a capacitive sensing element, which is applied to a shell and located inside the shell. The capacitive sensing element includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode is directly or indirectly connected to the inner surface of the shell, the first electrode has a first side surface, a side surface of the second electrode is arranged opposite to the first side surface, and there is a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0008] One of the embodiments of this specification also provides a sensor, including a sensing element, which is applied to a shell, and the shell is configured to carry the sensing element; the sensing element includes: an electrode; a detection end, each electrode corresponds to a detection end, one end of the detection end is connected to the electrode, and the other end of the detection end is connected to the circuit of the sensor; wherein, when a user contacts the electrode or the shell area corresponding to the electrode, the electrode and the corresponding detection end connect the user's body impedance to the sensor.

[0009] Additional features will be described in part in the following description and will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following and accompanying drawings, or may be learned by practice or operation of the examples. The features of this specification may be realized and obtained by practicing or using the various aspects of the methods, tools, and combinations described in the following detailed examples. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] This specification will be further described in the form of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not limiting, and in these embodiments, like numbers represent like structures, wherein:

[0011] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0012] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0013] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0014] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary sensor response waveform according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0015] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0016] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0017] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary sensor response waveform according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0018] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a circuit structure of an exemplary sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0019] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a circuit structure of an exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0020] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a circuit structure of an exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0021] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary wearable device according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0022] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary wearable device according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0023] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary wearable device according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0024] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary wearable device according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0025] FIG15A is a schematic structural diagram of an exemplary capacitive sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0026] FIG15B is a schematic structural diagram of another exemplary capacitive sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0027] FIG16A is a schematic diagram of the structure of an exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0028] FIG16B is a schematic structural diagram of another exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0029] FIG16C is a schematic structural diagram of yet another exemplary sensor according to other embodiments of this specification;

[0030] FIG17 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a user's body contacting a sensor according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0031] FIG18 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a droplet acting on a sensor according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0032] FIG19 is a graph showing changes in the resonant frequency when a finger and a droplet act on an electrode of a sensor according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0033] FIG20 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensor provided according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0034] FIG21 is a graph showing changes in electrical signals under different touch modes according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0035] FIG22 is a graph showing changes in resonant frequency measured when a finger and wet hair act on two needle-shaped electrodes of a sensor according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0036] FIG23A is a graph showing a change in resonance frequency collected by a sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0037] FIG23B is a graph showing a change in resonant frequency collected by another sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0038] FIG23C is a graph showing a change in resonant frequency collected by another sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0039] FIG23D is a graph showing a change in resonant frequency collected by another sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0040] FIG24 is a signal diagram of a sensor according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0041] FIG25 is a graph showing changes in resonant frequency collected by a single-electrode sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0042] FIG26 is a graph showing changes in resonant frequency collected by a single-electrode sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0043] FIG27 is a graph showing an exemplary resonant frequency change when a user's hand acts on two electrodes in a sensor according to some embodiments of this specification;

[0044] FIG. 28 is a graph illustrating exemplary changes in resonant frequency when wet hair acts on two electrodes in a sensor according to some embodiments of the present specification. Specific embodiments

[0045] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this specification, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some examples or embodiments of this specification. For ordinary technicians in this field, this specification can also be applied to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without paying any creative work. It should be understood that these exemplary embodiments are provided only to enable technicians in the relevant fields to better understand and implement this specification, and do not limit the scope of this specification in any way. Unless it is obvious from the language environment or otherwise explained, the same reference numerals in the figures represent the same structure or operation.

[0046] As used in this specification and claims, unless the context clearly indicates an exception, the words "a", "an", "an" and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular and may also include the plural, unless the context clearly indicates an exception. Generally speaking, the terms "include" and "comprise" only indicate the inclusion of the steps and elements that have been explicitly identified, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list. The method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements. The term "based on" means "at least in part based on." The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one other embodiment."

[0047] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the terms "front", "rear", "ear hook", "rear hook", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this specification and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on this specification.

[0048] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. Throughout this specification, "plurality" means at least two, such as two or three, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0049] In this specification, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two components or interaction between two components, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this specification based on specific circumstances.

[0050] Embodiments of this specification provide a sensor and a wearable device, wherein the sensor has a conductive structure extending through the side wall of a housing, with one end of the conductive structure electrically connected to the sensor and the other end extending to the outer surface of the housing. Thus, when a user performs a touch operation, the conductive structure allows the human body impedance to be connected to the sensor's measurement circuit, enabling touch operation. Because the impedance value generated by the human body after contact with the sensor's conductive structure is significantly different from the impedance value generated by liquids such as water and sweat after contact with the sensor's conductive structure, the sensor provided by the embodiments of this specification can eliminate the effects of liquids such as water and sweat on touch operation, thereby improving the touch sensitivity of the sensor after contact with water. In some embodiments, the sensor can be applied to a wearable device. When a user operates the wearable device, the effects of liquids such as water and sweat on touch operation can be eliminated, thereby improving the touch sensitivity of the wearable device after contact with water. Exemplary wearable devices may include headphones, smart bracelets, smart rings, smart glasses, smart helmets, virtual reality devices, augmented reality devices, and the like.

[0051] The following describes in detail the sensors and wearable devices provided in the embodiments of this specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0053] 1 , in some embodiments, the sensor 100 may include a sensing element 110 and a conductive structure 130, wherein the sensing element 110 and the conductive structure 130 are applied to a shell 120, and the shell 120 is used to support the sensing element 110 and the conductive structure 130. In some embodiments, the sensing element 110 may be located in a chamber inside the shell 120, or on the inner sidewall of the shell 120. The inner sidewall in the embodiments of this specification refers to the sidewall corresponding to the chamber inside the shell 110. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the conductive structure 130 is exposed to the external environment of the shell 120 so that the user's skin can contact the conductive structure 130. In some embodiments, one end of the conductive structure 130 is electrically connected to the first electrode 1101, and the other end of the conductive structure 130 may extend out of the inner surface of the shell 120, and the other end of the conductive structure 130 is recessed relative to the outer surface of the shell 120. When there are multiple conductive structures 130, two adjacent conductive structures 130 are separated by the shell area between them. The volume of the droplet is usually small. When the droplet accumulates on the outer surface of the shell 120, since the conductive structure 130 is concave relative to the outer surface of the shell 120, the droplet usually accumulates on a single conductive structure 130, thereby preventing the droplet from connecting the two adjacent conductive structures 130. Preferably, the other end of the conductive structure 130 can extend to the outer surface of the shell 120, so that part of the structure of the conductive structure 130 can be exposed to the external environment of the shell 120 for easy user contact. Further preferably, the other end of the conductive structure 130 can also extend to the shell 120 until it protrudes from the outer surface. When this end of the conductive structure 130 protrudes relative to the outer surface of the shell 120, the user can quickly determine the distribution position of the conductive structure 130 based on their touch, thereby performing relevant operations. Among them, when the user touches the conductive structure 130, the user's body impedance can be connected to the sensor element 110, and the sensor element 110 can generate a corresponding electrical signal in response to the user's touch operation. For example, the sensing element 110 may generate a first signal in response to a sliding operation of the user. For another example, the sensing element 110 may generate a second signal in response to a single-click operation of the user. For another example, the sensing element 110 may generate a third signal in response to a double-click or multi-click operation of the user. In some embodiments, the sensing element 110 may include a capacitive sensing element and / or an inductive sensing element. In some embodiments, when the sensing element 110 is a capacitive sensing element, the capacitance value of the sensing element 110 may change in response to contact between the user's skin (e.g., a finger) and the conductive structure 130. Similarly, when the sensing element 110 is an inductive sensing element, the inductance value of the sensing element 110 may change in response to contact between the user's skin (e.g., a finger) and the conductive structure 130.

[0054] In some embodiments, the shape of the shell 120 can be a regular shape such as a cylinder, an elliptical cylinder, a truncated cone, a prism (for example, a triangular prism, a rectangular parallelepiped, a pentagonal prism), or other irregular three-dimensional structures. In some embodiments, the material of the shell 120 can include plastic, resin, glass, metal, etc. In some embodiments, the shell 120 can be a transparent material. It should be noted that when the sensor 100 is applied to a wearable device, the shell 120 can be a structure independently provided relative to the wearable device, or it can be an integrated structure with the wearable device, that is, the wearable device can serve as the shell of the sensor 100.

[0055] The conductive structure 130 can be an element made of a conductive material. In some embodiments, the material of the conductive structure 130 can include, but is not limited to, any one or more of silver, copper, gold, aluminum, nickel, alloys, carbon, and the like. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 can be made of a transparent conductive material, such as an indium tin oxide (ITO) film. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the conductive structure 130 is exposed to the external environment of the housing 120. The conductive structure 130 can penetrate the side wall of the housing 120 corresponding to the conductive structure 130 and electrically connect to the sensor element 110 in the internal cavity or inner wall of the housing 120. When a user performs a touch operation, the user's finger can directly contact the portion of the conductive structure 130 exposed to the external environment of the housing 120, thereby connecting the human body impedance to the measurement circuit of the sensor 100. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 can be an element disposed independently of the sensor element 110. For example, when the sensor element 110 is a capacitive sensor element, one end of the conductive structure 130 is electrically connected to an electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element. In some embodiments, the material of the conductive structure 130 may be the same as or different from the material of the sensor element 110. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 may be a part of the sensor element 110. For example, when the sensor element 110 is a capacitive sensor element, the conductive structure 130 and an electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element are an integrated structure, and the conductive structure 130 is a raised structure on one side of the electrode plate, that is, a partial area of ​​an electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element can be exposed to the external environment of the shell 120. In some embodiments, one side of an electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element can also be completely exposed to the external environment of the shell 120, and the other electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element is located inside or on the inner wall of the shell 120. For example, an electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element is embedded in the side wall of the shell 120. In this case, the electrode plate can be regarded as a part of the side wall of the shell 120. For ease of understanding, the conductive structure 130 shown in Figure 3 is replaced by the first electrode 1101.

[0056] It should be noted that since there is a large difference between the impedance value generated when the human body (such as the user's finger) contacts the conductive structure 130 and the impedance value generated when the droplets (such as water droplets, sweat) contact the conductive structure 130, the solution provided in the embodiments of this specification can eliminate the influence of liquid on touch operations, increase the difference in circuit output when the user contacts the conductive structure 130 and does not contact the conductive structure 130, and thereby improve the touch sensitivity of the wearable device after being exposed to water.

[0057] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sensor shown in other embodiments of this specification. In some embodiments, the sensor 100 may include a plurality of sensor elements 110. Accordingly, the sensor 100 may also include a plurality of conductive structures 130 having the same number as the sensor elements 110, and the plurality of conductive structures 130 correspond one to one with the plurality of sensor elements 110. A hole portion corresponding to each conductive structure 130 is provided on the shell 120, and one end of each conductive structure 130 is electrically connected to the corresponding sensor element 110, and the other end extends to the outer surface of the shell 120 through the corresponding hole portion, so that the end of the conductive structure 130 away from the sensor element 110 is exposed to the external environment of the shell 120, so that when the user performs a touch operation, his finger can directly contact the portion of the conductive structure 130 exposed to the external environment of the shell 120, thereby connecting the human body impedance to the circuit.

[0058] In some embodiments, to ensure the sealing and waterproof performance of the sensor 100, the conductive structure 130 can be in interference contact with the inner wall of the corresponding hole. In some embodiments, to ensure the sealing and waterproof performance of the sensor 100, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end of the conductive structure 130 extending to the outer surface of the housing 120 can be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the hole, so that the end of the conductive structure 130 extending to the outer surface of the housing 120 covers the outside of the hole. In some embodiments, the connection between the conductive structure 130 and the hole can be treated with a waterproofing process, for example, by filling the gap between the conductive structure 130 and the hole with waterproof glue.

[0059] In some embodiments, the conductive structures 130 corresponding to the multiple sensor elements 110 in the sensor 100 can all extend into the external environment of the housing 120, allowing the user's skin to contact the conductive structures 130 exposed to the external environment. Referring to Figure 2, in some embodiments, the sensor 100 may include a first sensor element 111 and its corresponding first conductive structure 131, a second sensor element 112 and its corresponding second conductive structure 132, and a third sensor element 113 and its corresponding third conductive structure 133. The housing 120 is provided with holes corresponding to the first conductive structure 131, the second conductive structure 132, and the third conductive structure 133. One end of the first conductive structure 131, the second conductive structure 132, and the third conductive structure 133 are respectively electrically connected to the first sensor element 111, the second sensor element 112, and the third sensor element 113 located inside or on the inner wall of the housing 120, and the other end extends through the corresponding holes to the outer surface of the housing 120.

[0060] It should be noted that the sensor 100 shown in FIG2 is merely an example. In some other embodiments, the number of sensing elements 110 and conductive structures 130 may be, but is not limited to, 3. For example, in some embodiments, the number of sensing elements 110 and conductive structures 130 may be 2, 4, 5, or more.

[0061] In some embodiments, the multiple sensing elements 110 may be arranged in an array or in a non-array arrangement. For example, in some embodiments, the multiple sensing elements 110 may be arranged in a linear arrangement. In some embodiments, the multiple sensing elements 110 may be arranged in an array. In some embodiments, the multiple sensing elements 110 may be arranged in regular shapes such as triangles, circles, ellipses, or other irregular shapes. In some embodiments, the conductive structures 130 corresponding to the multiple sensing elements may be spaced apart. In some embodiments, the multiple conductive structures 130 may be arranged in the same or different shapes as the multiple sensing elements 110. In some embodiments, when the sensor 100 includes multiple sensing elements 110, the multiple sensing elements 110 are spaced apart, and the sensor 100 may further include a processor, which may recognize the user's gesture in response to the time point when the user touches different sensing elements 110. For example, in some embodiments, multiple conductive structures 130 (or sensor elements 110) can be distributed in a straight line. The user slides along the extension direction of the straight line. During the sliding process of the user's finger, the time points acting on different conductive structures 130 are different, and the time points when different sensor elements 110 generate electrical signals are also different. The processor can determine the user's gesture (for example, sliding direction) based on the time points when different sensor elements 110 generate electrical signals. In some embodiments, the user's gesture (for example, sliding direction) can be applied to the working process of a wearable device (for example, a smart helmet, a virtual reality device, an augmented reality device, smart glasses) or an electronic device (for example, headphones, smart phones, tablets, smart watches). For example, the processor controls one or more of the progress of the audio or video of the wearable device or electronic device (for example, fast forward or rewind), the volume, the sliding of the page, etc. based on the user's gesture. For another example, in some embodiments, multiple conductive structures 130 (or sensor elements 110) can be distributed in an array. During the sliding process of the user's finger, the time points of acting on different conductive structures 130 are different, and the time points at which different sensor elements 110 generate electrical signals are also different. The processor can determine the user's gesture based on the time points at which different sensor elements 110 generate electrical signals. For example, the trajectory shape presented by the user's sliding gesture can be any one or more of letters (for example, L, Z, M, V, O, C, U, I, S, N, etc.), Arabic numerals, geometric shapes (for example, circles, ellipses, polygons, etc.). In some embodiments, the user's gesture can be applied to the device status of a wearable device or electronic device (for example, unlocking or locking the screen), calling shortcut commands, etc.

[0062] In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 can be made of any one or more of, but not limited to, silver, copper, gold, aluminum, nickel, alloys, and carbon. When the sensor 100 includes multiple sensing elements 110 and conductive structures 130, if the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 130 is too small, a droplet may simultaneously cover both adjacent conductive structures 130. This means that the two adjacent conductive structures 130 are connected by the droplet. When a user's finger strikes one of the two adjacent conductive structures 130 covered by the droplet, the other conductive structure 130 may also be indirectly connected to the user's finger due to the droplet, thereby affecting the sensor 110's accuracy in recognizing user gestures. Furthermore, if the sensor 100 is small, a large spacing between adjacent conductive structures 130 results in a small number of conductive structures 130, making it difficult to accurately capture complex user gestures. Based on the above considerations, the spacing between adjacent conductive structures 130 within the multiple conductive structures 130 can range from 0.05 mm to 5 cm. Preferably, the spacing between adjacent conductive structures 130 within the multiple conductive structures 130 can range from 0.08 mm to 3 cm. Preferably, in some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 130 can be 0.1 mm to 1 cm. By adjusting the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 130 to maintain an appropriate distance, it is possible to prevent droplets from simultaneously covering both adjacent conductive structures 130, thereby improving the accuracy of the sensor 110 in recognizing user gestures. Furthermore, the housing of the sensor 100 can be provided with a larger number of conductive structures 130, thereby capturing more user gestures and improving the applicability of the sensor 100. In some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 130 can be the same or different. In some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 130 can be controlled to prevent a single droplet from simultaneously covering multiple (e.g., two or more) conductive structures 130. For illustrative purposes only, in some embodiments, experiments have found that the diameter of sweat or water droplets remaining on the surface of the housing 120 is typically less than 5 mm. Therefore, to prevent a single droplet from simultaneously covering multiple (e.g., two or more) conductive structures 130, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 130 can be set to 8 mm to 1 cm. In some embodiments, to prevent liquid from accumulating on the conductive structure 130, a hydrophobic coating may be applied to the portion of the conductive structure 130 extending into the external environment of the housing 120 and / or the outer surface of the housing 120 to reduce the adhesion force between the liquid and the portion of the conductive structure 130 extending into the outer surface of the housing 120 and / or the outer surface of the housing 120. When the user sweats during exercise or comes into contact with water, the liquid slides off the outer surface of the housing 120, preventing liquid from accumulating on the surface of the housing 120. In some embodiments, a raised structure may be provided between two adjacent conductive structures 130 to form a curved surface on the surface of the housing 120 between the adjacent conductive structures 130, thereby preventing liquid from accumulating on the conductive structures 130.In some embodiments, the portion of the conductive structure 130 that extends into the external environment of the housing 120 may be recessed relative to the outer surface of the housing 120. In this case, two adjacent conductive structures 130 are separated by the housing region between them. Liquid droplets are typically small in volume. When liquid droplets accumulate on the outer surface of the housing 120, because the conductive structures 130 are recessed relative to the outer surface of the housing 120, the droplets typically accumulate on a single conductive structure 130, thereby preventing the droplets from connecting two adjacent conductive structures 130. In some embodiments, the conductivity of the conductive structure 130 may be greater than 10. 6 S / m, to ensure that the conductive structure 130 has good conductivity, so that the sensor has high response sensitivity when the user performs a touch operation and contacts the conductive structure 130.

[0063] In some embodiments, to help users more clearly perceive the position of the conductive structure 130 during touch operations, a damping structure may be provided at the end of the conductive structure 130 extending from the outer surface of the housing 120. The damping structure may have a different roughness than the outer surface of the housing 120. In some embodiments, the damping structure may include stripes, notches, etc.

[0064] In some embodiments, only some of the multiple conductive structures 130 of the sensor 100 may extend to the outer surface of the housing 120 and be exposed to the external environment of the housing 120. The remaining conductive structures 130 may not extend to the outer surface of the housing 120. For example, the conductive structures 130 may be located in the internal cavity of the housing 120 or the inner sidewall of the housing 120. For example, when the sensor 100 includes five conductive structures 130 and a corresponding number of sensing elements 110, the number of conductive structures 130 extending to the outer surface of the housing 120 may be 1 to 4. For another example, when the number of conductive structures 130 extending to the outer surface of the housing 120 is two or more, the conductive structures 130 extending to the outer surface of the housing 120 may be adjacent conductive structures arranged continuously among the multiple conductive structures 130 of the sensor 100, or they may be non-adjacent conductive structures arranged at least partially at intervals among the multiple conductive structures 130 of the sensor 100. In some embodiments, when the sensor 100 includes multiple conductive structures 130 and a sensing element 110, and when the sensing element 110 is a capacitive sensing element, one of the multiple conductive structures 130 may extend to the outer surface of the housing 120, and the remaining conductive structures 130 may be located in the interior cavity of the housing 120 or on the inner sidewall of the housing 120. When the sensor 100 includes multiple conductive structures 130 and only a single conductive structure 130 extends to the outer surface of the housing 120, liquid droplets can be prevented from covering multiple conductive structures 130 simultaneously.

[0065] In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 extending to the outer surface of the shell 120 in the sensor 100 can be set on the side of the wearable device close to the user's skin for wearing status detection. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 extending to the outer surface of the shell 120 in the sensor 100 can be set on the side of the wearable device away from the user's skin, or other positions where touch operations can be performed in the worn state, for touch operations. When applied to wearing detection, the number of conductive structures 130 extending to the outer surface of the shell 120 in the sensor 100 can be one or more. When applied to touch operations, the number of conductive structures 130 extending to the outer surface of the shell 120 in the sensor 100 can be one or more. Specifically, when the number of conductive structures 130 (or sensing elements 110) is one, the wearable device can be controlled by pressing (e.g., long pressing) or point control (e.g., single click, double click, etc.). When there are multiple conductive structures 130 (for example, two or more), the multiple conductive structures 130 can act on different sensing elements 110 to identify user gestures to control the wearable device. It should be noted that, in this specification, the side of the wearable device close to the user's skin may refer to the side of the wearable device close to the user's skin when worn. Similarly, the side of the wearable device away from the user's skin may refer to the side of the wearable device away from the user's skin when worn. In some embodiments, the wearable device is a headset, a smart watch, a smart bracelet, a smart ring, smart glasses, a smart helmet, a virtual reality device, an augmented reality device, etc. For example, when a user performs a sliding touch operation, the user's finger can contact at least two of the multiple conductive structures 130 in sequence, and the sensor can generate electrical signals in sequence according to the order of contact. Further, the processor can determine the user's gesture based on the position information of the contacted sensor and the time point of generating the electrical signal. In some embodiments, when applied to wear detection, the conductive structure 130 can be provided in the contact area of ​​the wearable device. The contact area can refer to the area of ​​the wearable device that can contact the user's skin when the wearable device is normally worn. When the wearable device is worn, the wearer's body contacts the contact area, which can cause the contact area to deform, and the sensor generates a corresponding electrical signal. In some embodiments, the wearable device's wearing status can be determined by combining the deformation of the contact area and the electrical signal generated by the sensor.

[0066] In some embodiments, the aforementioned sensor element 110 may include a capacitive sensor element, the electrode of which is electrically connected to one end of the conductive structure 130 located inside the housing 120, and the capacitance value of the capacitive sensor element may change in response to the user's finger or skin contacting the conductive structure 130. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 and the electrode of the capacitive sensor element to which it is connected may be two independent structures or an integrated structure. For example, in some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 may be an element independently arranged relative to the electrode of the capacitive sensor element, for example, one end of the conductive structure 130 is electrically connected to an electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 may be a part of the electrode of the capacitive sensor element. For example, the conductive structure 130 and an electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element are an integrated structure, and the conductive structure 130 is a raised structure on one side of the electrode plate, that is, a partial area of ​​an electrode plate of the capacitive sensor element may be exposed to the external environment of the housing 120. In some embodiments, one side of one electrode plate of the capacitive sensing element may be completely exposed to the external environment of the housing 120, while the other electrode plate of the capacitive sensing element is located inside or on the inner sidewall of the housing 120. For example, if one electrode plate of the capacitive sensing element is embedded in the sidewall of the housing 120, the electrode plate can be considered as part of the sidewall of the housing 120. For ease of understanding, the conductive structure 130 shown in FIG3 is replaced with the first electrode 1101.

[0067] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensor shown in other embodiments of this specification. Referring to FIG3, in some embodiments, the electrodes of the capacitive sensing element may include a first electrode 1101 and a second electrode 1102, and the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 are located inside the housing 120. In some embodiments, one side of the first electrode 1101 and one side of the second electrode 1102 may be connected to the inner surface of the same side wall of the housing 120, and the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 are spaced apart along the inner surface of the same side wall of the housing 120. The first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 can be approximately regarded as two electrode plates located in the same plane, with a spacing between the opposite ends of the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102, thereby forming a capacitive sensing element. In some embodiments, the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 may not be connected to the inner surface of the shell 120, wherein the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 are sheet-like structures, the first electrode 1101 has a first side surface A, and the first side surface A is one of the side walls with the largest area among the side walls of the first electrode 1101. A side surface of the second electrode 1102 is arranged side by side along the extension direction of the first side surface A (the direction indicated by the arrow x shown in FIG3 ), and one end of the first electrode 1101 is spaced apart from one end of the second electrode 1102. For example, the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 can be fixed in the chamber inside the shell 120 by a fixing structure (e.g., a bracket, etc.). The extension direction of the first side surface A can be understood as the extension direction of a straight line passing through two arbitrary points on the first side surface A. It can be understood that in this specification, the inner surface of the shell 120 can refer to the inner wall of the cavity formed by the shell 120, and the outer surface of the shell 120 can refer to the side of the shell 120 that is in direct contact with the external space. 3 , in some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 may be electrically connected to one of the first electrode 1101 or the second electrode 1102. When a user performs a touch operation, the user's finger 140 may contact the conductive structure 130, thereby connecting the human body impedance to the circuit.

[0068] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the response waveform of the sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification. As shown in FIG4 , band 401 is the response waveform generated by the sensor when a dry finger is used for touch operation in some embodiments, and its capacitance change ΔC is approximately 1.892 pF. Band 402 is the response waveform generated when a drop of concentrated saline is used to cover two electrodes at the same time in some embodiments, and its capacitance change ΔC is approximately 1.250 pF. Band 403 is the response waveform generated by the sensor when pure water, saline and concentrated saline are used to cover the electrodes in some embodiments, and its capacitance change ΔC is approximately 0.164 pF. It can be seen that there is a significant difference between the response generated when a finger is used for touch operation and the response generated when the electrode is dipped in water (such as pure water, saline or concentrated saline). However, when the droplet covers two or more electrodes at the same time, it may cause signal saturation, thereby causing certain interference to the recognition of the touch operation.

[0069] In some embodiments, in order to avoid or weaken the situation where the signal is saturated in the case of oversized droplets, it is possible to ensure that the liquid is located on a single electrode (such as the first electrode 1101 or the second electrode 1102) as much as possible. For example, the electrode size and the distance between two adjacent electrodes can be optimized to avoid a droplet covering multiple (such as two or more) electrodes at the same time. Exemplarily, in some embodiments, the size (such as the length) of a single electrode can be 2mm to 5mm, and the distance between two adjacent electrodes can be 8mm to 10mm. In some embodiments, a hydrophobic coating can also be applied to the outer surface of the shell 120 to reduce the adhesion force between the liquid and the end of the conductive structure 130 extending out of the outer surface of the shell 120 and / or the outer surface of the shell 120. When the user sweats during exercise or touches water, the liquid can slide off the surface of the shell 120 to avoid the liquid accumulating on the surface of the shell 120. In some embodiments, considering that the liquid is usually sliding downward under the action of gravity in the process of sliding off the surface of the shell 120, therefore, in some embodiments, in order to prevent the liquid from covering two or more electrodes at the same time during the sliding process, the arrangement direction of the multiple electrodes in the normal wearing state can be made different from the sliding direction of the liquid. For example, when the user normally wears a wearable device (for example, headphones) containing the sensor 100, the droplets are affected by gravity and slide down in a direction approximately perpendicular to the ground. Taking a single sensor 100 as an example, the two electrodes of the sensor 100 can be spaced apart in a direction parallel to the ground. In some embodiments, a raised structure can be provided at the shell 120 between two adjacent electrodes to block the flow of droplets. For example only, droplets can flow freely on a flat plane. Providing a raised structure in the shell 120 between two adjacent electrodes or setting the part of the shell area to a curved surface structure that bulges toward the outside of the shell can block the droplets at a single electrode from flowing to the other electrode, effectively preventing the droplets from covering the two electrodes of a single sensor at the same time. In some embodiments, a shielding layer can be provided between electrodes and voltage can be actively applied to the shielding layer so that when the sensor scans other buttons, the voltage of the shielding layer is consistent with the voltage on the electrode, thereby minimizing the impact of water droplets on the touch electrode.

[0070] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of sensors shown in other embodiments of this specification.

[0071] 5 , in some embodiments, the electrodes of the capacitive sensing element may include a first electrode 1101 and a second electrode 1102, wherein the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 are located inside the housing 120, and the first side surface A of the first electrode 1101 and a side surface (e.g., side surface B) of the second electrode 1102 are arranged relative to each other, that is, the projection of the first electrode 1101 in a direction perpendicular to the first side surface A of the first electrode 1101 at least partially overlaps with the second electrode 1102. In some embodiments, there is a spacing between the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102, and the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 can constitute a capacitive sensing element. It should be noted that the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 are sheet-like structures, and the first side surface A is one of the side walls with the largest area among the side walls of the first electrode 1101. Similarly, a side surface of the second electrode 1102 refers to one of the side walls with the largest area among the side walls of the second electrode 1102.

[0072] As shown in Figure 5, in some embodiments, the first electrode 1101 can be connected to the inner surface of the shell 120, and the second electrode 1102 can be located in a chamber inside the shell 120. The second electrode 1102 is arranged parallel or approximately parallel to the first electrode 1101, and there is a certain distance between the two to form a capacitive sensing element. When the user performs a touch operation, the user's finger 140 does not directly contact the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102, but the capacitance value of the capacitive sensing element composed of the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 can change. It should be noted that the first electrode 1101 may not be connected to the inner surface of the shell 120. For example, the first electrode 1101 or the second electrode 1102 can be set in the internal chamber of the shell 120 through a fixed structure (for example, a bracket).

[0073] 5 , in some embodiments, the first electrode 1101 may be attached to the inner surface of the housing 120 or at least partially embedded in the inner wall of the housing 120 . In some embodiments, the thickness of the area of ​​the housing 120 corresponding to the first electrode 1101 may be no greater than 1 mm. Specifically, the thickness of the sidewall area of ​​the housing 120 in the direction perpendicular to the first electrode 1101 (e.g., the z-z' direction shown in FIG5 ) is no greater than 1 mm, thereby ensuring the sensitivity of the sensor without exposing the electrode. In some embodiments, by embedding at least part of the first electrode 1101 in the inner wall of the housing 120, the first electrode 1101 can be prevented from occupying too much space, miniaturizing the sensor as much as possible. If the thickness of the sidewall of the area of ​​the housing 120 corresponding to the first electrode 1101 is too small, it will affect the stability of the sidewall structure of the housing 120 and easily cause damage. Based on this, while ensuring that the sensor has high sensitivity without exposing the electrode, the stability of the sidewall structure of the housing 120 is ensured. In some embodiments, the thickness of the sidewall of the area of ​​the housing 120 corresponding to the first electrode 1101 can be 0.2 mm to 1 mm. In some embodiments, the sidewall thickness of the housing 120 corresponding to the first electrode 1101 may be 0.5 mm to 1 mm, so as to further improve the stability of the sidewall structure of the housing 120 .

[0074] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sensor shown in some other embodiments of this specification. Referring to FIG6, in some embodiments, the electrodes of the capacitive sensing element may include a first electrode 1101 and a second electrode 1102, wherein the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 are located inside the housing 120, and the first side A of the first electrode 1101 is relative to a side (e.g., side B) of the second electrode 1102, that is, the projection of the first electrode 1101 in a direction perpendicular to the first side A of the first electrode 1101 at least partially overlaps with the second electrode 1102. As shown in FIG5, there is a spacing between the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102, and the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 can constitute a capacitive sensing element. In some embodiments, one side of the first electrode 1101 can be directly connected to the inner surface of the housing 120 or embedded in the side wall of the housing 120. In some embodiments, the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 may not be connected to the inner surface of the shell 120. For example, the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 may be fixed in a chamber inside the shell by a fixing structure (e.g., a bracket, etc.). In some embodiments, the distance between the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 may be 8 mm to 10 mm. In some embodiments, one end of the conductive structure 130 is electrically connected to the first electrode 1101, and the other end of the conductive structure 130 may extend out of the inner surface of the shell 120, and the other end of the conductive structure 130 is recessed relative to the outer surface of the shell 120. When there are multiple conductive structures 130, two adjacent conductive structures 130 are separated by the shell area between them. The volume of the droplet is generally small. When the droplet accumulates on the outer surface of the shell 120, because the conductive structure 130 is recessed relative to the outer surface of the shell 120, the droplet usually accumulates on a single conductive structure 130, thereby preventing the droplet from connecting two adjacent conductive structures 130. Preferably, the other end of the conductive structure 130 can extend to the outer surface of the housing 120, so that part of the conductive structure 130 is exposed to the external environment of the housing 120, making it easy for the user to touch it. Furthermore, the other end of the conductive structure 130 can also extend from the housing 120 until it protrudes from the outer surface. When this end of the conductive structure 130 protrudes relative to the outer surface of the housing 120, the user can quickly determine the distribution position of the conductive structure 130 based on their tactile feel and perform related operations.

[0075] In some embodiments, the sensor 100 may further include a processor that may determine whether the user is in contact with the sensor based on the capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element. Specifically, in some embodiments, the processor determining whether the user is in contact with the sensor based on the capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element may include: when the capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element is greater than a preset threshold, determining that the user is in contact with the sensor; conversely, when the capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element is less than the preset threshold, determining that the user is not in contact with the sensor.

[0076] It should be noted that the sensor element 110, conductive structure 130 and other elements in the sensors shown in Figures 3 to 6 are not limited to the one shown in the figures, but can also be multiple. For the distribution of multiple sensor elements 110 or conductive structures 130, please refer to Figure 2 of this manual and its related description, which will not be repeated here.

[0077] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the response waveforms of the sensors shown in some embodiments of this specification. Referring to Figure 7, in some embodiments, when pure water, saline, or concentrated saline is applied to the sensor shown in Figures 5 or 6, the resulting response waveform is shown in band 701. When a dry finger or a wet finger is applied to the sensor shown in Figures 5 or 6, the resulting response waveform is shown in band 702. As can be seen, the sensors shown in Figures 5 or 6 can significantly differ in the response to a touch operation by a user's finger compared to the response when the sensor is wet but not touched, thereby eliminating the effects of liquids such as water and sweat on touch operations and improving the sensor's touch sensitivity.

[0078] In some embodiments, when the sensing element is a capacitive sensing element, the capacitive sensing element can be connected to a measuring circuit to obtain the capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element. The following will describe in detail the content of the measuring circuit obtaining the capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element in conjunction with Figures 8 to 10.

[0079] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0080] 8 , in some embodiments, the circuit structure of the sensor may include a capacitor C1 and a capacitor C2, where C1 may represent the capacitance formed by the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 shown in FIG. 3 , FIG. 5 , or FIG. 6 , and C2 may represent the equivalent capacitance corresponding to the human body impedance being connected to the circuit.

[0081] Due to the characteristics of the specific capacitance of the human body, and liquid does not have this characteristic, therefore, by electrically connecting the conductive structure 130 extending to the outer surface of the housing 120 to the electrodes of the capacitive sensing element, the user's finger 140 can change the capacitance value of the capacitor C1 when performing a touch operation, and can also introduce capacitance C2 into the circuit (i.e., introduce human body impedance). On the contrary, when only liquid is in contact with the conductive structure 130, the capacitor C2 in the circuit is deemed to be non-existent, and only the capacitance value of the capacitor C1 can be changed. Based on this, in an embodiment of the present specification, by electrically connecting the conductive structure 130 extending to the outer surface of the housing 120 to the electrodes of the capacitive sensing element, the difference between the capacitance value generated by the user's finger after contact with the conductive structure 130 and the capacitance value generated after contact with the conductive structure 130 by liquids such as water and sweat can be increased, thereby eliminating the influence of liquids such as water and sweat on the touch operation and improving the touch sensitivity of the sensor after being wetted by water.

[0082] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the sensor shown in other embodiments of this specification. Referring to Figure 9, in some embodiments, the measurement circuit of the sensor may include resistor elements R0 and R1, capacitor elements C3 and C4, wherein C3 can represent the capacitive sensing element formed by the first electrode 1101 and the second electrode 1102 shown in Figure 3, Figure 5 or Figure 6, C4 can represent the equivalent capacitance corresponding to the human body impedance after the circuit is connected, and R0 can represent the equivalent resistance corresponding to the human body impedance after the circuit is connected. As shown in Figure 9, the resistor element R0 can be connected in parallel with the capacitor element C4, and the resistor element R1 and the capacitor element C3 can be connected in series with the capacitor element C4 to form an RC circuit. In some embodiments, the resistor element R0, the capacitor element C4 and the capacitor element C3 can together constitute a capacitor Ct, which can reflect the overall capacitance change in the circuit after the human body impedance is connected to the circuit. In some embodiments, the aforementioned RC circuit can be used to obtain the capacitance value of the capacitor Ct.

[0083] Continuing with FIG9 , the sensor's measurement circuit may further include an inductor, a capacitor, and a processing chip. The inductor and capacitor are connected in parallel to form a loop, and the processing chip may be configured to read the resonant frequency of the loop formed by the inductor and capacitor. In some embodiments, the capacitance of capacitor Ct may be characterized by the resonant frequency of the loop formed by the inductor and capacitor connected in parallel.

[0084] In some embodiments, the loop formed by the aforementioned inductor element and capacitor element in parallel can be equivalent to a resonant circuit, and the resonant circuit can be positioned opposite the capacitive sensing element to obtain the resonant frequency of the capacitive sensing element. Referring to Figure 9, in some embodiments, the resonant circuit can include a first inductor element L0, a first capacitor element C0, and a first processing chip, wherein the first inductor element L0 and the first capacitor element C0 are connected in parallel to form a loop, and the first processing chip is used to read the resonant frequency of the loop.

[0085] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a sensor shown in other embodiments of this specification.

[0086] 10 , in some embodiments, the measurement circuit of the sensor may include a resistor R2 and a capacitor C5, and the resistor R2 and the capacitor C5 are connected in parallel to form an RC loop. When the user's finger 140 contacts the sensor, the capacitance value of the capacitor Ct may change. It can be understood that the capacitor Ct can be understood as the equivalent capacitance formed by the human body impedance being connected to the circuit and the built-in capacitive sensing element in the sensor. For more description of the capacitor Ct, please refer to other locations in this specification and will not be repeated here. In some embodiments, the RC loop formed by the resistor R2 and the capacitor C5 in parallel can be used to obtain the capacitance value of the capacitor Ct.

[0087] In some embodiments, the aforementioned sensor element 110 may include an inductive sensor element, which may include an inductive element, a capacitive element, and a processing chip, wherein the inductive element is electrically connected to one end of the conductive structure 130 located inside the housing 120, and the inductive element and the capacitive element are connected in parallel to form a loop. The processing chip can be connected to the loop formed by the inductive element and the capacitive element to read the resonant frequency of the loop. In some embodiments, the processing chip can identify the user's touch operation based on the resonant frequency of the loop.

[0088] In some embodiments, the number of the inductive elements may be one or more (for example, two or more). Similarly, the sensor 100 may further include a plurality of conductive structures 130 that are the same as the number of the inductive elements, and the plurality of conductive structures 130 correspond one to one with the plurality of inductive elements. When the sensing element 110 is an inductive sensing element, the sensor 100 may also be used for wear detection or touch operation detection. In some embodiments, when the inductive sensing element is applied to wear detection, the number of inductive sensing elements may be only one. In some embodiments, when the inductive sensing element is applied to touch operation detection, the number of inductive sensing elements may be one or more. For example, when the touch operation mode is sliding control, the number of inductive sensing elements may be at least two. For another example, when the touch operation mode is single-click, double-click, etc., the number of inductive sensing elements may be only one.

[0089] An embodiment of this specification also provides a wearable device, which may include a wearable device body and a sensor as provided in any of the above embodiments, wherein the wearable device body may refer to the remaining main body portion excluding the sensor. In some embodiments, the wearable device body may include at least a supporting structure, which may be configured to accommodate a sensing element of the sensor. Specifically, in some embodiments, the sensing element may be located in an internal cavity or inner wall of the supporting structure, and the end of the conductive structure facing away from the sensing element may extend to the outer surface of the supporting structure. In some embodiments, the supporting structure may be understood as a structure or portion having a certain rigidity and that can be used to install the aforementioned sensor. In some embodiments, the supporting structure may refer to the housing of the wearable device. Regarding the position of the conductive structure relative to the supporting structure, reference may be made to the content of the conductive structure relative to the housing, which will not be elaborated here.

[0090] It should be noted that in some embodiments, by electrically connecting the conductive structure extending to the outer surface of the supporting structure to the sensing element, the user can directly touch the conductive structure with their finger when performing a touch operation, so that the human body impedance is connected to the circuit, increasing the difference between the capacitance value generated by the user's finger after contact with the conductive structure and the capacitance value generated by liquids such as water and sweat after contact with the conductive structure, thereby eliminating the influence of liquids such as water and sweat on the touch operation and improving the touch sensitivity of the wearable device after it is wet. Among them, more details about the sensor can be found elsewhere in this specification (such as Figures 1 to 10 and their related descriptions), and will not be repeated here.

[0091] In some embodiments of this specification, the wearable device may include headphones, smart bracelets, smart rings, smart glasses, smart helmets, virtual reality devices, augmented reality devices, etc. It should be understood that the above wearable devices are only exemplary. In the embodiments of this specification, the wearable device may include but is not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0092] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wearable device shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0093] 11 , in some embodiments, the wearable device may be an acoustic output device 200, and the wearable device body may include an acoustic output unit 210 and an ear hook 220, wherein one end of the ear hook 220 is connected to the acoustic output unit 210. When the user uses the acoustic output device 200, the user can hang the acoustic output unit 210 near the user's ear through the ear hook 220.

[0094] As shown in FIG11 , in some embodiments, the acoustic output device 200 may include a single-ear hanging earphone, which may be a bone conduction earphone, an air conduction earphone, or a combined bone and air conduction earphone. In some embodiments, the acoustic output device 200 may include various types, such as electromagnetic (e.g., dynamic coil, moving iron, etc.), piezoelectric, inverse piezoelectric, electrostatic, etc. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 may be provided on the acoustic output unit 210 and / or the earhook 220. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 130 may be provided on any one or more of the inner, outer, or peripheral sides of the housing of the acoustic output unit 210. The inner side may refer to the side closest to the user's skin when worn, the outer side may refer to the side facing away from the user's skin when worn, and the peripheral side refers to the side adjacent to the inner or outer side of the acoustic output unit 210. In some embodiments, when the user wears the acoustic output device 200, touch operations can be performed using the conductive structure 130 provided on the outer side of the housing of the acoustic output unit 210 or on the peripheral side that is not in contact with the user's skin. Preferably, the conductive structure 130 can be provided on the outside of the housing of the acoustic output unit 210 so that the user's hand can act on the sensor. In addition, when the acoustic output device 200 is in the worn state, the side surface corresponding to the outside of the housing of the acoustic output unit 210 has a very small inclination angle relative to the sagittal plane of the human body or can be approximately considered parallel. The droplets on the outside of the acoustic output unit 210 slide directly down under the action of gravity without accumulation, thereby reducing the interference of the droplets on the sensor. In some embodiments, the touch operation may include but is not limited to single-click, double-click, slide, long press, etc. In some embodiments, the wearable device can be controlled by the aforementioned touch operation, for example, waking up the device, answering a call, playing music, adjusting the volume, hanging up a call, pausing music, switching music, adjusting the audio, unlocking / locking the device, etc. For example, when the number of sensors is one, the user can adjust the audio volume output by the acoustic output unit by clicking the conductive structure 130 of the sensor. For another example, when the user long presses the conductive structure of the sensor, the audio progress output by the acoustic output unit can be adjusted (pause, start, fast forward or rewind) or the audio output by the acoustic output unit can be changed. For another example, when there are multiple sensors, when the user slides along the distribution direction of the conductive structure 130, the audio volume or audio progress output by the acoustic output unit can be adjusted. In some embodiments, the sensor can also be used to detect the wearing status of the acoustic output device 200. In some embodiments, when the user wears the acoustic output device 200, the wearing detection can be performed by setting a conductive structure 130 in the area of ​​the housing of the acoustic output unit 210 or the ear hook 220 that contacts the user's skin.Specifically, when the acoustic output device 200 is not worn, the conductive structure 130 is not in contact with the user's skin, and the sensor does not generate an electrical signal. However, when the user wears the acoustic output device 200, the conductive structure 130 is in contact with the user's skin, and the sensor generates a corresponding electrical signal. Based on this electrical signal, the processor of the acoustic output device 200 can determine that the acoustic output device 200 is being worn, thereby activating or unlocking the acoustic output device 200. When the conductive structure 130 is provided on the ear hook 220, the ear hook includes a strip structure of a memory alloy (e.g., a titanium alloy) and a rubber sleeve covering the strip structure. The electrodes corresponding to the conductive structure 130 can be connected to the memory alloy strip structure by bonding or plating, and at least a portion of the conductive structure 130 can extend from the rubber sleeve to be exposed to the external environment. In some embodiments, even when the conductive structure 130 is not provided on the sensor element, at least a portion of the electrodes can be exposed to the external environment.

[0095] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a wearable device shown in other embodiments of this specification.

[0096] Referring to Figure 12, in some embodiments, the acoustic output device 200 may further include a back hook 240. In other words, the acoustic output device 200 may also be a back-hook headphone, which may include an ear hook 220, a back hook 240, and an acoustic output unit 210. The ear hook 220 may cooperate with the user's auricle to allow the acoustic output device 200 to be hung on the user's ear. The back hook 240 may be placed behind the user's neck or head. The ear hook 220 and the back hook 240 may cooperate to provide a clamping force to attach the acoustic output unit 210 to the user's head or ear, thereby ensuring that the acoustic output device 200 is stably attached to the user's ear and is not likely to fall off.

[0097] As shown in FIG12 , in some embodiments, the acoustic output unit 210 may include a first acoustic output unit 2101 and a second acoustic output unit 2102, and the ear hook 220 may include a first ear hook 2201 and a second ear hook 2202. The first ear hook 2201 is connected to the first acoustic output unit 2101 and one end of the back hook 240, and the second ear hook 2202 is connected to the second acoustic output unit 2102 and the other end of the back hook 240. The first ear hook 2201 can be used to hang the first acoustic output unit 2101 near one ear of the user, and the second ear hook 2202 can be used to hang the second acoustic output unit 2102 near the other ear of the user.

[0098] 12 , in some embodiments, the wearable body may further include a core assembly 250, which may be disposed between the ear hook 220 and the back hook 240. In some embodiments, the core assembly 250 may include a housing chamber that may be used to accommodate or hold one or more components of the acoustic output device 200 (e.g., a processor, a control circuit, a Bluetooth module, a battery, etc.). In some embodiments, the core assembly 250 may include a first core assembly 2501 and a second core assembly 2502, wherein the first core assembly 2501 is connected to one end of the first ear hook 2201 and the back hook 240, and the second core assembly 2502 is connected to the other end of the second ear hook 2202 and the back hook 240.

[0099] In some embodiments, the aforementioned conductive structure 130 can be arranged on the inner side, outer side or peripheral side of the core assembly 250. Specifically, when the conductive structure 130 is arranged on the inner side of the core assembly 250, wearing detection can be performed through the conductive structure 130, and when the conductive structure 130 is arranged on the outer side or peripheral side of the core assembly 250, touch operation can be performed through the conductive structure 130. Similarly, in some embodiments, the aforementioned conductive structure 130 can also be arranged on the inner side, outer side or peripheral side of the acoustic output unit 210. Specifically, when the conductive structure 130 is arranged on the inner side or peripheral side of the acoustic output unit 210 in contact with human skin, wearing detection can be performed through the conductive structure 130, and when the conductive structure 130 is arranged on the outer side or peripheral side of the acoustic output unit 210 not in contact with human skin, touch operation can be performed through the conductive structure 130. More settings for the conductive structure 130 can be referred to other places in this specification and will not be repeated here.

[0100] In some embodiments, the wearable device may further include a second inductive sensing element (not shown in the figure), which may have the same structure as the aforementioned first inductive sensing element. In some embodiments, the second inductive sensing element may be located on the ear hook 220 or the back hook 240, and the second inductive sensing element may determine the deformation amount of the ear hook 220 or the back hook 240 based on the deformation of the ear hook 220 or the back hook 240. For example, in some embodiments, the deformation amount of the ear hook 220 or the back hook 240 may be determined based on the inductance change of the second inductive sensing element caused by the deformation of the ear hook 220 or the back hook 240. In some embodiments, the processor of the wearable device may determine the current wearing state of the wearable device based on the deformation amount of the ear hook 220 or the back hook 240 detected by the second inductive sensing element.

[0101] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wearable device shown in other embodiments of this specification. Referring to FIG13 , in some embodiments, the wearable device can be a mobile phone or a tablet computer. The mobile phone or tablet computer 300 can include a display screen 320 and a body 330, with the display screen 320 embedded in the body 330. The sensor can be set in the touch area 310 of the mobile phone or tablet computer 300. The touch area 310 can be understood as the operation area for the user to touch. In some embodiments, the touch area 310 can be located on a side of the body 330 that is coplanar with the display screen 320. In some embodiments, the touch area 310 can be located on a side adjacent to or opposite to the plane where the body 330 and the display screen 320 are located. In some embodiments, the touch area 310 can also be integrated into the display screen 320. The user can control the mobile phone or tablet computer 300 by touching, long pressing, or sliding on the touch area 310.

[0102] In some embodiments, a user can activate the touch area 310 to wake up the phone or tablet 300 or put it into standby mode. In some embodiments, a user can long-press the touch area 310 to toggle the phone or tablet 300 on and off. In some embodiments, a user can activate the touch area 310 to adjust the volume of the phone or tablet 300. In some embodiments, a user can activate the touch area 310 to initiate a voice call or video call on the phone or tablet 300. In some embodiments, a user can activate the touch area 310 to adjust the progress of a video or audio. In some embodiments, the touch area 310 may be provided with one or more sensors. For example, in some embodiments, the touch area 310 may include a first sensor and a second sensor. A user may activate the first sensor by tapping or pressing to advance the video or audio, and a user may activate the second sensor by tapping or pressing to rewind the video or audio.

[0103] In some embodiments, multiple sensors within the touch area 310 can recognize user control gestures. In some embodiments, the multiple sensors can be arranged in a rectangular, triangular, or any combination thereof. A user can swipe across at least two sensors within the touch area 310 to control different functions of the phone or tablet 300. In some embodiments, a user can control the progress of a video or audio feed by controlling the direction of the swipe gesture. In some embodiments, a user can swipe a corresponding pattern within the touch area 310 to compare it with a preset pattern to unlock the phone or tablet 300. In some embodiments, a user can swipe downward within the touch area 310 to scroll down the page of the phone or tablet 300, or swipe upward within the touch area 310 to scroll up the page of the phone or tablet 300. In some embodiments, a user can swipe in a "Z" shape within the touch area 310 to take a screenshot of the phone or tablet 300.

[0104] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wearable device shown in other embodiments of this specification. Referring to FIG14 , in some embodiments, the wearable device may be a smart watch 500. In some embodiments, the smart watch 500 may include a display screen 520 and a dial 530, with the display screen 520 embedded in the dial 530. The arrangement of sensors on the smart watch 500 is similar to the arrangement of sensors on a mobile phone or tablet computer 300. In some embodiments, the touch area 510 of the smart watch 500 may be integrated into the display screen 520 or on a side adjacent to the display screen 520. The user can control the smart watch 500 by touching, long pressing, or sliding on the touch area 510.

[0105] In some embodiments, the user can tap the touch area 510 to wake up the smartwatch 500 or put the smartwatch into standby mode. In some embodiments, the user can long-press the touch area 510 to switch the smartwatch 500 on or off or terminate a function process of the smartwatch 500 (e.g., switching music, switching apps, adjusting audio), etc.

[0106] In some embodiments, the touch area 510 may also be located on the side of the watch face 530 away from the display screen 520 to detect whether the smartwatch 500 has been worn. This detection method is similar to that of the acoustic output device 200. When the smartwatch 500 has been worn, the sensor in the touch area 510 may respond to other processes of the smartwatch 500, such as monitoring heart rate. When the smartwatch 500 has been removed from wear, the sensor in the touch area 510 may respond to other processes of the smartwatch 500, such as terminating non-essential processes.

[0107] In some embodiments, the touch area 510 may include one or more sensors. When the touch area 510 includes multiple sensors, the multiple sensors may be concentrated within the touch area 510 of the smartwatch 500 shown in FIG14 . In some embodiments, the multiple sensors may be arranged in a rectangular, triangular, or any combination thereof. The user can swipe across at least two sensors within the touch area 510 to control different functions of the smartwatch 500. In some embodiments, the user can swipe a corresponding pattern within the touch area 510 to compare it with a preset pattern to unlock the smartwatch 500. In some embodiments, the user can swipe downward within the touch area 510 to scroll down the page of the smartwatch 500, or swipe upward within the touch area 510 to scroll up the page of the smartwatch 500. In some embodiments, the user can swipe in an "O" shape within the touch area 510 to hang up the call on the smartwatch 500.

[0108] It should be noted that wearable devices are not limited to the aforementioned acoustic output device 200, mobile phone or tablet computer 300, physiological signal detection device 400, and smart watch 500. In some embodiments, wearable devices may include other electronic devices, such as virtual reality devices, augmented reality devices, smart helmets, smart glasses, etc.

[0109] It should also be noted that, in some embodiments, the sensors provided in the embodiments of this specification can be applied to electronic devices other than wearable devices, for example, household appliances (such as televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, control switches, smart door locks, etc.).

[0110] It should be noted that the capacitive sensing element mentioned in the embodiments of this specification (for example, the capacitive sensing element shown in Figures 1-3, Figures 5 and 6) may also include at least one detection end, which may be electrically connected to the circuit of the sensor. In some embodiments, the detection end may be a structure made of a conductive material (for example, copper, aluminum, silver, carbon, etc.). The following is explained in conjunction with Figures 15A and 15B. As shown in Figure 15A, in some embodiments, the capacitive sensing element 1501 may include a first electrode 151, a second electrode 152, and a dielectric 153 located therebetween. In some embodiments, the capacitive sensing element may include two detection ends, which are electrically connected to the two electrodes of the capacitive sensing element, respectively. When the capacitive sensing element 1501 is applied to the aforementioned sensor, the human body acts on the capacitive sensing element, where the human body can be approximately equivalent to a capacitor, and the human body capacitor is connected to the measurement circuit of the sensor in parallel. For example, the two detection terminals may include a first detection terminal 154 and a second detection terminal 155, wherein one end of the first detection terminal 154 is electrically connected to the first electrode 151, and the other end of the first detection terminal 151 is electrically connected to the sensor's measurement circuit; the second detection terminal 155 is electrically connected to the second electrode 152, and the other end of the second detection terminal 155 is electrically connected to the sensor's measurement circuit. Regarding the measurement of the capacitance change of the capacitive sensing element 1501 in the sensor shown in FIG15A, reference may be made to FIG9 and FIG10 and their related descriptions. The capacitive sensing element 1502 shown in FIG15B has a substantially similar structure to the capacitive sensing element 1501 shown in FIG15A , with the difference being that the capacitive sensing element 1502 shown in FIG15B only has a first detection terminal 154 , wherein one end of the first detection terminal 154 is electrically connected to an electrode of the capacitive sensing element, and the other end of the first detection terminal 154 is electrically connected to the sensor's measurement circuit. When the capacitive sensing element 1502 is applied to the aforementioned sensor, when the human body acts on the sensor, the human body can be approximately equivalent to a capacitor, and the human body capacitance is connected to the sensor's circuit in parallel. It should be noted that the first detection terminal 154 in the capacitive sensing element 1502 shown in FIG15B is not limited to being connected to the first electrode 151 , as long as the first detection terminal 154 is connected to one of the two electrodes. For example, the first detection terminal 154 can also be connected only to the second electrode 152 .

[0111] Figures 16A-16C are sensors provided according to some embodiments of the present specification. In some embodiments, the sensor includes a sensing element, which can be applied to a housing 163, which is configured to carry the sensing element. In some embodiments, the sensing element can include electrodes 161 and detection terminals 164, with the detection terminals 164 corresponding one-to-one to the number of electrodes. For example, one electrode 161 corresponds to one detection terminal 164, one end of the detection terminal 164 is connected to the electrode 161, and the other end of the detection terminal 164 is connected to the sensor circuit. In some embodiments, when a user contacts an electrode 161 or an area of ​​the housing corresponding to the electrode 161, the electrode 161 connects the user's body impedance to the sensor. Exemplarily, the following will be described in detail with reference to the sensors shown in Figures 16A to 16C. As shown in Figure 16A, in some embodiments, the electrode 161 of the sensor 1601 can be embedded in the side wall of the housing 163, and part or all of the area on one side of the electrode 161 can be exposed to the external environment of the housing 163. Here, at least a portion or all of one side of the electrode 161 is exposed to the outer surface of the housing 163. When a user contacts the electrode 161, the body impedance of the user's body is connected in series with the sensor's circuit. In some embodiments, the electrode 161 can also be located inside or on the inner sidewall of the housing 163. For example, the electrode 161 can be attached to the inner sidewall of the housing 163. In another example, the electrode 161 can be fixed to the cavity inside the housing 163 by a fixing structure (e.g., a bracket). In the sensor 1602 shown in Figure 16B, in some embodiments, one side of the electrode 161 is attached to the inner sidewall of the housing 163, or at least a portion of the electrode 161 is embedded in the inner sidewall of the housing 163. The connection method here includes but is not limited to any one or more of bonding, welding, and crimping. In some embodiments, the area of ​​the housing 163 corresponding to the electrode 161 can be made of a conductive material (e.g., conductive silicone, copper, aluminum, silver, carbon, etc.) so that when the user contacts this area, the body impedance can be connected to the sensor's circuit. In some embodiments, when the electrode 161 is disposed in a cavity inside the shell 163 , the electrode 161 may be electrically connected to a conductive area of ​​the shell 163 (eg, an area of ​​the shell 163 corresponding to the electrode 161 ) via a wire.In sensor 1603 shown in FIG16C , in some embodiments, electrode 161 may include an electrode body 1610 and a conductive structure 165. One end of conductive structure 165 is electrically connected to electrode body 1610, and the other end of conductive structure 165 may extend from the inner surface of housing 163. Furthermore, the other end of conductive structure 165 is recessed relative to the outer surface of housing 163. When there are multiple conductive structures 165, two adjacent conductive structures 165 are separated by the housing region between them. Liquid droplets are typically small in size. When a liquid droplet accumulates on the outer surface of housing 163, because conductive structure 165 is recessed relative to the outer surface of housing 163, the liquid droplet is typically retained on a single conductive structure 165, thereby preventing the liquid droplet from connecting to two adjacent conductive structures 165. In some embodiments, the other end of conductive structure 165 may extend beyond the outer surface of housing 163, allowing a portion of conductive structure 165 to be exposed to the external environment of housing 163 for easy user contact. In some embodiments, the other end of the conductive structure 165 can further extend into the housing 163 until it protrudes from the outer surface. When the end of the conductive structure 165 protrudes relative to the outer surface of the housing 163, the user can quickly determine the distribution position of the conductive structure 165 based on its tactile feel, thereby performing relevant operations. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 165 can be a component made of a conductive material. In some embodiments, the material of the conductive structure 165 can include, but is not limited to, any one or more of silver, copper, gold, aluminum, nickel, alloy, carbon, etc. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 165 can be a transparent conductive material, such as an indium tin oxide (ITO) film. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 165 can be a component independently provided relative to the electrode body 1610. For example, one end of the conductive structure 165 is electrically connected to the electrode body 1610. In some embodiments, the material of the conductive structure 165 can be the same as or different from the material of the electrode body 1610. In some embodiments, the conductive structure 165 can be a part of the electrode body 1610. For example, the conductive structure 165 and the electrode body 1610 are an integrated structure, and the conductive structure 165 is a protruding structure on one side of the electrode body 1610 , that is, a partial area of ​​the electrode body 1610 can be exposed to the external environment of the shell 163 .

[0112] The sensor shown in Figures 16A-16C can effectively distinguish between a human body touch operation and a liquid droplet acting on the sensor, as will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 17 and 18. Figure 17 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a user's body contacting the sensor according to some embodiments of this specification, and Figure 18 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a liquid droplet acting on the sensor according to some embodiments of this specification. As shown in Figure 17, when a finger touches the touch area of ​​the sensor shown in Figures 16A-16C (e.g., electrode 161 shown in Figure 16A, conductive housing 163 shown in Figure 16B, and conductive structure 165 shown in Figure 16C), since the finger and the human body can be considered conductors, the capacitance 166 between the human body and the earth and the capacitance 167 between the device ground corresponding to the sensor and the earth are sufficiently large, and have only very small capacitive reactance to high-frequency AC excitation signals. Therefore, the potential of the finger in the touch system can be considered to be approximately the potential of the device ground. As shown in FIG18 , when a droplet 168 (e.g., salt water) acts on the touch area of ​​the sensor shown in FIG16A-16C , since droplet 168 is conductive and can be considered a conductor, droplet 168 will also change the electric field coupling between electrodes 161 . However, the surface area of ​​droplet 161 is much smaller than that of the human body. At this time, the capacitance 166 between the human body and the earth no longer exists, and the capacitance between droplet 161 and the earth is very small, approximately zero. The potential of droplet 161 in the touch system can no longer be approximately equal to the potential of the device ground; instead, the potential of droplet 161 is determined by the potential of electrode 161. From this, it can be seen that when the human body touches the touch area of ​​the sensor provided in the embodiment of this specification, the human body can form a path with the earth and the device corresponding to the sensor, while the droplet 168 acts on the touch area of ​​the sensor and cannot form a path between the device corresponding to the sensor and the earth. Therefore, the human body touch and the droplet action can be distinguished by measuring the current changes in the path formed by the human body, the earth and the sensor, thereby preventing the interference of the droplet action on the sensor and improving the accuracy of the sensor for human touch.

[0113] Figure 19 is a graph showing the change in resonant frequency when a finger and a droplet act on the electrode of a sensor according to some embodiments of this specification. As shown in Figure 19, the horizontal axis represents time (ms) and the vertical axis represents resonant frequency (Hz). It should be noted that according to the calculation formula of the harmonic frequency f0: It can be seen that the resonant frequency here can be used to reflect the change in capacitance. Region 2001 in Figure 19 is the resonant frequency change curve corresponding to when a dry hand touches the electrode of the sensor, region 2002 is the resonant frequency change curve corresponding to when a salt water droplet acts on the electrode of the sensor, and region 2003 is the resonant frequency change curve corresponding to when a wet hand touches the electrode of the sensor. Combining regions 2001, 2002, and 2003, it can be directly seen that the resonant frequency (i.e., the capacitance of the sensor) when the human hand acts on the electrode of the sensor has a significant change, while the resonant frequency when the salt water droplet acts on the electrode of the sensor has almost no fluctuation. It can be seen that the sensor provided in the embodiment of this specification can prevent the interference problem of droplets acting on the sensor and improve the accuracy of the sensor for human touch.

[0114] In some embodiments, the number of sensor elements can be multiple, and the multiple sensor elements can be arranged in an array. It should be noted that the sensor shown in FIG. 20 is for illustrative purposes only. In other embodiments, the number of sensor elements can be, but is not limited to, two. For example, in some embodiments, the number of sensor elements can be three, four, five, or more. In some embodiments, the multiple sensor elements can be arranged in an array or in a non-array arrangement. For example, in some embodiments, the multiple sensor elements can be arranged linearly; in some embodiments, the multiple sensor elements can be arranged in an array; in some embodiments, the multiple sensor elements can be arranged in regular shapes such as triangles, circles, ellipses, or other irregular shapes. Furthermore, the sensor's sensor elements are not limited to electrodes located within the housing; the electrode structures and distributions shown in FIG. 16A and FIG. 16C can also be used. In some embodiments, when a sensor includes multiple sensor elements, the multiple sensor elements are spaced apart. The sensor can also include a processor that can recognize a user's gesture based on the timing of the user touching different sensor elements.

[0115] When the sensor includes multiple sensing elements, the droplets may cover the electrodes of two adjacent sensing elements at the same time. At this time, the two adjacent electrodes are connected by the droplets, and the two adjacent electrodes and the droplets form a structure similar to a capacitor, thereby forming an additional capacitive field. When the human body touches (points or slides) different electrodes, the touch signal of the sensor will be submerged in the capacitive field, resulting in the sensor being unable to distinguish between human touch and the action of droplets.

[0116] Based on the above issues, in some embodiments, the processor may also employ a signal differential processing method to minimize the impact of droplets simultaneously covering two adjacent electrodes. In some embodiments, the sensor may include a first electrode and a second electrode. The signal differential method may include: obtaining a first electrical signal change value corresponding to the first electrode and a second electrical signal change value corresponding to the second electrode, and determining the user's touch mode based on the difference between the second electrical signal change value and the first electrical signal change value. In some embodiments, the difference information may include the magnitude of the difference and the sign of the difference. To more clearly illustrate the signal differential processing method, a sensor having two electrodes (i.e., a sensor having two sensing elements) is used as an example. The two electrodes may include a first electrode and a second electrode arranged sequentially from top to bottom in a spatial direction. The first electrical signal change value corresponding to the first electrode and the second electrical signal change value corresponding to the second electrode are obtained, and the difference between the second electrical signal change value and the first electrical signal change value is calculated. For example, when the user touches only the first electrode, the first electrical signal change value generated by the first electrode is A1, and the second electrical signal change value corresponding to the second electrode is 0. In this case, the difference between the second electrical signal change value and the first electrical signal change value is -A1. For another example, when the user only touches the second electrode, the second electrical signal change value generated by the second electrode is A2, and the first electrical signal change value corresponding to the first electrode is 0. At this time, the difference information between the second electrical signal change value and the first electrical signal change value is A2. For another example, when the user touches the second electrode first and then the first electrode when sliding upward, the difference information between the second electrical signal change value and the first electrical signal change value changes from A2 to -A1; when the user touches the first electrode first and then the second electrode when sliding downward, the difference information between the second electrical signal change value and the first electrical signal change value changes from -A1 to A2. When the salt water droplet covers the first electrode and the second electrode at the same time, or when the salt water droplet is located on one of the first electrode or the second electrode, the difference information basically does not change. For details, please refer to Figure 21. Figure 21 is a graph of electrical signal change curves under different touch modes provided in some embodiments of this specification. Area 2201 is the electrical signal change curve corresponding to when the first electrode of the sensor is lightly touched with a finger, area 2202 is the electrical signal change curve corresponding to when the second electrode of the sensor is lightly touched with a finger, area 2203 is the electrical signal change curve corresponding to when the finger slides downward from the first electrode to the second electrode of the sensor in sequence, area 2204 is the electrical signal change curve corresponding to when the finger slides upward from the second electrode to the first electrode of the sensor in sequence, area 2205 is the electrical signal change curve corresponding to when a drop of saline is applied to one of the second electrode or the first electrode of the sensor, and area 2206 is the electrical signal change curve corresponding to when a drop of saline is applied to both the second electrode and the first electrode of the sensor at the same time.As shown in Figure 21, using the aforementioned signal differential processing method, when a saltwater droplet acts on a single sensor electrode, the electrical signal remains essentially unchanged. When the saltwater droplet acts on both the first and second electrodes simultaneously, the electrical signal fluctuates very little. In contrast, when a finger lightly touches or slides across the sensor electrodes, the corresponding electrical signal exhibits significant changes.

[0117] Based on the above issues, in some embodiments, to prevent droplets from contacting both electrodes simultaneously, a sensor element having a conductive structure as shown in FIG. 16C may be used. The spacing between two adjacent conductive structures in the plurality of conductive structures 165 may be 0.05 mm to 5 cm. For example, in some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures in the plurality of conductive structures 165 may be 0.08 mm to 3 cm. In some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures in the plurality of conductive structures 165 may be 0.1 mm to 1 cm. In some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 165 may be the same or different. In some embodiments, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 165 may be controlled to prevent a droplet from simultaneously covering multiple (e.g., two or more) conductive structures 165. For illustrative purposes only, in some embodiments, experiments have found that the diameter of sweat or water droplets remaining on the surface of the housing 163 is typically less than 5 mm. Therefore, to prevent a droplet from simultaneously covering multiple (e.g., two or more) conductive structures 165, the spacing between two adjacent conductive structures 165 may be 8 mm to 1 cm. In some embodiments, to prevent liquid from accumulating on the conductive structure 165 , a hydrophobic coating may be applied to the end of the conductive structure 165 extending from the outer surface of the housing 163 and / or the outer surface of the housing 163 to reduce the adhesion force between the liquid and the end of the conductive structure 165 extending from the outer surface of the housing 163 and / or the outer surface of the housing 163. When the user sweats during exercise or comes into contact with water, the liquid slides off the surface of the housing 163, preventing liquid from accumulating on the surface of the housing 163. In some embodiments, a raised structure may be provided between two adjacent conductive structures 165 to form a curved surface on the surface of the housing 163 between adjacent conductive structures 165, thereby preventing liquid from accumulating on the conductive structures 165.

[0118] When a sensor includes multiple sensing elements and the sensing elements are electrodes, if a user wears the sensor while exercising, wet hair or wet clothing (for example, when raising an arm) may accidentally touch the sensor, affecting the sensor's recognition of the user's touch action. The electrodes are large in size, and the area of ​​contact with the liquid is large. This makes the signal generated by wet hair, sweat, etc. acting on the sensor's sensing elements very close to the signal generated by a finger touching the sensor's sensing elements, making it difficult to distinguish. It should be noted that the "facing area" in the embodiments of this specification refers to the area where the liquid and the electrode overlap. In some embodiments, the electrodes can be needle-shaped electrodes. Compared to sheet electrodes, needle-shaped electrodes can reduce the coupling capacitance caused by the facing area. The capacitance of the human body is greater than the capacitance of sweat itself, allowing the sensor to distinguish between human touch and sweat accumulation on the sensor, thereby ensuring the sensor's accuracy in recognizing user actions. Figure 22 is a graph of the resonant frequency change measured when a finger and wet hair act on the two needle-shaped electrodes of the sensor, provided in some embodiments of this specification. As shown in Figure 22, the horizontal axis represents time (ms) and the vertical axis represents the resonant frequency (Hz). Region 2301 in Figure 22 shows the resonant frequency curve measured when wet hair lightly touches the sensor's needle-shaped electrode. Region 2302 shows the resonant frequency curve measured when wet hair slides across the sensor's needle-shaped electrode. Region 2303 shows the resonant frequency curve measured when a hand lightly touches the sensor's needle-shaped electrode. Region 2304 shows the resonant frequency curve measured when a hand slides across the sensor's needle-shaped electrode. Combining regions 2301, 2302, 2303, and 2304 directly reveals that the resonant frequency (i.e., the change in sensor capacitance) changes significantly when a human hand acts on the sensor's needle-shaped electrode, while the resonant frequency fluctuations are smaller when wet hair acts on the sensor's needle-shaped electrode. This indicates that the sensor provided in the embodiments of this specification, by using needle-shaped electrodes, can prevent interference from wet hair or clothing, thereby improving the sensor's accuracy in detecting human touch. To further illustrate the impact of electrode size on sensor accuracy, the following description will be combined with Figures 23A to 23D.

[0119] Figures 23A-23D show graphs of resonant frequency changes when using sensors with different electrode sizes. For illustrative purposes only, the corresponding sensors in Figures 23A-23D each include two electrodes (e.g., a first electrode and a second electrode). A user's hand and wet hair are slid along the sensor's two electrodes, respectively. Region 2401 in Figures 23A-23D shows the resonant frequency change curve measured when the user's hand acts on the sensor electrodes, while region 2402 in Figures 23A-23D shows the resonant frequency change curve measured when wet hair acts on the sensor electrodes. The electrode sizes in Figures 23A-23D gradually increase. As shown in Figures 23A-23D, as electrode size increases, the resonant frequency change measured when wet hair acts on the sensor electrodes becomes more significant. Therefore, to increase the difference between the effects of liquid or wet hair on the sensor and those of a human limb on the sensor, and thereby reduce interference from wet hair or clothing on the sensor's recognition of a user's hand touch, the electrode size should not be too large. The size of the electrode here refers to the area of ​​the electrode exposed to the external environment.

[0120] To minimize the area of ​​direct contact between the sensor electrodes and the liquid, increase the difference between the effects of liquid or wet hair on the sensor and those of human limbs, and reduce interference from wet hair or clothing on the sensor's recognition of a user's hand touch, in some embodiments, the sensor electrodes may utilize needle-shaped electrodes to reduce the coupling capacitance caused by the direct contact area. The capacitance of the human body is greater than the capacitance of sweat, enabling the sensor to distinguish between human touch and sweat accumulation on the sensor, thereby ensuring the sensor's accuracy in identifying user actions. In some embodiments, the needle-shaped electrodes have a dimension along the major axis of 5 mm to 50 mm and a dimension along the minor axis of 0.1 mm to 5 mm. This minimizes the area of ​​direct contact between the sensor electrodes and the liquid, increasing the difference between the effects of liquid or wet hair on the sensor and those of human limbs. Preferably, the needle-shaped electrodes have a dimension along the major axis of 10 mm to 15 mm and a dimension along the minor axis of 0.5 mm to 2 mm. By keeping the needle-shaped electrodes small, the area of ​​direct contact between the sensor electrodes and the liquid is further reduced, thereby increasing the difference between the effects of liquid or wet hair on the sensor and those of human limbs. In some embodiments, to reduce the area of ​​direct contact between the sensor electrode and the liquid, the ratio of the needle-shaped electrode's dimension along the long axis to its dimension along the short axis can be greater than 2. Preferably, the ratio of the needle-shaped electrode's dimension along the long axis to its dimension along the short axis can be greater than 5 to further reduce the area of ​​direct contact between the sensor electrode and the liquid.

[0121] Figure 24 is a graph showing the resonant frequency variation of a sensor provided in accordance with some embodiments of this specification. As shown in Figure 24, when the sensor's measurement circuit reads a signal, due to noise fluctuations, zero-point drift, environmental interference, and the like, the signal graph read by the sensor's measurement circuit is not a straight line. Using a specific threshold Th2 to analyze the resonant frequency fluctuations to determine whether the user has interacted with the sensor can lead to misjudgments and incorrect judgments. To address this, in some embodiments of this specification, a zero-point following algorithm is employed to eliminate interference caused by factors such as acoustic fluctuations, zero-point drift, and environmental interference. In some embodiments, the sensor's processor is configured to adjust the zero point based on information about the resonant frequency fluctuations. In conjunction with Figures 25 and 26, segment S1 in Figure 25 represents the resonant frequency measured when the user is not interacting with the sensor. At this point, the measured resonant frequency exhibits only minor noise, slow drift, or a change in the baseline value upon power-on. The zero point follows the resonant frequency, for example, increasing with increasing resonant frequency and decreasing with decreasing resonant frequency. Furthermore, the resonant frequency fluctuation range is relatively small during this phase. Specifically, three adjacent data points A1, B1 and C1 can be selected in the resonant frequency, and the data changes δ1 and δ2 of the two adjacent data points can be obtained by calculating the difference between the two adjacent data points. When δ1 and δ2 are both smaller than the fluctuation threshold Th1, and the difference between the data points A1, B1, C1 and the zero point corresponding to the end of the S1 segment (also called the zero point value before the resonant frequency breaks through) is smaller than the fluctuation threshold Th1, it indicates that the user has not acted on the sensor.

[0122] In some embodiments, the processor of the sensor is further configured to: based on the information about the decrease in the resonant frequency until the minimum value of the resonant frequency curve is reached, the zero point remains unchanged. Continuing to refer to the S2 segment of the resonant frequency curve in Figure 25, when the user's body (e.g., a finger) approaches the sensor's electrode, the user's body impedance begins to be connected to the sensor's measurement circuit. Due to the large body impedance of the user, the resonant frequency read by the sensor suddenly drops at this time. Continuing to refer to the S3 segment of the resonant frequency curve in Figure 25, when the user's body (e.g., a finger) remains in contact with the sensor's electrode, the resonant frequency read by the sensor reaches a minimum. Since the change in the resonant frequency read by the sensor's measurement circuit during the process of the user's body approaching the sensor until it remains in contact with the sensor is mainly caused by the connection of the user's body impedance, the zero point remains unchanged here. In some embodiments, the information about the decrease in the resonant frequency includes the data change amount of two adjacent data points. For example, in the S2 segment, the difference δ1 between data points A1 and B1 is less than the fluctuation threshold Th1, and the difference δ2 between data points B1 and C1 is greater than the fluctuation threshold Th1. For example, in segment S3, the difference δ1 between data points A1 and B1 and the difference δ2 between data points B1 and C1 are both smaller than the fluctuation threshold Th1, and the zero point corresponding to the end of segment S1 (also called the zero point value before the resonant frequency breaks through) of data points A1, B1 and C1 is greater than the judgment threshold Th2.

[0123] In some embodiments, the processor of the sensor is further configured to: based on the rising change information of the resonant frequency, the zero point rises with the resonant frequency. Continuing to refer to the S2 segment of the resonant frequency curve in Figure 25, when the user's body (for example, a finger) is away from the electrode of the sensor, the user's body impedance is no longer connected to the measurement circuit of the sensor. At this time, the resonant frequency read by the sensor suddenly rises, and the zero point increases with the increase of the resonant frequency until the resonant frequency returns to the aforementioned S1 segment. In some embodiments, the falling change information of the resonant frequency includes the data change amount of two adjacent data points. For example, in the S3 segment, the difference δ1 between data points A1 and B1 is less than the fluctuation threshold Th1, and the difference δ2 between data points B1 and C1 is greater than the fluctuation threshold Th1.

[0124] Figures 24 to 26 illustrate implementations of a sensor that uses a single electrode to identify a user's touch operation. In some embodiments, the sensor may include multiple electrodes, and the sensor processor may identify the user's gesture based on the timing of the user touching different electrodes. For example, in some embodiments, the multiple electrodes may be arranged in a straight line. A user swipes along the straight line. During the swipe, the user's finger impacts different electrodes at different times, and the sensor's resonant frequencies corresponding to the different electrodes are measured at different times. The processor may determine the user's gesture (e.g., swipe direction) based on the timing of changes in the sensor's resonant frequencies corresponding to the different electrodes. Figure 27 is an exemplary graph of resonant frequency changes when a user's hand impacts two electrodes in a sensor, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 28 is an exemplary graph of resonant frequency changes when wet hair impacts two electrodes in a sensor, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As can be directly seen from Figures 27 and 28, under the premise of adopting the above-mentioned zero-point following algorithm, the change in the resonant frequency generated when the user's hand acts on the sensor is significantly greater than the change in the resonant frequency generated when wet hair acts on the sensor. Therefore, by adopting the zero-point following algorithm to obtain the change in the resonant frequency of the sensor, the difference between the resonant frequency of the electrical signal generated when the user's hand acts on the sensor and the change in the resonant frequency generated when wet hair acts on the sensor can be further improved, thereby improving the accuracy of the sensor.

[0125] It should be noted that the sensors shown in Figures 16A to 28 can be applied to at least one of headphones, smart bracelets, smart rings, smart glasses, smart helmets, virtual reality devices, and augmented reality devices, for example, the electronic devices shown in Figures 11 to 14.

[0126] It should be noted that different embodiments may produce different beneficial effects. In different embodiments, the beneficial effects that may be produced may be any one or a combination of the above, or any other possible beneficial effects.

[0127] While the basic concepts have been described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the detailed disclosure is merely illustrative and does not limit this specification. Although not explicitly stated herein, various modifications, improvements, and revisions to this specification may be made by those skilled in the art. Such modifications, improvements, and revisions are suggested in this specification and remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this specification.

Claims

1. A sensor, comprising: A sensing element and a conductive structure, wherein the sensor is applied to a housing; The shell is configured to carry the sensor element and the conductive structure. The sensor element is located inside or on an inner wall of the shell. At least part of the conductive structure is exposed to the external environment of the shell. The conductive structure is electrically connected to the sensor element.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein: There are multiple sensor elements, which are arranged in an array, and each sensor element has a corresponding conductive structure.

3. The sensor according to claim 2, wherein: The conductive structures corresponding to the plurality of sensing elements are distributed at intervals.

4. The sensor according to claim 3, wherein: The distance between two adjacent conductive structures in the plurality of conductive structures is in the range of 0.05 mm to 5 cm.

5. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The conductive structure is recessed relative to the outer surface of the housing.

6. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The shell comprises a hole portion corresponding to the conductive structure, the conductive structure is connected with the external environment of the shell through the hole portion, and the conductive structure is interference-fitted with the corresponding hole portion.

7. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The sensor element comprises a capacitive sensor element, the capacitive sensor element is located inside or on an inner wall of the housing, and an electrode of the capacitive sensor element is electrically connected to the conductive structure.

8. The sensor according to claim 7, wherein: The electrode includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode are located inside the shell, the first electrode has a first side surface, a side surface of the second electrode is arranged side by side along the extension direction of the first side surface, and an end portion of the first electrode is spaced apart from an end portion of the second electrode, and the conductive structure is electrically connected to one of the first electrode or the second electrode.

9. The sensor according to claim 8, wherein: The distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is 8 mm to 10 mm.

10. The sensor according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein: It also includes a measuring circuit, which is electrically connected to the capacitive sensing element and is used to obtain a capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element.

11. The sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The sensor includes an inductive sensing element, which is located inside the shell. The inductive sensing element includes an inductive element, a capacitive element and a processing chip. The inductive element and the capacitive element are connected in parallel to form a loop, and the processing chip is used to read the resonant frequency of the loop. The inductive element is electrically connected to the conductive structure.

12. A wearable device comprising: A sensor, the sensor comprising: Sensing element; A conductive structure, one end of which is electrically connected to the sensing element; as well as A wearable device body, the wearable device body at least includes a bearing structure, configured to bear the sensing element and the conductive structure, the sensing element is located inside or on an inner wall of the bearing structure, at least a portion of the conductive structure is exposed to the external environment of the bearing structure, and the conductive structure is electrically connected to the sensing element.

13. The wearable device according to claim 12, wherein: The conductive structure is located at a position on the bearing structure that contacts the user, and the sensor element is used to detect the wearing state of the wearable device.

14. The wearable device according to claim 12, wherein: The conductive structure is located at a position of the bearing structure that is not in contact with the user, and the sensor controls the working process of the wearable device in response to the user's touch gesture.

15. The wearable device according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein: There are multiple sensor elements, which are arranged in an array, and each sensor element has a corresponding conductive structure.

16. The wearable device according to claim 15, wherein: The conductive structures corresponding to the plurality of sensing elements are distributed at intervals.

17. The wearable device according to claim 16, wherein: The distance between two adjacent conductive structures in the plurality of conductive structures is in the range of 0.05 mm to 5 cm.

18. The wearable device according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein: The conductive structure is concave relative to the outer surface of the supporting structure.

19. The wearable device according to any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein: The shell comprises a hole portion corresponding to the conductive structure, the conductive structure is connected with the external environment of the shell through the hole portion, and the conductive structure is interference-fitted with the corresponding hole portion.

20. The wearable device according to any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein: The sensor element comprises a capacitive sensor element, the capacitive sensor element is located inside the bearing structure, and an electrode of the capacitive sensor element is electrically connected to an end of the conductive structure that is away from an outer surface of the bearing structure.

21. The wearable device according to claim 20, wherein: The electrode includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode are located inside the supporting structure, the first electrode has a first side surface, a side surface of the second electrode is arranged side by side along the extension direction of the first side surface, and an end portion of the first electrode is spaced apart from an end portion of the second electrode, and the conductive structure is electrically connected to one of the first electrode or the second electrode.

22. The wearable device according to claim 21, wherein: The distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is 8 mm to 10 mm.

23. The wearable device according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein: It also includes a measuring circuit, which is electrically connected to the capacitive sensing element and is used to obtain a capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element.

24. The wearable device according to any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein: The sensor includes a first inductive sensing element, which is located inside the supporting structure. The first inductive sensing element includes an inductive element, a capacitive element and a processing chip. The inductive element and the capacitive element are connected in parallel to form a loop, and the processing chip is used to read the resonant frequency of the loop. The inductive element is electrically connected to the conductive structure.

25. The wearable device according to any one of claims 12 to 24, wherein: The wearable device includes at least one of headphones, smart bracelets, smart rings, smart glasses, smart helmets, virtual reality devices, and augmented reality devices.

26. The wearable device according to any one of claims 12 to 24, wherein: The wearable device is an acoustic output device, the wearable device body includes an acoustic output unit, and the acoustic output device also includes an ear hook, and the ear hook hangs the acoustic output unit near the user's ear.

27. The wearable device according to claim 26, wherein: The acoustic output device also includes a rear hook, the ear hook includes a first ear hook and a second ear hook, the acoustic output unit includes a first acoustic output unit and a second acoustic output unit, the first ear hook is connected to the first acoustic output unit and the rear hook, the second ear hook is connected to the second acoustic output unit and the rear hook, the first ear hook hangs the first acoustic output unit near one ear of the user, the second ear hook hangs the second acoustic output unit near the other ear of the user, and the first ear hook and the second ear hook are connected through the rear hook.

28. The wearable device according to claim 27, wherein: The wearable body also includes a movement component, which includes a first movement component and a second movement component, the first movement component is connected to the first ear hook and the back hook, and the second movement component is connected to the second ear hook and the back hook.

29. The wearable device according to claim 28, wherein: The wearable device also includes a second inductive sensing element, which is located on the ear hook or the back hook, and the second inductive sensing element determines the deformation amount of the ear hook or the back hook based on the deformation of the ear hook or the back hook.

30. A sensor comprising: A capacitive sensing element, wherein the capacitive sensing element is applied to a shell, the capacitive sensing element is located inside the shell, the capacitive sensing element comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode is directly or indirectly connected to the inner surface of the shell, the first electrode has a first side surface, a side surface of the second electrode is arranged opposite to the first side surface, and there is a spacing between the first electrode and the second electrode.

31. The sensor according to claim 30, wherein The thickness of the side wall of the shell corresponding to the first electrode is not greater than 1 mm.

32. The sensor according to claim 30, wherein: It also includes a conductive structure, one end of which is electrically connected to the first electrode, and the other end of which is exposed to the external environment of the shell.

33. A sensor according to claim 30 or 32, wherein: There are multiple capacitive sensing elements, which are arranged in an array, and each of the capacitive sensing elements has a corresponding conductive structure.

34. The sensor according to claim 33, wherein The conductive structures corresponding to the plurality of capacitive sensing elements are distributed at intervals.

35. The sensor according to claim 34, wherein The distance between two adjacent conductive structures in the plurality of conductive structures is in the range of 0.05 mm to 5 cm.

36. The sensor according to any one of claims 32 to 35, wherein: The conductive structure is recessed relative to the outer surface of the housing.

37. The sensor according to any one of claims 32 to 36, wherein: The shell comprises a hole portion corresponding to the conductive structure, the conductive structure is connected with the external environment of the shell through the hole portion, and the conductive structure is interference-fitted with the corresponding hole portion.

38. The sensor of claim 31, wherein: Also included is a processor that determines whether a user contacts the sensor based on the capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element.

39. The sensor according to claim 38, wherein The determining whether the user touches the sensor based on the capacitance change value of the capacitive sensing element comprises: When the capacitance change value is greater than a preset threshold, the user touches the sensor.

40. A sensor comprising: A sensing element, the sensing element being applied to a housing, the housing being configured to carry the sensing element; The sensing element comprises: electrode; A detection end, each electrode corresponds to a detection end, one end of the detection end is connected to the electrode, and the other end of the detection end is connected to the circuit of the sensor; When the user contacts the electrode or the housing area corresponding to the electrode, the electrode and the detection end corresponding to the electrode connect the body impedance of the user to the sensor.

41. The sensor according to claim 40, wherein At least a portion of the electrode is exposed to the external environment of the housing.

42. The sensor according to claim 40 or 41, wherein the electrode is attached to the outer surface of the shell, the size of the electrode along its long axis is 5mm-50mm, and the size of the electrode along its short axis is 0.1mm-5mm.

43. The sensor according to claim 42, wherein the size of the electrode along its long axis is 10 mm-15 mm, and the size of the electrode along its short axis is 0.5 mm-2 mm.

44. The sensor according to claim 40 or 41, wherein the electrode is attached to the outer surface of the shell, and the ratio of the dimension of the electrode along the long axis direction to the dimension of the electrode along the short axis direction is greater than 2.

45. The sensor of claim 41, wherein The electrode comprises an electrode body and a conductive structure, wherein the electrode body is located inside or on the inner side of the shell, one end of the conductive structure is electrically connected to the electrode body, and at least part of the conductive structure is exposed to the external environment of the shell.

46. ​​The sensor of claim 45, wherein: There are multiple sensor elements, which are arranged in an array. Each sensor element has a corresponding conductive structure, and the conductive structures corresponding to the multiple sensor elements are spaced apart from each other.

47. The sensor of claim 40, wherein: The electrode is located inside or on an inner wall of the shell, and the area of ​​the shell corresponding to the electrode is made of a conductive material.

48. A sensor according to any one of claims 45 to 47, wherein: The plurality of sensing elements include a first electrode and a second electrode, and the sensor further includes a processor configured to: Acquire a first electrical signal change value corresponding to the first electrode and a second electrical signal change value corresponding to the second electrode; The user's touch mode is determined according to the difference information between the second electrical signal change value and the first electrical signal change value.

49. The sensor according to claims 45-47, wherein: The sensor also includes a processor configured to: adjusting the zero point based on the first change information of the electrical signal; Based on the decreasing change information of the electric signal until the minimum value of the signal, the zero point remains unchanged; Based on the rising change information of the electric signal, the zero point rises along with the electric signal.

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