Crown assembly of electronic watch

Abstract

The subject matter of the application is a crown assembly for an electronic watch. An electronic watch may include a housing defining a sidewall having a through hole, and a crown assembly including an actuation member. The actuation member may include a crown shaft extending through the through bore and having an outer portion defining an input surface, and a crown ring coupled to the outer portion of the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft. The crown assembly may also include an optical encoder component attached to the actuation member and defining a set of optical features. The electronic watch may also include an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly by detecting motion of the set of optical features, and an electrocardiogram sensor including a sensing component. The sensing component may be conductively coupled to the actuation member via a conductive path that is at least partially defined by the crown shaft.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with international application number PCT / US2019 / 020097, international application date February 28, 2019, application number 201980058597.6, and invention name “Crown assembly of electronic watch”, which entered the Chinese national stage on March 8, 2021.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This Patent Cooperation Treaty patent application claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 16 / 215,607, filed on December 10, 2018, and entitled “Crown Assembly for an Electronic Device,” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 725,239, filed on August 30, 2018, and entitled “Crown Assembly for an Electronic Device,” the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0004] Embodiments described herein relate generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to crowns for wearable electronic devices. Background Art

[0005] Electronic devices often use physical input devices to facilitate user interaction. For example, a user may physically manipulate buttons, keys, dials, etc. to control the operation of the device. Physical input devices may use various types of sensing mechanisms to translate physical manipulations into signals usable by the electronic device. For example, buttons and keys may use collapsible dome switches to detect presses, while dials and other rotary input devices may use encoders or resolvers to detect rotational motion. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention provides an electronic watch, which may include a housing and a crown assembly, the housing defining a side wall having a through hole, the crown assembly including an actuating member. The actuating member may include a crown shaft and a crown ring, the crown shaft extending through the through hole and having an outer portion defining an input surface, the crown ring coupled to the outer portion of the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft. The crown assembly may also include an optical encoder component, the optical encoder component is attached to the actuating member and defines a set of optical features. The electronic watch may also include an optical detector and an electrocardiogram sensor, the optical detector being configured to detect the rotation of the crown assembly by detecting the movement of the set of optical features, the electrocardiogram sensor including a sensing component. The sensing component may be conductively coupled to the actuating member via a conductive path, the conductive path being at least partially defined by the crown shaft.

[0007] The electronic watch may also include a switch configured to be actuated by the crown assembly in response to an axial input applied to the crown assembly; a friction guard having a shear plate positioned between the switch and the optical encoder component and conductively coupled to the optical encoder component; and a bracket including a body structure and a conductor coupled to the body structure. The conductive path may also be defined by the optical encoder component and the conductor, and may be configured to transmit an electrical signal from a user in contact with the input surface to the electrocardiogram sensor. The body structure may include a polymer material, and the conductor may be at least partially encapsulated by the polymer material.

[0008] The electronic watch may also include a switch configured to be actuated by the crown assembly in response to an axial force applied to the crown assembly; and a friction guard at least partially positioned between the switch and the optical encoder component and conductively coupled to the optical encoder component. The axial force is transmitted from the crown assembly to the switch through the friction guard, and the conductive path may also be defined by the friction guard. The crown assembly is rotatable relative to the housing, and when the crown assembly rotates, the crown assembly rotates against the friction guard, and the friction guard protects the switch from rotational friction of the crown assembly.

[0009] Within the interior volume of the housing, the electronic watch may also include a bracket; a frame coupled to the bracket and attached to the housing; and a wear plate positioned between the inner surfaces of the frame and configured to electrically isolate the optical encoder component from the frame.

[0010] The electronic watch may also include a display positioned at least partially within the housing and configured to display a graphical output; a transparent cover coupled to the housing; and a touch sensor positioned below the transparent cover and configured to detect touch input applied to the transparent cover; and the electronic watch may be configured to modify the graphical output based on the detected rotation of the crown assembly.

[0011] An electronic watch may include a housing that at least partially defines an interior volume; a biometric sensing circuit within the interior volume; and a crown assembly that is configured to rotate and translate relative to the housing. The crown assembly may include a crown shaft that defines an axial end surface; a crown ring that is coupled to the crown shaft and defines a series of tactile features arranged around the circumference of the crown ring; and an optical encoder component that is attached to the crown shaft and defines a set of optical features. The crown shaft and the optical encoder component may define a conductive path that is configured to conductively couple the crown assembly to the biometric sensing circuit. The biometric sensing circuit may be part of an electrocardiogram sensor.

[0012] The electronic watch may also include a switch and a friction guard having a shear plate positioned between the crown assembly and the switch and configured to transfer axial force from the crown assembly to the switch. The electronic watch may also include a bracket positioned within the internal volume and including a metal flange, a polymer body structure, and a conductor coupled to the polymer body structure and electrically isolated from the metal flange by the polymer body structure. The friction guard may contact the conductor, and the conductive path may also be defined by the friction guard and the conductor. The electronic watch may also include a conductive lubricant at the interface between the crown assembly and the friction guard.

[0013] The optical encoder component may be attached to the crown shaft via a threaded connection.The axial end face of the crown shaft may define an input surface for the biometric sensing circuit.

[0014] The electronic device may include a housing that at least partially defines an interior volume; an electrocardiogram sensor that is located within the interior volume and includes a sensing component; a frame that is located within the interior volume and attached to the housing; and a bracket that is attached to the frame. The bracket may include a body structure and a conductor that is at least partially enclosed in the body structure. The electronic device may also include a crown assembly that has an exterior portion that is positioned outside the interior volume and is configured to rotate and translate relative to the housing. The bracket and the frame may at least partially surround a portion of the crown assembly, and the crown assembly and the conductor may define a conductive path that is configured to conductively couple the sensing component to an object in contact with the exterior portion of the crown assembly.

[0015] The electronic device may also include a band coupled to the housing; a display located at least partially within the interior volume of the housing; a transparent cover coupled to the housing and positioned so that the display is visible through the transparent cover; and a touch sensor located at least partially within the interior volume and configured to detect touch input applied to the transparent cover.

[0016] The crown assembly may include a crown shaft having an interior portion located within the interior volume, and an optical encoder component attached to the interior portion of the crown shaft and defining a set of optical features. The electronic device may also include an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly by detecting movement of the set of optical features, and the optical encoder component may define a portion of the conductive path.

[0017] The electronic device may include a friction guard in contact with the bracket and the crown assembly; and a switch positioned between the friction guard and the bracket and configured to be actuated in response to axial translation of the crown assembly. The friction guard may include a shear plate and a leg configured to allow the shear plate to deflect relative to the bracket. The friction guard may be a single piece of conductive material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present disclosure will be readily understood through the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like structural elements, and in which:

[0019] Figure 1 An exemplary wearable electronic device is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a wearable electronic device is shown;

[0021] Figure 3A A portion of an input system for a wearable electronic device is shown;

[0022] Figure 3B An exploded view of an input system for a wearable electronic device is shown;

[0023] Figure 3C Shows Figure 3B components of the input system;

[0024] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an input system for an input system of a wearable electronic device is shown; and

[0025] Figure 5 Exemplary components of a wearable electronic device are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Reference will now be made specifically to the representative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to a preferred embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalent forms that may be included in the spirit and scope of the embodiments defined by the appended claims.

[0027] Embodiments herein relate generally to a crown of a wearable electronic device, such as an electronic watch (also referred to as a "smart watch" or simply a "watch"), and more particularly to a crown of the watch that serves as a contact point for a sensor, such as a biometric sensor. For example, a smart watch may include a heart rate sensor, an electrocardiogram sensor, a thermometer, a photoplethysmography sensor, a fingerprint sensor, etc., all of which are examples of biometric sensors that measure or detect some aspect of a user's body. Such sensors may require direct contact with the user's body, such as via a finger, etc. Thus, the device may include an external button, window, electrode, or other input feature or surface that a user can touch to allow the sensor to take a reading or measurement.

[0028] In some cases, the portion of the sensor that the user contacts to provide input to the sensor may be integrated with another input system of the watch. For example, as described herein, a watch may include a crown that receives one or more types of input, such as rotational input (e.g., twisting, turning, or rotating the crown) and / or translational input (e.g., axially pressing the crown). Such input may allow the user to provide input to the watch, such as interacting with a graphical user interface (e.g., by modifying the graphical output of the display according to the rotation direction of the crown), setting the time, etc. In some cases, the crown itself or a portion thereof may also define an input surface that is used to provide input to the biometric sensing circuit of the biometric sensor. This may provide several advantages. For example, because the crown is a common watch input mechanism, the user will be familiar with using the crown to provide input. In addition, assuming that the user has provided appropriate permissions, biometric sensing can be performed when the user provides other types of input to the device.

[0029] In some cases, a biometric sensor may need to be conductively coupled to the user's body in order to function. For example, a heart rate monitor, an electrocardiogram sensor, a fingerprint sensor, and the like may need to be conductively coupled to the user's body (e.g., via a finger) in order to measure or detect the user's heart rate, heart rhythm, or other biometric information or data. Therefore, in order to provide input to the biometric sensing circuit via the crown, a conductive path may be formed through the crown and into the watch housing. In this way, the user may simply touch the crown (or a portion thereof) to provide input to the biometric sensor. However, forming a conductive path through the crown may be difficult because the crown may include many complex components to facilitate detection of rotational and axial inputs, and because it may be necessary or desirable to electrically isolate the crown so that it is not conductively coupled to the housing or another grounded component (which may reduce or destroy the effectiveness of the crown as an input feature).

[0030] As described herein, a conductive path can be formed through multiple components of the crown input system while preventing the crown from being grounded through the housing or internal structure of the electronic watch. For example, the rotatable component of the crown can be formed of a conductive material. The end of the rotatable component, such as the end of the shaft, can contact a friction guard or other physical shield in the watch. In some cases, as described herein, the rotatable component is coupled to or includes an optical encoder component (e.g., a component of an optical encoder), such as a cylinder that defines a reflective feature and is also formed of a conductive material or includes a conductive material. In the case of including an optical component, the optical component may contact the friction guard instead of the shaft or in addition to the shaft. The friction guard can prevent friction from the rotating component from damaging other internal components of the input system (such as a switch). The friction guard can also be formed of or include a conductive material. Because the rotatable component and the friction guard are in direct contact with each other and each is formed of or includes a conductive material, these components can define at least a portion of the conductive path through the crown input system. The conductive path can conductively couple the user's finger to the biometric sensing circuit of the biometric sensor (while isolating the conductive path from other conductive components such as the housing), thereby allowing the crown to be used not only as an input member for rotational and translational inputs, but also as an input member for the biometric sensor. Therefore, the crown (or portion thereof) together with the biometric sensing circuit and / or other components can be considered part of the biometric sensor.

[0031] As described herein, the crown input system may include structural components, such as a bracket, a shield, a frame, etc., which may be formed of or include a conductive material, and which may be fixed to other conductive components, such as a metal housing. These components may form an internal housing that at least partially surrounds or surrounds the rotatable component of the crown input system. In order to provide a conductive path so that the conductive path is not grounded or otherwise conductively coupled to a component that will have a harmful effect on the operation of the biometric sensor, the crown input system may provide a conductive path through the structural component. For example, a conductor may be at least partially encapsulated in a polymer material of the bracket and provide an internal contact area (e.g., within the internal housing) that contacts the friction guard and an external contact area (e.g., accessible via the outer surface of the internal housing) that is coupled to the biometric sensing circuit. The polymer material may electrically insulate or isolate the conductor so that the conductive path passing through the rotatable component and the friction guard can pass through the housing without being grounded to the housing of the watch.

[0032] Figure 1 An electronic device 100 is shown. The electronic device 100 is depicted as a watch, but this is only one exemplary embodiment of the electronic device, and the concepts discussed herein may also be applied similarly or by analogy to other electronic devices, including mobile phones (e.g., smartphones), tablet computers, laptop computers, head-mounted displays, digital media players (e.g., mp3 players), etc.

[0033] The electronic device 100 includes a housing 102 and a strap 104 coupled to the housing. The housing 102 may at least partially define an interior volume in which components of the device 100 may be positioned. The strap 104 may be configured to attach the electronic device 100 to a user, such as to an arm or wrist of the user.

[0034] Electronic device 100 also includes a transparent cover 108 coupled to housing 102. Cover 108 can define a front face of electronic device 100. For example, in some cases, cover 108 substantially defines the entire front face and / or front surface of the electronic device. Cover 108 can also define an input surface of device 100. For example, as described herein, device 100 can include a touch sensor and / or a force sensor that detects input applied to cover 108. The cover can be formed of or include glass, sapphire, a polymer, a dielectric, or any other suitable material.

[0035] The cover 108 may overlie at least a portion of a display 109 that is at least partially positioned within the interior volume of the housing 102. The display 109 may define an output area for displaying graphical output. The graphical output may include a graphical user interface, user interface elements (e.g., buttons, sliders, etc.), text, lists, photos, videos, etc. The display 109 may include a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or any other suitable component or display technology.

[0036] The display 109 may include or be associated with a touch sensor and / or force sensor that extends along the output area of ​​the display and may use any suitable sensing element and / or sensing system and / or technology. Using the touch sensor, the device 100 may detect touch input applied to the cover 108, including detecting the location of the touch input, the movement of the touch input (e.g., the speed, direction, or other parameters of the gesture applied to the cover 108), etc. Using the force sensor, the device 100 may detect the amount or magnitude of force associated with the touch event applied to the cover 108. The touch sensor and / or force sensor may detect various types of user input to control or modify the operation of the device, including taps, swipes, multi-finger inputs, single-finger or multi-finger touch gestures, presses, etc. In addition, as described herein, the touch sensor and / or force sensor may detect the movement of an object (e.g., a user's finger) when interacting with the crown 112 of the electronic device 100. This document is relative to Figure 5 Touch sensors and / or force sensors that can be used with a wearable electronic device such as device 100 are described.

[0037] The electronic device 100 also includes a crown 112 (also referred to herein as a crown assembly) having a knob, exterior portion, or component or feature positioned along the sidewall 101 of the housing 102. At least a portion of the crown 112 (e.g., Figure 2 The knob 208 of the crown 112 may protrude from the housing 102 and may define a generally circular shape or a circular outer surface. The outer surface of the crown 112 (or a portion thereof) may be textured, knurled, grooved, or may otherwise have features that may improve the tactile feel of the crown 112 and / or facilitate rotational sensing. At least a portion of the outer surface of the crown 112 may also be conductively coupled to a biometric sensing circuit (or circuitry of another sensor using a conductive path to the outer surface), as described herein.

[0038] The crown 112 can facilitate a variety of possible user interactions. For example, the crown 112 can be rotated by the user (eg, the crown can receive rotational input). Figure 1109 (a) and (b) . The arrow 114 in FIG. 10 shows an exemplary direction of rotational input to the crown 112. Rotational input to the crown 112 may zoom, scroll, rotate, or otherwise manipulate a user interface or other object displayed on the display 109 (among other possible functions). The crown 112 may also be translated or pressed by the user (e.g., axially), as indicated by arrow 116. Translational or axial input may select a highlighted object or icon, return the user interface to a previous menu or display, or activate or deactivate a function (among other possible functions). In some cases, the device 100 may sense touch input or gestures applied to the crown 112, such as a finger sliding along the surface of the crown 112 (which may occur when the crown 112 is configured not to rotate relative to the housing 102) or a finger touching an end face of the crown 112. In such cases, the sliding gesture may result in an operation similar to a rotational input, and the touch on the end face may result in an operation similar to a translational input. As used herein, rotational input may include rotational movement of the crown (e.g., where the crown rotates freely), as well as sliding input generated when a user slides a finger or object along the surface of the crown in a manner similar to rotation (e.g., where the crown is fixed and / or cannot rotate freely).

[0039] The crown 112 may also include or define an input feature 118 that facilitates input into a biometric sensing circuit or other sensing circuit within the device 100. The input feature 118 may be a conductive surface that is conductively coupled to the biometric sensing circuit via one or more components of the device 100. In some cases, the input feature 118 and / or the components defining the input feature 118 are electrically isolated from other components of the device 100. For example, the input feature 118 may be electrically isolated from the housing 102. In this way, the conductive path from the input feature 118 to the biometric sensing circuit may be isolated from other components that may otherwise reduce the effectiveness of the biometric sensor.

[0040] The input feature 118 may be an outer surface of a component of the crown assembly, such as an outer portion of a crown shaft (e.g., Figure 4To provide input to the biometric sensor, a user may place a finger or other body part on the input feature 118. The biometric sensor may be configured to take a reading or measurement in response to detecting that a user has placed a finger or other body part on the input feature 118. In some cases, the biometric sensor may take a reading or measurement only when the sensing function is solely initiated by the user (e.g., by activating the function via a graphical user interface). In other cases, a reading or measurement is taken any time the user contacts the input feature 118 (e.g., to provide rotational or translational input to the crown 112). The user may have complete control over when the biometric sensor takes measurements or readings, and may even have the option to turn off the biometric sensing function entirely.

[0041] The device 100 may also include one or more tactile actuators configured to generate a tactile output through the crown 112. For example, the tactile actuator may be coupled to the crown 112 and may be configured to apply a force to the crown 112. The force may cause the crown 112 to move (e.g., oscillate or vibrate translationally and / or rotationally, or otherwise move to generate a tactile output), and the user may detect the action when the user contacts the crown 112. The tactile actuator may move the crown 112 in any suitable manner to generate the tactile output. For example, the crown 112 (or a component thereof) may be rotated (e.g., rotated in a single direction, rotationally oscillated, etc.), translated (e.g., moved along a single axis), or pivoted (e.g., rocked about a pivot point). In other cases, the haptic actuator may use other techniques, such as generating tactile outputs by applying a force to the housing 102 (e.g., to generate oscillations, vibrations, pulses, or other motions), which may be sensed by the user through the crown 112 and / or through other surfaces of the device 100, such as the cover 108, the housing 102, etc. Any suitable type of tactile actuator and / or technique for generating tactile outputs may be used to generate these or other types of tactile outputs, including electrostatic, piezoelectric actuators, oscillating or rotating masses, ultrasonic actuators, magnetic resistance actuators, voice coil motors, Lorentz force actuators, etc.

[0042] The tactile output may be used for a variety of purposes. For example, a tactile output may be generated when a user presses the crown 112 (e.g., applies an axial force to the crown 112) to indicate that the device 100 has registered the press as an input to the device 100. As another example, the tactile output may be used to provide feedback when the device 100 detects a rotation of the crown 112 or a gesture is applied to the crown 112. For example, when the user rotates the crown 112 or applies a gesture to the crown 112, the tactile output may produce a repeated "click" sensation. The tactile output may also be used for other purposes.

[0043] The electronic device 100 may also include other inputs, switches, buttons, etc. For example, the electronic device 100 includes a button 110. The button 110 may be a movable button (as shown) or a touch-sensitive area of ​​the housing 102. The button 110 may control various aspects of the electronic device 100. For example, the button 110 may be used to select an icon, item, or other object displayed on the display 109, to activate or deactivate a function (e.g., to silence an alarm or warning), etc.

[0044] Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary electronic device 200 having an input system in which a conductive path 220 is defined by a crown assembly 203 and other components of the input system is shown. For example, the conductive path 220 extends through the crown assembly 203, through the friction guard 222, through the bracket 218 via the embedded conductor 229, and to the biometric sensing circuit 232.

[0045] Figure 2 The input system shown uses a friction guard 222 to define a portion of the conductive path 220 while also allowing the crown assembly 203 to rotate and translate to accommodate rotational and translational inputs. The friction guard 222 also protects the switch 216 (which can detect axial inputs) from damage caused by rotation and translation of the crown. Thus, the crown input system defines a fully isolated electrical path through the crown input system while also facilitating many other input functions and providing a robust and durable system.

[0046] The device 200 may be an implementation of the device 100 and may include the same or similar components and provide the same or similar functionality as the device 100. Therefore, the details of the device 100 described above may apply to the device 200 and are not repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0047] As used herein, an "input system" may refer to and / or include mechanisms, systems, components, circuits, and / or other components that together provide one or more input functions to a device. Figure 2 The input system shown and described (which may also be referred to as a crown input system) may include components such as an actuating member 204, an optical detector 212, a bracket 218, a biometric sensing circuit 232, an optical encoder component 210, a switch 216, a friction guard 222, and the like.

[0048] The device 200 includes a side wall 201 (eg, which may correspond to Figure 1The sidewall 101 of the embodiment of the present invention is a housing of a crown assembly having a through hole 202 and actuating member 204 that can extend through the through hole 202. The actuating member 204 can be a part of a crown assembly that extends through the housing and has a portion inside the housing and another portion outside the housing. The actuating member 204 defines a crown shaft 206 (at least a portion of which is inside the housing) and a knob 208 (at least a portion of which defines an outer portion of the shaft outside the housing). As shown, the crown shaft 206 and the knob 208 can be formed as an integral structure, but other actuating members can have different components and / or configurations and can be defined by several different components attached together. The actuating member 204 can be formed of or include a conductive material (e.g., metal, carbon fiber, conductive polymer, conductive ceramic, etc.). Thus, the outer surface of the actuation member 204 (e.g., the portion of the actuation member 204 that is located outside the device housing and can be contacted by a user) and optionally other surfaces of the actuation member 204 form an input surface for the biometric sensor. More specifically, the electrical conductivity of the outer surface facilitates a conductive path from a user's finger in contact with the actuation member 204.

[0049] The crown assembly 203 also includes an optical encoder component 210 (e.g., a barrel component, a sleeve component, a cylindrical component, or other component) attached to the actuation member 204. The optical encoder component 210 can be fixed to the actuation member 204 in a manner that the optical encoder component 210 moves with the actuation member 204. More specifically, when the actuation member 204 rotates, the optical encoder component 210 also rotates, and when the actuation member 204 translates (e.g., axially translates due to an axial input force), the optical encoder component 210 also translates. Although the crown assembly 203 shows the optical encoder component 210 as a cylindrical component, different types or configurations of optical encoder components may be used, such as a sleeve, a cylinder, a nut, a spline component, a set of reflective components defining a plurality of facets, etc.

[0050] The optical encoder component 210 may be a component of an optical encoder that determines one or more properties of a rotational input applied to the crown assembly 203. For example, the optical encoder component 210 defines a set of optical features along an outer surface of the optical encoder component 210, and the optical detector 212 (which may also be considered a component of the optical encoder) may be configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly 203 by detecting movement of the set of optical features (via an optical path represented by arrow 213). In some cases, the optical detector 212 may include or may be associated with a light source or optical emitter that directs light (e.g., infrared light, laser light, visible light, or any other suitable radiation type) onto the outer surface of the optical encoder component 210, which may reflect the light onto the optical detector 212. The optical detector 212 may determine a property of the motion of the crown assembly 203, such as the speed and / or direction of the motion of the crown assembly 203, based on the detected reflected light.

[0051] The optical features on the optical encoder component 210 can be any suitable features, such as grooves (e.g., parallel to the axis of the crown shaft 206), prisms, concave features, facets, threads, scratches, splines, or depressions, etc. The optical features can be arranged in a uniformly spaced pattern around the optical encoder component 210 (e.g., the features can be spaced apart by substantially the same distance). The regular arrangement can facilitate the operation of the optical detector 212 and allow the optical detector 212 to determine the properties of the movement and / or position of the crown assembly 203 (e.g., speed, direction, position, or acceleration, etc.). In some cases, the optical features are not arranged in a uniformly spaced pattern, but are arranged in an irregular pattern, a random pattern, etc.

[0052] The optical encoder component 210 can be attached to the actuation member 204 in any suitable manner, including threaded connections (e.g., Figure 2 ), adhesives, mechanical interlocking structures, fasteners or pins, etc. The optical encoder component 210 can be conductively coupled to the actuation member 204 to further define a conductive path 220 that conductively couples the user to the biometric (or other) sensing component 232. The optical encoder component 210 can be conductively coupled to the actuation member 204 via threads as shown and / or via other conductive couplings (e.g., wires or other conductive components conductively coupled to both the optical encoder component 210 and the actuation member 204).

[0053] In some cases, the optical encoder component 210 may be omitted. In such cases, the actuation member 204 itself may include optical features, such as those described above as being located on the optical encoder component 210, and the optical detector 212 may determine the properties of the movement and / or position of the crown assembly 203 by directly sensing or detecting the optical features on the actuation member 204.

[0054] As described above, the crown assembly 203 (which includes the actuation member 204 and the optical encoder component 210) is capable of translating along the axis of the crown assembly 203 to provide input to the device 200. To detect the axial input, the device 200 may include a switch 216 positioned between the bracket 218 and the end of the crown assembly 203. The switch 216 may be a dome switch that can provide an electrical switch function (e.g., closing an electrical circuit when actuated by the crown assembly 203) and a tactile output that can be felt or otherwise sensed by a user. For example, the user may feel a click, detent, or other sensation when the dome switch collapses, thereby indicating to the user that the input has been successfully provided to the device 200. In some cases, other types of switches or force sensing components may be used to detect the axial input, which may be similar to the tactile output of the crown assembly 200. Figure 2 The switch 216 in is positioned.

[0055] As the crown assembly 203 rotates to provide a rotational input, the end of the crown assembly 203 that applies a force to actuate the switch 216 may slide, scrape, or shear against a surface that supports or is otherwise in contact with the crown assembly 203. For example, if the crown assembly 203 is in direct contact with the switch 216, the end of the optical encoder component 210 will (due to the rotation of the optical encoder component 210 against the stationary switch 216) apply shear or rotational friction on the surface of the switch 216. This friction may cause damage to the switch 216 and / or the optical encoder component 210. In some cases, the friction guard 222 (or a portion thereof) is positioned between the switch 216 and the optical encoder component 210 (or in implementations where the optical encoder component 210 is omitted, between the switch 216 and the actuation member 204). The portion of the friction guard 222 that is located between the optical encoder component 210 and the switch 216 (or between the actuation member 204 and the switch 216 in implementations where the optical encoder component 210 is omitted) is referred to as a shear plate 226 .

[0056] The axial force from the crown assembly 203 can be transmitted to the switch 216 through the friction guard 222. For example, the friction guard 222 can be flexible so that the portion of the friction guard 222 located between the optical encoder component 210 and the switch 216 can translate in response to the axial force applied by the crown assembly 203 and apply a corresponding force to the switch 216 to actuate the switch 216. However, because the friction guard 222 does not rotate, any friction generated by the rotation of the crown assembly 203 is applied to the friction guard 222 and not to the switch 216. This can help extend the life of the switch 216 by preventing friction from damaging the outer surface of the switch 216, for example.

[0057] To support the friction guard 222 and hold it in a desired position, the friction guard 222 can define a leg 224 that contacts the bracket 218 and holds the shear plate 226 in the desired position. In some cases, the leg 224 is flexible and acts as a spring that allows the shear plate 226 to deflect (relative to the bracket 218) in response to an axial force applied to the crown component, and then returns the shear plate 226 to a neutral or resting position after the axial force is removed. In some cases, the leg 224 can bias the shear plate 226 against the end of the optical encoder component 210. This can help maintain physical contact with the optical encoder component 210, which can help reduce wear on the shear plate 226 and the optical encoder component 210.

[0058] The friction guard 222 may also define a portion of a conductive path 220 that may conductively couple a user's finger to the sensing component 232 through the crown assembly 203. Thus, the friction guard 222 may be formed of or include a conductive material, such as a metal, a metal alloy, carbon fiber, or a conductive polymer. In some cases, the friction guard 222 is a single piece of metal that defines the shear plate 226 and the legs 224. One or more of the legs 224 may define a contact portion 227 that is conductively coupled to another conductor 229 in the bracket 218, as described herein. The spring function of the legs 224 may help maintain physical contact between the contact portion 227 and the corresponding contact portion 228 of the conductor 229, as well as physical contact between the shear plate 226 and the optical encoder component 210. Thus, the conductive path 220 is maintained during rotational and axial movement of the crown assembly 203, thereby allowing the sensing component 232 to obtain readings and / or measurements despite accidental or intentional movement of the crown assembly 203. As described herein, to reduce electrical noise introduced into the conductive path 220 as the crown assembly 203 rotates, a conductive lubricant (eg, conductive grease) may be applied at the interface between the end of the optical encoder component 210 and the shear plate 226 .

[0059] Bracket 218 may define a structural support for one or more components of device 200. For example, bracket 218 may be attached to the housing to provide a stable mounting structure for switch 216 and friction guard 222. Bracket 218 may also include conductor 229, which may define contact portion 228 (which contacts leg 224 of friction guard 222) and contact portion 230 accessible via the exterior of bracket 218. Contact portion 230 may be conductively coupled to sensing component 232 (e.g., via conductive traces, wires, or flexible circuit components, etc.), thereby defining a portion of conductive path 220 between crown assembly 203 and sensing component 232. Conductor 229 may be a metal piece coupled to a polymer body structure 234 of bracket 218. In some cases, conductor 229 is at least partially encapsulated in body structure 234 (e.g., by insert molding).

[0060] like Figure 2 As shown, components such as bracket 218, optical encoder component 210, friction guard 222, a portion of actuation member 204, and switch 216 can be positioned within the interior volume of the device. Another portion of actuation member 204, such as knob 208, can be positioned outside the interior volume (e.g., the other portion can be an exterior portion of actuation member 204 located on the side of the device and accessible to a user).

[0061] Relative to Figure 2 The described input system may be used to transmit electrical signals from the user to the sensing component 232. The sensing component 232 may be a component of any suitable type of sensor, such as a heart rate sensor, an electrocardiogram sensor, or a temperature sensor, etc. In some cases, the sensing component 232 may be coupled to or associated with other components that together form a sensor or sensing system, such as a processor, a circuit, or a power supply, etc.

[0062] Figure 3A A subassembly 300 of a crown input system is shown, showing the components in an assembled configuration. The subassembly 300 may include a frame 302 and a bracket 318 (which may be a bracket relative to the Figure 2 The frame 302 and the bracket 318 may together at least partially surround a portion of the crown assembly. Figure 3A As shown, an optical encoder component 310 that can be attached to the crown shaft can be positioned within the interior volume defined by the frame 302 and the bracket 318.

[0063] Subassembly 300 may also include a friction guard 322 (which may be an embodiment of friction guard 222) and an optical encoder component 310 (which may be an embodiment of optical encoder component 210). Bracket 318, friction guard 322, and optical encoder component 310 may include the same or similar components and may provide for the same or similar components relative to the optical encoder component 210. Figure 2 The corresponding parts have the same or similar functions. Figure 2 The details of the components described are also applicable to Figure 3A Those components in , and for the sake of brevity, will not be repeated here.

[0064] In some cases, Figure 3A The portions of the input system shown may be separate subassemblies. For example, Figure 3A The components shown can be assembled separately from other components and then integrated with other components of the device, such as the housing, actuation members, etc. In this way, components that require close tolerances and high assembly accuracy (e.g., the friction guard, the cylinder, the frame, and the switch) can be preassembled into a fixed subassembly 300, which can then be incorporated into the device without requiring individual alignment or realignment of the components of the subassembly 300.

[0065] The frame 302 may be attached to the housing of the device, for example, via the mounting portion 308. The mounting portion 308 may include an opening for receiving a fastener (e.g., a screw, bolt, column, rivet, weldment, stake, etc.) that secures the frame 302 to the housing. In some cases, the frame 302 is alternatively or additionally secured to the housing using an adhesive, an anchor structure, or any other suitable coupling technique or component. The frame 302 may be formed of or include any suitable material, such as a metal, a metal alloy, a polymer, or carbon fiber, etc. The frame 302 may be a unitary component, or it may include a plurality of different components attached together.

[0066] The frame 302 can define an opening 306 configured to receive a locking member (eg, Figure 4 304). The locking member can engage threads in the opening 306 and can capture a portion of the side wall of the housing between the mounting face 304 of the frame 302 and the locking member. Figure 4 An exemplary arrangement of the frame, locking members and side walls of the housing is shown in FIG.

[0067] The bracket 318 may include a main structure 334 (which may be Figure 2334) and support structure 336. Main structure 334 can be formed of a polymer material and can at least partially encapsulate support structure 336, which can be formed of or include metal. For example, support structure 336 can be inserted into a mold cavity, and a polymer or other moldable material can be injected into the mold cavity to partially encapsulate support structure 336.

[0068] The bracket 318 can be attached to the frame 302. For example, the support structure 336 can define a flange 338 that overlaps and is secured to a portion of the frame 302. The flange 338, which can be metal, can be secured to a portion of the frame 302 via any suitable technique such as welding, brazing, soldering, adhesives, fasteners, etc. In some cases, the bracket 318 and the frame 302 are carefully aligned before being secured together to establish proper alignment and tolerances of components within the assembly. For example, the positioning of the frame 302 relative to the bracket can define internal dimensions of the assembly, which can define parameters such as the biasing force applied by the friction guard 322 on the optical encoder component 310, the friction guard 322 and the switch (e.g., Figure 2 The distance between the switch 216) and the like. Once the alignment of the frame 302 and the bracket 318 is satisfactory, they can be secured together (e.g., via welds along the flange 338, which can be formed of or include metal).

[0069] Figure 3B is an exploded view of subassembly 300 showing additional details of the various components and their arrangement. Figure 3B Actuating member 339 (which may be Figure 2 30). The actuating member 339 may include a threaded region 352 that engages a threaded opening 354 of the optical encoder component 310. Figure 3A In the configuration shown, the actuation member 339 may then be threadably connected to the optical encoder component 310 .

[0070] The subassembly 300 may also include a wear plate 340 positioned between the inner surface of the frame 302 and the surface of the optical encoder component 310. The wear plate 340 may be configured to reduce friction on the frame 302, which is friction caused by the rotation of the optical encoder component 310 during the provision of rotational input to the actuating member 339. The wear plate 340 may also electrically isolate the optical encoder component 310 from the frame 302. More specifically, as described above, the optical encoder component 310 may define a portion of the conductive path between the actuating member 339 and the biometric sensing circuit. Therefore, the optical encoder component 310 may need to be electrically isolated from conductive components that do not define the conductive path (e.g., components that may be grounded or otherwise interfere with the propagation of signals along the conductive path). Therefore, the wear plate 340 may be formed of or include an insulating material. In an exemplary configuration, the wear plate 340 includes a first metal layer that contacts the optical encoder component 310, a second metal layer that contacts (and is optionally welded to) the inner surface of the frame 302, and an insulating layer between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The first metal layer and the second metal layer may be secured to the insulating layer (which may be plastic, rubber, foam or any other suitable material) by an adhesive (e.g., a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), a heat sensitive adhesive (HSA), an epoxy, a cyanoacrylate or any other suitable adhesive). Figure 4 An exemplary cross-section of a wear plate having multiple layers as described herein is shown.

[0071] Figure 3B It also shows the Figure 3A Additional details of the friction guard 322 and the bracket 318. For example, the friction guard 322 includes a shear plate 344 (which can be Figure 2 226) and the legs 342 (which may be Figure 2 342). The legs 342 may be flexible and / or deformable and may act as a spring member that supports the shear plate 344 and applies a biasing force against the optical encoder component 310 when the subassembly 320 is assembled. The legs 342 may contact a contact portion 350 of a conductor in the bracket 318 to further define a conductive path to the sensing component. The friction guard 322 may be secured to the bracket 318 by adhesive, welding, soldering, brazing, mechanical interlocking, heat riveting, etc. For example, the legs 342 may be brazed to the contact portion 350 of the bracket 318. The friction guard 322 may also be configured so that the shear plate 344 does not contact the top of the switch 348 when the crown is in an unactuated state (e.g., it is in a stationary position and is not axially actuated). This may help prevent unnecessary wear on the switch 348 and other components of the crown input system.

[0072] The main structure 334 of the bracket 318, which may be formed of an electrical insulator such as a polymer, may extend at least partially upwardly along the flange 338, such as Figure 3B 336. The extended portion 337 of the main structure 334 can be adjacent to the friction guard 322, thereby ensuring electrical isolation between the friction guard 322 and the conductive (e.g., metal) support structure 336. The main structure 334 of the bracket 318 can also electrically isolate the flange 338 (and / or other conductive portions of the bracket 318) from the conductor that is at least partially enclosed in the main structure 334 and defines the contact portions 350, 353 (e.g., the conductor 229 or an embodiment thereof). More specifically, the main structure 334 can electrically insulate the conductor from other metal or conductive components that can otherwise be grounded or otherwise disrupt the conductive path through the crown input system.

[0073] Figure 3C Shows FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B 318. As described above, the bracket 318 may include a conductor (e.g., Figure 2 The conductor 229 is at least partially encapsulated in the main structure 334. Figure 3C As shown, a portion of the conductor may be exposed along an outer surface of the bracket 318 to define an external contact portion 353. The external contact portion 353 may be conductively coupled to the biometric sensing circuit. More specifically, the external contact portion 353 may provide convenient access to the conductive path of the crown, which may otherwise be difficult to physically access because many of the components defining the conductive path may be at least partially enclosed and / or surrounded by other components (e.g., the frame 302, the bracket 318, etc.) and therefore may otherwise be difficult to access to complete the conductive path to the biometric sensing circuit. The contact portion 350 ( Figure 3B ) and external contact portion 353 ( Figure 3C ) can be part of a single conductor, such as a metal component.

[0074] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the crown input system mounted in the housing. For example, Figure 4 In the housing defining the side wall 402, FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B The components of the subassembly 300 are shown. This cross-sectional view may correspond to the Figure 1 The view of line AA in the figure.

[0075] Figure 4It shows how the mounting face 304 of the frame 302 contacts the inner surface of the side wall 402 of the housing, and how the locking member 404 engages with the threads of the frame 302 to capture and / or compress the side wall 402 between the mounting face 304 and the flange of the locking member 404. A seal 412 may be positioned at the interface between the locking member 404 and the side wall 402 to help prevent water, dust, debris, or other contaminants from entering the interior volume of the device.

[0076] Figure 4 Also shown is an exemplary crown assembly formed from a plurality of discrete components. For example, the crown assembly may include an optical encoder component 310 and an actuating member including a crown shaft 406 and a crown ring 408, the crown ring coupled to the crown shaft and electrically isolated from the crown shaft (e.g., by an electrically insulating component 410 that may be formed from a polymer or other suitable insulating material). In this example, the crown ring 408 may not define a portion of the conductive path through the crown assembly. Instead, an axial end face of the crown shaft 406 (which is outside the housing and therefore accessible to the user) may define an input surface of the biometric sensor. The actuating member may be coupled to the optical encoder component 310 via threads on the crown shaft 406, as described herein.

[0077] The crown ring 408 may include tactile features, such as grooves, splines, ridges, or textures, formed on an outer surface of the crown ring 408 (e.g., the portion of the crown ring that a user contacts when providing a rotational input). The tactile features may be positioned around the circumference of the crown ring 408. For example, the tactile features may include a series of tactile features (e.g., grooves, channels) regularly spaced around the circumferential surface of the crown ring 408. The tactile features may improve the feel of the crown during rotational input. For example, the tactile features may provide greater grip or friction between the crown ring 408 and the user's finger compared to a smooth or unfeatured crown ring 408.

[0078] The crown shaft 406 can be electrically isolated from the locking member 404 via one or more bushings 413. The bushings 413 can be formed of rubber, polymers, or other electrically insulating materials. The bushings 413 can also act as guides for the crown shaft 406 to provide smooth operation and maintain alignment, and can also seal the assembly and prevent the ingress of water or other contaminants.

[0079] Figure 4 Also shown is the overlap between the frame 302 and the flange 338, where the flange 338 can be attached to the frame 302. In addition, Figure 4 It shows how a three-layer wear plate 340 can be positioned between the inner surface of the frame 302 and the optical encoder component 310 to prevent frictional contact between the optical encoder component 310 and the frame 302 and maintain electrical separation between the frame 302 and the optical encoder component 310 . Figure 4Also shown is a conductive lubricant 414 (eg, conductive grease) applied at the interface between the shear plate 344 of the friction guard and the end of the optical encoder component 310 .

[0080] Figure 5 An exemplary schematic diagram of an electronic device 500 is shown. For example, Figure 5 The device 500 may correspond to Figure 1 The wearable electronic device 100 shown (or any other wearable electronic device described herein). If multiple functions, operations, and structures are disclosed as being part of, incorporated into, or performed by the device 500, it should be understood that various embodiments may omit any or all of such described functions, operations, and structures. Thus, different embodiments of the device 500 may have some, all, or none of the various capabilities, devices, physical features, modes, and operating parameters discussed herein.

[0081] like Figure 5 As shown, the device 500 includes a processing unit 502 operatively connected to a computer memory 504 and / or a computer readable medium 506. The processing unit 502 may be operatively connected to the memory 504 and the computer readable medium 506 components via an electronic bus or bridge. The processing unit 502 may include one or more computer processors or microcontrollers configured to perform operations in response to computer readable instructions. The processing unit 502 may include a central processing unit (CPU) of the device. In addition or alternatively, the processing unit 502 may include other processors located within the device, including application specific integrated chips (ASICs) and other microcontroller devices.

[0082] Memory 504 may include various types of non-transitory computer-readable storage media, including, for example, read access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable memory (e.g., EPROM and EEPROM), or flash memory. Memory 504 is configured to store computer-readable instructions, sensor values, and other persistent software elements. Computer-readable media 506 also includes various types of non-transitory computer-readable storage media, including, for example, hard drive storage devices, solid-state storage devices, portable magnetic storage devices, or other similar devices. Computer-readable media 506 may also be configured to store computer-readable instructions, sensor values, and other persistent software elements.

[0083] In this example, the processing unit 502 is operable to read computer-readable instructions stored on the memory 504 and / or the computer-readable medium 506. The computer-readable instructions may cause the processing unit 502 to be adapted to perform the above-mentioned Figures 1 to 4Specifically, processing unit 502, memory 504, and / or computer-readable medium 506 may be configured to cooperate with sensor 524 (e.g., a rotation sensor that senses rotation of a crown component or a sensor that senses movement of a user's finger) to control the operation of the device in response to input applied to the crown of the device (e.g., crown 112). The computer-readable instructions may be provided as a computer program product, software application, etc.

[0084] like Figure 5 As shown, device 500 also includes a display 508. Display 508 may include a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a light emitting diode (LED) display, etc. If display 508 is an LCD, display 508 may also include a backlight component that can be controlled to provide variable display brightness levels. If display 508 is an OLED or LED type display, the brightness of display 508 can be controlled by modifying the electrical signal provided to the display element. Display 508 may correspond to any display shown or described herein.

[0085] The device 500 may also include a battery 509 configured to provide power to the components of the device 500. The battery 509 may include one or more power storage units coupled together to provide an internal power supply. The battery 509 may be operably coupled to a power management circuit configured to provide appropriate voltage levels and power levels for various components or groups of components within the device 500. The battery 509 may be configured to receive power from an external power source (such as an AC power outlet) via the power management circuit. The battery 509 may store the received power so that the device 500 can operate for an extended period of time without being connected to an external power source, which period of time may range from several hours to several days.

[0086] In some embodiments, the device 500 includes one or more input devices 510. The input device 510 is a device configured to receive user input. The one or more input devices 510 may include, for example, a crown input system, a push button, a touch-activated button, a keyboard, a keypad, etc. (including any combination of these components or other components). In some embodiments, the input device 510 may provide dedicated or primary functions, including, for example, a power button, a volume button, a home button, a scroll wheel, and a camera button.

[0087] Device 500 may also include sensor 524. Sensor 524 may detect input provided by a user to a crown (e.g., crown 112) of the device. As described above, sensor 524 may include sensing circuitry and other sensing components that facilitate sensing rotational movement of the crown, and sensing circuitry and other sensing components (optionally including switches) that facilitate sensing axial movement of the crown. Sensor 524 may include components such as an optical detector (e.g., optical detector 212), a cylinder (e.g., cylinder 210, 310), a tactile or dome switch (e.g., switch 216, 348), or any other suitable component or sensor that may be used to provide the sensing functionality described herein. Sensor 524 may also be a biometric sensor, such as a heart rate sensor, an electrocardiogram sensor, a temperature sensor, or any other sensor conductively coupled to a user and / or an external environment through a crown input system, as described herein. In the case where sensor 524 is a biometric sensor, the sensor may include a biometric sensing circuit, and a portion of the crown that conductively couples the user's body to the biometric sensing circuit. The biometric sensing circuit may include components such as a processor, capacitors, inductors, transistors, or analog-to-digital converters, among others.

[0088] The device 500 may also include a touch sensor 520 configured to determine a touch location on a touch-sensitive surface of the device 500 (e.g., an input surface defined by the portion of the cover 108 above the display 109). The touch sensor 520 may use or include a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a surface acoustic wave sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a strain gauge, etc. In some cases, the touch sensor 520 associated with the touch-sensitive surface of the device 500 may include a capacitive array of electrodes or nodes operating according to a mutual capacitance or self-capacitance scheme. The touch sensor 520 may be integrated with one or more layers of a display stack (e.g., the display 109) to provide touch sensing functionality of a touch screen. In addition, as described herein, the touch sensor 520 or a portion thereof may be used to sense the movement of a user's finger as it slides along the surface of the crown.

[0089] Device 500 may also include a force sensor 522 configured to receive and / or detect force input applied to a user input surface (e.g., display 109) of device 500. Force sensor 522 may use or include a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor, a surface acoustic wave sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a strain gauge, etc. In some cases, force sensor 522 may include or be coupled to capacitive sensing elements that help detect changes in relative position of components of the force sensor (e.g., deflection caused by force input). Force sensor 522 may be integrated with one or more layers of a display stack (e.g., display 109) to provide force sensing functionality for a touch screen.

[0090] The device 500 may also include a communication port 528 configured to transmit and / or receive signals or electrical communications from an external or separate device. The communication port 528 may be configured to be coupled to an external device via a cable, adapter, or other type of electrical connector. In some embodiments, the communication port 528 may be used to couple the device 500 to an accessory, including a docking station or housing, a stylus or other input device, a smart cover, a smart stand, a keyboard, or other device configured to send and / or receive electrical signals.

[0091] As described above, one aspect of the present technology is to collect and use data obtained from users. The present disclosure contemplates that, in some instances, these collected data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data may include demographic data, location-based data, phone numbers, email addresses, twitter IDs, home addresses, data or records related to the user's health or fitness level (e.g., vital sign measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying information or personal information. For example, in the case where the above-mentioned sensor is a biometric sensor, sensitive information and / or personal information (e.g., health-related data) about the user may be captured.

[0092] The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data in the present invention technology can be used to benefit users. For example, the personal information data can be used to deliver targeted content that users are more interested in. Therefore, the use of such personal information data enables users to have planned control over the content delivered. In addition, the present disclosure also anticipates other uses of personal information data that benefit users. For example, health and fitness data can be used to provide insights into the user's overall health status, or can be used as positive feedback for individuals who use technology to pursue health goals.

[0093] This disclosure envisions that entities responsible for collecting, analyzing, disclosing, transmitting, storing or otherwise using such personal information data will comply with established privacy policies and / or privacy practices. Specifically, such entities should implement and adhere to privacy policies and practices that are recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or government requirements for maintaining the privacy and security of personal information data. Such policies should be easily accessible to users and should be updated as the collection and / or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable purposes of the entity and not shared or sold outside of these legitimate uses. In addition, such collection / sharing should be performed after receiving informed consent from the user. In addition, such entities should consider taking any necessary steps to defend and secure access to such personal information data and ensure that others who have access to personal information data comply with their privacy policies and processes. In addition, such entities may subject themselves to third-party assessments to demonstrate their compliance with widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adjusted to specific types of personal information data collected and / or accessed, and to applicable laws and standards including specific considerations of jurisdiction. For example, in the United States, the collection or access of certain health data may be governed by federal and / or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), while health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Therefore, different privacy practices should be maintained in each country for different types of personal data.

[0094] Regardless of the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates implementation schemes in which users selectively block the use or access of personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware elements and / or software elements may be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, with respect to an advertising delivery service, the technology of the present invention may be configured to allow a user to choose to "opt in" or "opt out" at any time during or after registration for the service to participate in the collection of personal information data. In another example, a user may choose not to provide emotion-related data for a target content delivery service. In another example, a user may choose to limit the length of time that emotion-related data is retained, or to completely prohibit the development of basic emotional conditions. In addition to providing "opt-in" and "opt-out" options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications related to access or use of personal information. For example, a user may be notified that their personal information data will be accessed when downloading an application, and then the user may be reminded again just before the personal information data is accessed by the application.

[0095] In addition, it is an object of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risks can be minimized by limiting data collection and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health-related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect the privacy of users. De-identification can be facilitated by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of stored data (e.g., collecting location data at the city level rather than at the address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data between users), and / or other methods when appropriate.

[0096] Thus, while the present disclosure broadly covers the use of personal information data to implement one or more of the various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that various embodiments may also be implemented without access to such personal information data. That is, various embodiments of the present technology will not fail to function properly due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, content may be selected and delivered to a user by inferring preferences based on non-personal information data or an absolute minimum amount of personal information, such as content requested by a device associated with the user, other non-personal information available to a content delivery service, or publicly available information.

[0097] For the purpose of illustration, the foregoing description uses specific naming to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without specific details. Therefore, for the purpose of illustration and description, the foregoing description of the specific embodiments described herein is presented. These descriptions are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the disclosed precise forms. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, in view of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are feasible. In addition, when used in this article to refer to the position of a component, the above and below terms or their synonyms do not necessarily refer to an absolute position relative to an external reference, but to the relative position of the reference drawings of the components.

Claims

1. An electronic watch, comprising: shell; a touch-sensitive display at least partially surrounded by the housing; A crown assembly, the crown assembly comprising: a crown shaft extending through a side wall of the housing; a crown ring electrically isolated from the crown shaft; and a sensor component coupled to the crown shaft; an optical detector configured to detect rotation of the crown assembly using the sensor component; and A sensing system is conductively coupled to an axial end face of the crown assembly through a conductive path defined by a group of components including the crown shaft and the sensor component.

2. The electronic watch according to claim 1, further comprising: a switch configured to be actuated by the crown assembly in response to a translational input applied to the crown assembly; as well as A conductive spring element having a portion located between the switch and the sensor component, wherein the set of components defining the conductive path also includes the conductive spring element.

3. The electronic watch according to claim 2, wherein: The electronic watch also includes a main body structure located within the housing and positioned at an end of the crown assembly; and The switch is coupled to the body structure.

4. The electronic watch according to claim 3, wherein: The body structure comprises a polymer material at least partially encapsulating a conductor; and The conductive spring element is conductively coupled to the conductor.

5. The electronic watch according to claim 4, wherein the set of components defining the conductive path further comprises the conductor.

6. The electronic watch of claim 2, wherein the conductive spring element comprises a leg configured to deflect in response to the translation input.

7. The electronic watch according to claim 2, wherein: The portion of the conductive spring element between the switch and the sensor component is a friction guard; The crown assembly is rotatable relative to the housing; When the crown assembly rotates, the crown assembly rotates against the friction guard; and The friction guard protects the switch from rotational friction from the crown assembly.

8. An electronic watch, comprising: shell; a biometric sensing circuit at least partially surrounded by the housing; as well as a crown assembly defining an axial end surface located outside the housing and configured to receive a touch input, the crown assembly comprising: crown shaft; and a sensor component coupled to the crown shaft; a switch assembly configured to detect translation of the crown assembly; a conductive spring element having a portion located between the sensor component and the switch assembly; and A sensing circuit is configured to detect the touch input through a conductive path at least partially defined by the crown shaft and the conductive spring element.

9. The electronic watch according to claim 8, wherein the biometric sensing circuit is part of an electrocardiogram sensor.

10. The electronic watch according to claim 8, wherein the conductive path is also defined by the sensor component.

11. The electronic watch according to claim 10, further comprising a rotation sensing system, the rotation sensing system comprising: an optical emitter configured to direct light onto the sensor component; as well as An optical detector is configured to receive at least a portion of the light reflected by the sensor component.

12. The electronic watch according to claim 8, wherein: The electronic watch also includes a bracket positioned within the housing; and The switch assembly is coupled to the bracket and is positioned between the bracket and an end of the crown assembly.

13. The electronic watch according to claim 12, wherein: The bracket comprises: a polymer body; and a conductor at least partially encapsulated in the polymer body; and The conductor is conductively coupled to the conductive spring element and defines a portion of the conductive path.

14. The electronic watch of claim 12, wherein the conductive spring element applies a force to the switch assembly in response to a translational input applied to the axial end surface of the crown assembly.

15. An electronic device, comprising: an outer shell at least partially defining an interior volume; an electrocardiogram sensing system located within the interior volume; a crown assembly having an exterior portion located outside of the interior volume and configured to receive rotational and translational inputs; as well as a switch bracket located within the interior volume and positioned at an end of the crown assembly, the switch bracket comprising: Main structure; a switch coupled to the body structure and configured to detect the translation input; and a conductor at least partially encapsulated in the body structure, wherein: The conductor and at least a portion of the crown assembly define at least a portion of the conductive path configured to conductively couple the electrocardiogram sensing system to an object in contact with the outer portion of the crown assembly.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein: The crown assembly comprises: a crown shaft having an interior portion located within the interior volume; and a sensor component attached to the inner portion of the crown shaft; and The electronic device further includes an optical detector configured to detect a rotation input by detecting a rotation of the sensor component.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the crown shaft and the sensor component define at least a portion of the conductive path.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the crown assembly further comprises a crown ring coupled to the crown shaft, the crown ring defining a user contacting portion of the crown assembly.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the crown ring is electrically isolated from the crown shaft.

20. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein: The electronic device further includes a conductive spring element having a portion located between the crown assembly and the switch; The conductive spring element is conductively coupled to the conductor; and The conductive path includes the conductive spring element.

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