Portable device

Abstract

Device comprising: an inner casing made of a second material having a second surface energy, wherein the inner housing comprises one or more apertures, wherein the one or more apertures are configured to allow the propagation of one or more optical signals through the inner housing; a first material applied to the inner casing, wherein the first material is associated with a first surface energy that is lower than the second surface energy; a projection over a first aperture of the inner housing, wherein a height of the projection is based at least in part on the first surface energy; and one or more sensors arranged in the inner housing, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to transmit or receive the one or more optical signals through the one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The following refers to portable devices. BACKGROUND

[0002] Some wearable devices may be configured to collect physiological data from users via one or more light-emitting and light-receiving components. In some examples, the wearable device may include one or more dome-shaped protrusions over each of the light-emitting and light-receiving components, which may enable the wearable device to collect the physiological data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a system supporting presently unclaimed methods for fabricating a portable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion. Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a system that supports presently unclaimed methods for fabricating a portable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion. Fig. 3 shows an example of a dome diagram supporting presently unclaimed methods of fabricating a portable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion. Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show flow diagrams illustrating presently unclaimed methods that support methods for fabricating a wearable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0003] Wearable devices may be configured to collect physiological data from users to provide users with more information about their overall health. The wearable devices may be configured to collect physiological data from the users via sensors (e.g., light-emitting diodes (LEDs), photodiodes) in apertures of the wearable devices. In some examples, the apertures may be covered with a protrusion (e.g., dome-shaped or other convex-like shape) formed from an optically transparent material, which may enable relatively higher quality physiological measurements. For example, a quality of physiological measurements may be relatively higher for domes that have a greater height (e.g., a height above an interior surface of the wearable device) than for domes that have a smaller height. However, in some examples, the height of the dome-shaped protrusions may be limited by a property (e.g.,a surface energy) of a material forming the aperture. For example, the aperture may be formed of metal (e.g., the inner metal casing of the portable device), which may have a relatively higher surface energy and therefore may result in relatively smaller (e.g., shorter) dome-shaped protrusions than a dome-shaped protrusion formed on some other materials (e.g., plastic, wax).

[0004] Accordingly, techniques described herein may enable a method of forming the dome-shaped protrusions using a layer (e.g., a temporary layer) of a material having a relatively lower surface energy than metal (e.g., adhesive tape, glue, a plastic layer, a wax layer, a copper coating, dielectric coating). For example, the layer may be adhered to an outer surface of the inner casing of the portable device prior to dispensing the optically transparent material into the apertures. The optically transparent material may accordingly form the dome-shaped protrusions while in contact with the layer, which may enable the optically transparent material to form relatively taller dome-shaped protrusions compared to a dome-shaped protrusion formed on the metal material. In some examples, the layer may be applied after dispensing (e.g.,and curing) of the optically transparent material may be removed as part of a manufacturing process of the wearable device. Additionally or alternatively, the layer may not be removed as part of a manufacturing process. For example, the layer may be removed after manufacturing (e.g., by the user of the wearable device or through natural wear over time) or may be a non-temporary layer configured to allow the wearable device to make relatively more accurate measurements of physiological data from the user (e.g., due to reflection from the material of the layer).

[0005] Aspects of the disclosure are first described in the context of systems that support the collection of physiological data from users via wearable devices. Aspects of the disclosure are further illustrated and described by dome diagrams, device diagrams, system diagrams, and flowcharts relating to techniques for fabricating a wearable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion.

[0006] Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a system 100 that supports techniques for fabricating a wearable device according to aspects of the present disclosure using aperture layers for dome dispersion. The system 100 includes a plurality of electronic devices (e.g., wearable devices 104, user devices 106) that can be worn and / or operated by one or more users 102. The system 100 further includes a network 108 and one or more servers 110.

[0007] The electronic devices may include any electronic devices known in the art, including wearable devices 104 (e.g., ring-shaped wearable devices, watch-shaped wearable devices, etc.), user devices 106 (e.g., smartphones, laptops, tablets). The electronic devices associated with the respective users 102 may have one or more of the following functionalities: 1) measuring physiological data, 2) storing the measured data, 3) processing the data, 4) providing outputs (e.g., via GUls) to a user 102 based on the processed data, and 5) communicating data with each other and / or other computing devices. Different electronic devices may perform one or more of the functionalities.

[0008] Example wearable devices 104 may include wearable computing devices, such as a ring computing device (hereinafter, a "ring") configured to be worn on a user's 102 finger, a wrist computing device (e.g., a smartwatch, fitness band, or bracelet) configured to be worn on a user's 102 wrist, and / or a head-worn computing device (e.g., glasses / goggles). Wearable devices 104 may also include bands, straps (e.g., flexible or inflexible bands or straps), adhesive sensors, and the like that can be positioned in other locations, such as bands around the head (e.g., a headband), the arm (e.g., a forearm band and / or bicep band), and / or the leg (e.g., a thigh or calf band), behind the ear, under the armpit, and the like.Wearable devices 104 may also be attached to or integrated into clothing. For example, wearable devices 104 may be contained in pockets and / or pouches on clothing. As another example, wearable device 104 may be clipped and / or plugged into clothing or otherwise held near user 102. Example clothing items may include, but are not limited to, hats, shirts, gloves, pants, socks, outerwear (e.g., jackets), and underwear. In some implementations, wearable devices 104 may be integrated into other types of devices, such as exercise / sports equipment used during physical activity. For example, wearable devices 104 may be attached to or integrated into a bicycle, skis, a tennis racket, a golf club, and / or training weights.

[0009] Much of the present disclosure may be described in the context of a ring-shaped wearable device 104. Accordingly, the terms "ring 104," "wearable device 104," and similar terms may be used interchangeably unless otherwise indicated herein. However, the use of the term "ring 104" is not intended to be limiting, as it is contemplated herein that aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced using other wearable devices (e.g., watch-shaped wearable devices, necklace-shaped wearable devices, bracelet-shaped wearable devices, earring-shaped wearable devices, anklet-shaped wearable devices, and the like).

[0010] In some aspects, user devices 106 may include portable mobile computing devices such as smartphones and tablet computing devices. User devices 106 may also include personal computers such as laptop and desktop computing devices. Other example user devices 106 may include server computing devices that can communicate with other electronic devices (e.g., via the Internet). In some implementations, computing devices may include medical devices, such as external portable computing devices (e.g., Holter monitors). Medical devices may also include implantable medical devices such as pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators. Other example user devices 106 may include home computing devices, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices (e.g., IoT devices), smart TVs, smart speakers, smart displays (e.g., video call displays), hubs (e.g.,wireless communication hubs), security systems, smart home appliances (e.g., thermostats and refrigerators), and fitness equipment.

[0011] Some electronic devices (e.g., wearable devices 104, user devices 106) may measure physiological parameters of the respective users 102, such as photoplethysmography waveforms, continuous skin temperature, a pulse waveform, respiration rate, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), actigraphy, galvanic skin response, pulse oximetry, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), blood glucose levels (e.g., glucose metrics), and / or other physiological parameters. Some electronic devices that measure physiological parameters may also perform some / all of the calculations described herein. Some electronic devices may not measure physiological parameters but may perform some / all of the calculations described herein. For example, a ring (e.g.,portable device 104), a mobile device application, or a server computing device may process physiological data received from other devices.

[0012] In some implementations, a user 102 may operate or be associated with multiple electronic devices, some of which measure physiological parameters and others of which process the measured physiological parameters. In some implementations, a user 102 may have a ring (e.g., wearable device 104) that measures physiological parameters. The user 102 may also have or be associated with a user device 106 (e.g., mobile device, smartphone), where the wearable device 104 and the user device 106 are communicatively coupled. In some cases, the user device 106 may receive data from the wearable device 104 and perform some / all of the calculations described herein. In some implementations, the user device 106 may also measure physiological parameters described herein, such as movement / activity parameters.

[0013] For example, as in Fig. 1, a first user 102-a (User 1) may operate or be associated with a wearable device 104-a (e.g., ring 104-a) and a user device 106-a, which may operate as described herein. In this example, the user device 106-a associated with the user 102-a may process / store physiological parameters measured by the ring 104-a. Similarly, a second user 102-b (User 2) may be associated with a ring 104-b, a watch-shaped wearable device 104-c (e.g., watch 104-c), and a user device 106-b, wherein the user device 106-b associated with the user 102-b may process / store physiological parameters measured by the ring 104-b and / or the watch 104-c. Furthermore, an nth user 102-n (user N) may be associated with an arrangement of electronic devices (e.g., ring 104-n, user device 106-n) described herein.In some aspects, wearable devices 104 (e.g., rings 104, watches 104) and other electronic devices may be communicatively coupled to the user devices 106 of the respective users 102 via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other wireless protocols. Furthermore, in some cases, the wearable device 104 and the user device 106 may be included in (or constitute) the same device. For example, in some cases, the wearable device 104 may be configured to execute an application associated with the wearable device 104 and may be configured to display data via a GUI.

[0014] In some implementations, the rings 104 (e.g., wearable devices 104) of the system 100 may be configured to collect physiological data from the respective users 102 based on the arterial blood flow in the user's finger. In particular, a ring 104 may utilize one or more light-emitting components, such as LEDs (e.g., red LEDs, green LEDs), that emit light toward the palm side of a user's finger to collect physiological data based on the arterial blood flow in the user's finger. In general, the terms light-emitting components, light-emitting elements, and similar terms may include, but are not limited to, LEDs, micro-LEDs, mini-LEDs, laser diodes (LDs) (e.g., vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs)), and the like.

[0015] In some cases, system 100 may be configured to collect physiological data from respective users 102 based on the blood flow diffused into a skin microvascular bed of capillaries and arterioles. For example, system 100 may collect PPG data based on a measured amount of blood diffused into the microvascular system of capillaries and arterioles. In some implementations, ring 104 may collect the physiological data using a combination of green and red LEDs. The physiological data may include any physiological data known in the art, including, but not limited to, temperature data, accelerometer data (e.g., motion / exercise data), heart rate data, HRV data, blood oxygen level data, or any combination thereof.

[0016] The use of both green and red LEDs can offer several advantages over other solutions, as red and green LEDs have been found to have their own distinct advantages in collecting physiological data under different conditions (e.g., light / dark, active / inactive) and across different body parts, and the like. For example, green LEDs have been found to perform better during exercise. Furthermore, the use of multiple LEDs (e.g., green and red LEDs) distributed around the ring 104 has been found to have superior performance compared to wearable devices that use LEDs positioned close together, such as in a watch-shaped wearable device. Furthermore, the blood vessels in the finger (e.g., arteries, capillaries) are more accessible via LEDs than blood vessels in the wrist. In particular, arteries in the wrist are located on the underside of the wrist (e.g.,Palm side of the wrist), meaning that only capillaries on the top of the wrist (e.g., dorsal side of the wrist) are accessible, where watch-shaped wearable devices and similar devices are typically worn. Therefore, the use of LEDs and other sensors in a ring 104 has been found to have superior performance compared to wrist-worn wearable devices because the ring 104 can have better access to arteries (compared to capillaries), resulting in stronger signals and more valuable physiological data.

[0017] The electronic devices of system 100 (e.g., user devices 106, portable devices 104) may be communicatively coupled to one or more servers 110 via wired or wireless communication protocols. For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the electronic devices (e.g., user devices 106) may be communicatively coupled to one or more servers 110 via a network 108. The network 108 may implement the Transfer Control Protocol and the Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), such as the Internet, or implement other network protocols 108. Network connections between the network 108 and the respective electronic devices may enable data transport via email, web, text messages, mail, or any other suitable form of interaction within a computer network 108. For example, in some implementations, the ring 104-a associated with the first user 102-a may be communicatively coupled to the user device 106-a, with the user device 106-a being communicatively coupled to the servers 110 via the network 108. In additional or alternative cases, portable devices 104 (e.g.,Rings 104, watches 104) can be directly communicatively coupled to the network 108.

[0018] System 100 may provide an on-demand database service between user devices 106 and one or more servers 110. In some cases, servers 110 may receive data from user devices 106 over network 108 and store and analyze the data. Similarly, servers 110 may provide data to user devices 106 over network 108. In some cases, servers 110 may be located in one or more data centers. Servers 110 may be used for data storage, management, and processing. In some implementations, servers 110 may provide a web-based interface to user device 106 via web browsers.

[0019] In some aspects, the system 100 may detect periods of time during which a user 102 is sleeping and classify periods of time during which the user 102 is sleeping into one or more sleep stages (e.g., sleep stage classification). For example, as in Fig. 1, user 102-a may be associated with a wearable device 104-a (e.g., ring 104-a) and a user device 106-a. In this example, ring 104-a may collect physiological data associated with user 102-a, including temperature, heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, and the like. In some aspects, data collected by ring 104-a may be input to a machine learning classifier, where the machine learning classifier is configured to determine periods of time when user 102-a is (or has been) asleep. Furthermore, the machine learning classifier may be configured to classify periods of time into different sleep stages, including a waking sleep stage, a rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage, a light sleep stage (non-REM (NREM)), and a deep sleep stage (NREM).In some aspects, the classified sleep stages may be displayed to the user 102-a via a GUI of the user device 106-a. The sleep stage classification may be used to provide a user 102-a with feedback regarding their sleep habits, such as recommended bedtimes, recommended wake-up times, and the like. Furthermore, in some implementations, sleep stage classification techniques described herein may be used to calculate scores for the respective user, such as sleep scores, readiness scores, and the like.

[0020] In some aspects, system 100 may use circadian rhythm-derived features to further enhance physiological data collection, data processing methods, and other techniques described herein. The term circadian rhythm may refer to a natural, internal process that regulates a person's sleep-wake cycle and repeats approximately every 24 hours. In this regard, techniques described herein may use circadian rhythm adaptation models to enhance the collection, analysis, and processing of physiological data. For example, a circadian rhythm adaptation model may be input into a machine learning classifier along with physiological data collected from user 102-a via wearable device 104-a.In this example, the circadian rhythm adaptation model may be configured to "weight" or adjust physiological data collected during a user's natural, approximately 24-hour circadian rhythm. In some implementations, the system may initially start with a "baseline" circadian rhythm adaptation model and modify the baseline model using physiological data collected from each user 102 to generate customized, individualized circadian rhythm adaptation models specific to each respective user 102.

[0021] In some aspects, the system 100 may utilize other biological rhythms to further enhance the collection, analysis, and processing of physiological data according to phases of those other rhythms. For example, if a weekly rhythm is detected in a person's baseline data, the model may be configured to adjust the "weights" of the data by day of the week. Biological rhythms that may require model adjustment by this method include: 1) ultradian (faster than daily rhythms, including sleep cycles in the sleep state and oscillations of less than one hour to several hours of periodicity in the measured physiological variables in the waking state); 2) circadian rhythms; 3) non-endogenous daily rhythms that have been shown to be superimposed on circadian rhythms, such as in work schedules; 4) weekly rhythms or other artificial time periodicities imposed exogenously (e.g.,could be used in a hypothetical culture with 12-day "weeks"); 5) multi-day ovarian rhythms in women and spermatogenesis rhythms in men; 6) lunar rhythms (relevant for individuals living with little or no artificial light); and 7) seasonal rhythms.

[0022] Biological rhythms are not always stationary. For example, many women experience variability in ovarian cycle length across cycles, and ultradian rhythms are not expected to occur at exactly the same time or with the same periodicity across days, even within a user. Therefore, signal processing techniques sufficient to quantify the frequency composition while maintaining the temporal resolution of these rhythms in physiological data can be used to improve the detection of these rhythms, assign the phase of each rhythm to each measured time point, and thereby modify fitting models and time-interval comparisons.The biological rhythm adaptation models and parameters can be added in linear or nonlinear combinations as needed to more accurately capture the dynamic physiological baselines of an individual or group of individuals.

[0023] In some aspects, the respective devices of system 100 may be fabricated using a method not claimed herein for forming one or more dome-shaped protrusions of a wearable device 104 (e.g., a wearable ring device 104) using a layer (e.g., a temporary layer) of a material having a relatively lower surface energy than a metal forming an inner casing of the wearable device 104, such as adhesive tape, glue, a plastic layer, or a wax layer. For example, the layer may be adhered to an outer surface of the inner casing of the wearable device 104 prior to dispensing the optically transparent material into the apertures.Accordingly, the optically transparent material can form the dome-shaped protrusions while in contact with the layer, which can allow the optically transparent material to form relatively taller dome-shaped protrusions compared to a dome-shaped protrusion formed on the metal material. The layer can be removed after dispensing (e.g., and curing) the optically transparent material.

[0024] It should be appreciated by one skilled in the art that one or more aspects of the disclosure may be implemented in a system 100 to additionally or alternatively solve problems other than those described above. Furthermore, aspects of the disclosure may provide technical improvements over "conventional" systems as described herein. However, the description and accompanying drawings contain only exemplary technical improvements resulting from the implementation of aspects of the disclosure and, accordingly, do not represent all of the technical improvements provided within the scope of the claims.

[0025] Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a system 200 according to aspects of the present disclosure that supports techniques for fabricating a portable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion. System 200 may implement or be implemented by system 100. In particular, system 200 illustrates an example of a ring 104 (e.g., portable device 104), a user device 106, and a server 110, as described with respect to Fig. 1 described.

[0026] In some aspects, ring 104 may be configured to be worn around a user's finger and may determine one or more physiological parameters of the user when worn around the user's finger. Example measurements and determinations may include, but are not limited to, the user's skin temperature, pulse waveforms, respiratory rate, heart rate, HRV, blood oxygen level (SpO2), blood glucose levels (e.g., glucose metrics), and the like.

[0027] The system 200 further includes a user device 106 (e.g., a smartphone) in communication with the ring 104. For example, the ring 104 may be in wireless and / or wired communication with the user device 106. In some implementations, the ring 104 may send measured and processed data (e.g., temperature data, photoplethysmogram (PPG) data, motion / accelerometer data, ring input data, and the like) to the user device 106. The user device 106 may also send data to the ring 104, such as firmware / configuration updates for the ring 104. The user device 106 may process data. In some implementations, the user device 106 may transmit data to the server 110 for processing and / or storage.

[0028] The ring 104 may include a housing 205, which may include an inner housing 205-a and an outer housing 205-b. In some aspects, the housing 205 of the ring 104 may store or otherwise contain various components of the ring, including, but not limited to, device electronics, a power source (e.g., battery 210 and / or capacitor), one or more substrates (e.g., circuit boards) interconnecting the device electronics and / or the power source, and the like. The device electronics may include device modules (e.g., hardware / software), such as: a processing module 230-a, a memory 215, a communication module 220-a, a power module 225, and the like. The device electronics may also include one or more sensors. Example sensors may include one or more temperature sensors 240, a PPG sensor array (e.g., PPG system 235), and one or more motion sensors 245.

[0029] The sensors may include associated modules (not shown) configured to communicate with the respective components / modules of the ring 104 and generate signals associated with the respective sensors. In some aspects, each of the components / modules of the ring 104 may be communicatively coupled to one another via wired or wireless connections. Furthermore, the ring 104 may include additional and / or alternative sensors or other components configured to collect physiological data from the user, including light sensors (e.g., LEDs), oximeters, and the like.

[0030] The Fig. The ring 104 shown and described in Figure 2 is for illustrative purposes only. Therefore, the ring 104 may include additional or alternative components to those shown in Fig. 2. Other rings 104 providing functionality described herein may be manufactured. For example, rings 104 may be manufactured with fewer components (e.g., sensors). In one specific example, a ring 104 may be manufactured with a single temperature sensor 240 (or other sensor), a power source, and device electronics configured to read the single temperature sensor 240 (or other sensor). In another specific example, a temperature sensor 240 (or other sensor) may be attached to a user's finger (e.g., with adhesives, wraps, clips, spring-loaded clamps, etc.). In this case, the sensor may be wired to another computing device, such as a wrist-worn computing device, that reads the temperature sensor 240 (or other sensor).In other examples, a ring 104 including additional sensors and processing functionality may be manufactured.

[0031] The housing 205 may include one or more housing components 205. The housing 205 may include an outer housing component 205-b (e.g., a shell) and an inner housing component 205-a (e.g., an inner metal housing, a molded part). The housing 205 may include additional components (e.g., additional layers) that may be Fig. 2 are not explicitly shown. For example, in some implementations, the ring 104 may include one or more insulating layers that electrically isolate the device electronics and other conductive materials (e.g., electrical traces) from the outer housing 205-b (e.g., an outer metal housing 205-b). The housing 205 may provide structural support for the device electronics, the battery 210, the substrate(s), and other components. For example, the housing 205 may protect the device electronics, the battery 210, and the substrate(s) from mechanical forces such as pressure and shock. The housing 205 may also protect the device electronics, the battery 210, and the substrate(s) from water and / or other chemicals.

[0032] The outer casing 205-b may be made of one or more materials. In some implementations, the outer casing 205-b may comprise a metal such as titanium, which may provide strength and abrasion resistance while being relatively lightweight. The outer casing 205-b may also be made of other materials, such as polymers. In some implementations, the outer casing 205-b may be both protective and decorative.

[0033] The inner housing 205-a may be configured to contact the user's finger. The inner housing 205-a may be formed from a polymer (e.g., a medical-grade polymer) or another material. In some implementations, the inner housing 205-a may be transparent. For example, the inner housing 205-a may be transparent to light emitted by the PPG light-emitting diodes (LEDs). In some implementations, the inner housing component 205-a may be overmolded onto the outer housing 205-b. For example, the inner housing 205-a may comprise a polymer shaped (e.g., injection-molded) to fit within a metallic outer housing shell 205-b.

[0034] The ring 104 may include one or more substrates (not shown). The device electronics and the battery 210 may be included on the one or more substrates. For example, the device electronics and the battery 210 may be mounted on one or more substrates. Example substrates may include one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs), such as flexible PCBs (e.g., polyimide). In some implementations, the electronics / battery 210 may include surface-mounted devices (e.g., surface-mount technology (SMT) devices) on a flexible circuit board. In some implementations, the one or more substrates (e.g., one or more flexible circuit boards) may include electrical traces that enable electrical communication between the device electronics. The electrical traces may also connect the battery 210 to the device electronics.

[0035] The device electronics, battery 210, and substrates can be arranged in the ring 104 in a variety of ways. In some implementations, a substrate including device electronics can be mounted along the underside of the ring 104 (e.g., the lower half) so that the sensors (e.g., PPG system 235, temperature sensors 240, motion sensors 245, and other sensors) contact the underside of the user's finger. In these implementations, the battery 210 can be contained along the upper portion of the ring 104 (e.g., on a different substrate).

[0036] The various components / modules of ring 104 represent functionality (e.g., circuits and other components) that may be included in ring 104. Modules may include any discrete and / or integrated electronic circuit components that implement analog and / or digital circuits capable of producing the functions attributed to the modules herein. For example, the modules may include analog circuits (e.g., amplifier circuits, filter circuits, analog-to-digital converter circuits, and / or other signal conditioning circuits). The modules may also include digital circuits (e.g., combinational or sequential logic circuits, memory circuits, etc.).

[0037] The memory 215 (memory module) of the ring 104 may comprise any volatile, non-volatile, magnetic, or electrical media, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, or any other storage device. The memory 215 may store any of the data described herein. For example, the memory 215 may be configured to store data (e.g., motion data, temperature data, PPG data) collected by the respective sensors and the PPG system 235. Further, the memory 215 may include instructions that, when executed by one or more processing circuits, cause the modules to perform various functions attributed to the modules herein. The device electronics of the ring 104 described herein are merely exemplary device electronics.Therefore, the types of electronic components used to implement device electronics may vary depending on design considerations.

[0038] The functions attributed herein to the modules of ring 104 may be implemented as one or more processors, hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. The representation of various features as modules is intended to emphasize different functional aspects and does not necessarily imply that such modules must be implemented by separate hardware / software components. Rather, the functionality associated with one or more modules may be performed by separate hardware / software components or integrated into common hardware / software components.

[0039] The processing module 230-a of the ring 104 may include one or more processors (e.g., processing units), microcontrollers, digital signal processors, systems-on-a-chip (SOCs), and / or other processing devices. The processing module 230-a communicates with the modules included in the ring 104. For example, the processing module 230-a may send / receive data to / from the modules and other components of the ring 104, such as the sensors. As described herein, the modules may be implemented by various circuit components. Accordingly, the modules may also be referred to as circuits (e.g., a communication circuit and a power circuit).

[0040] Processing module 230-a may communicate with memory 215. Memory 215 may include computer-readable instructions that, when executed by processing module 230-a, cause processing module 230-a to perform the various functions attributed herein to processing module 230-a. In some implementations, processing module 230-a (e.g., a microcontroller) may include additional features associated with other modules, such as communication functionality provided by communication module 220-a (e.g., an integrated Bluetooth Low Energy transceiver) and / or additional onboard memory 215.

[0041] The communication module 220-a may include circuitry enabling wireless and / or wired communication with the user device 106 (e.g., communication module 220-b of the user device 106). In some implementations, the communication modules 220-a, 220-b may include wireless communication circuitry such as Bluetooth circuitry and / or Wi-Fi circuitry. In some implementations, the communication modules 220-a, 220-b may include wired communication circuitry such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) communication circuitry. Using the communication module 220-a, the ring 104 and the user device 106 may be configured to communicate with each other. The processing module 230-a of the ring may be configured to send / receive data to / from the user device 106 via the communication module 220-a.Example data may include, but is not limited to, motion data, temperature data, pulse waveforms, heart rate data, HRV data, PPG data, and status updates (e.g., charging status, battery level, and / or configuration settings of the ring 104). The ring's processing module 230-a may also be configured to receive updates (e.g., software / firmware updates) and data from the user device 106.

[0042] The ring 104 may include a battery 210 (e.g., a rechargeable battery 210). An example battery 210 may include a lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery 210, although a variety of battery 210 options are possible. The battery 210 may be wirelessly charged. In some implementations, the ring 104 may include a power source other than the battery 210, such as a capacitor. The power source (e.g., battery 210 or capacitor) may have a curved geometry that conforms to the curvature of the ring 104. In some aspects, a charger or other power source may include additional sensors that may be used to collect data in addition to, or in addition to, the data collected by the ring 104 itself.Additionally, a charger or other power source for the ring 104 may function as the user device 106, in which case the charger or other power source for the ring 104 may be configured to receive data from the ring 104, store and / or process data received from the ring 104, and communicate data between the ring 104 and the servers 110.

[0043] In some aspects, the ring 104 includes a power module 225 that can control the charging of the battery 210. For example, the power module 225 can be connected to an external wireless charger that charges the battery 210 when connected to the ring 104. The charger can include a reference structure that mates with a reference structure of the ring 104 to create a specific alignment with the ring 104 during charging. The power module 225 can also regulate the voltage(s) of the device electronics, regulate the power output to the device electronics, and monitor the state of charge of the battery 210. In some implementations, the battery 210 can include a protection circuit module (PCM) that protects the battery 210 from high-current discharge, overvoltage during charging, and undervoltage during discharging. The power module 225 can also include electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection.

[0044] The one or more temperature sensors 240 may be electrically coupled to the processing module 230-a. The temperature sensor 240 may be configured to generate a temperature signal (e.g., temperature data) indicative of a temperature read or sensed by the temperature sensor 240. The processing module 230-a may determine a temperature of the user at the location of the temperature sensor 240. For example, in the ring 104, temperature data generated by the temperature sensor 240 may indicate a temperature of a user at the user's finger (e.g., skin temperature). In some implementations, the temperature sensor 240 may contact the user's skin. In other implementations, a portion of the housing 205 (e.g., the inner housing 205-a) may form a barrier (e.g., a thin, thermally conductive barrier) between the temperature sensor 240 and the user's skin.In some implementations, portions of the ring 104 configured to contact the user's finger may include thermally conductive portions and thermally insulating portions. The thermally conductive portions may conduct heat from the user's finger to the temperature sensors 240. The thermally insulating portions may insulate portions of the ring 104 (e.g., the temperature sensor 240) from the ambient temperature.

[0045] In some implementations, temperature sensor 240 may generate a digital signal (e.g., temperature data) that processing module 230-a may use to determine the temperature. As another example, in cases where temperature sensor 240 comprises a passive sensor, processing module 230-a (or a temperature sensor module 240) may measure a current / voltage generated by temperature sensor 240 and determine the temperature based on the measured current / voltage. Example temperature sensors 240 may include a thermistor, such as a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor, or other types of sensors, including resistors, transistors, diodes, and / or other electrical / electronic components.

[0046] Processing module 230-a may sample the user's temperature over time. For example, processing module 230-a may sample the user's temperature according to a sampling rate. An example sampling rate may include one sample per second, although processing module 230-a may be configured to sample the temperature signal at other sampling rates higher or lower than one sample per second. In some implementations, processing module 230-a may sample the user's temperature continuously day and night. Sampling at a sufficient rate (e.g., one sample per second) during the day may provide sufficient temperature data for the analysis described herein.

[0047] The processing module 230-a may store the sampled temperature data in the memory 215. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may process the sampled temperature data. For example, the processing module 230-a may determine average temperature values ​​over a specific period of time. In one example, the processing module 230-a may determine an average temperature value per minute by summing all temperature values ​​collected over the minute and dividing by the number of samples over the minute. In a specific example where the temperature is sampled at one sample per second, the average temperature may be a sum of all sampled temperatures for one minute divided by sixty seconds. The memory 215 may store the average temperature values ​​over time. In some implementations, the memory 215 may store average temperatures (e.g.,one per minute) instead of sampled temperatures to save memory 215.

[0048] The sampling rate that may be stored in memory 215 may be configurable. In some implementations, the sampling rate may be the same day and night. In other implementations, the sampling rate may be changed day / night. In some implementations, the ring 104 may filter / reject temperature readings, such as large temperature spikes that are not indicative of physiological changes (e.g., a temperature spike from a hot shower). In some implementations, the ring 104 may filter / reject temperature readings that may not be reliable due to other factors, such as excessive movement during exercise (e.g., as indicated by a motion sensor 245).

[0049] Ring 104 (e.g., communication module) may transmit the sampled and / or average temperature data to user device 106 for storage and / or further processing. User device 106 may transmit the sampled and / or average temperature data to server 110 for storage and / or further processing.

[0050] Although the ring 104 is illustrated as including a single temperature sensor 240, the ring 104 may include multiple temperature sensors 240 at one or more locations, for example, along the inner housing 205-a near the user's finger. In some implementations, the temperature sensors 240 may be standalone temperature sensors 240. Additionally or alternatively, one or more temperature sensors 240 may be included with other components (e.g., packaged with other components), such as the accelerometer and / or processor.

[0051] The processing module 230-a may collect and process data from multiple temperature sensors 240 in a similar manner as described with respect to a single temperature sensor 240. For example, the processing module 230 may individually sample, average, and store temperature data from each of the multiple temperature sensors 240. In other examples, the processing module 230-a may sample the sensors at different rates and average / store different values ​​for the different sensors. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may be configured to determine a single temperature based on the average of two or more temperatures determined by two or more temperature sensors 240 at different locations on the finger.

[0052] The temperature sensors 240 on the ring 104 can sense distal temperatures on the user's finger (e.g., on each finger). For example, one or more temperature sensors 240 on the ring 104 can sense a user's temperature from the underside of a finger or at another location on the finger. In some implementations, the ring 104 can continuously sense the distal temperature (e.g., at a sampling rate). Although the distal temperature measured by a ring 104 on the finger is described herein, other devices can measure temperature at the same / different locations. In some cases, the distal temperature measured on a user's finger may be different from the temperature measured on a user's wrist or at another external body location. Additionally, the distal temperature measured on a user's finger (e.g., a "shell temperature") may be different from the user's core temperature.Therefore, the ring 104 can provide a useful temperature signal that may not be detected at other internal / external body locations. In some cases, a continuous finger temperature measurement can detect temperature fluctuations (e.g., small or large fluctuations) that may not be evident in the core temperature. For example, a continuous finger temperature measurement can detect minute-by-minute or hourly temperature fluctuations, providing additional insight that may not be available from other temperature measurements elsewhere on the body.

[0053] The ring 104 may include a PPG system 235. The PPG system 235 may include one or more optical transmitters that emit light. The PPG system 235 may also include one or more optical receivers that receive light emitted by the one or more optical transmitters. An optical receiver may generate a signal (hereinafter, a "PPG" signal) indicative of an amount of light received by the optical receiver. The optical transmitters may illuminate an area of ​​the user's finger. The PPG signal generated by the PPG system 235 may indicate blood flow to the illuminated area. For example, the PPG signal may indicate blood volume changes in the illuminated area caused by a user's pulse pressure. The processing module 230-a may sample the PPG signal and determine a user's pulse waveform based on the PPG signal.The processing module 230-a may determine a variety of physiological parameters based on the user's pulse waveform, such as a user's respiratory rate, heart rate, HRV, oxygen saturation, and other circulatory parameters.

[0054] In some implementations, the PPG system 235 may be configured as a reflective PPG system 235, where the optical receiver(s) receive transmitted light reflected by the portion of the user's finger. In some implementations, the PPG system 235 may be configured as a transmissive PPG system 235, where the optical transmitter(s) and optical receiver(s) are positioned opposite each other, such that light is transmitted directly through a portion of the user's finger to the optical receiver(s).

[0055] The number and ratio of transmitters and receivers included in the PPG system 235 can vary. Example optical transmitters can include light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The optical transmitters can emit light in the infrared spectrum and / or other spectra. Example optical receivers can include, among others, photosensors, phototransistors, and photodiodes. The optical receivers can be configured to generate PPG signals in response to the wavelengths received by the optical transmitters. The location of the transmitters and receivers can vary. Additionally, a single device can include reflective and / or transmissive PPG systems 235.

[0056] The Fig. The PPG system 235 illustrated in Figure 2 may, in some implementations, include a reflective PPG system 235. In these implementations, the PPG system 235 may include a centrally located optical receiver (e.g., at the bottom of the ring 104) and two optical transmitters located on either side of the optical receiver. In this implementation, the PPG system 235 (e.g., the optical receiver) may generate the PPG signal based on light received from one or both of the optical transmitters. In other implementations, other placements, combinations, and / or configurations of one or more optical transmitters and / or optical receivers are contemplated.

[0057] Processing module 230-a may control one or both optical transmitters to emit light while sampling the PPG signal generated by the optical receiver. In some implementations, processing module 230-a may cause the optical transmitter with the stronger received signal to emit light while sampling the PPG signal generated by the optical receiver. For example, the selected optical transmitter may continuously emit light while sampling the PPG signal at a sampling rate (e.g., 250 Hz).

[0058] Sampling the PPG signal generated by PPG system 235 may result in a pulse waveform, which may be referred to as a "PPG." The pulse waveform may indicate blood pressure over time for multiple cardiac cycles. The pulse waveform may include peaks indicative of cardiac cycles. Additionally, the pulse waveform may include respiration-induced variations that may be used to determine respiratory rate. Processing module 230-a may, in some implementations, store the pulse waveform in memory 215. Processing module 230-a may process the pulse waveform during its generation and / or from memory 215 to determine user physiological parameters described herein.

[0059] Processing module 230-a may determine the user's heart rate based on the pulse waveform. For example, processing module 230-a may determine the heart rate (e.g., in beats per minute) based on the time between peaks in the pulse waveform. The time between peaks may be referred to as the interbeat interval (IBI). Processing module 230-a may store the determined heart rate values ​​and IBI values ​​in memory 215.

[0060] The processing module 230-a may determine the HRV over time. For example, the processing module 230-a may determine the HRV based on the variation in the IBIs. The processing module 230-a may store the HRV values ​​over time in the memory 215. In addition, the processing module 230-a may determine the user's respiratory rate over time. For example, the processing module 230-a may determine the respiratory rate based on frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, or baseline modulation of the user's IBI values ​​over a certain period of time. The respiratory rate may be calculated in breaths per minute or as another respiratory rate (e.g., breaths per 30 seconds). The processing module 230-a may store the user's respiratory rate values ​​over time in the memory 215.

[0061] The ring 104 may include one or more motion sensors 245, such as one or more accelerometers (e.g., 6-D accelerometers) and / or one or more gyroscopes (gyros). The motion sensors 245 may generate motion signals indicative of motion of the sensors. For example, the ring 104 may include one or more accelerometers that generate acceleration signals indicative of acceleration of the accelerometers. As another example, the ring 104 may include one or more gyro sensors that generate gyro signals indicative of angular motion (e.g., angular velocity) and / or changes in orientation. The motion sensors 245 may be included in one or more sensor packages. An exemplary acceleration / gyro sensor is a Bosch BMI160 inertial micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor, which can measure angular velocities and accelerations in three perpendicular axes.

[0062] The processing module 230-a may sample the motion signals at a sampling rate (e.g., 50 Hz) and determine the motion of the ring 104 based on the sampled motion signals. For example, the processing module 230-a may sample acceleration signals to determine the acceleration of the ring 104. As another example, the processing module 230-a may sample a gyro signal to determine angular motion. In some implementations, the processing module 230-a may store motion data in the memory 215. Motion data may include sampled motion data as well as motion data calculated based on the sampled motion signals (e.g., acceleration and angle values).

[0063] Ring 104 can store a variety of data described herein. For example, ring 104 can store temperature data, such as raw sampled temperature data and calculated temperature data (e.g., average temperatures). As another example, ring 104 can store PPG signal data, such as pulse waveforms and data calculated based on the pulse waveforms (e.g., heart rate values, IBI values, HRV values, and respiratory rate values). Ring 104 can also store motion data, such as sampled motion data indicating linear and angular movement.

[0064] The ring 104 or other computing device may calculate and store additional values ​​based on the sampled / calculated physiological data. For example, the processing module 230 may calculate and store various metrics, such as sleep metrics (e.g., a sleep score), activity metrics, and readiness metrics. In some implementations, additional values / metrics may be referred to as "derived values." The ring 104 or other computing / wearable device may calculate a variety of values / metrics related to movement. Example derived values ​​for movement data may include, but are not limited to, movement amount counts, regularity values, intensity values, task metabolic equivalents (METs), and orientation values. Movement amounts, regularity values, intensity values, and METs may indicate a measure of the user's movement (e.g., speed / acceleration) over time.Orientation values ​​may indicate how the ring 104 is oriented on the user's finger and whether the ring 104 is worn on the left or right hand.

[0065] In some implementations, movement amounts and regularity values ​​can be determined by counting a number of acceleration spikes within one or more time periods (e.g., one or more 30-second to 1-minute periods). Intensity values ​​can indicate a number of movements and the associated intensity (e.g., acceleration values) of the movements. The intensity values ​​can be categorized as low, moderate, and high depending on the associated threshold acceleration values. METs can be determined based on the intensity of the movements during a time period (e.g., 30 seconds), the regularity / irregularity of the movements, and the number of movements associated with the different intensities.

[0066] In some implementations, processing module 230-a may compress the data stored in memory 215. For example, processing module 230-a may delete sampled data after performing calculations based on the sampled data. As another example, processing module 230-a may average data over longer periods of time to reduce the number of stored values. In a specific example, if average temperatures for a user over one minute are stored in memory 215, processing module 230-a may calculate average temperatures over a five-minute period for storage and then delete the one-minute average temperature data. Processing module 230-a may compress data based on a variety of factors, such as:the total amount of used / available memory 215 and / or an elapsed time since the ring 104 last transmitted the data to the user device 106.

[0067] Although a user's physiological parameters may be measured by sensors attached to a ring 104, other devices may also measure a user's physiological parameters. For example, although a user's temperature may be measured by a temperature sensor 240 included in a ring 104, other devices may also measure a user's temperature. In some examples, other wearable devices (e.g., wrist devices) may include sensors that measure physiological parameters of the user. Additionally, medical devices, such as external medical devices (e.g., wearable medical devices) and / or implantable medical devices, may measure a user's physiological parameters. One or more sensors on any type of computing device may be used to implement the techniques described herein.

[0068] The physiological measurements may be taken continuously during the day and / or night. In some implementations, the physiological measurements may be taken during parts of the day and / or parts of the night. In some implementations, the physiological measurements may be taken in response to determining that the user is in a particular state, such as an active state, a resting state, and / or a sleeping state. For example, the ring 104 may take physiological measurements in a resting / sleeping state to capture cleaner physiological signals. In one example, the ring 104 or other device / system may detect when a user is resting and / or sleeping and capture physiological parameters (e.g., temperature) for that detected state.The devices / systems may use the resting / sleep physiological data and / or other data when the user is in other states to implement the techniques of the present disclosure.

[0069] In some implementations, the ring 104, as previously described herein, may be configured to collect, store, and / or process data and transmit any of the data described herein to the user device 106 for storage and / or processing. In some aspects, the user device 106 includes a wearable application 250, an operating system (OS), a web browser application (e.g., web browser 280), one or more additional applications, and a GUI 275. The user device 106 may further include other modules and components, including sensors, audio devices, haptic feedback devices, and the like. The wearable application 250 may be an example of an application (e.g., "app") that may be installed on the user device 106. The wearable application 250 may be configured to collect data from the ring 104, store the collected data, and process the collected data as described herein.For example, the portable application 250 may include a user interface (UI) module 255, a capture module 260, a processing module 230-b, a communication module 220-b, and a storage module (e.g., database 265) configured to store application data.

[0070] In some cases, portable device 104 and user device 106 may be included in (or constitute) the same device. For example, in some cases, portable device 104 may be configured to execute portable application 250 and may be configured to display data via GUI 275.

[0071] The various data processing operations described herein may be performed by ring 104, user device 106, servers 110, or any combination thereof. For example, in some cases, data collected by ring 104 may be preprocessed and transmitted to user device 106. In this example, user device 106 may perform some data processing operations on the received data, transmit the data to servers 110 for data processing, or both. For example, in some cases, user device 106 may perform processing operations that require relatively low computing power and / or operations that require relatively low latency, while user device 106 may transmit the data to servers 110 for processing operations that require relatively high computing power and / or operations that may allow relatively higher latency.

[0072] In some aspects, the ring 104, the user device 106, and the server 110 of the system 200 can be configured to evaluate sleep patterns for a user. In particular, the respective components of the system 200 can be used to collect data from a user via the ring 104 and generate one or more scores (e.g., sleep score, readiness score) for the user based on the collected data. For example, as previously mentioned herein, the ring 104 of the system 200 can be worn by a user to collect data from the user, including temperature, heart rate, HRV, and the like. Data collected by the ring 104 can be used to determine when the user is sleeping in order to evaluate the user's sleep for a particular "sleep day."In some aspects, scores may be calculated for the user for each respective sleep day, such that a first sleep day is associated with a first set of scores and a second sleep day is associated with a second set of scores. Scores may be calculated for each respective sleep day based on data collected by ring 104 during the respective sleep day. Scores may include, but are not limited to, sleep scores, readiness scores, and the like.

[0073] In some cases, "sleep days" may coincide with traditional calendar days, so that a given sleep day lasts from midnight to midnight of that calendar day. In other cases, sleep days may be offset relative to calendar days. For example, sleep days may last from 6:00 PM (6:00 p.m.) one calendar day to 6:00 PM (6:00 p.m.) the following calendar day. In this example, 6:00 PM may serve as a "cutoff date" where data collected from the user before 6:00 PM is counted for the current sleep day, and data collected from the user after 6:00 PM is counted for the following sleep day. Due to the fact that most people sleep the most at night, offsetting sleep days relative to calendar days may allow the system 200 to evaluate sleep patterns for users in a way that aligns with their sleep schedules.In some cases, users can selectively adjust the timing of sleep days relative to calendar days (e.g., via the GUI) so that the sleep days correspond to the amount of time that the respective users typically sleep.

[0074] In some implementations, each overall score for a user for each respective day (e.g., sleep score, readiness score) may be determined / calculated based on one or more "contributors," "factors," or "contributing factors." For example, a user's overall sleep score may be calculated based on a number of contributors, including: total sleep, efficiency, restfulness, REM sleep, deep sleep, latency, timing, or any combination thereof. The sleep score may include any number of contributors. The "total sleep" contributor may refer to the sum of all sleep periods of the sleep day. The "efficiency" contributor may reflect the percentage of time spent in bed asleep compared to time awake and may be calculated using the efficiency average of long sleep periods (e.g.,primary sleep period) of the sleep day, weighted by the duration of each sleep period. The "Restlessness" contributor can indicate how restful the user's sleep is and can be calculated using the average of all sleep periods of the sleep day, weighted by the duration of each period. The "Restlessness" contributor can be based on a "Wake-up Count" (e.g., sum of all wake-ups (when the user wakes up) detected during different sleep periods), excessive movement, and a "Get-up Count" (e.g., sum of all get-up events (when the user gets out of bed) detected during different sleep periods).

[0075] The "REM sleep" contributor may refer to the total sum of REM sleep durations across all sleep periods of the sleep day, including REM sleep. Similarly, the "deep sleep" contributor may refer to the total sum of deep sleep durations across all sleep periods of the sleep day, including deep sleep. The "latency" contributor may indicate how long (e.g., average, median, longest) it takes the user to fall asleep and may be calculated using the average of long sleep periods throughout the sleep day, weighted by the duration of each period and the number of such periods (e.g., the consolidation of a particular sleep stage or stages may be its own contributor or may weight other contributors).Finally, the contributor “timing” may refer to the relative timing of sleep periods within the sleep day and / or calendar day and may be calculated using the average of all sleep periods of the sleep day, weighted by the duration of each period.

[0076] As another example, a user's overall readiness score may be calculated based on a number of contributors, including: sleep, sleep balance, heart rate, HRV balance, recovery index, temperature, activity, activity balance, or any combination thereof. The readiness score may include any number of contributors. The "sleep" contributor may refer to the combined sleep score of all sleep periods within the sleep day. The "sleep balance" contributor may refer to a cumulative duration of all sleep periods within the sleep day. In particular, the sleep balance may indicate to a user whether the sleep the user has received over a specific period of time (e.g., the past two weeks) is in balance with the user's needs.Typically, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night to stay healthy, alert, and perform at their best both mentally and physically. However, it's normal to occasionally have a poor night's sleep, so the Sleep Balance contributor considers long-term sleep patterns to determine if each user's sleep needs are being met. The Resting Heart Rate contributor can display a lowest heart rate from the longest sleep period of the sleep day (e.g., primary sleep period) and / or the lowest heart rate from naps that occur after the primary sleep period.

[0077] Further referring to the "contributors" (e.g., factors, contributing factors) of the readiness assessment, the "HRV Balance" contributor can display a highest HRV average from the primary sleep period and the naps occurring after the primary sleep period. The "HRV Balance" contributor can help users track their recovery status by comparing their HRV trend over an initial period (e.g., two weeks) with an average HRV over a second, longer period (e.g., three months). The "Recovery Index" contributor can be calculated based on the longest sleep period. The Recovery Index measures how long it takes for a user's resting heart rate to stabilize during the night.A sign of very good recovery is that the user's resting heart rate stabilizes during the first half of the night, at least six hours before the user awakens, so that the body has time to recover for the next day. The "body temperature" contributor can be calculated based on the longest sleep period (e.g., primary sleep period) or based on a nap that occurs after the longest sleep period, if the user's highest temperature during the nap is at least 0.5°C higher than the highest temperature during the longest period. In some aspects, the ring can measure a user's body temperature while the user is sleeping, and the system 200 can display the user's average temperature relative to the user's baseline temperature. If a user's body temperature is outside their normal range (e.g.,significantly above or below 0.0), the contributor's body temperature may be highlighted (e.g., enter an "attention" state) or otherwise generate a warning for the user.

[0078] In some aspects, the system 200 may be fabricated using a method not claimed herein for forming one or more dome-shaped protrusions of a wearable device 104 (e.g., a wearable ring device 104) using a layer (e.g., a temporary layer) of a material having a relatively lower surface energy than a metal forming an inner housing 205-a of the wearable device 104, such as adhesive tape, glue, a plastic layer, or a wax layer. For example, the layer may be adhered to an outer surface of the inner housing 205-a of the wearable device 104 prior to dispensing the optically transparent material into the apertures.Accordingly, the optically transparent material can form the dome-shaped protrusions while in contact with the layer, which can allow the optically transparent material to form relatively taller dome-shaped protrusions compared to a dome-shaped protrusion formed on the metal material. The layer can be removed after dispensing (e.g., and curing) the optically transparent material.

[0079] Fig. 3 shows an example of a dome diagram 300 that supports techniques for fabricating a wearable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion. In some examples, the dome diagram 300 may implement or be implemented by one or more aspects of the system 100 and the system 200. For example, the dome diagram 300 may be implemented by a wearable device 104, which may be an example of a wearable device as described herein with respect to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 described.

[0080] In some examples, as in relation to Fig. 2, a wearable device 104 (e.g., a wearable ring device, a wrist-worn wearable device) may include an inner housing 305, a circuit board 315, and one or more sensors 320. In some examples, the one or more sensors 320 may include light-emitting components and light-receiving components that may be configured to collect data (e.g., physiological data) from a user of the wearable device 104. For example, a first sensor 320 may emit a signal (e.g., light, such as red or green light emitted by an LED) through an aperture of the inner housing 305 into the user's tissue, and a second sensor 320 may receive a signal and determine the physiological data based on the received signal.

[0081] In some examples, the wearable device 104 may include one or more dome-shaped protrusions 325 over one or more apertures of the inner housing 305. The one or more dome-shaped protrusions 325 may be made of an optically transparent (e.g., clear) material and may enable the wearable device 104 to collect relatively more accurate physiological data from the user.

[0082] In some examples, to form a dome-shaped protrusion 325, a manufacturing process may include dispensing the optically transparent material (e.g., an epoxy material, a UV-curable material, a thermosetting material, an adhesive material) through an aperture of the inner housing 305 onto a sensor 320 to form the dome-shaped protrusion 325 (e.g., a "drop" of the optically transparent material) above the aperture. In such examples, a shape (e.g., a height) of the dome-shaped protrusion 325 may depend on a volume of the dispersed optically transparent material, one or more properties of the optically transparent material, and a surface energy of a contact material (e.g., a material in contact with an edge of the dome-shaped protrusion 325, such as a metal material forming the inner housing 305). In some examples, a metal material (e.g.,Some metal materials (e.g., the metal material forming the inner housing 305) may have a relatively higher surface energy than some other materials (e.g., wax, adhesive, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate (PVA), acetal, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl fluoride film, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fluoropolymer, silicone, and the like). In some examples, the surface energies associated with some metal materials may vary. For example, a steel material may be associated with a relatively higher surface energy than a copper material.

[0083] As described herein, a dome-shaped protrusion 325-a formed in contact with the relatively higher surface energy material (e.g., metal) may be relatively shorter (e.g., with a lower height above the surface of the inner housing 305) than a dome-shaped protrusion 325-b formed in contact with the relatively lower surface energy material. For example, the relatively lower surface energy material may enable the formation of a teardrop shape that is relatively taller, rounder, more spherical, and the like than the relatively higher surface energy material. In some examples, a surface energy of a material beneath the dome-shaped protrusion 325 (e.g., the sensor 320, the circuit board 315) may not affect the shape (e.g., height) of the dome-shaped protrusion 325.

[0084] In some examples, physiological data collected by the wearable device 104 through a relatively shorter dome-shaped protrusion 325 (e.g., a dome-shaped protrusion 325-a with a relatively lower contact angle from a surface of the inner housing 305) may be relatively less accurate than physiological data collected by the wearable device 104 through a relatively taller dome-shaped protrusion 325 (e.g., a dome-shaped protrusion 325-b with a relatively higher contact angle from a surface of the inner housing 305). For example, a relatively taller dome-shaped protrusion 325 may have relatively better contact with the user's tissue than a relatively shorter dome-shaped protrusion 325, which may result in relatively higher quality physiological measurements.

[0085] Accordingly, techniques described herein may enable the manufacture of the portable device 104 using a layer 310 of a first material having a relatively lower surface energy than a second material of the inner housing 305 (e.g., the metal material). For example, the manufacturing process may include coupling (e.g., adhering, applying) the layer 310 to an outer surface of the inner housing 305. In some examples, the layer 310 may be applied such that an aperture formed by the layer 310 has the same width as or a smaller width than an aperture of the inner housing 305. For example, applying the layer 310 to the inner housing 305 may include performing an alignment process to align the layer 310 in a correct position (e.g., relative to a reference point, such asan edge of the aperture of the inner housing 305 or another reference point on the portable device 104).

[0086] In some examples, coupling layer 310 to inner casing 305 may include coupling a single layer over inner casing 305 (e.g., a layer 310 covering all or a portion of the outer surface of inner casing 305) or one or more portions of layer 310 of the first material (e.g., covering various portions of inner casing 310). In such examples, layer 310 may be comprised of one or more different materials (e.g., materials with a relatively lower surface energy than the second material of inner casing 305).

[0087] For example, coupling layer 310 may include coupling a first layer 310 of a first material to inner housing 305 around a first aperture and coupling a layer 310 of a second material to inner housing 305 around a second aperture. For example, first layer 310 may be a material with a lowest surface energy (e.g., a surface energy lower than the surface energy of the second material of inner housing 305), and second layer 310 may be a second material with an intermediate surface energy (e.g., a surface energy lower than the surface energy of the second material of inner housing 305 and higher than the lowest surface energy of the first layer material). Accordingly, a dome-shaped protrusion 325 formed over the first aperture may be relatively taller than a dome-shaped protrusion 325 formed over the second aperture.

[0088] The optically transparent material can be dispersed through the aperture of the inner housing 305 to form the dome-shaped protrusion 325-b above the aperture, such that an edge of the dome-shaped protrusion 325-b contacts the layer 310. Accordingly, the dome-shaped protrusion 325-b can have a relatively greater height above the surface of the inner housing 305 than a dome-shaped protrusion 325-a formed in contact with the second material of the inner housing 305 (e.g., and not with the first material of the layer 310). Such techniques can lead to relatively higher measurement quality, as well as relatively higher manufacturing quality and speed.

[0089] In some examples, the first material of layer 310 may be a wax material that is applied (e.g., coated) to the inner housing 305 prior to dispensing the optically transparent material. Additionally or alternatively, the layer may be a surface treatment that is applied to the inner housing 305 prior to dispensing the optically transparent material (e.g., by spraying the layer 310 onto the inner housing 305). Additionally or alternatively, the layer may be a thermoformed sheet of material, such as an adhesive tape material (or a material applied to an adhesive tape material), that is adhered to the inner housing 305 prior to dispensing the optically transparent material. Additionally or alternatively, the layer 310 may be an adhesive material that is adhered to the inner housing 305 prior to dispensing the optically transparent material. Additionally or alternatively, the layer 310 may be a metal material (e.g.,The second material of the inner housing 305 may be a copper material with a lower surface energy than the second material of the inner housing 305, which is coupled (e.g., bonded) to the inner housing 305. Additionally or alternatively, the layer 310 may be a dielectric material with a lower surface energy than the second material of the inner housing 305, which is coupled (e.g., bonded) to the inner housing 305.

[0090] In some examples, layer 310 may be temporary. For example, the manufacturing process may include removing layer 310 from inner housing 305 after dispensing and / or curing the optically transparent material. In such examples, the manufacturing process may include evaluating a quality of the surface of dome-shaped protrusion 325 after removing layer 310. Alternatively, the manufacturing process may not include removing layer 310 from inner housing 305. In such examples, layer 310 may be left on inner housing 305. Layer 310 may be removed by the user and / or may detach from inner housing 305 over time (e.g., due to natural wear and tear during use of the portable device).

[0091] In some examples, the manufacturing process may include controlling a height, shape, size, and the like of the dome-shaped protrusion 325. For example, the height, shape, size, and the like of the dome-shaped protrusion 325 may be controlled by selecting a material for the layer 310 with a specific surface energy and / or an optically transparent material with a specific surface tension or viscosity. In some examples, a shape of a dome-shaped protrusion 325 may be relatively more uniform or repeatable when formed on the layer 310 than on the metal material of the inner housing 305.

[0092] In some examples, the wearable device may be configured to perform physiological measurements via the dome-shaped protrusions 325 using one or more optoelectronic components disposed within the inner housing 305. For example, the one or more optoelectronic components may be configured to transmit and receive optical signals through the apertures of the inner housing 305. In some examples, the layer 310 may be a material associated with reflection, which is configured to affect one or more properties of the optical signals. For example, the material of layer 310 (e.g., a copper material, a dielectric material) may have a higher reflectance than the material of the inner housing 305, which may affect one or more properties of the one or more optical signals (e.g.,improved signal strength, wavelength, or color selectivity). For example, layer 310 may have one or more properties (e.g., a color or finish, such as a polish) such that layer 310 has a relatively higher reflectance than the material of inner housing 305.

[0093] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart illustrating a presently unclaimed method 400 that supports techniques for fabricating a portable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion. The operations of method 400 may be implemented by a portable device or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of method 400 may be implemented by a portable device as described with respect to Fig. 1 to 3. In some examples, a portable device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the portable device to perform the described functions. Additionally or alternatively, the portable device may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.

[0094] At 405, the method may include applying a first material to an inner casing of the portable device, wherein the first material is associated with a first surface energy, and wherein a second material of the inner casing is associated with a second surface energy higher than the first surface energy. The operations of 405 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein.

[0095] At 410, the method may include dispensing an optically transparent material through an aperture of the inner housing, wherein the optically transparent material is configured to form a protrusion at least partially over the aperture and at least partially in contact with the first material. The operations of 410 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein.

[0096] Fig. 5 shows a flowchart illustrating a presently unclaimed method 500 that supports techniques for fabricating a portable device using aperture layers for dome dispersion. The operations of the method 500 may be implemented by a portable device or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of the method 500 may be implemented by a portable device as described with respect to Fig.1 to 3. In some examples, a portable device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the portable device to perform the described functions. Additionally or alternatively, the portable device may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware.

[0097] At 505, the method may include applying a first material to an inner casing of the portable device, wherein the first material is associated with a first surface energy, and wherein a second material of the inner casing is associated with a second surface energy higher than the first surface energy. The operations of 505 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein.

[0098] At 510, the method may include dispensing an optically transparent material through an aperture of the inner housing, wherein the optically transparent material is configured to form a protrusion at least partially over the aperture and at least partially in contact with the first material. The operations of 510 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein.

[0099] At 515, the method may include removing the first material from the inner housing after forming the protrusion. The operations of 515 may be performed according to the examples disclosed herein.

[0100] It should be noted that the methods described above describe possible implementations, and that the operations and steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified, and other implementations are possible. Furthermore, aspects of two or more of the methods may be combined.

[0101] A presently unclaimed method for manufacturing a portable device by a device is described. The method may comprise applying a first material to an inner housing of the portable device, wherein the first material is associated with a first surface energy and wherein a second material of the inner housing is associated with a second surface energy higher than the first surface energy, and dispensing an optically transparent material through an aperture of the inner housing, wherein the optically transparent material is configured to form a protrusion at least partially over the aperture and to be at least partially in contact with the first material.

[0102] An apparatus for manufacturing a portable device is described. The apparatus may include one or more memories storing processor-executable code and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories.The one or more processors may be individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the device to apply a first material to an inner housing of the portable device, wherein the first material is associated with a first surface energy and wherein a second material of the inner housing is associated with a second surface energy higher than the first surface energy, and to dispense an optically transparent material through an aperture of the inner housing, wherein the optically transparent material is configured to form a protrusion at least partially over the aperture and to be at least partially in contact with the first material.

[0103] Another apparatus for manufacturing a portable device is described. The apparatus may comprise means for applying a first material to an inner casing of the portable device, the first material being associated with a first surface energy and a second material of the inner casing being associated with a second surface energy higher than the first surface energy, and means for dispensing an optically transparent material through an aperture of the inner casing, the optically transparent material being configured to form a protrusion at least partially over the aperture and at least partially in contact with the first material.

[0104] A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for fabricating a portable device is described. The code may include instructions executable by one or more processors to apply a first material to an inner housing of the portable device, wherein the first material is associated with a first surface energy and wherein a second material of the inner housing is associated with a second surface energy higher than the first surface energy, and to dispense an optically transparent material through an aperture of the inner housing, wherein the optically transparent material is configured to form a protrusion at least partially over the aperture and to be at least partially in contact with the first material.

[0105] Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for removing the first material from the inner housing after forming the protrusion.

[0106] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the first material comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene material, a polyethylene material, a wax material, an adhesive material, a copper material, a dielectric material, or any combination thereof.

[0107] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, applying the first material to the inner casing of the portable device may include operations, features, means, or instructions for adhering the first material to the inner casing of the portable device via an adhesive material.

[0108] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the optically transparent material comprises an epoxy material, a UV-curable material, a thermosetting material, or any combination thereof.

[0109] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the portable device may include operations, features, means, or instructions for a circuit board disposed within a cavity defined by the inner housing and an outer housing, one or more light-emitting components electrically coupled to the circuit board, the one or more light-emitting components configured to emit light through the optically transparent material into a user's tissue, one or more light-receiving components electrically coupled to the circuit board, the one or more light-receiving components configured to receive light transmitted from the one or more light-emitting components through the optically transparent material, one or more processors,configured to process data that may be based at least in part on the light received by the one or more light-receiving components, and a communication module communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, the communication module configured to transmit the data processed by the one or more processors.

[0110] In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the data includes physiological data collected from the user.

[0111] Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions wherein manufacturing the portable device does not include removing the first material.

[0112] Another device is described.The device may include an inner housing made of a second material having a second surface energy, the inner housing including one or more apertures, the one or more apertures configured to allow propagation of one or more optical signals through the inner housing, a first material applied to the inner housing, the first material associated with a first surface energy that is lower than the second surface energy, a protrusion above a first aperture of the inner housing, a height of the protrusion based at least in part on the first surface energy, and one or more sensors disposed within the inner housing, the one or more sensors configured to transmit or receive the one or more optical signals through the one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing.

[0113] In some examples of the device, one or more properties of the one or more optical signals may be based at least in part on a reflection of the first material.

[0114] In some examples of the device, the first material comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene material, a polyethylene material, a wax material, an adhesive material, a copper material, a dielectric material, or any combination thereof.

[0115] In some examples of the device, the first material may be adhered to the inner housing via an adhesive material.

[0116] In some examples of the device, the optically transparent material comprises an epoxy material, a UV-curable material, a thermosetting material, or any combination thereof.

[0117] The description presented herein, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes example configurations and does not represent all examples that may be implemented or that fall within the scope of the claims. As used herein, the term "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" rather than "preferred" or "advantageous over other examples." The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of understanding the described techniques. However, these techniques may be practiced without these specific details. In some cases, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form so as not to obscure the concepts of the described examples.

[0118] In the accompanying figures, similar components or features may have the same reference numeral. Furthermore, different components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference numeral with a hyphen and a second designation that distinguishes between the similar components. Where only the first reference numeral is used in the description, the description applies to each of the similar components with the same first reference numeral, regardless of the second designation.

[0119] Information and signals described herein may be represented using a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips referred to in the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[0120] The various illustrative blocks and modules described herein in connection with the disclosure may be implemented or executed using a general-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration).

[0121] The functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Other examples and implementations are within the scope of the disclosure and the appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software, functions described above may be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or combinations thereof. Features that implement functions may also be physically located in different locations, including being distributed such that portions of functions are implemented in different physical locations.Also, as used herein, including in the claims, "or," as used in a list of items (for example, a list of items preceded by a phrase such as "at least one of" or "one or more of") indicates an inclusive list, such as, for example, a list of at least one of A, B, or CA, or B, or C, or AB, or AC, or BC, or ABC (i.e., A, B, and C). Also, as used herein, the phrase "based on" is not to be construed as indicating a closed set of conditions. For example, an exemplary step described as "based on Condition A" may be based on both Condition A and Condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase "based on" is to be construed in the same manner as the phrase "based at least in part on."

[0122] Computer-readable media includes both non-transitory computer storage media and communications media, including any media that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one location to another. A non-transitory storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer. By way of example and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), compact disc (CD) ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that can be used to transport or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or processor.Also, any connection is properly referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source over a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include CD, laserdisc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and Blu-ray Disc, where disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0123] The description provided herein is intended to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications of the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is intended to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

[1] Device comprising: an inner casing made of a second material having a second surface energy, wherein the inner housing comprises one or more apertures, wherein the one or more apertures are configured to allow the propagation of one or more optical signals through the inner housing; a first material applied to the inner casing, wherein the first material is associated with a first surface energy that is lower than the second surface energy; a projection over a first aperture of the inner housing, wherein a height of the projection is based at least in part on the first surface energy; and one or more sensors arranged in the inner housing, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to transmit or receive the one or more optical signals through the one or more apertures in the second segment of the inner housing. [2] The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more properties of the one or more optical signals are based at least in part on a reflection of the first material. [3] The device of claim 1, wherein the first material comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene material, a polyethylene material, a wax material, an adhesive material, a copper material, a dielectric material, or any combination thereof. [4] The device of claim 1, wherein the first material is adhered to the inner housing via an adhesive material. [5] The device of claim 1, wherein the optically transparent material comprises an epoxy material, a UV-curable material, a thermosetting material, or any combination thereof.

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