Force-Sensing Crown Structure for Rich Input in Small Wearables
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Small form factor devices, such as watches and wearable devices, often have limited input mechanisms, making it difficult to receive nuanced user input effectively.
Innovation Solution
An input mechanism, such as a crown or button, equipped with force sensors that detect changes in capacitance to determine the amount of force applied, allowing for various types of movement inputs like rotation, translation, and transverse movement, processed by a unit to interpret different inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If small form factor devices use limited input mechanisms, then device size is reduced, but input capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by detecting the magnitude of force applied to the input mechanism rather than just detecting presence/absence of input. The force sensor measures continuous force values, allowing the system to distinguish between light presses, medium presses, and hard presses. This transforms a simple binary input mechanism into one with multiple input states, effectively increasing input capability without adding more physical input components to the small device form factor.
2Adaptability or versatility
If force sensors are added to detect non-binary force amounts, then input versatility is improved, but device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The input mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions: it can detect rotational input, translational input, and the magnitude of applied force. By integrating the force sensor into the existing input mechanism structure, the same physical component handles multiple types of user interactions. This multi-functionality approach increases input versatility without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the force sensor leverages the existing mechanical structure rather than requiring entirely separate sensing systems for each input type.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the electronic device to receive a variety of inputs based on different force amounts and directions, enhancing user interaction without increasing the number of input mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
The collar includes a moveable conductor, a conductive element, and a separation defined between the moveable conductor and the conductive element. Movement of the input structure changes a capacitance between the moveable conductor and the conductive element.
Data Source
AI summary
An input mechanism, such as a crown, detects amounts of applied force. In various examples, an assembly including an input mechanism has an enclosure; a stem coupled to the enclosure such that the stem is rotatable, translatable, and transversely moveable with respect to the enclosure; a sensor, coupled between the stem and the housing, to which force is transferred when the stem moves with respect to the housing; and a processing unit coupled to the sensor. The processing unit is operable to determine a measurement of the force, based on a signal from the sensor.