Optical Crown Sensing for Glove-Independent Watch Inputs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input mechanisms for wearable electronic devices, such as capacitive sensors, are often ineffective when users wear gloves or have dry/wet skin, limiting their functionality under various conditions.
Innovation Solution
An optical sensing system in the crown of a wearable device that uses a light-transmissive member and light-directing features to capture images of user interactions, allowing for gesture detection through image analysis, independent of skin conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If capacitive sensors are used for input detection, then the device can detect touch inputs, but the detection becomes ineffective when users wear gloves or have dry/wet skin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces capacitive sensing (electrical field-based) with optical sensing using an image sensor. The image sensor captures images of the user's finger or hand interacting with the crown, and gesture recognition software analyzes these images to detect inputs. This optical approach works reliably regardless of skin conductivity, glove wear, or moisture conditions, thereby resolving the contradiction between detection reliability and adaptability to various operational conditions.
2Reliability
If an image sensor is integrated into the crown, then gesture detection becomes independent of skin conductivity, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the image sensor, light-transmissive member, and processing circuitry into an integrated crown assembly. The image sensor is positioned within the crown housing, with a light-transmissive member allowing optical access to the sensor through the crown's imaging surface. This integration consolidates multiple components into a single functional unit, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable gesture detection independence from skin conductivity conditions.
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 reliable detection of user inputs under diverse conditions, including glove use, by analyzing skin texture and motion, enhancing user interaction reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a light-transmissive shaft configured to receive light from the light-directing feature
Implementation Method 2
The angled surface may have an angle configured to produce total internal reflection of the light
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic watch includes a housing defining a side surface of the electronic watch, a transparent cover coupled to the housing and defining a front surface of the electronic watch, an image-sensing element, and a crown extending from the side of the housing and defining an imaging surface. The crown may include a light-directing feature configured to direct, onto the image-sensing element, an image of an object in contact with the imaging surface.