Wearable Camera Assembly Layout for Wrist Mobility and Display Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable electronic devices, such as smart watches, face challenges in integrating cameras without compromising user mobility due to space constraints from displays and other components, leading to interference with user activities and suboptimal camera quality.
Innovation Solution
A digital camera assembly is integrated within a housing of the wearable device, positioned in a protrusion that extends over a band slot, minimizing interference with other components and allowing for a clear viewing angle, with specifications including 720p to 4K video resolution and 0.9 MP to 12 MP image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a camera is integrated into a wearable electronic device, then image capture capability is improved, but the device interferes with user's range of motion during activity
Solution Approach 1:
The camera assembly is positioned in a protrusion that extends from the housing in a direction substantially perpendicular to the display surface. This spatial repositioning moves the camera from the flat device plane into a third dimension, allowing it to capture images without requiring the main device body to interfere with the user's wrist movement or range of motion during physical activities.
2Area of stationary object
If a large display is included in a wearable device, then graphical information display is improved, but space for other components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion structure creates additional spatial volume by extending perpendicular to the display plane. This allows the camera assembly to occupy space that would otherwise be unavailable in the flat device architecture, enabling camera integration without reducing the display area or compromising the device's form factor.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a camera assembly is integrated into the housing, then image capture function is added, but the device form factor is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The camera assembly is separated from the main housing body by being positioned in an extendable protrusion. This segmentation allows the camera to be integrated into the device while maintaining a clear distinction between the wearable body and the optical component, preserving the sleek form factor of the main device while adding camera functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the display, creating a three-dimensional configuration that accommodates the camera assembly without expanding the device's footprint in the plane of the display. This maintains the device's thin profile and ergonomic form factor while enabling camera integration.
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
The solution enables high-quality image and video capture while maintaining a compact form factor, enhancing user mobility and performance during activities like sports or gestures, with accurate motion sensing through visual inertial odometry.
Implementation Method 1
A digital camera assembly may be positioned within a portion of the housing such that the digital camera assembly can be directed toward an object
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a wearable electronic device (200) comprising: a display (210); a housing (202) at least partially enclosing the display (210) and comprising a metal enclosure component, the metal enclosure component defining: a front surface surrounding the display (210) and defining a camera opening; a back surface opposite to the front surface; a first side surface extending from the front surface to the back surface and defining a first band slot (214), the first band slot positioned below the camera opening and configured to receive a first portion of a band (204); a second side surface extending from the front surface to the back surface, separated from the first side surface by the display (210), and defining a second band slot (214) configured to receive a second portion of the band (204); and a digital camera assembly (224) positioned inward of the camera opening.