Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • US - 10175653 - B1 - Glow Light Band

    Uploaded by

    Bender Bending Rodríguez
    9 views16 pages
    US_10175653_B1

    Original Title

    US_10175653_B1- glow light band

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    US_10175653_B1

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    9 views16 pages

    US - 10175653 - B1 - Glow Light Band

    Uploaded by

    Bender Bending Rodríguez
    US_10175653_B1

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 16
    1 USO10175653B) ay United States Patent (10) Patent No: US 10,175,653 B1 Bloom et al (45) Date of Patent: Jan. 8, 2019 (4) WATCH GLOW LIGHT BAND 66) References Cited (71) Anplicnt: App Ine, Coperin, CA (US) US. PATENT DOCUMENTS (72) Inventors: David H. Bloom, San Francisco, CA biel ll ree —— 136173 (US); Mian He, Sunnyvale, CA (US, am so mee faa enn Son Francine, CA Mun 787006 R* 72016 Gobo cost het (9) Asian: APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US) 2o0NOIOHI AI* 62003 t300 cous Tre ato (#) Novi: Subject any disclaimer the term ofthis 20D400S65A1* 42006 Meas corpevot Patent extended or adsted tier 35 ssgeeguasio Al® 12008 was USC. 154(b) by 18 days, * coma eo (21) Appl. No.: 15/357,469 senses oo 7 + cited hy examinee (22) Filed: Nov. 21,2016 Related US. Application Data Primary Bsominer Daal W Owens sep Attn Esaniner — Pedro © Ferandsr (60), Provision aplication No, 6297.69, le on Se eons *.(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Morgan, Lewis & Bockits [LP (si) mec Gas 00 (2006.01) : ; ASIC 500 (2006.01) sas eee pr leeth (2006.01) Watch bands with multiple light tubes, each light having a “aac 1500 (2ao601, ae E Hight ber onda stone ight for proving 21 suo (2006.01) t ‘ig abe eign : ight to each Tight tbe, The lightening diode may ‘HOSB 3308 (2006.01) produce a wide color gamut for the light fiber to produce HOSB 37/02 (2006.01) t (58) us. cl. CPC. Goan 4sqv01s (2013.01): A4de 50083 (2013.01), AdSC 5724 2013.01), ASC 1/018 (2013.01); Go2B 6/001 (2013.01) GO2B 6/0006 (2013.01); GO4B 45700 (2013.01), OSB 33/0863 (2013.01), HOSB 33/0872 (2013.01); HOSB 370245 (2013.01) Field of Classification Search crc Goan 45100 See application file for complete Search history. Tight in each light tube. Each light-emitting diode may produce a differen color and light intensity different from the other light tubes in the wateh band, The light tubes doubles as the stricture for attaching a watch body 10. a tser’s wrist and asa carter of light to add variety and style to the wateh band, The watch hand may have a varity of diferent sttachment mechanisms for attaching and sscuring the watch body to the usee's wrist ne ims, 9 Drawing Sheets USS. Patent Jan. 8, 2019 Sheet 1 of 9 US 10,175,653 BI FIG. 1 U.S. Patent Jan. 8, 2019 Sheet 2 of 9 US 10,175,653 BI FIG.2 U.S. Patent Jan. 8, 2019 Sheet 3 of 9 US 10,175,653 BI FIG.3 US 10,175,653 B1 Sheet 4 of 9 Jan. 8, 2019 U.S. Patent iso ‘a UYU JUV WUC \ oe FIG. 4 FIGS U.S. Patent Jan. 8, 2019 Sheet 6 of 9 US 10,175,653 BI FIG.7 U.S. Patent Jan. 8, 2019 Sheet 7 of 9 US 10,175,653 BI FIG. 8 US 10,175,653 B1 Sheet 8 of 9 Jan. 8, 2019 U.S. Patent 056 10S VV WVNMALX 076 MIAO je 2WALLLIWSNV UL 0f6 016 wOSSAIOUd ore vuaNvo 006 | a aounos ' MIMOd ' 1 LGNVa HOLVA USS. Patent Jan. 8, 2019 Sheet 9 of 9 US 10,175,653 BI ee, FIG. 10 US 10,175,653 BI 1 WATCH GLOW LIGHT BAND (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to US. Provisional Appi ‘ation No. 62/397,679, fled on Sep. 21, 2016, which is incomporates herein in is enirty by reference thereto FIELD “The doseribed embodiments relate generally to a wearable device. More particulary, the present embodiments relate to a watch band fora wristwatch or other wrst-mounted deviee (eg, smanwateh). BACKGROUND, Recent advances in smartwatches have led to improve- ments in watch bands for smartwatches. Users may desire * the ability to eustomize their watch bands to express varity and style SUMMARY The present disclosure describes watch bands with ml tiple light-tube assemblies. "The ligh-tube assemblies may inchude a fight tube, alight fiber within each light tube that fextends the length of the light tube, and st least one light-emitting diode (LED) for providing light in each light lube. The LED may produce a wide color gamut forthe light fiber to produce light. Fach LED may prodice light ehar- ‘seteristis dillerent Irom the other LEDs in the wateh band. Altematively, all LEDs may produce the same light char- fcteristcs, The light tubes may double as both the structure for attaching a watch body toa user's wrist and a carir of light to add variety and style to the watch band. Watch bands as deseribod may have a varity of different attachment mechanisms for attaching and securing the wateh body t0 the user's wrist ach light tube may have charseteristes dat may alfet how the light rom the TED and ight fiber poss thro the light tabe. Examples of light tube charateristies may be Tight mibe shape light tube thicknesses, Tight tube tansio~ ‘ceney, oF light tbe material. The material ofthe light be may provide different relmative indexes for bending. oF reffaetng light. Th light tubes Jor the wateh band! may be ‘uniform or each light tube may have characteristics different from the other light tubes in the watch band Some embodiments of the watch band may include a processor that contol the light characteristies produced by ‘each LED in the watch band. Light characteristics may’ include color, intensity, or duration of ight produced by ‘each LED in the watch band. These lighting characteristics may be generated by a predetermined color generator, user-controlled application, or by signals received by the processor from an extemal data source. ‘Thus, the light produced by the light-ube assomiblies may'be customizable by a user BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ‘The disclosure will be readily understond by the follaw- ing detailed description in conjunedion with the aevomps- rying drasvings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in whic: 2 FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a wearable device including a watch band. FIG. 2 shows a side view of a wearable device with light-emitting diodes located at each end of a wateh band FIG. 3 shows a side view of a wearable device with ‘utp light-emitting diodes located hroogh a wth band FIG. 4 shows a top view of a watch band of a wearable device witha helically coiled light fiber in an unextenddd sate, FIG, § shows a top view of a watch band of a wearable device with a helically coiled light fiber ina flly extended sate, TIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a wearable device including with a watch band and clasp. IG, 7 shows a deal view of watch band of FIG. 6 in an ‘opened postion, FIG. 8 shows a side view of wearable device with a watch band fastener TIG. 9 shows a dingram of eletrical components of a watch band. TIG, 10 shows a separate device capturing an image to selet a color ofthe watch band, DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments ilustmted in the accompanying drwwings. Ic Should be understood tht the following descriptions are aot ‘tended Fimit the embodiments 0 one prefered embost- ment. To the contrary, itis intended to cover alteatives, ‘aifcations, and equivalents as ean be incladed within the spirit and scope ofthe deseribed embodiments as defined by the appended claims, The following disclosure relates to watch hands with ‘multiple lighttube assemblies 10 provide light to a wateh band. The light-tube assemblies may give a glowing ambi- fence to the wateh band, The light-tube assemblies may be both (1) the structure for attaching a watch Body of a watch ‘oa user's wrist and (2) an emitter of colored light forthe watch hand toad variety and style to the wateh band. Bach light-tube assembly may include a Hight tube, light ber ‘within the light tbe that extends the entire length of the ight tube, and at least one lightemiting diode (LED) that provides light for the Fight fiber. The liht proce in cach Tight-tube assembly may be independent of the ight pro- duced in any ofthe other light-tube assemblies ofthe watch band. Wate bands as described may be secured to user's ‘wrist in a variety of diferent manners and by a variety of ferent attaching metus. “The light produced by the lightAube assemblies are Jmpacted by the light characteristics ofthe LEDs (ea. color, Tight intensity, duration, ete), the type of light flber sed in the lght-tube assemblies, and the physical characteristics of the Fight tube (et, light tube shape, Hit tube thicknesses, light tube transparency, or ight tbe materia) in the light tube assemblies. The light characteristics of the LEDs may be customizable by the user during use; however, the chie- acteristics of the light fiber and light tube ae dependent on the light fiber and light tube for exch light-tube assembly. In some embodiments, the wearable device may have a processor that controls the colors in eich lighl-tube assem bly. The processor may assign the colors foreach light-tube assembly based on & user controlled spplieation of on data received from another data source. Por instance, the user ‘may vse a separate device with image-capturing capabilities {0 capture an image of a desired eolor and send a signal to the processor to change the color ofthe lighttube assem. US 10,175,653 BI 3 bles based on the color in the captured image, Atematively, the color of the light-tube assemblies may be based on data from an exteral data souree (eg, data based on the user's hear rat, current weather, oF tock prices). For example, the processor may change light characteristics of the ighttube assemblies to preset cofors based on the dats ‘These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference othe figures. However, those skillod inthe art will readily appreciate thatthe detailed description given herein ‘with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. Also, any feature described with respect to an individual embodiment may be applied to the other deseribed embodiments to the extent it is aot inconsistent or otherwise conflicting with the features (of the other embodiments FIG. illustrates a wearable device 100 witha watch band 110 having multiple ighttube assemblies 104. Each light- tube assembly 104 may have a light tube 120, alight ber 130 and at least one light-emitting diode (LED) 140. Fach light tube 120 may extend from first end 122 to a second ‘end 124. Light fiber 130 (e-2, fiber-optic filament) may ‘extend within light tube 120 from first end 122 to second end 4124, Alternatively, each light tube 120 may have multiple light fibers 130 that extend from fist end 122 to second nel 124 Light fiber 130 may be a solid-core sidealow light fiber, solid-coreeod-glow light fber, or any other suitable ‘optical fer. Light fiber 130 may be etched or have other surface treatment that affects te passage of Fight through its sides. For example ight fiber 130 may have a greater degree ‘of surface treatment as a distance from LED 140 increases, to promote even light tramsmission along light fber 130, Further, LEDs 140 may be positioned within each light ube 120 (eat fist end 122 o second end 124). LEDs 140 may be located within watch body connectors 180 of may be located outside of watch body connectors 150, a illustrate in FIG, 1. Altematively, LEDs 149 may be located within watch body 102. LEDs may be powered by a battery of ‘wearable device 100, LEDs 140 may be a RGB LEDs 0 produce a wide color gamut Light tubes 120 may extend into watch body connectors 150, Watch body connectors 150) may be components of Watch band 110 that attach watch baal 110 to wateh body 102 of wearable device 100, Each watch body connector 150 may also enable an electrical connection to be established between wate body 102 and watch band 110 to allow data ‘andlor power transfer between watch band 110 and watel, body 102. Alternatively, light tubes 120 may be connected dirzely to wateh body 102 rather than 10 wateh body ‘connectors 150. FIG. 1illistates two watch body comcc tors 180, wth a watch band connector 150.0n opposing ens ‘of watch body 102 to attach wateh band 110 10 wateh body 102, Bach LED 140 of watch hand 110 may produce the same ‘color so that watch band 110 has a uniform look. Altema- tively, each LED 140 foreach light tube 120 may prodice colors independent ofthe Tight produced in the ater light tubes 120 in watch band 110. This may enable watchs band 110 fo have multiple light tubes 120 each with a different ‘color to add variety to watch band 110°s appearance, Light tubes 120 may be translucent to allow the passage ‘of ht fom light fbr 130 to outside light tubes 120. FIG 1 illustrates light tubes 120 3 translucent merely to ilusrate light fibers 130 and LEDs 140 within light tubes 120. Por clarity, light tubes 120 are described a5 translucent in the specification but are otherwise not illustrated as translucent inthe figures » 4 Altematively, light tubes 120 may be opaque and light tubes 120 may define several openings 160 in opaque light tubes 120 to allow passage of light trom light fiber 130 0 outside opaque light tube 120, Openings 160 are shown in broken lines in FIG. 1. Openings 160 may be positioned in fan arrangement that produces certain shapes of patterns Alternatively, openings 160 may be positioned in an famangemeat that optimizes light passage through opaque Tight tube 120 or otherwise allows consistent light passage through the opaque light ube 120. In some embodiments, instead of being physical openings, the openings are trans lucent areas of otherwise-opague light robes 120, Openings 160 may tke any shape, for example ovals (as shown), lines, letters, glyphs, other symbols, et FIG. 1 illustrates watch band 110 with four fight wes 120, However, the present disclosure is not so Timited, and the number of light tubes 120 may be more or fewer than our Hight tubes 120, FIG. 1 also illustrates light tubes 120 With a circular cross section, however the ross section of Tight rubes 120 may altematively be oval, wiangular, trap- exvidal, ete, The size of each Tight ube 120 may aso be diferent than shown. For example, each light tube 120 may be the same siz, or akeratively, each light tube 120 may Ihave a different size from other ight tubes 120. ight tubes 120 may also have different thicknesses. Light bes 120, ‘may’be fabricated from a variety of different materials, such as, for example, elastomers (ex, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE)), plastis, rubber, or any other suitable material. The ‘materials may have different reactive indexes whieh may bend the light from light bers 130 at diferent angles. Light tubes 120 of watch band 110 may all be the same, thus uiving watch band 110 a uniform look Altematively, each Tight tube 120 of watch band 110 may be diferent bised on the above-described characteristics of ight tubes 120. In another embodiment, light tubes 120 may be encom- passed within an otter covering of watch band 110, For ‘example ight tubes 120 may be molded within material, such as, Tor example, elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), plastics, rubber, or any thor suitable material. By feacompassing light tubes 120 within the material, watch band 110 may have « more taditonal appearance. The material of watch band 110 may be translucent oF opaque, thus the passage of light through the material may vary. 1F the material is opaque, the material may define openings (eg. similar to openings 160) 0 allow the passage of light from LEDs 140 and light fibers 130 1 outside of the opaque ‘terial of wateh band 110. The openings may be positioned in a way that allows consistent light passage through the opaque material or otherwise optimizes Tight passage through the opaque material. The openings may also be ranged wo proce certain shapes or pattems, and may take ‘any shape, as deserbed above, FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate side views of exemplary embod iments of wearable device 100 and watch band 110 with ‘ultiple LEDs 140 within each light ube 120, In FIG. 2 LEDs 140 are located at opposing ends 122 and 124 ofeach light band 120, In FIG. 3 LEDs 140 are spaced throughout light tube 120: In both FIGS. 2 and 3, pairs of opposing LEDs are connected by and provide ight o light fibers 130 LEDs spoced apart from Wateh body 102 oF watch body connector 180 may be powered by wire taees within ight thos 120 that are connected a battery of wearable device 100 (ex, within watch body 102 0 Wateh body connector 150). Opposing LEDs 140 withia each light mbe 120 may increase the amount of Fight that travels through light her 130 and may provide a more even and consistent light output US 10,175,653 BI 5 ‘long light fiber 130. This can increase the amount and ‘evenness of light that passes outside of Tight tube 120, presenting a brighter, more consistent color for watch band M0, ‘Watch band 110 may attach w opposing sides of watch body 102 and watch band 110 may wrap around 2 user's West 1o secte Wearable device 100 10 the user's wrist, According to an embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8 light tubes 120 ‘hat allows the stretching of ight tubes 120, and allows light tubes 120 to revert back to their original shape ‘without permanent deformation, Accordingly, the user would be able 1o slip their wrist through stretched light tubes 120 of watch band 110 snd then have light tubes 120 revert hack to their “original shape. The original shape of light tubes 120 may ‘allow the circumference of wearable device 100 10 be substantially the same as the circumference of the user's ‘Weis, dhs enabling Wearable device 100 wo be secured to the user's wrist without any permanent deformation of light tubes 120. Light mbes maybe fabricated from 2 variety of 2 materials, such as, for example, elastomers, thermoplastic ‘elastomers (TPE), plastics, rubber, or any other suitable materia. As shown in FIG. 4, light bers 400 may be helically ‘coiled or otherwise non-straight when light tubes 120 ane not stretched. The user may apply a foree along a first direction AL, as illustrated by the arrow, to an extended position in FIG. §, strtching watch band 110 to extend thei and ‘rough it. When the fore is no longer app, flexible light tubes 120 revert back to ther original unextended shape as itlusteated in FIG. 4 (orto an intermediate position between FIGS. 4and 5 depending on the size of the user's wrist), The helical coil of ight fiber 400 enables light fiber 4001 extend and retract based on the stretching of it tbe 120, FIG. 5 iMuseates flexible lit tube 120 and helically coiled light fibers 400 in an extended or stctch position, The use of helically coiled fight fiber 400 helps maintain the integrity of Tight fiber 400 while the user stretches light tubes 120 o don and doff wearable device 100, FIG. 6ilostates an exemplary embodiment for ataching ‘8 Wearable device 600 to a user's wrist using a wateh band 610, Watch band 610 may havea ist band portion 612 and ‘8 second band portion 614, Watch band 610 ais) be similar to watch band 110, and may include multiple light tubes 620 ‘with light fiber 630 within exch light tube 620. A least one ED 640 may be located within each ight tube 620, FIG. 6 illustrates LEDs 640 located at opposing ends withia each light tube 620 of first band portion 612 and second band portion 614. Watch band 610 may include a hidden deploy- ‘ment clasp 650 that is out af view when watch band 610 is ‘attached 10 the user's wrist, Hidden deployment clasp 680 may’ enable light tUbes 620 of first band portion 612 and second band portion 614 to be aligned to each other when lasp 650 is secured. FIG. 7 illustrates a detailed view of hidden deployment

    You might also like