Apple could have plans to expand the functionality of the Apple Watch’s ‘Digital Crown,’ according to a recent patent.
According to the filing, along with physically turning, the Digital Crown could soon feature sensors capable of detecting light and touch. In the patent, Apple describes the technology as including “a light-directing feature configured to direct, onto the image-sensing element, an image of an object in contact with the imaging surface.”
The filing says, “In order to detect motion using the image (e.g., the stored image), the image sensor may analyze multiple frames to determine, for example, a speed and direction of one or more features in the image.”
According to this patent, more sensors could be coming to the Apple Watch.
“The features that are analyzed may include features of a user’s skin (e.g., fingerprints, hair follicles), or any other optically detectable feature, texture, surface irregularity, image, or the like, of any object. In this way, the device may be responsive to skin (e.g., the skin of a user’s finger or hand), a stylus, a gloved finger…”
Regarding the light sensor, the patent says, “The crown may include a light-transmissive member defining an angled surface configured to direct light from the imaging surface to the image-sensing element,” it says.
So what does this all mean? It’s still unclear, but these additional sensors could make the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown more accurate when measuring your heart rate. They could also be related to allowing users to swipe through menus or lightly tap the Digital Crown to activate specific features. It’s possible the technology could make its way to the Apple Watch Series 10, which is expected to be a notable refresh of the wearable, or the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
It’s important to keep in mind that patent applications often don’t come to fruition, so we may never see these additional sensors come to future versions of the Apple Watch.
Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Via: AppleInsider
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