Wearable Electronic Device with Electrodes for Sensing Biological Parameters

Abstract

An electronic device, such as a watch, has a housing to which a carrier is attached. The carrier has a first surface interior to the electronic device, and a second surface exterior to the electronic device. A set of electrodes is deposited on the exterior surface of the carrier. An additional electrode is operable to be contacted by a finger of a user of the electronic device while the first electrode is positioned against skin of the user. The additional electrode may be positioned on a user-rotatable crown of the electronic device, on a button of the electronic device, or on another surface of the housing of the electronic device. A processor of the electronic device is operable to determine a biological parameter of the user based on voltages at the electrodes. The biological parameter may be an electrocardiogram.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A watch comprising:
 a housing defining a first portion of a front exterior surface of the watch and at least partially defining an interior volume of the watch;   a circuit board positioned within the interior volume of the watch;   a processor coupled to the circuit board;   a battery positioned within the interior volume of the watch and configured to provide power to the processor;   a first electrode defined along a surface of the housing, operably coupled to the processor and configured to detect a first voltage;   a transparent cover coupled to the housing and defining a second portion of the front exterior surface of the watch;   a touch-sensitive display positioned below the transparent cover;   a transparent carrier defining at least a portion of a rear exterior surface of the watch:   a second electrode positioned on the transparent carrier, operably coupled to the processor and configured to detect a second voltage, the second electrode at least partially surrounding a central region of the transparent carrier;   a third electrode positioned on the transparent carrier, operably coupled to the processor and configured to detect a third voltage, the third electrode at least partially surrounding the central region of the transparent carrier;   an optical sensor system comprising:
 a light emitter configured to emit light through the transparent carrier; 
 a light receiver configured to receive, through the transparent carrier, a reflected portion of the emitted light; and 
   the processor configured to:
 determine an electrocardiogram using the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage; and 
 determine at least one of a heart rate or a blood oxygenation level based at least in part on information from the light receiver. 
   
     
     
         22 . The watch of  claim 21 , wherein the light emitter and the light receiver are positioned in the central region of the transparent carrier. 
     
     
         23 . The watch of  claim 22 , further comprising a light blocking wall positioned between the light emitter and the light receiver. 
     
     
         24 . The watch of  claim 22 , wherein the light receiver is a first light receiver of an array of light receivers, the array of light receivers arranged in a radially symmetric array about the light emitter 
     
     
         25 . The watch of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the transparent carrier defines a hole extending from an exterior side of the transparent carrier to an interior side of the transparent carrier; and   the second electrode is conductively coupled to the processor via a conductive material extending through the hole.   
     
     
         26 . The watch of  claim 21 , wherein the transparent carrier has a circular outer profile. 
     
     
         27 . The watch of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the transparent carrier defines a first portion of the rear exterior surface of the watch; and   the housing comprises:
 a first housing member; and 
 a second housing member coupled to the first housing member and defining a second portion of the rear exterior surface of the watch. 
   
     
     
         28 . The watch of  claim 27 , wherein the second housing member has a substantially rectangular outer profile. 
     
     
         29 . The watch of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the second housing member defines an opening; and   the transparent carrier is positioned at least partially in the opening.   
     
     
         30 . The watch of  claim 29 , wherein the transparent carrier has a circular outer profile. 
     
     
         31 . An electronic watch comprising:
 a housing;   a touch-sensitive display;   a circuit board at least partially within the housing;   a processor coupled to the circuit board;   a battery at least partially within the housing and configured to provide power to the processor;   a cover coupled to the housing and positioned over the touch-sensitive display;   a carrier comprising a transparent material and defining:
 at least a portion of a rear side of the electronic watch; 
 a first hole extending through the carrier; and 
 a second hole extending through the carrier; 
   an opaque mask positioned on the carrier and defining a first window in a central region of the carrier and a second window in the central region of the carrier;   a light emitter configured to emit light through the first window towards a wrist of a user;   a light receiver configured to receive, through the second window, light reflected by the wrist of the user;   a first electrode positioned on the carrier and configured to contact the wrist of the user, the first electrode coupled to the processor via a first conductive element positioned at least partially in the first hole; and   a second electrode positioned on the carrier and configured to contact the wrist of the user, the second electrode coupled to the processor via a second conductive element positioned at least partially in the second hole.   
     
     
         32 . The electronic watch of  claim 31 , wherein the electronic watch is configured to:
 determine a first biological parameter of the user using information received from the light receiver; and   determine a second biological parameter of the user using information received from the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         33 . The electronic watch of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the housing defines at least a portion of a front exterior surface of the electronic watch; and   the electronic watch further comprises a third electrode coupled to the housing and configured to contact a finger of the user.   
     
     
         34 . The electronic watch of  claim 33 , wherein the electronic watch is configured to determine an electrocardiogram of the user based at least in part on electrical measurements at the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode. 
     
     
         35 . The electronic watch of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the first electrode is a first arc-shaped electrode extending at least partially around the central region of the carrier; and   the second electrode is a second arc-shaped electrode extending at least partially around the central region of the carrier.   
     
     
         36 . A wearable electronic device comprising:
 a housing;   a cover coupled to the housing and defining at least a portion of a front surface of the wearable electronic device;   a crown positioned along a side of the housing and configured to receive rotational inputs and translational inputs;   a touch-sensitive display below the cover and responsive to touch inputs applied to the cover, the rotational inputs, and the translational inputs;   a carrier comprising a transparent material and coupled to the housing and defining at least a portion of a rear surface of the wearable electronic device;   a light emitter below the carrier and configured to emit light;   an array of light receivers below the carrier and configured to receive light reflected by a region of skin of a user;   a first electrode positioned on the carrier and extending at least partially around the array of light receivers;   a second electrode positioned on the carrier and extending at least partially around the array of light receivers; and   a third electrode positioned on the crown, wherein the wearable electronic device is configured to:
 determine a first biological parameter of the user based at least in part on information from the array of light receivers; and 
 determine a second biological parameter of the user based at least in part on information from the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode. 
   
     
     
         37 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 36 , wherein the carrier has a circular outer profile. 
     
     
         38 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the housing defines an opening along the rear surface of the wearable electronic device; and   the carrier is positioned at least partially in the opening.   
     
     
         39 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 38 , wherein:
 the housing defines a ledge; and   the carrier is adhered to the ledge.   
     
     
         40 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 38 , wherein:
 the carrier defines a first portion of the rear surface of the wearable electronic device; and   the housing defines a second portion of the rear surface of the wearable electronic device.   
     
     
         41 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 40 , wherein:
 the housing comprises:
 a first housing member; and 
 a second housing member defining at least a portion of a side surface of the wearable electronic device. 
   
     
     
         42 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the wearable electronic device further comprises a mask positioned on the carrier and defining a first window and a second window;   the light emitter is configured to emit the light through the first window defined by the mask; and   a light receiver of the array of light receivers is configured to receive a portion of the reflected light through the second window defined by the mask.   
     
     
         43 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 36 , wherein the array of light receivers is arranged in a radially symmetric arrangement around the light emitter. 
     
     
         44 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 36 , wherein the first electrode is conductively coupled to a conductive contact positioned along an interior side of the carrier. 
     
     
         45 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 44 , wherein:
 the carrier defines a hole extending from an exterior side of the carrier to an interior side of the carrier; and   the first electrode is conductively coupled to the conductive contact via a conductive element positioned in the hole.