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 . An electronic watch comprising:
 a touch-sensitive display;   a housing at least partially enclosing the touch-sensitive display;   a cover coupled to the housing and positioned over the touch-sensitive display;   a processor positioned in the housing;   a battery at least partially within the housing and configured to provide power to the processor;   a carrier formed from a transparent material and positioned at a rear of the housing;   a light emitter positioned below the carrier and configured to emit light through the carrier and toward a body;   a light receiver positioned below the carrier and configured to receive light reflected from the body;   a first electrode positioned on the carrier and configured to contact the body, the first electrode operably coupled to the processor; and   a second electrode positioned on the housing and operably coupled to the processor.   
     
     
         22 . The electronic watch of  claim 21 , wherein: the first electrode defines at least a portion of an arc-shaped conductive region at the rear of the electronic watch. 
     
     
         23 . The electronic watch of  claim 21 , wherein the electronic watch is configured to:
 determine a first biological parameter of a user using a first signal received from the light receiver; and   determine a second biological parameter of the user using a second signal received from the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         24 . The electronic watch of  claim 21 , wherein the first electrode is configured to contact a wrist of a user and the second electrode is configured to contact a finger of the user. 
     
     
         25 . The electronic watch of  claim 21 , wherein the electronic watch is configured to determine an electrocardiogram of a user based at least in part on electrical measurements at the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         26 . The electronic watch of  claim 25 , wherein the electrocardiogram is a two-lead electrocardiogram in which the first electrode defines a first lead and the second electrode defines a second lead. 
     
     
         27 . The electronic watch of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the housing comprises:
 a first component defining a first portion of a rear exterior surface of the housing; and 
 a second component defining a first portion of a front exterior surface of the housing; 
   the carrier defines a second portion of the rear exterior surface of the housing; and   the cover defines a second portion of the front exterior surface of the housing.   
     
     
         28 . A wearable electronic device comprising:
 a housing;   a display positioned at least partially within the housing;   a circuit board positioned at least partially within the housing;   a processor operably coupled to the circuit board;   a battery positioned at least partially within the housing and configured to provide power to the processor;   a transparent cover positioned over the display and defining a first portion of a front exterior surface of the wearable electronic device;   a first electrode defined along a second portion of the front exterior surface of the wearable electronic device, operably coupled to the processor, and configured to detect a first voltage;   a transparent carrier defining a first portion of a rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device;   a second electrode on the transparent carrier, defining a second portion of the rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device, 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; and   an optical sensor system comprising:
 a light emitter configured to emit light through the central region of the transparent carrier; and 
 a light receiver configured to receive a reflected portion of the emitted light through the central region of the transparent carrier, wherein the processor is configured to: 
 determine an electrocardiogram using the first voltage and the second 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. 
   
     
     
         29 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the light receiver is a first light receiver of an array of light receivers; and   the array of light receivers is arranged in a radially symmetric array about the light emitter.   
     
     
         30 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 28 , wherein the transparent carrier has a circular outer profile. 
     
     
         31 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 28 , wherein: 
 the housing comprises:
 a first housing member defining a third portion of the rear exterior surface of the wearable electronic device; and 
 a second housing member coupled to the first housing member and defining a third portion of the front exterior surface of the wearable electronic device. 
   
     
     
         32 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 31 , wherein the second housing member is formed from a metal material. 
     
     
         33 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the second housing member defines an opening; and   the transparent carrier is positioned at least partially in the opening.   
     
     
         34 . The wearable electronic device of  claim 28 , wherein the transparent carrier has a circular outer profile. 
     
     
         35 . A watch comprising:
 a housing;   a touch-sensitive display at least partially within the housing;   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 transparent carrier positioned at a rear of the watch;   an opaque mask positioned on the transparent carrier and defining a first window and a second window;   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 transparent carrier and configured to contact the wrist of the user, the first electrode coupled to the processor; and   a second electrode positioned at a front of the watch and configured to contact a finger of the user, the second electrode coupled to the processor.   
     
     
         36 . The watch of  claim 35 , wherein the watch is configured to:
 determine a first biological parameter of the user using a first signal received from the light receiver; and   determine a second biological parameter of the user using a second signal received from the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         37 . The watch of  claim 35 , wherein the watch is configured to determine an electrocardiogram of the user based at least in part on electrical measurements at the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         38 . The watch of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the light emitter is positioned below a central region of the transparent carrier; and   the first electrode extends at least partially around the central region of the transparent carrier.   
     
     
         39 . The watch of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the light emitter is a first light emitter of a set of light emitters;   the light receiver is a first light receiver of an array of light receivers, the array of light receivers arranged in a radial array about the set of light emitters.   
     
     
         40 . The watch of  claim 35 , wherein the first electrode is formed from a metal material.