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An Apple Watch patent reveals future dual temperature sensors that will provide users with weather forecasts & added benefits to Athletes

1 cover Next-Gen Temperature Sensing

 

Before their was a rumor about a temperature sensor coming to Apple Watch in January 2022, there was a patent about this development that we covered in a report posted late December 2021. Several other patents surfaced thereafter describing the use of temperature sensors expanding to future AirPods. With Apple Watch series 8, Apple introduced temperature-sensing capabilities though limited to ovulation estimates.

 

Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to expanding the use of temperature sensors for Apple Watch in the future covering detecting a temperature of an environment.

 

Apple's patent application relates to an electronic device which can utilize one or more temperature sensors disposed within the electronic device to estimate or predict a temperature of an environment surrounding the electronic device.

 

Each of the one or more temperature sensors can be disposed on or adjacent a component within the electronic device, and can be utilized to monitor an operating temperature of that component.

 

For example, a temperature sensor can be disposed on a main logic board or processor of the electronic device to monitor an operating temperature of the processor. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the temperature measurements taken by the temperature sensor to monitor the operating temperature of the component (e.g., a processor) can also be utilized to estimate the temperature of the external environment (i.e., external to the housing of the electronic device). In this way, a single measurement taken by a sensor can be utilized to determine a temperature proximate to the sensor as well as a temperature external to the electronic device.

 

In some examples, determining the temperature of the external environment can be beneficial to a wearer or user of the electronic device. For example, a swimmer can desire to know a water temperature in which the swimmer is exercising because the temperature of the water can significantly impact the number of calories the swimmer burns while exercising. The same is true for hiking, bicycling, and many other physical activities.

 

For Apple patent FIGS. 2A and 2B below they note that the second type of environment can be an aqueous environment wherein Apple Watch #400 is submerged within a liquid #404 (e.g., swimming in the ocean). One or more sensors of the electronic device can determine the type of environment surrounding the electronic device. While only the first and second environments are described herein, alternative and/or additional types of environments are also within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a sauna, steam room, shower, or other types of environments can also be determined or identified by Apple Watch.

 

3 Apple Watch temperature sensor used to gauge water temperature

 

Apple's patent FIG. 4 below shows a block diagram of a system capable of detecting a temperature of an environment; FIG. 5 shows a process flow diagram for detecting a temperature of an environment.

 

2 Apple Watch Temperature Sensors to expand feature

 

In some examples, Apple notes that Apple Watch (#800) could receive calibration data including a weather forecast for a geographic location at which the Apple Watch is located. The weather forecast can include current and future temperatures of the geographic location, humidity data, annual average temperatures for a particular day or period of time, and/or other weather-related information.

 

You have to wonder if this will tie into Apple's weather app derived from Dark Sky that will begin to roll out with iOS 16. A future version of this app could be used with the future Apple Watch feature described in today's patent application.

 

For more details, review Apple's patent application number US 20220333998 A1.

 

10.51FX - Patent Application Bar

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