Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to a system that may include one or more finger devices with U-shaped housings that gathers sensor input and supplying haptic output.

According to Apple, a finger device may, as an example, include an inertial measurement unit with an accelerometer for gathering information on figure motions such as finger taps or free-space finger gestures. The finger devices may include force sensors for gathering information on normal and shear forces in the finger device and the user's finger. The finger device may include a haptic output device to provide the user's finger with haptic output and may include other output components.

In some arrangements a finger device may include ultrasonic sensors. An ultrasonic sensor may have an ultrasonic signal emitter and a corresponding ultrasonic signal detector configured to detect the ultrasonic signals after passing through a user's finger. A two-dimensional ultrasonic sensor may capture ultrasonic images of a user's finger pad. Ultrasonic proximity sensors may be used to measure distances between finger devices and external surfaces. Optical sensors and other sensors may also be used in the finger devices.

One or more finger devices may gather user input from a user. The user may use finger devices in operating a virtual reality or mixed reality device (e.g., head-mounted equipment such as glasses, goggles, a helmet, or other device with a display).

Haptic output may be used, for example, to provide the fingers of a user with a desired texture sensation as a user is touching a real object or as a user is touching a virtual object.

Finger devices can be worn on any or all of a user's fingers (e.g., the index finger, the index finger and thumb, three of a user's fingers on one of the user's hands, some or all fingers on both hands, etc.). To enhance the sensitivity of a user's touch as the user interacts with surrounding objects, finger devices may have inverted U shapes or other configurations that allow the finger devices to be worn over the top and sides of a user's finger tips while leaving the user's finger pads exposed. This allows a user to touch objects with the finger pad portions of the user's fingers during use.

Users can use the finger devices to interact with any suitable electronic equipment. For example, a user may use one or more finger devices to interact with a virtual reality or mixed reality system (e.g., a head-mounted device with a display), to supply input to a desktop computer, tablet computer, cellular telephone, watch, ear buds, or other accessory, or to interact with other electronic equipment. 

Apple's patent FIG. 4 below is a perspective view of an illustrative finger device; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an illustrative finger device with vertical slits that form vertically extending arms.

Apple’s patent FIG. 7 above is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative finger device with recesses and sensors in the recesses; FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an illustrative two-dimensional ultrasonic sensor array for a two-dimensional ultrasonic imaging sensor.

Apple’s patent FIG. 14 below is a front view of an illustrative finger device with a downwardly directed ultrasonic sensor that is angled perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the finger device; FIG. 15 is a side view of an illustrative finger device with a forwardly directed ultrasonic sensor mounted in a housing extension and configured to emit ultrasonic signals in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the finger device.

Apple’s patent FIG. 16 above is a side view of an illustrative finger device with a forwardly directed ultrasonic sensor mounted on an upper housing wall portion of the finger device.

Apple’s patent FIG. 17 below is a front view of a pair of finger devices with interacting components such as ultrasonic signal emitters and detectors; FIG. 20 is a front view of an illustrative finger device with optical sensors.

Apple’s patent FIG. 21 above is a perspective view of an illustrative finger device having a curved trailing edge and tapered curved arms; and lastly, FIG. 22 is a side view of an illustrative finger device with a curved trailing edge during use on a bent finger.

Apple has been working on this invention since 2019 and has now updated this invention with 20 new patent claims that are designed to better protect this invention. Below are 10 of the 20 new patent claims.

• A finger device configured to be worn on a finger of a user, comprising: a housing configured to be coupled to the finger, wherein the housing has a U shape with first and second opposing sides configured to rest respectively on first and second opposing sides of the finger; and sensors coupled to the housing, wherein the sensors are configured to produce sensor data indicating whether a finger pad surface of the finger is in contact with an external surface and whether the user is making finger gestures, and wherein the sensors are configured to detect a direction and amount of force with which the finger pad surface drags across the external surface.
• Wherein the sensors of the finger device comprise a two-dimensional ultrasonic imaging sensor, wherein the finger device further comprises a haptic output device configured to supply haptic output to the finger.
• The finger device includes a two-dimensional ultrasonic sensor mounted on the first side of the housing.
• The finger device further includes control circuitry configured to: gather the sensor data as the finger moves; detect finger gestures based on the sensor data; and send user input signals to an external electronic device based on the finger gestures.
• The finger device include sensors that comprise of an ultrasonic signal emitter and an ultrasonic signal detector.
• The finger device's ultrasonic signal emitter is mounted to the first side and wherein the ultrasonic signal detector is mounted to the second side.
• The finger device's housing extends along a longitudinal axis of the finger and wherein the sensors comprise an ultrasonic signal emitter coupled to the first side and configured to emit ultrasonic signals along the longitudinal axis.
• The finger device's housing extends along a longitudinal axis of the finger and wherein the sensors comprise an ultrasonic signal emitter coupled to the first side and configured to emit ultrasonic signals along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
• A finger device configured to be worn on a finger of a user will comprise: a U-shaped housing having first and second portions configured to rest respectively on first and second opposing sides of the finger without covering a lower finger pad surface of the finger; strain gauge circuitry configured to receive strain measurements as U-shaped housing bends; and control circuitry configured to detect finger gestures based on the strain measurements and send control signals to a head-mounted device based on the finger gestures, wherein the control circuitry compares the strain measurements from the first and second strain gauges to determine a force and direction with which the finger drags laterally across an external surface.
• The finger device further comprises a haptic output device coupled to the U-shaped housing, wherein the control circuitry is configured to gather the strain measurements from the strain gauge circuitry as the finger moves and configured to provide haptic output to the finger using the haptic output device.

To review the patent in full or to review the remaining new patent claims, review Apple's patent application US 20230004231 A1.

A Few of Apple's Inventors

• Paul Wang: Architect, Product Design
• Alex Lehmann: Product Design Engineer - Finite Element Analyst
• Tianye Sun: Software Engineer
• Yoonho Seo: Sensing Hardware Engineer