In this case, the patent is focused on the digital crown of the Apple Watch and shows the ability to recognize gestures or touches that could be added to a supposed smart strap providing another range of interesting options for the watch. This patent registered and approved for Apple could be the beginning of new watch features Smart from the Cupertino company.
Patents are undoubtedly a very important part for Apple as it has been showing for years. Steve Jobs himself already had in mind to keep as many patents as possible so that no one could use his research without going through the box and this remains the same today with Tim Cook, patents filed almost daily.
A digital crown that does not rotate but detects that movement as such and executes it on the screen
This is the key point of this patent that could be added to an Apple Watch of the future. If we pay attention to what the registered patent says, we realize that more or less we already have this function in the Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5 when we perform an ECG, since it allows that simply by touching the digital crown the sensor detects and performs what What we want. In this case, a sensor is implemented in the digital crown to avoid that we have to physically rotate it requires more sensors, components and biosensors, something that at the moment is difficult to implement but if doing so could serve as a photodetector, such as an optical light sensor, pressure, humidity ...
As with all Apple patents we have to wait to see if it is really implemented or not, but for now what we are clear about is that it is in the name of Apple and any company that wants to use this technology or any of the points that are detailed in it, you will have to go through the box.