PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-12185630-B2
Application Number: US-202016929731-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Layered sensor having multiple laterally adjacent substrates in a single layer

Abstract:
A sleep monitor includes a layered sensor that includes at least one substrate layer that includes multiple laterally adjacent substrates. The substrate layer may be formed by interdigitating fingers of a first sheet with fingers of a second sheet. Combining multiple substrates in a single layer of a layered sensor may allow multiple materials and/or sensing mechanisms to be combined together in a single layer.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A layered sensor for a flexible sleep monitor, comprising:
 a first flexible layer; 
 a second flexible layer that is substantially parallel to the first flexible layer; 
 a substrate layer positioned between the first flexible layer and the second flexible layer, and comprising:
 a first substrate formed of a first material, and configured to generate electric charge in response to a force applied to the flexible sleep monitor; and 
 a second substrate formed of a second material different from the first material and positioned laterally adjacent to the first substrate; 
 
 a first electrode disposed on a first surface of the first substrate; and 
 a second electrode disposed on a second surface of the second substrate, wherein:
 the first surface and the second surface cooperate to define a continuous surface of the substrate layer; 
 the substrate layer is flexible; and 
 
 the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be electrically coupled to a processing unit configured to determine a sleep characteristic using a signal received from at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode. 
 
     
     
       2. The layered sensor of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the continuous surface of the substrate layer is a first continuous surface of the substrate layer; 
 the first flexible layer comprises a third substrate; 
 the second flexible layer comprises a fourth substrate; 
 the first continuous surface of the substrate layer faces a bottom surface of the first flexible layer; 
 the substrate layer defines a second continuous surface opposite the first continuous surface and facing a top surface of the second flexible layer; and 
 the layered sensor further comprises:
 a third electrode disposed on a third surface of the third substrate and configured to be electrically coupled to the processing unit; and 
 a fourth electrode disposed on a fourth surface of the fourth substrate and configured to be electrically coupled to the processing unit. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The layered sensor of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first flexible layer comprises a fifth substrate cooperating with the third substrate to define the bottom surface of the first flexible layer; and 
 at least one of the first flexible layer or the second flexible layer is a ground layer. 
 
     
     
       4. The layered sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate layer is formed by interdigitating fingers of a first sheet comprising the first substrate with fingers of a second sheet comprising the second substrate. 
     
     
       5. The layered sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode comprises silver. 
     
     
       6. The layered sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first substrate comprises a flexible piezoelectric material. 
     
     
       7. The layered sensor of  claim 6 , wherein the second substrate does not comprise the flexible piezoelectric material. 
     
     
       8. The layered sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the sleep characteristic is at least one of a heart rate, a breathing rate, a sleep duration, a snoring duration, a temperature, or a humidity level. 
     
     
       9. A flexible sleep monitor, comprising:
 an enclosure; and 
 a layered sensor at least partially surrounded by the enclosure, and comprising:
 a substrate layer positioned within the enclosure, and comprising:
 a first substrate formed from a first material; and 
 a second substrate positioned laterally adjacent to the first substrate and formed from a second material different from the first material; and 
 
 a flexible layer positioned between the substrate layer and a portion of the enclosure, and comprising a third substrate, wherein: 
 
 the substrate layer is formed by interdigitating first members of a first sheet section of a first sheet comprising the first substrate with second members of a second sheet section of a second sheet comprising the second substrate to form a combined sheet. 
 
     
     
       10. The flexible sleep monitor of  claim 9 , wherein forming the layered sensor further comprises:
 attaching the combined sheet to a third sheet to form a stack; and 
 separating the stack into a first portion and one or more additional portions, the first portion including the first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate. 
 
     
     
       11. The flexible sleep monitor of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the layered sensor further comprises:
 a first electrode positioned on the first substrate; and 
 a second electrode positioned on the second substrate; and 
 
 the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be electrically coupled to a processing unit configured to determine a sleep characteristic using a signal received from at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode. 
 
     
     
       12. The flexible sleep monitor of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first material is a flexible piezoelectric material; and 
 the second substrate does not comprise the flexible piezoelectric material. 
 
     
     
       13. A layered sensor, comprising:
 a first flexible layer; 
 a second flexible layer that is substantially parallel to the first flexible layer; 
 a substrate layer positioned between the first flexible layer and the second flexible layer, and comprising:
 a first substrate formed of a first material, and configured to generate electric charge in response to a force applied to the layered sensor; and 
 a second substrate formed of a second material different from the first material and positioned laterally adjacent to the first substrate; 
 
 a first electrode disposed on a first surface of the first substrate; and 
 a second electrode disposed on a second surface of the first substrate, the second surface opposite the first surface, wherein:
 the substrate layer is flexible; and 
 at least a portion of the first substrate has a curved shape extending parallel to the substrate layer. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The layered sensor of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the first substrate has a serpentine shape within the substrate layer. 
     
     
       15. The layered sensor of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a differential sensor having a first input electrically connected to the first electrode and a second input electrically connected to the second electrode. 
 
     
     
       16. The layered sensor of  claim 13 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to provide a differential signal to a processing unit configured to determine a sleep characteristic of a user using the differential signal. 
     
     
       17. The layered sensor of  claim 13 , wherein the first substrate is a PVDF substrate. 
     
     
       18. The layered sensor of  claim 17 , wherein the second substrate is a polyurethane substrate. 
     
     
       19. The layered sensor of  claim 17 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode comprise silver. 
     
     
       20. The layered sensor of  claim 13 , wherein the first substrate comprises a flexible piezoelectric material. 
     
     
       21. The layered sensor of  claim 20 , wherein the second substrate does not comprise the flexible piezoelectric material.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a nonprovisional of and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/885,028, filed Aug. 9, 2019, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/891,195, filed Aug. 23, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fully disclosed herein. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The described embodiments relate generally to a sleep monitor or other type of sleep sensor. More particularly, the described embodiments relate to a flexible sleep monitor having multiple laterally adjacent substrates in a single layer. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Devices used for detecting sleep data may be placed beneath users to collect data as the users sleep. In general, it may be beneficial to make devices for detecting sleep data as thin and/or as flexible as possible to be imperceptible or nearly imperceptible to users. Some devices used for detecting sleep data may include multiple types of sensing mechanisms in a single device. Some devices are assembled by stacking multiple layers on top of one another, each layer including the same material(s) and/or a single type of sensing mechanism along the entire layer. This may require at least one layer for each type of sensing mechanism, and may cause traditional devices to be rigid and thick, resulting in discomfort for users and reducing users&#39; willingness to continue using the devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the systems, devices, methods, and apparatuses described in the present disclosure are directed to a flexible sleep monitor having multiple substrates in a single layer and methods for manufacturing or assembling a layered sensor having multiple substrates positioned laterally adjacent to one another in a single layer. 
     The embodiments described herein may include a layered sensor for a flexible sleep monitor. The layered sensor may include a first flexible layer, a second flexible layer that is substantially parallel to the first flexible layer, a substrate layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The substrate layer may be positioned between the first flexible layer and the second flexible layer and may include a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate may be formed of a first material and may be configured to generate electric charge in response to a force applied to the flexible sleep monitor. The second substrate may be formed of a second material different than the first material and may be positioned laterally adjacent to the first substrate. The first electrode may be disposed on a first surface of the first substrate. The second electrode may be disposed on a second surface of the second substrate. The substrate layer may be flexible. The first electrode and the second electrode may be configured to be electrically coupled to a processing unit configured to determine a sleep characteristic using a signal received from at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode. 
     The embodiments described herein may further include a flexible sleep monitor that includes an enclosure and a layered sensor. The layered sensor may be at least partially surrounded by the enclosure. The layered sensor may include a substrate layer and a flexible layer. The substrate layer may be positioned within the enclosure and may include a first substrate formed from a first material and a second substrate positioned laterally adjacent to the first substrate and formed from a second material. The flexible layer may be positioned between the substrate layer and a portion of the enclosure and may comprise a third substrate. The substrate layer may be formed by interdigitating first members of a first sheet section of a first sheet comprising the first substrate with second members of a second sheet section of a second sheet comprising the second substrate to form a combined sheet. 
     The embodiments described herein may further include a method for forming a layered sensor for a sleep monitor that includes the step of cutting a first flexible sheet comprising a piezoelectric material into a first portion comprising a first head and a first set of fingers extending from the first head and a second portion comprising a second head and a second set of fingers extending from the second head and interdigitated with the first set of fingers. The method may further include separating the first portion of the first flexible sheet from the second portion of the first flexible sheet and interdigitating the first set of fingers with a third set of fingers of a second flexible sheet to form a combined sheet. The method may further include attaching the combined sheet to one or more additional sheets to form a stack, removing the first head from the stack, and separating the stack into two or more sensors. 
     The embodiments described herein may also include a layered sensor. The layered sensor may include a first flexible layer; a second flexible layer that is substantially parallel to the first flexible layer; and a substrate layer positioned between the first flexible layer and the second flexible layer. The substrate layer may include a first substrate formed of a first material, and configured to generate electric charge in response to a force applied to the layered sensor, and a second substrate formed of a second material different from the first material and positioned laterally adjacent to the first substrate. The layered sensor may further include a first electrode disposed on a first surface of the first substrate, and a second electrode disposed on a second surface of the first substrate, the second surface opposite the first surface. The substrate layer may be flexible, and at least a portion of the first substrate may have a curved shape extending parallel to the substrate layer. In some cases, the curved shape may be a serpentine shape. 
     In addition to the example aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which: 
         FIG.  1 A  shows an example environment for using a sleep monitor; 
         FIG.  1 B  shows the example sleep monitor of  FIG.  1 A , including a layered sensor; 
         FIG.  2    shows a cross-section view of the example layered sensor of  FIG.  1 B , taken through section line A-A of  FIG.  1 B ; 
         FIG.  3    shows a flowchart of an example method for manufacturing a layered sensor having multiple substrates in a single layer; 
         FIGS.  4 A- 4 H  show an example sensor having multiple substrates in a single substrate layer being formed; 
         FIGS.  5 A- 5 C  show cross-section views of an example sheet, taken through section line B-B of  FIG.  4 A ; 
         FIGS.  6 A- 6 C  show example arrangements of substrate layers having multiple substrates; 
         FIG.  7    shows a cross-section view of an example layered sensor of a sleep monitor, taken through section line A-A of  FIG.  1 B ; 
         FIGS.  8 A- 8 D  show another example of a layered sensor having laterally adjacent substrates in a single layer; 
         FIGS.  9 A- 9 E  illustrate an example set of operations for forming laterally adjacent substrates in a single layer for use in a layered sensor such as the layered sensor described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A- 8 D ; and 
         FIG.  10    shows a sample electrical block diagram of an electronic device that may incorporate and/or be connected to a sleep monitor having a layered sensor. 
     
    
    
     The use of cross-hatching or shading in the accompanying figures is generally provided to clarify the boundaries between adjacent elements and also to facilitate legibility of the figures. Accordingly, neither the presence nor the absence of cross-hatching or shading conveys or indicates any preference or requirement for particular materials, material properties, element proportions, element dimensions, commonalities of similarly illustrated elements, or any other characteristic, attribute, or property for any element illustrated in the accompanying figures. 
     Additionally, it should be understood that the proportions and dimensions (either relative or absolute) of the various features and elements (and collections and groupings thereof) and the boundaries, separations, and positional relationships presented therebetween, are provided in the accompanying figures merely to facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments described herein and, accordingly, may not necessarily be presented or illustrated to scale, and are not intended to indicate any preference or requirement for an illustrated embodiment to the exclusion of embodiments described with reference thereto. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims. 
     The following disclosure relates to layered sensors having multiple substrates in a single layer, such as a sleep monitor or other sensor(s) for use in determining one or more sleep characteristics of a user&#39;s sleep. The sleep monitor may be sufficiently thin and/or flexible so that the sleep monitor, when positioned in a bed beneath the user, does not cause discomfort. In some cases, the sleep monitor includes a layered sensor with at least one layer that is formed by interdigitating fingers of a first sheet with fingers of a second sheet. The interdigitated fingers may allow multiple substrates, materials, and/or sensing mechanisms to be combined together in a single layer. In particular, multiple different substrates may be included in a single layer and positioned laterally adjacent to one another. This may provide numerous advantages over traditional sleep monitors, including reducing wasted material (and decreasing material costs), reducing an overall thickness of the sleep monitor, increasing a flexibility of the sleep monitor, and simplifying manufacturing. In some cases, the sleep monitor includes a layered sensor having a serpentine-shaped sensing substrate disposed between non-sensing substrates (or between different portions of a non-sensing substrate). 
     As used herein, a “substrate” may be used to refer to a block or mass of common material. As used herein, a “layer” may be used to refer to one or more laterally adjacent components (e.g., substrates) generally extending between a first side of a layered sensor and a second, opposite side of the layered sensor. The layers described herein are typically, but not necessarily, parallel to the top surface and/or bottom surface of the flexible sleep monitor and/or the layered sensor, and are typically, but do not necessarily, extend from a portion of the enclosure defining a first side of the flexible sleep monitor to a portion of the enclosure defining a second side of the flexible sleep monitor. As used herein, components are “laterally adjacent” when those components are positioned next to one another on the same layer. Laterally adjacent components may abut or otherwise touch one another or may be separated by a gap. If separated by a gap, that gap is typically less than the thickness of the component(s). 
     As noted above, the sleep monitor may be placed beneath a user as the user is in bed and may detect input signals related to movement, biometrics, sounds (e.g., cardiac and/or respiratory sounds), ambient characteristics, and the like while the user is in bed. The sleep monitor may provide output signals corresponding to the input signals to a processing unit. The processing unit may determine one or more sleep characteristics of the user using the output signals provided by the sensor of the sleep monitor. As used herein, “sleep characteristics” may refer to data or analysis regarding a user&#39;s sleep, including sleep duration, in-bed duration, bedtime (e.g., time of day the user gets in bed), sleep time (e.g., time of day the user falls asleep), duration to fall asleep, duration awake in bed, duration away from bed, wake-up time (e.g., time of day the user wakes up), sleep efficiency (e.g., sleep duration divided by in-bed duration), heart information (e.g., instantaneous heart rate, average heart rate, maximum heart rate, minimum heart rate), breathing information (e.g., instantaneous breathing rate, average breathing rate, maximum breathing rate, minimum breathing rate), snoring information (e.g., snoring duration, snoring start time(s), snoring end time(s)), and ambient characteristics (e.g., temperature, humidity level). 
     As noted above, the layered sensor of the sleep monitor may include multiple sensing mechanisms, and in some cases, substrates that form at least portions of multiple sensing mechanisms are included in a single layer of the layered sensor, and may be positioned laterally adjacent to one another. In some cases, the layered sensor includes one or more contact sensing mechanisms (e.g., touch and/or proximity sensing mechanisms) for detecting input signals for use in determining sleep characteristics. The contact sensing mechanism may be capable of detecting whether a user is in bed, for example, by detecting that the user is contacting the bed and/or the sleep monitor. The contact sensing mechanism may additionally be capable of detecting a positioning of the user in bed, (e.g., whether the user is sleeping on his or her back, side, or stomach, a relative positioning of the user in the bed, or the like). The contact sensing mechanisms may include a substrate and capacitive sensing mechanisms that include one or more electrodes (e.g., electrodes positioned on a surface of or embedded within a substrate) for determining whether a user is in contact with and/or proximate to the sleep monitor. The contact sensing mechanisms may use mutual-capacitive sensing techniques and/or self-capacitive sensing techniques and, in some cases, electrodes coupled to opposite sides of the sensing substrate may be coupled to a differential sensor (e.g., a differential sense amplifier). 
     In some cases, the sleep monitor includes one or more force sensing mechanisms for detecting input signals for use in determining sleep characteristics. The force sensing mechanisms may be capable of detecting whether a user is in bed, a positioning of the user in bed, heart information, breathing information, and the like. The force sensing mechanisms may include piezoelectric force sensing mechanisms that include a piezoelectric substrate configured to generate electric charge in response to a force applied to the sleep monitor and one or more electrodes electrically coupling the piezoelectric substrate to sensing circuitry of the sleep monitor. The generated charge may change an output signal of the piezoelectric substrate that is transmitted to the sensing circuitry. The sensing circuitry may be electrically coupled to a processing unit configured to determine sleep characteristics from the output signal. In some cases, the piezoelectric substrate is formed from a flexible piezoelectric material so that the sleep monitor may be flexible. Examples of flexible piezoelectric materials include polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE), and other ferroelectric polymers. In some cases, the piezoelectric substrate may be cut or patterned into a serpentine, curved, or arcuate shape, which may make the piezoelectric material even more flexible and/or help the piezoelectric substrate better match the acoustic impedance of human skin. A serpentine, curved, or arcuate shape can help to reduce the strain experienced by a material. 
     As noted above, in some cases, one or more substrates of one or more force sensing mechanisms and one or more substrates of one or more contact sensing mechanisms may be positioned in the same substrate layer of the layered sensor. For example, a piezoelectric substrate for a force sensing mechanism and a substrate for a contact sensing mechanism may be included in a single substrate layer. The piezoelectric substrate may be positioned laterally adjacent to the substrate for the contact sensing mechanism. The substrate layer that includes the multiple laterally adjacent substrates may be formed by interdigitating fingers of a first sheet with fingers of a second sheet. In some cases, the fingers of the first sheet include one or more substrates for force sensing mechanisms and the fingers of the second sheet include one or more substrates for contact sensing mechanisms. In some cases, once the sheets are interdigitated, they are separated into multiple different layered sensors. Each of the multiple different layered sensors may include a finger of the first sheet (including one or more force sensing mechanisms) and a finger of the second sheet (including one or more contact sensing mechanisms). 
     As noted above, the combined elements of the substrate layer may allow multiple materials and/or substrates to be placed in a single layer. This may provide numerous advantages over traditional sleep monitors, including reducing wasted material (and decreasing material costs), reducing an overall thickness of the sleep monitor, increasing a flexibility of the sleep monitor, and simplifying manufacturing. The materials used to form certain substrates (e.g., PVDF for piezoelectric substrates for force sensing) may be expensive compared to materials used to form other substrates (e.g., materials used for substrates for contact sensing). The properties provided by the more expensive materials may not be required at all locations across a layered sensor. For example, contact sensing mechanisms may not require a piezoelectric substrate, and may instead include substrates formed from less expensive materials in the same layer as a piezoelectric substrate for force sensing. Layered sensors having a piezoelectric substrate and one or more other substrates formed from different materials on a single layer may require less PVDF compared to layered sensors having an entire layer of PVDF, thereby resulting in reduced material costs. 
     The sensors discussed herein may include a single layer or multiple layers. The sensors may include one or more substrate layers, flexible layers, support layers, adhesive layers, or the like. The support layers and/or adhesive layers may provide advantages, including simplifying the manufacturing process by making separating and/or interdigitating the sheet sections easier. The support layers may provide rigidity and other structural support to the fingers of the sheet sections so that they may maintain their shape during manufacturing, for example, so that they may be interdigitated with one or more additional sheet sections. Preferably, all of the layers stacked with the piezoelectric layer, and any components, such as electrodes or shields, are compliant and have a modulus of elasticity that is similar to or lower than (and preferably significantly lower than) the modulus of elasticity of the piezoelectric layer, so that there is a low shear strain between layers, and so that the other components and layers do not interfere with stretch or contraction of the piezoelectric layer and do not significantly alter the sensing capability of the piezoelectric layer. 
     In some cases, the adhesive layer(s) attach a substrate (e.g., a PVDF layer) to one or more support layers. The adhesive layers may include alternating regions corresponding to fingers of the sheet sections (e.g., corresponding to a cutting pattern of the sheet used to form the substrate). The alternating regions may have different adhesive strength from one another to facilitate separating the sheet sections of a sheet during manufacturing. The layered sensor may include additional layers, including ground layers. In some cases, one or more ground layers provide reference voltage(s) for the one or more contact sensing mechanisms, the one or more force sensing mechanisms, or other sensing mechanisms or components of the layered sensor. 
     The term “attached,” as used herein, may be used to refer to two or more elements, structures, objects, components, parts or the like that are physically affixed, fastened, and/or retained to one another. The term “coupled,” as used herein, may be used to refer to two or more elements, structures, objects, components, parts or the like that are physically attached to one another, operate with one another, communicate with one another, are in electrical connection with one another, and/or otherwise interact with one another. Accordingly, while elements attached to one another are coupled to one another, the reverse is not required. As used herein, “operably coupled” may be used to refer to two or more devices that are coupled in any suitable manner for operation and/or communication, including wiredly, wirelessly, or some combination thereof. 
     These and other embodiments are discussed with reference to  FIGS.  1 A- 8   . However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. 
       FIG.  1 A  shows an example environment for using a sleep monitor  100  (shown in phantom). As shown in  FIG.  1 A , the sleep monitor  100  may be positioned beneath a user  102  as the user is in a bed  104 . The sleep monitor  100  may include one or more sensing mechanisms that detect input signals related to movement, biometrics (e.g., heart rate, breathing rate, etc.), sounds (e.g., cardiac and/or respiratory sounds), ambient characteristics, and the like while the user is in bed. For example, in some cases, the sleep monitor  100  detects input signals relating to proximity (or contact) and force(s) at particular locations over time. 
     The sleep monitor  100  or one or more components thereof (e.g., a layered sensor) may provide output signals corresponding to the detected input signals to a processing unit  120  that is operably coupled to the sleep monitor  100 . The processing unit  120  may determine one or more sleep characteristics of the user using the output signals provided by the sleep monitor  100 . The processing unit  120  may be a component of the sleep monitor  100  or it may be a component of a separate device, such as a smartphone or other computing device. In some cases, the processing unit  120  is a processing unit of an electronic device that includes a display configured to provide a graphical output. The processing unit  120  may change the graphical output of the display in response to determining the one or more sleep characteristics of the user. For example, the electronic device may display graphical objects and/or other information regarding the sleep characteristics. 
     The sleep monitor  100  may be positioned above or beneath a mattress  106  and/or bed frame  110  of the bed  104 . The sleep monitor  100  may be positioned above or beneath bedding of the bed  104 , including a mattress protector, sheets, blankets, and the like. In some cases, the sleep monitor  100  is positioned above the mattress  106  and beneath at least some layers of bedding. For example, the sleep monitor  100  may be positioned above a mattress protector, but beneath a bottom sheet of the bedding. In some cases, the sleep monitor  100  includes adhesive along one or more surfaces so that the sleep monitor  100  may be attached or coupled to the mattress  106  or bedding of the bed (e.g., a mattress protector). In some cases, the sleep monitor  100  is placed between approximately 10 and 40 centimeters from a pillow  108 . The sleep monitor  100  may be centered in a sleeping area of the user  102 . 
     The sleep monitor  100  may be operably coupled to a power source  118 . The power source  118  can be implemented with any device capable of providing energy to the sleep monitor  100 . For example, the power source  118  may be one or more batteries or rechargeable batteries. Additionally or alternatively, the power source  118  can be a power connector or power cord that connects the sleep monitor  100  to another power source, such as a wall outlet. 
     In some cases, at least a portion of the power source  118  may be part of the sleep monitor  100  and may include a sensing mechanism for detecting inputs. For example, in some cases, the power source  118  includes a connector (e.g., a USB cable) that includes a temperature sensing mechanism and/or a humidity sensing mechanism for sensing a temperature and a humidity level of the environment surrounding the sleep monitor  100 . In some cases, one or more sensing mechanisms (e.g., temperature and humidity sensing mechanisms) may be located at other positions of the sleep monitor  100  and/or one or more sensing mechanisms may be remote to the sleep monitor  100  and operably connected to the processing unit  120  and/or the sleep monitor  100 . 
     As noted above, in some cases, the sleep monitor  100  includes a layered sensor for detecting inputs.  FIG.  1 B  shows the example sleep monitor  100  that may include a layered sensor  112  (shown in phantom). In some cases, the layered sensor  112  may include one or more sensing mechanisms for detecting inputs that may be used to determine sleep characteristics. The layered sensor  112  may include one or more contact sensing mechanisms for detecting contact with or proximity to the sleep monitor  100  and/or locations thereof. The layered sensor  112  may include one or more force sensing mechanisms for detecting force(s) applied to the sleep monitor  100 . In some cases, as discussed below, substrates for the contact sensing mechanism(s) and substrates the force sensing mechanism(s) are positioned laterally adjacent to one another and/or in the same layer of the layered sensor  112 . For example, the layered sensor  112  may include an interdigitated substrate layer that includes substrates for contact sensing mechanism(s) and substrates for force sensing mechanism(s) on a single layer. This may provide advantages over traditional sensors, including reducing a thickness and increasing a flexibility of the sleep monitor  100  so that the sleep monitor is more comfortable and/or less perceptible during use. For example, the user  102  may be less able to perceive the sleep monitor  100  during use, thereby increasing a comfort of the sleep monitor. 
     As noted above, as used herein, a “layer” may be used to refer to one or more laterally adjacent components generally extending between a first side of the layered sensor and a second, opposite side of the layered sensor. For example, a layer may extend between a first side  113   a  of the layered sensor  112  to a second side  113   b , opposite the first side  113   a , of the layered sensor  112 . Similarly, a layer may extend between a first side  113   c  of the layered sensor  112  to a second side  113   d , opposite the first side  113   c , of the layered sensor  112 . The layers described herein are typically, but not necessarily, parallel to the top surface  101  and/or bottom surface (not shown in  FIG.  1 B ) of the flexible sleep monitor  100  and/or the layered sensor  112 , and are typically, but do not necessarily, extend from a portion of the enclosure  111  defining a first side of the flexible sleep monitor  100  to a portion of the enclosure defining a second side of the flexible sleep monitor. 
     The force sensing mechanisms may be piezoelectric force sensing mechanisms that include a piezoelectric substrate configured to generate electric charge in response to a force applied to the sleep monitor  100  and one or more electrodes electrically coupling the piezoelectric substrate to sensing circuitry  114  of the sleep monitor. The generated charge may change an output signal of the piezoelectric substrate that is transmitted to the sensing circuitry. The sensing circuitry may be electrically coupled to a processing unit configured to determine sleep characteristics from the output signal. 
     In some cases, the piezoelectric substrate is formed from a flexible piezoelectric material that allows the sleep monitor to be flexible. Examples of flexible piezoelectric materials include PVDF, PVDF-TrFE, and other ferroelectric polymers. 
     The sleep monitor  100  may include sensing circuitry  114  (shown in phantom as it is inside the sleep monitor, and thus not visible in  FIG.  1 B ). The sensing circuitry  114  may include one or more circuits or processors operably connected to and configured to receive input signals from the sensing mechanisms of the layered sensor  112  and/or other sensors or sensing mechanisms of the sleep monitor  100 . The sensing circuitry may be configured to provide output signals corresponding to the received input signals to the processing unit  120  (or to a communication interface of a device that includes the processing unit  120 ). In some cases, the sensing circuitry  114  includes at least a portion of a communication interface that operably couples the sleep monitor  100  to the processing unit  120 . In some cases, the communication interface includes a wired connection (e.g., a connector or cable) to operably couple the sleep monitor  100  to the processing unit  120 . In some cases, the communication interface includes a wireless connection (e.g., WiFi, BLUETOOTH LE, or the like) to operably couple the sleep monitor  100  to the processing unit  120 . 
     In some cases, the sleep monitor  100  includes a microphone for detecting audio inputs. In some cases, the audio inputs may be used to detect snoring or other audio data as the sleep monitor  100  is used. In some cases, the microphone is a microphone of a separate device, such as a device containing the processing unit  120 . 
     The sleep monitor  100  may include an enclosure  111  or other external layer that at least partially surrounds the layered sensor  112  and/or other components of the sleep monitor  100 . The enclosure  111  may contain and/or protect the layered sensor  112  and/or other components of the sleep monitor  100 . In some cases, the enclosure  111  is flexible. One or more surfaces of the enclosure  111  may include an adhesive or a high-friction material configured to maintain the sleep monitor  100  in place. As noted above, in various embodiments, the sleep monitor  100  may include multiple layered sensors and/or other sensors. 
     In some cases, a thickness  100   a  of the sleep monitor  100  is much smaller than its length  100   b  and/or width  100   c . For example, the thickness  100   a  of the sleep monitor  100  may be less than approximately ten percent, five percent, or even one percent of the width  100   c  of the sleep monitor. The thickness  100   a  of the sleep monitor  100  may be less than approximately one percent, one half of one percent, or even one tenth of one percent of the length  100   b  of the sleep monitor. In some cases, a thickness of the layered sensor  112  is much smaller than its length and/or width. For example, the thickness of the layered sensor  112  may be less than approximately ten percent, five percent, or even one percent of the width of the layered sensor. The thickness of the layered sensor  112  may be less than approximately one percent, one half of one percent, or even one tenth of one percent of the length  100   b  of the layered sensor. The dimensions of the sleep monitor  100  and/or the layered sensor  112  may provide numerous advantages, including increasing a flexibility of the sleep monitor  100 , improving comfort of the sleep monitor, and/or reducing a user-perceptibility of the sleep monitor during use. 
     The thickness  100   a  of the sleep monitor  100  may be reduced compared to traditional sleep monitors by including components (e.g., substrates) of multiple sensing mechanisms in a single layer of the layered sensor  112 . As noted above, in some cases, one or more substrates of force sensing mechanisms and one or more substrates of contact sensing mechanisms may be positioned in the same substrate layer of the layered sensor  112 . The substrate layer may include a combined sheet formed by interdigitating fingers of a first sheet with fingers of a second sheet. In some cases, the fingers of the first sheet include one or more force sensing mechanisms and the fingers of the second sheet include one or more contact sensing mechanisms. 
     As noted above, the interdigitated combined sheets of the substrate layer may allow multiple substrates to be combined together in a single layer. This may provide numerous advantages over traditional sleep monitors, including reducing wasted material (and decreasing material costs), reducing an overall thickness of the sleep monitor, increasing a flexibility of the sleep monitor, and simplifying manufacturing. The materials used to form certain substrates (e.g., PVDF for piezoelectric substrates for force sensing) may be expensive compared to materials used to form other substrates (e.g., materials used for substrates for contact sensing). The properties provided by the more expensive materials may not be required at all locations across a layered sensor. For example, contact sensing mechanisms may not require a piezoelectric substrate, and may instead include substrates formed from less expensive materials in the same layer as a piezoelectric substrate for force sensing. Layered sensors having a piezoelectric substrate and one or more other substrates formed from different materials on a single layer may require less PVDF compared to layered sensors having an entire layer of PVDF, thereby resulting in reduced material costs. 
       FIG.  2    shows a cross-section view of the example sleep monitor  100 , including the layered sensor  112 , taken through section line A-A of  FIG.  1 B . As shown in  FIG.  2   , the layered sensor  112  of the sleep monitor  100  may include multiple layers positioned within or at least partially surrounded by the enclosure  111  of the sleep monitor. The layered sensor  112  may include layers  222 ,  224 , and  226 . In some cases, the layer  224  is a substrate layer that includes multiple substrates  225   a ,  225   b  formed from different materials and positioned laterally adjacent to one another. In some cases, the substrate layer  224  is formed by interdigitating two or more sheet sections of sheets formed of different materials during a manufacturing process, as discussed in more detail below with respect to  FIGS.  3 - 4 H . For example, the substrate  225   a  may be a substrate that forms part of or supports a contact sensing mechanism, and the substrate  225   b  may be a piezoelectric substrate that forms part of a force sensing mechanism. In some cases, the substrate  225   a  does not include a piezoelectric material. The layers  222 ,  226  may be any type of layer, including ground layers, adhesive layers, substrate layers, support layers, and the like. 
     The layers  222 ,  226  may be ground layers that provide reference voltage(s) for the one or more contact sensing mechanisms or the one or more force sensing mechanisms of the substrate layer  224 . For example, one or more of the ground layers  222 ,  226  may serve as a ground plane for capacitive sensing (e.g., for contact sensing), piezoelectric sensing (e.g., force sensing), or the like. In some cases, the layer  222  and/or the layer  226  include a single substrate across the entire layer. In other cases, the layer  222  and/or the layer  226  include multiple substrates in a single layer (similar to layer  224 ). 
     The substrates  225   a ,  225   b  may cooperate to define a substantially continuous top surface of the substrate layer  224  facing the layer  222  and/or a substantially continuous bottom surface of the substrate layer facing the layer  226 . As used herein, the term “substantially continuous” may refer to a surface that is planar and/or has a smooth curvature, and does not have substantial discontinuities or gaps. The substrate layer  224  may be formed by interdigitating members (e.g., fingers) of two or more sheets of different materials during a manufacturing process. In some cases, the width (e.g., left to right with respect to  FIG.  2   ) of one or more laterally adjacent substrates  225   a ,  225   b  are substantially equal (e.g., differing by less than 20%, 10%, or even 1%). 
     The substrates of the layered sensor  112  (e.g., the substrates of the layers  222 ,  224 ,  226 ) may be formed of any suitable material, including polymers, foams, and the like. In some cases, one or more substrates (e.g., the substrate  225   b ) include PVDF, and one or more other substrates (e.g., the substrate  225   a ) do not include PVDF. As noted above, including multiple substrates in one or more layers of the layered sensor  112  may provide numerous advantages, including reducing the cost of materials. For example, PVDF may be more expensive than materials used for non-piezoelectric sheet sections, and including a substrate without PVDF on the same layer as a substrate with PVDF may reduce the amount of PVDF required for the layered sensor  112 , thereby reducing the cost of the materials used to form the flexible sensor. In some cases, the substrate  225   a  and/or the substrates of the layers  222  and  226  may be or include polyurethane (PU) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrates. The PU or TPU substrates may be selected to have relatively less hysteresis and relatively elastic strain when undergoing deformation or strain cycling. In some cases, the substrate  225   a  and/or the substrates of the layers  222  and  226  may be or include shape memory polymer (SMP) substrates (i.e., PU substrates having properties such as good shape recovery, shape retention, and shock absorption over a wide temperature range of interest). One useful SMP is poly(urethane-oxazolidone) (PUO, also known as oxazolidone-modified PU), which has a relatively linear E g /E r  ratio over a wide temperature range, where E g  is a glassy state modulus of the PUO, and E r  is a rubber modulus of the PUO. The E g /E r  ratio and shape recovery of a PUO substrate are generally proportional to the PUO&#39;s oxazolidone content. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the layered sensor  112  includes one or more electrodes positioned along and/or within the substrates of the layers  222 ,  224 ,  226 . For example, one or more electrodes may be disposed along a surface of and/or at least partially within the substrates of the substrate layer  224  to carry sensor signals (e.g., input signals or output signals) to sensing circuitry of the sleep monitor  100 . For example, as shown in  FIG.  2   , the substrate  225   b  may include electrodes  232   a ,  232   b  along a top surface and a bottom surface, respectively. The electrodes  232   a ,  232   b  may be components of the force sensing mechanism of the layered sensor  112 . The substrate  225   a  may include an electrode  234  disposed along a surface of the substrate  225   a  (e.g., an electrode that forms at least a portion of a capacitive contact sensing mechanism). The layers  222 ,  226  may include electrodes  233   a ,  233   b ,  233   c  for providing signals (e.g., power, reference voltage signals, etc.) to and/or transmitting signals from the sensor  112 . 
     The electrodes of the layered sensor  112  may be formed by depositing (e.g., printing, attaching with a conductive adhesive) a metallic film or other material on a surface of the substrate(s). In some cases, the materials of the electrodes may differ for different sheet sections. For example, the electrodes  232   a ,  232   b  may include different materials as the electrodes  234 . In some cases, the electrodes  232   a ,  232   b  include silver for more precise detection of piezoelectric charge generated by the piezoelectric substrate  225   b . Other examples of electrode materials include silver (e.g., silver/silver sulfate, silver/silver chloride), copper (copper/copper sulfate, copper nickel), mercury (calomel), aluminum, gold (AgNW), and the like. The electrodes  233   a ,  233   b ,  233   c ,  234  may include different materials from the materials used for the electrodes  232   a ,  232   b , such as copper, that may be less expensive than the materials used in the electrodes  232   a ,  232   b , thereby reducing the cost of the flexible sensor  212 . 
     In some cases, the layered sensor  112  includes one or more adhesive layers  236   a ,  236   b ,  236   c ,  236   d  between layers of the layered sensor and/or between the layered sensor and other device components, such as the enclosure  111 . For example, the layered sensor  112  may include an adhesive layer  236   a  between the enclosure  111  and the layer  222 , an adhesive layer  236   b  between the layer  222  and the substrate layer  224 , an adhesive layer  236   c  between the substrate layer  224  and the layer  226 , and/or an adhesive layer  236   d  between the layer  226  and the enclosure  111 . The adhesive layers  236   a ,  236   b ,  236   c ,  236   d  may include pressure-sensitive adhesive or another type of adhesive and may attach one or more portions of the sensor and/or the sleep monitor together. 
       FIG.  3    shows a flowchart of an example method  300  for manufacturing a layered sensor having multiple substrates in a single layer.  FIGS.  4 A- 4 H  show an example layered sensor having a substrate layer with multiple laterally adjacent substrates, similar to the sensor  112  discussed above with respect to  FIGS.  1 B and  2   , being formed using a process similar to the method  300 . 
     At block  302  of  FIG.  3   , one or more electrodes are disposed on or within a first sheet. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 A , electrodes  432  (shown in phantom) may be disposed on or within an example sheet  440 . The electrodes may be applied directly to the first sheet (e.g., printed) or attached using an adhesive (e.g., a conductive adhesive). 
     At block  304  of  FIG.  3   , the first sheet is cut into a first sheet section and a second sheet section. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 B , the sheet  440  may be cut into a first sheet section  440   a  and a second sheet section  440   b . The sheet  440  may be cut according to a pattern such that the first sheet section  440   a  is interdigitated with the second sheet section  440   b  as shown in  FIG.  4 B . The cutting pattern may result in the sheet section  440   a ,  440   b  having alternating interdigitated members  430   a ,  430   b  as shown in  FIG.  4 B . Each interdigitated member  430   a ,  430   b  may extend from a respective head  428   a ,  428   b . Each interdigitated member  430   a ,  430   b  may include one or more electrodes  432  extending along a length of the interdigitated members  430   a ,  430   b . Alternating electrodes  432  of the sheet  440  may be located on or within different sheet sections  440   a ,  440   b . Said another way, a first electrode  432  may be positioned on or within the first sheet section  440   a , and a second electrode  432  that is adjacent to the first electrode  432  may be positioned on or within the second sheet section  440   b . In some cases, the cutting pattern includes segments between each pair of electrodes  432  (e.g., cuts extending along a part of a length of the sheet  440 ) and segments between alternating electrodes and heads  428   a  and  428   b  (e.g., extending along a part of a width of the sheet  440 ). 
     At block  306  of  FIG.  3   , the first sheet section of the first sheet is separated from the second sheet section of the first sheet. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 C , the sheet sections  440   a ,  440   b  may be separated from one another. As noted above, each sheet section  440   a ,  440   b  may include a head  428   a ,  428   b  and members (e.g., fingers)  430   a ,  430   b  extending from the head. In some cases, the members  430   a ,  430   b  extend perpendicularly from the heads  428   a ,  428   b . The members  430   a ,  430   b  may define gaps  438   a ,  438   b  between each.  FIG.  4 D  shows a second sheet  442  that has been separated into sheet sections  442   a ,  442   b . The sheet sections  442   a ,  442   b  may be shaped similarly to the sheet sections  440   a ,  440   b . Each sheet section  442   a ,  442   b  may include a head  428   c ,  428   d  and members (e.g., fingers)  430   c ,  430   d  extending from the head. In some cases, the members  430   c ,  430   d  extend perpendicularly from the heads  428   c ,  428   d , as shown in  FIG.  4 D . The members  430   c ,  430   d  may define gaps  438   c ,  438   d  between each member. 
     At block  308  of  FIG.  3   , the first sheet section of the first sheet is interdigitated with a third sheet section of a second sheet to form a combined sheet with multiple laterally adjacent substrates on the same layer. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 E , the sheet section  440   a  may be interdigitated with the sheet section  442   b  to form a combined sheet  444   a . In some cases, the second sheet section of the first sheet is interdigitated with a fourth sheet section of the second sheet (or another sheet) to form an additional combined sheet. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 F , the sheet section  440   b  may be interdigitated with the sheet section  442   a  to form a combined sheet  444   b . The heads  428   a  and  428   b  may simplify the manufacturing and assembly process by maintaining the alignment of the fingers defining the members  430   a ,  430   b  and maintaining the gaps between the fingers to make interdigitating the fingers easier. As discussed below, in some cases, the heads  428   a  and  428   b  may be removed from the layered sensor, for example by cutting the layered sensor during or after manufacturing. 
     The members and gaps of the sheet sections  440   a ,  440   b ,  442   a ,  442   b  may be shaped such that the sheet sections can be interdigitated with one another and form a continuous top and/or bottom surface of the combined sheets  444   a ,  444   b . For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 E , each of the gaps  438   a  in the sheet section  440   a  may have a length and/or a width that is approximately the same as a length and/or a width of a respective member (e.g., finger)  430   d  of the sheet section  442   b . Similarly, each of the members (e.g., fingers)  430   a  of the sheet section  440   a  may have a length and/or a width that is approximately the same as a length and/or a width of a respective gap  438   d  of the sheet section  442   b . In some cases, the sheet section  442   a  has a shape that is approximately the same as a shape of the sheet section  440   a , and/or the sheet section  442   b  has a shape that is approximately the same as a shape of the sheet section  440   b . In some cases, the shape of the sheet section  442   a  is different from the shape of the sheet section  440   a , and/or the shape of the sheet section  442   b  is different from the shape of the sheet section  440   b.    
     The sheet  442  may be formed from similar or different materials as the sheet  440 . For example, in some cases, the sheet  440  includes a piezoelectric material and the sheet  442  does not include a piezoelectric material. The sheet  442  may have similar or different electrodes as the sheet  440 , or the sheet  442  may not include electrodes. For example, in some cases, the electrodes of the sheet  440  include silver and the electrodes of the sheet  442  do not include silver. The electrodes of the sheet  442  may have different dimensions as the electrodes of the sheet  440  and/or there may be more or fewer electrodes on the sheet  442  compared to the sheet  440 . As such, different members of the combined sheets  444   a ,  444   b  may include different materials and/or different electrodes. 
     At block  310  of  FIG.  3   , the combined sheet is attached to one or more additional sheets to form a stack. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 G , the combined sheet  444   a  may be positioned above, below, and/or between one or more additional sheets  470   a ,  470   b  such as one or more additional substrate layers and/or one or more ground layers. The sheets  444   a ,  470   a , and  470   b  may form a stack  445 . In some cases, the stack may be separated into multiple layered sensors (e.g., to be incorporated into a single sleep monitor or multiple sleep monitors). 
     At block  312  of  FIG.  3   , the stack is cut and separated to form one or more layered sensors. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 G , the stack  445  may be cut along cutting paths  447   a ,  447   b ,  447   c , and  447   d  to form multiple layered sensors  412   a ,  412   b ,  412   c . In some cases, cutting the stack  445  includes removing the heads  428   a ,  428   d  from the combined sheet (e.g., by cutting along cutting paths  447   a  and  447   d ). As shown in  FIG.  4 H , the flexible sensor  412   a  includes a layer  422  (shown in phantom; similar to layer  222  of  FIG.  2   ), layer  424  (similar to layer  224  of  FIG.  2   ), and layer  426  (similar to layer  226  of  FIG.  2   ). One or more of the layers  422 ,  424 ,  426  may include multiple substrates in the same layer. For example, the layer  424  may include a first substrate  425   a  (similar to the substrate  225   a  of  FIG.  2   ) from the sheet section  440   a  of  FIG.  4 E  and a second substrate  425   b  (similar to the substrate  225   b  of  FIG.  2   ) from the sheet section  442   b  of  FIG.  4 E . 
     The method  300  is an example method for manufacturing of a layered sensor for a sleep monitor and is not meant to be limiting. Methods for providing manufacturing a layered sensor for a sleep monitor may omit and/or add steps to the method  300 . Similarly, steps of the method  300  may be performed in different orders than the example order discussed above. Additionally, steps of the method  300  are not limited to layered sensors for sleep monitors, and may be used to manufacture layered sensors or other components for a variety of applications, including electronic devices. 
     In some cases, the sheets used to form the interdigitated combined sheets discussed with respect to  FIGS.  3 - 4 H  may include a single layer or multiple layers. In some cases, the sheets may include one or more support layers, adhesive layers, or the like. The support layers and/or adhesive layers may provide advantages, including simplifying the manufacturing process by making separating and/or interdigitating the sheet sections easier. 
     In some cases, the adhesive layer(s) include alternating regions corresponding to fingers of the sheet sections. The alternating regions may have different adhesive strength from one another to facilitate separating the sheet sections of a sheet.  FIGS.  5 A- 5 C  show cross-section views of an example sheet  540 , taken through section line B-B of  FIG.  4 A , including first and second adhesive layers with alternating regions having different adhesive strength from one another to facilitate separating sheet sections of the sheet. The sheet  540  may be similar to the sheet  440  discussed with respect to  FIGS.  4 A- 4 F . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5 A , the sheet  540  may include a substrate layer  525  (e.g., a PVDF substrate layer) defining a top surface  525   a  and a bottom surface  525   b . The sheet  540  may include one or more electrodes  532   a ,  532   b  disposed on the top surface  525   a  and/or the bottom surface  525   b  of the substrate layer  525 . In some embodiments, the electrodes  532   a ,  532   b  may be disposed at least partially within the substrate layer  525  (e.g., beneath the top surface  525   a  and/or the bottom surface  525   b ). The sheet  540  may additionally include a support layer  546   a  attached to the top surface  525   a  of the substrate layer  525  and/or a support layer  546   b  attached to the bottom surface  525   b  of the substrate layer  525 . The sheet  540  may include adhesive layers  550   a  and  550   b  that attach the support layers  546   a  and  546   b , respectively, to the substrate layer  525 . Alternatively or additionally, the adhesive layers  550   a  and/or  550   b  may attach support layers  546   a  and/or  546   b  to the electrodes  532   a  and/or  532   b.    
     As noted above, the adhesive layers  550   a ,  550   b  may include different regions having different properties, including adhesive strength. As noted above, as used herein, the term “adhesive strength” may refer to the ability of an adhesive (or another material) to adhere (e.g., stick) to a surface and bond surfaces together, such as the ability of an adhesive layer  550   a ,  550   b  to adhere to a substrate layer  525  and/or a support layer  546   a ,  546   b . A material (e.g., an adhesive) having a higher adhesive strength means that the material adheres better compared to a material with a lower strength. Measures of adhesive strength may include tack (e.g., how quickly a bond is formed by a pressure-sensitive adhesive) and peel (e.g., the force needed to break the bond between an adhesive and a surface it has been applied to). For example, as shown in  FIG.  5 A , the adhesive layers  550   a ,  550   b  may include alternating regions  548   a  and  548   b . In the example of  FIG.  5 A , the regions  548   a  have an adhesive strength that is higher than an adhesive strength of the regions  548   b , but the reverse may be true in other embodiments. 
     As part of the process of forming a layered sensor having multiple laterally adjacent substrates on a single layer, the sheet  540  may be cut into a first sheet section and a second sheet section (or more than two portions), as described in more detail with respect to  FIGS.  3  and  4 A- 4 F . Cutting the sheet  540  may include making cuts at locations  551   a ,  551   b , and  551   c  shown in  FIG.  5 A  to form interdigitated members as discussed above. As shown in  FIG.  5 A , the boundaries between the alternating regions  548   a ,  548   b  of the adhesive layers  550   a ,  550   b  may at least approximately correspond to the cut locations  551   a ,  551   b ,  551   c  so that the alternating regions of the adhesive layers at least approximately correspond to the interdigitated members of the sheet once it is cut. As a result, each member may include one region of the adhesive layer along the top surface  525   a  of the substrate layer  525  and one region along the bottom surface  525   b  of the substrate layer  525 . For each member the region of the adhesive layer that is positioned along the top surface  525   a  of the substrate layer  525  may have different properties (e.g., adhesive strength) than the region of the adhesive layer that is positioned along the bottom surface  525   b  of the substrate layer such that the substrate layer may be more easily separated from one region than the other. For example, as shown in  FIG.  5 A , a region  548   a  having a first adhesive strength may be positioned along the top surface  525   a  opposite a region  548   b  having a second adhesive strength less than the first adhesive strength. 
       FIG.  5 B  shows the sheet  540  cut into a first sheet section  540   a  that includes members (e.g., fingers)  530   a  and a second sheet section  540   b  that includes members (e.g., fingers)  530   b .  FIG.  5 B  shows the sheet sections  540   a ,  540   b  separated from one another. As shown in  FIG.  5 B , the bottom surfaces  525   b  of the substrate layer  525  (and the electrodes  532   b ) of each of the members  530   a  have separated from the corresponding regions  548   b  of the adhesive layer  550   b . Similarly, the top surfaces  525   a  of the substrate layer  525  (and the electrodes  532   a ) of each of the members  530   b  have separated from the corresponding regions  548   b  of the adhesive layer  550   a . The top surfaces  525   a  of the substrate layer  525  (and the electrodes  532   a ) of each of the members  530   a  remain adhered to the corresponding regions  548   a  of the adhesive layer  550   a , and the bottom surfaces  525   b  of the substrate layer  525  (and the electrodes  532   b ) of each of the members  530   b  remain adhered to the corresponding regions  548   a  of the adhesive layer  550   b . As such, each of the sheet sections  540   a ,  540   b  remains attached to a support layer  546   a ,  546   b.    
     The support layers  546   a ,  546   b  may provide rigidity and other structural support to the members  530   a ,  530   b  so that they may maintain their shape during manufacturing. For example, the support layers  546   a ,  546   b  may allow the sheet sections  540   a ,  540   b  to maintain shapes similar to the shapes of the sheet sections  440   a ,  440   b  shown in  FIG.  4 C  as they are handled or otherwise manipulated, and so that they may be interdigitated with one or more additional sheet sections. As shown in  FIG.  5 C , the portions of the support layers  546   a ,  546   b  and the adhesive layers  550   a ,  550   b  between the members  530   a ,  530   b  may be removed as part of the cutting and separation of the sheet sections  540   a ,  540   b . This may allow the sheet sections  540   a ,  540   b  to be interdigitated with other sheet sections. In some cases, the support layers  546   a ,  546   b  and/or the adhesive layers  550   a ,  550   b  are removed from the members after the sheet sections  540   a ,  540   b  have been interdigitated with other sheet sections. In other cases, the support layers  546   a ,  546   b  and/or the adhesive layers  550   a ,  550   b  remain as part of combined sheets after the sheet sections  540   a ,  540   b  have been interdigitated with other sheet sections. 
     The substrate layers described herein may include different or additional features and/or structures than the example embodiments discussed with respect to  FIGS.  2 - 5 C . For example, while the substrate layers discussed with respect to  FIGS.  2 - 5 C  may include members that are interdigitated with one another during a manufacturing or assembly process, this is not required, and substrate layers may have different arrangements and structures. Similarly, while substrate layers formed from two sheet sections have been discussed with respect to  FIGS.  2 - 5 C , in practice, substrate layers may be formed from any number of sheet sections arranged in any suitable way.  FIGS.  6 A- 6 C  show example arrangements of substrate layers. 
       FIG.  6 A  shows a substrate layer  624   a  of a layered sensor that includes a first substrate  652   a  with electrodes  632   a  along a surface, a second substrate  652   b  with electrodes  632   b  along a surface, and a third substrate  652   c  with an electrode  632   c  along a surface.  FIG.  6 B  shows a substrate layer  624   b  of a layered sensor that includes a first member  652   d  with electrodes  632   d  along a surface, a second member  652   e  with an electrode  632   e  along a surface, and a third member  652   f  with electrode  632   f  along a surface.  FIG.  6 C  shows a substrate layer  624   c  of a layered sensor that includes a first member  652   g  with an electrode  632   g  along a surface, a second member  652   h  with an electrode  632   h  along a surface, a third member  652   i  with an electrode  632   i  along a surface, and a fourth member  652   j  with an electrode  632   j  along a surface. 
     The substrates included in a layered sensor may differ from one another. The size (e.g., length, width, thickness), shape, and/or materials of the members in each layer of a layered sensor may differ from one another. For example, as shown in  FIG.  6 A , the substrate  652   a  extends along an entire length  600   a  of the substrate layer, while the substrates  652   b  and  652   c  do not. As shown in  FIG.  6 B , a first portion of the substrate  652   d  may extend along an entire length  600   b  of the substrate layer and a second portion of the substrate  652   d  may not extend along the entire length  600   b . As shown in  FIG.  6 C , one or more substrates (e.g., substrates  652   g ,  652   h ,  652   i ) may cooperate to at least partially surround one or more substrates (e.g., substrate  652   j ). In some cases, one or more of the substrates of a substrate layer may include PVDF, and one more of the members may not include PVDF. 
     The electrodes included along a substrate layer may differ from one another. The size (e.g., length, width, thickness), positioning, shape, or other properties (e.g., materials) of the electrodes may differ across different substrates or along a single substrate. As shown in  FIG.  6 A , the substrates  652   a  and  652   b  may include two electrodes (e.g., two parallel electrodes) on their surface, and the substrate  652   c  includes a single electrode on its surface. As shown in  FIG.  6 A , the electrode  632   c  may be wider and/or shorter than other electrodes. As shown in  FIG.  6 B , an electrode  632   d  of the substrate  652   d  may be shorter than other electrodes  632   d  of the substrate  652   d . As shown in  FIG.  6 B , the electrode  632   e  may extend to an edge of the substrate  652   e , while one or more additional electrodes of the substrate layer  624   b  may not extend to an edge of a substrate. 
     As noted above, the substrates included in a substrate layer (or other layers of a layered sensor) may differ from one another.  FIG.  7    shows a cross-section view of an example layered sensor  712  of a sleep monitor, taken through section line A-A of  FIG.  1 B . As shown in  FIG.  7   , the layered sensor may include substrates, electrodes, adhesive layers, and other components of different sizes (e.g., length, width, thickness), shapes, and/or materials. The layers  722 ,  724 ,  726  may be formed by interdigitating two or more sheet sections as described herein. The layers  722 ,  724 ,  726  may include substrates (e.g., fingers)  722   a ,  722   b ,  724   a ,  724   b ,  724   c ,  726   a ,  726   b  similar to the substrates described herein. As shown in  FIG.  7   , the widths and/or positions of the substrates of the layers  722 ,  724 ,  726  may be different compared to other substrates in the same layer or other layers. For example, the substrate  724   a  of layer  724  is wider than the substrate  724   b  of layer  724 . The layered sensor may include electrodes  732   a ,  732   b ,  732   c ,  732   d ,  732   e ,  732   f ,  732   g ,  732   h  similar to those described herein. The electrodes may have different widths, thicknesses, materials, and the like compared to other electrodes along the same layer or other layers. For example, the electrode  732   g  positioned along the layer  726  may have a different width than the electrode  732   h  positioned along the layer  726 . 
       FIGS.  8 A- 8 D  show another example of a layered sensor  800  having laterally adjacent substrates in a single layer.  FIG.  8 A  shows a plan view of the layered sensor  800 , and  FIGS.  8 B- 8 D  show various cross-sections of the layered sensor  800 . The layered sensor  800  may be able to flex more than a layered sensor having a PVDF substrate and associated electrodes that extend in a straight line, and may respond to high strain with low stress. 
     As shown in  FIG.  8 A , one or more of the laterally adjacent substrates included in the single layer may have a serpentine shape, or at least one serpentine-shaped edge. For example, a first substrate  802  may have a serpentine shape, and a second substrate  804  may define a negative of the serpentine shape (i.e., a cutout) and have serpentine-shaped edges. Alternatively, one or more of the laterally adjacent substrates  802 ,  804  may have a curved or arcuate shape or curved or arcuate-shaped edge. In some cases, the entirety of a substrate may have a serpentine shape (or a curved or arcuate shape), or define a negative of a serpentine, curved, or arcuate shape, or have at least one serpentine, curved, or arcuate-shaped edge. In other cases, only a portion of a substrate, or only a portion of an edge, may be serpentine, curved, or arcuate-shaped. Although the lateral edges of the serpentine-shaped first substrate  802  is shown to be entirely surrounded by the second substrate  804  in  FIG.  8 A , one or both ends  806 ,  808  of the first substrate  802 , or one or more portions along the serpentine-shaped edges of the first substrate  802 , may not be surrounded by the second substrate  804 . Additionally or alternatively, the second substrate  804  may have interior edges that are separated from one or more ends  806 ,  808  or edges  810 ,  812  of the first substrate  802  by a lateral gap. For example, instead of the interior edges of the second substrate  804  closely abutting (i.e., contacting) the ends  806 ,  808  and edges  810 ,  812  of the first substrate  802 , one or more interior edges of the second substrate  804  may be separated from the ends  806 ,  808  or edges  810 ,  812  of the first substrate  802  by a lateral gap (e.g., a lateral gap having a width that is 1% or less, up to 10%, or up to 20% of the width of the first substrate  802 , or even a larger lateral gap). 
     In some cases, a set of one or more substrates may be disposed at different lateral positions around the first substrate  802 . For example, when the first and second ends  806 ,  808  of the first substrate  802  are not surrounded by a laterally adjacent substrate, a third substrate may be disposed laterally adjacent a first serpentine-shaped edge  810  of the first substrate  802 , and a fourth substrate may be disposed laterally adjacent a second serpentine-shaped edge  812  of the first substrate  802 . In some cases, one or more of a number of laterally adjacent substrates may have a generally serpentine, curved, or arcuate-shaped edge on which another pattern is superimposed. The other pattern may be an intentional pattern or, for example, may be an unintended or unavoidable byproduct of a cutting or machining process. 
     In the example shown, and as previously discussed, the first substrate  802  has a serpentine shape, and the second substrate  804  has a cutout that defines, or substantially defines, a negative of the first substrate&#39;s serpentine shape. In some embodiments, the first substrate  802  may include a flexible piezoelectric material (e.g., the first substrate  802  may be a PVDF substrate), and the second substrate  804  may be a dielectric substrate (e.g., a PU, TPU, or SMP substrate). 
     The first and second substrates  802 ,  804  may be disposed laterally adjacent one another, in a single layer. An electrode  814  or  816  may be disposed on one or each planar surface of the first substrate  802 , as shown in  FIGS.  8 B- 8 D . In some cases, each of the electrodes  814 ,  816  may have a serpentine, curved, or arcuate shape having a width that is the same as, or similar to (e.g., up to 1%, 10%, or 20% wider than or narrower than), the width of the first substrate  802 . By way of example, the electrodes  814 ,  816  are shown to have widths that are narrower than the width of the first substrate  802 . In other examples, the electrodes  814 ,  816  may have shapes that do not correspond to the shape of the first substrate  802 . However, this may generate stray capacitance or other noise effects in a signal read from the electrode(s)  814 ,  816 . In some cases, the electrodes  814 ,  816  may be formed of silver. The electrodes may alternatively be formed of other conductive materials (e.g., metals) or combinations of materials. In some embodiments, the electrodes  814 ,  816  may be electrically connected to respective first and second inputs of a differential sensor. In some embodiments, a differential signal provided by the electrodes  814 ,  816  may be received by a processing unit and used to determine a sleep characteristic of a user. 
     An electrical shield component  818  or  820  may be disposed over, and spaced apart from, each electrode  814 ,  816  (i.e., with each electrode  814 ,  816 , when present, disposed between the first substrate  802  and a respective electrical shield component  818 ,  820 ). In some cases, each of the electrical shield components  818 ,  820  may have a serpentine, curved, or arcuate shape having a width that is the same as, or similar to (e.g., up to 1%, 10%, or 20% wider than or narrower than), the width of the first substrate  802 . By way of example, the electrical shield components  818 ,  820  are shown to have widths that are wider than the widths of the first substrate  802  and electrodes  814 ,  816 . In other examples, the electrical shield components  818 ,  820  may have shapes that do not correspond to the shapes of the first substrate  802  or electrodes  814 ,  816 . For example, the electrical shield components  818 ,  820  may cover the first substrate  802  and all or a substantial portion (e.g., up to 50%, 75%, 90%, or 100%) of the second substrate  804 . In some examples, an electrical shield component  818  or  820  may include aluminum (Al) and/or copper (Cu), and/or another metal, sputtered on a PU, TPU, and/or SMP substrate. An electrical shield component  818 ,  820  may also be provided by a conductive fabric. 
       FIG.  8 B  shows a first cross-section of the layered sensor  800 , taken along line  8 B- 8 B of  FIG.  8 A . The cross-section extends perpendicularly to a meandering length of the serpentine-shaped first substrate  802 . As shown, the layers of the layered sensor  800  may include a layer  822  that includes the first and second substrates  802 ,  804 . 
     The layered sensor  800  may also include one or more intermediate layers, or support layers, on or between which the electrodes  814 ,  816 , electrical shield components  818 ,  820 , and/or other components are disposed. For example, the layered sensor  800  may include first and second intermediate layers  824 ,  826  (e.g., dielectric layers having the same or different composition as the second substrate  804  (e.g., PU, TPU, or SMP compositions). One of the electrical shield components  818  or  820  may be disposed on a respective one of the first or second intermediate layers  824 ,  826 , with the first intermediate layer  824  being disposed between the first electrode  814  and the first electrical shield component  818 , and with the second intermediate layer  826  disposed between the second electrode  816  and the second electrical shield component  820 . 
     In some embodiments, the first and second electrical shield components  818 ,  820  may define the outmost layers of the layered sensor  800 . In other embodiments, an exterior dielectric layer (or other protective layer that protects the layered sensor  800  and/or a user)  828  or  830  may be attached to each intermediate layer  824 ,  826 , with the first intermediate layer  824  disposed between a first exterior dielectric layer  828  and the layer  822 , and with the second intermediate layer  826  disposed between a second exterior dielectric layer  830  and the layer  822 . In some cases, the first and second exterior dielectric layers  828 ,  830  may be formed of PU, TPU, or SMP. 
     A set of adhesive layers  832 ,  834  may adhere the intermediate layers  824 ,  826  to the single layer  822 . and another set of adhesive layers  836 ,  838  may adhere the exterior dielectric layers  828 ,  830  to the intermediate layers  824 ,  826 . 
       FIG.  8 C  shows a second cross-section of the layered sensor  800 , taken along line  8 C- 8 C of  FIG.  8 A . The cross-section extends parallel to the meandering length of the serpentine-shaped first substrate  802 , and includes the same components and layers described with reference to  FIG.  8 B . 
       FIG.  8 D  shows a third cross-section of the layered sensor  800 , taken along line  8 D- 8 D of  FIG.  8 A . The cross-section extends perpendicularly to two different portions of the meandering length of the serpentine-shaped first substrate  802 . The cross-section includes the same components and layers described with reference to  FIG.  8 B . 
       FIGS.  9 A- 9 E  illustrate an example set of operations for forming laterally adjacent substrates in a single layer, for use in a layered sensor such as the layered sensor described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A- 8 D . As shown in  FIG.  9 A , a first substrate  902  may be cut or patterned to form one or more serpentine, curved, or arcuate-shaped members  904 - 1 ,  904 - 2 ,  904 - 3 . In the case of multiple members  904 - 1 ,  904 - 2 ,  904 - 3 , the members  904 - 1 ,  904 - 2 ,  904 - 3  may be attached to a head  906  for ease of handling (e.g., the head  906  and members  904 - 1 ,  904 - 2 ,  904 - 3  may all be cut or patterned from the first substrate  902 ). In some cases, the first substrate  902  may be a PVDF substrate. 
     As shown in  FIG.  9 B , a second substrate  910  may be cut or patterned to form one or more serpentine, curved, or arcuate-shaped negatives  912 - 1 ,  912 - 2 ,  912 - 3  of the members  904 - 1 ,  904 - 2 ,  904 - 3  formed in the first substrate  902 . In some cases, the second substrate  910  may be a PU, TPU, or SMP substrate. 
     As shown in  FIG.  9 C , the cut or patterned first substrate  902  may be inset into the cut or patterned second substrate  910  (or vice versa), forming a single layer  916  with laterally adjacent substrates. 
     As shown in  FIG.  9 D , and if the first substrate  902  includes multiple members  904 - 1 ,  904 - 2 ,  904 - 3  intended for multiple sensors, the single layer  916  may be cut or otherwise divided into different devices, such as a first device  920 - 1 , a second device  920 - 2 , and a third device  920 - 3 . Also, the head  906  may be cut or otherwise separated from the single layer  916 . The separated devices  920 - 1 ,  920 - 2 ,  920 - 3  are shown in  FIG.  9 E . 
     In some embodiments, one or more electrodes may be formed on (or attached to) the first substrate  902 , and/or one or more intermediate layers or support layers may be attached to the first substrate  902  (e.g., one or more intermediate layers supporting one or more electrical shield components) may be attached the single layer  916 , and/or one or more exterior dielectric layers may be attached to the intermediate layers. Each of these operations may be performed before the first substrate  902  is cut or patterned, or after the first substrate is cut or patterned, or after the first substrate  902  and second substrate  910  are positioned laterally adjacent one another in the single layer  916 . The single layer  916  may be cut or otherwise divided before or after one or more of the electrodes, electrical shield components, intermediate layers, adhesive layers, and/or other components or layers are formed or stacked on the single layer  916  having laterally adjacent substrates. In some embodiments, the single layer  916  may be attached to a carrier substrate before being cut or otherwise divided, to keep the devices divided from the single layer  916  in known positions with respect to one another while the devices are additionally processed. 
     In some cases, the layered sensor materials and/or layered sensor construction techniques described with reference to  FIGS.  3 ,  4 A- 4 H , and/or  5 A- 5 C can be incorporated into the layered sensors and/or layered sensor construction operations described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A- 9 E . 
     The layered sensors described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A- 9 E , and/or the various layers and components thereof, are preferably formed of materials having a linear stress-strain curve within an intended operating range of the layered sensors (or at least PU, TPU, or SMP (e.g., POU) layers having a linear stress-strain curve). Materials having a linear stress-strain curve have no hysteresis. Although the layered sensors described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A- 9 E  may also be formed using materials that do not have linear stress-strain curves, linear stress-strain curves eliminate hysteresis and provide a sensor that has the same linear response regardless of the direction that it flexes. In some cases, the materials may not have precisely linear stress-strain curves, and may therefore have some hysteresis. For example, the materials may have stress-strain curves that are within 5%, or within 10%, of linear. 
     A linear stress-strain curve within the intended operating range, in combination with a low modulus of elasticity within the intended operating range (e.g., a modulus of elasticity that is close to that of human skin), in combination with a serpentine-shaped first substrate (e.g., a serpentine-shaped sensing substrate, such as a PVDF substrate) can provide a layered sensor that matches (or approaches) the acoustic impedance of human skin. Matching (or approaching) the acoustic impedance of human skin can be important for effectively measuring cardiac and/or respiratory sounds of the human body. 
     Although the layered sensors described herein have been discussed in the context of an in-bed sensor, the layered sensors described herein may also be used in other contexts, such as: in a microphone; in a blood pressure cuff; in a shoe insole (e.g., as a weight distribution sensor); and so on. 
       FIG.  10    shows a sample electrical block diagram of an electronic device  1000  that may incorporate and/or be connected to a sleep monitor having a layered sensor. The electronic device may in some cases take the form of any suitable electronic device, including sleep monitors as described herein, wearable electronic devices, timekeeping devices, health monitoring or fitness devices, portable computing devices, mobile phones (including smart phones), tablet computing devices, digital media players, virtual reality devices, audio devices (including earbuds and headphones), and the like. The electronic device  1000  can include a display  1005  (e.g., a light-emitting display), a processing unit  1010 , a power source  1015 , a memory  1020  or storage device, a sensor  1025 , an input device  1030  (a sleep monitor), and an output device  1032 . 
     The processing unit  1010  can control some or all of the operations of the electronic device  1000 . The processing unit  1010  can communicate, either directly or indirectly, with some or all of the components of the electronic device  1000 . For example, a system bus or other communication mechanism  1035  can provide communication between the processing unit  1010 , the power source  1015 , the memory  1020 , the sensor  1025 , and the input device(s)  1030 , and the output device(s)  1032 . 
     The processing unit  1010  can be implemented as any electronic device capable of processing, receiving, or transmitting data or instructions. For example, the processing unit  1010  can be a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), or combinations of such devices. As described herein, the term “processing unit” is meant to encompass a single processor or processing unit, multiple processors, multiple processing units, or other suitably configured computing element or elements. 
     It should be noted that the components of the electronic device  1000  can be controlled by multiple processing units. For example, select components of the electronic device  1000  (e.g., a sensor  1025 ) may be controlled by a first processing unit and other components of the electronic device  1000  (e.g., the display  1005 ) may be controlled by a second processing unit, where the first and second processing units may or may not be in communication with each other. In some cases, the processing unit  1010  may determine a biological parameter of a user of the electronic device, such as an ECG for the user. 
     The power source  1015  can be implemented with any device capable of providing energy to the electronic device  1000 . For example, the power source  1015  may be one or more batteries or rechargeable batteries. Additionally or alternatively, the power source  1015  can be a power connector or power cord that connects the electronic device  1000  to another power source, such as a wall outlet. 
     The memory  1020  can store electronic data that can be used by the electronic device  1000 . For example, the memory  1020  can store electrical data or content such as, for example, audio and video files, documents and applications, device settings and user preferences, timing signals, control signals, and data structures or databases. The memory  1020  can be configured as any type of memory. By way of example only, the memory  1020  can be implemented as random access memory, read-only memory, Flash memory, removable memory, other types of storage elements, or combinations of such devices. 
     The electronic device  1000  may also include one or more sensors  1025  positioned almost anywhere on the electronic device  1000 . The sensor(s)  1025  can be configured to sense one or more types of parameters, such as but not limited to, pressure, light, touch, heat, movement, relative motion, biometric data (e.g., biological parameters), and so on. For example, the sensor(s)  1025  may include a layered sensor as discussed above, a heat sensor, a position sensor, a light or optical sensor, an accelerometer, a pressure transducer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a health monitoring sensor, and so on. Additionally, the one or more sensors  1025  can utilize any suitable sensing technology, including, but not limited to, capacitive, ultrasonic, resistive, optical, ultrasound, piezoelectric, and thermal sensing technology. In some examples, the sensors  1025  may include one or more of the contact sensors, force sensors, and/or electrodes described herein (e.g., one or more electrodes in a layered sensor as described herein). 
     In various embodiments, the display  1005  provides a graphical output, for example, associated with an operating system, user interface, and/or applications of the electronic device  1000 . In one embodiment, the display  1005  includes one or more sensors and is configured as a touch-sensitive (e.g., single-touch, multi-touch) and/or force-sensitive display to receive inputs from a user. For example, the display  1005  may be integrated with a touch sensor (e.g., a capacitive touch sensor) and/or a force sensor to provide a touch- and/or force-sensitive display. The display  1005  is operably coupled to the processing unit  1010  of the electronic device  1000 . 
     The display  1005  can be implemented with any suitable technology, including, but not limited to, liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, light emitting diode (LED) technology, organic light-emitting display (OLED) technology, organic electroluminescence (OEL) technology, or another type of display technology. In some cases, the display  1005  is positioned beneath and viewable through a cover sheet that forms at least a portion of an enclosure of the electronic device  1000 . 
     In various embodiments, the input devices  1030  may include any suitable components for detecting inputs. Examples of input devices  1030  include audio sensors (e.g., microphones), optical or visual sensors (e.g., cameras, visible light sensors, or invisible light sensors), proximity sensors, touch sensors, force sensors, mechanical devices (e.g., crowns, switches, buttons, or keys), vibration sensors, orientation sensors, motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers or velocity sensors), location sensors (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) devices), thermal sensors, communication devices (e.g., wired or wireless communication devices), resistive sensors, magnetic sensors, electroactive polymers (EAPs), strain gauges, electrodes, and so on, or some combination thereof. Each input device  1030  may be configured to detect one or more particular types of input and provide a signal (e.g., an input signal) corresponding to the detected input. The signal may be provided, for example, to the processing unit  1010 . 
     As discussed above, in some cases, the input device(s)  1030  include a touch sensor (e.g., a capacitive touch sensor) integrated with the display  1005  to provide a touch-sensitive display. Similarly, in some cases, the input device(s)  1030  include a force sensor (e.g., a capacitive force sensor) integrated with the display  1005  to provide a force-sensitive display. 
     The output devices  1032  may include any suitable components for providing outputs. Examples of output devices  1032  include audio output devices (e.g., speakers), visual output devices (e.g., lights or displays), tactile output devices (e.g., haptic output devices), communication devices (e.g., wired or wireless communication devices), and so on, or some combination thereof. Each output device  1032  may be configured to receive one or more signals (e.g., an output signal provided by the processing unit  1010 ) and provide an output corresponding to the signal. 
     In some cases, input devices  1030  and output devices  1032  are implemented together as a single device. For example, an input/output device or port can transmit electronic signals via a communications network, such as a wireless and/or wired network connection. Examples of wireless and wired network connections include, but are not limited to, cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IR, and Ethernet connections. 
     The processing unit  1010  may be operably coupled to the input devices  1030  and the output devices  1032 . The processing unit  1010  may be adapted to exchange signals with the input devices  1030  and the output devices  1032 . For example, the processing unit  1010  may receive an input signal from an input device  1030  that corresponds to an input detected by the input device  1030 . The processing unit  1010  may interpret the received input signal to determine whether to provide and/or change one or more outputs in response to the input signal. The processing unit  1010  may then send an output signal to one or more of the output devices  1032 , to provide and/or change outputs as appropriate. 
     As described above, one aspect of the present technology is the gathering and use of data available from various sources to provide variable frictional feedback, electrocardiograms, and the like. The present disclosure contemplates that, in some instances, this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, twitter IDs, home addresses, data or records relating to a user&#39;s health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information. 
     The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to provide electrocardiograms to the user and/or variable frictional feedback that is tailored to the user. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure. For instance, health and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user&#39;s general wellness, or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals. 
     The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users, and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country. 
     Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the case of variable frictional feedback and electrocardiograms or other biometrics, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app. 
     Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user&#39;s privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data at a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods. 
     Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, variable frictional feedback may be provided based on non-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information, such as events or states at the device associated with a user, other non-personal information, or publicly available information. 
     The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20200715
Publication Date: 20241231
Grant Date: 20241231
Priority Date: 20190809
Inventors: AMIN, ALI M.
CHUO, YINDAR
ZENG, ZIJING
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H10N30/708", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B7/003", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/877", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/871", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/857", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/302", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/88", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/088", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/073", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01L1/16", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01H11/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/0803", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/0205", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/0816", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/024", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/029", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/04", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/164", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/6892", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/4809", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/857", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/302", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/7225", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/182", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/164", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/046", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/0816", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/1102", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/02405", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/4806", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/6892", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/7246", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/0205", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/06", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01H11/08", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/708", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/164", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/12", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/04", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B2562/029", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/0816", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/024", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/88", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/877", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/871", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/857", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/302", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/088", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/073", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01L1/16", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01H11/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B7/003", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/6892", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/4809", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/0803", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A61B5/0205", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H10N30/06", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 74498778