Method for telephone communication between a portable object with horological functions and telephone and a dedicated server, and portable object for implementation of the same

• US 20020025833A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Asulab SA (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Martin, Jean-Claude, Rota, Sergio
• Application Number:
  US09/931,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20020025833A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/14 the radio signal being a telecommunication standard signal, e.g. GSM

Abstract

The method for telephone communication between at least one portable object, such as a mobile telephone-watch (1), and a dedicated server (2) for the two-way transmission of data signals for the horological functions (6, 7) includes the steps of connecting the mobile telephone unit (27) of the portable object (1) to a mobile telephone network, establishing a telephone link between the server (2) and the portable object (1), transmitting data signals between the server (2) and the portable object (1) to adjust and/or update the horological functions of the object, and to correct the horological functions of said object on the basis of the data signals which have been received and shaped.

Claims

1. A method for telephone communication between at least one portable object, which includes horological functions and a mobile telephone unit, and a dedicated server for the two-way transmission of horological function data signals, wherein it includes the steps of:

connecting the mobile telephone unit of the portable object to a cellular telephone network, the connection to said network allowing the geographical location of the portable object to be located;

establishing a telephone link between the server and the portable object;

transmitting data signals between the server and the portable object for adjusting and/or updating the horological functions of the object; and

correcting the horological functions of said object on the basis of the data signals which have been received and shaped.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein once the telephone link is established between the server and the portable object, the server transmits signals for adjusting the local time, Internet time and/or date indicated by the portable object.

3. The method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the portable object includes a microprocessor with a time-keeping circuit in which the time is indicated on a first display device, wherein the time of the first display is compared and corrected to an exact time provided by the server, and wherein a correction time difference between the time prior to correction and the exact time is transmitted to the server.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the server stores all the correction time differences which it receives from the portable object during several telephone links spaced over time, and wherein it transmits to the object, on the basis of the stored and evaluated time differences, data signals as to the state of its horological functions or adjustment data signals for updating the time base of the time-keeping circuit of the microprocessor.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the data signals as to the state of the horological functions transmitted by the server are messages which are displayed on the first display device or on a second display device during the telephone link to inform the person wearing the portable object as to the state of the horological functions of said object.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portable object includes means for dialling manually or automatically at programmed intervals of time, the telephone number of the dedicated server, which is stored in storage means of the portable object, in order to establish the telephone link and in order to receive from the server the data signals for adjusting and/or updating its horological functions.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server stores several telephone numbers each corresponding to a specific portable object to establish at determined intervals of time telephone links with each portable object and to adjust and update individually the horological functions of each portable object.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the established telephone link, data signals of a selected number of melodies are transmitted from the server to the portable object at the request of the person carrying the portable object to update a melody generating module of the object.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the established telephone link, data signals for programming an alarm are transmitted from the portable object to the server to require the server to call the portable object at a determined time interval.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein information message signals as to events or things happening are transmitted from the server to the portable object as a function of the detected geographical location of the portable object in the mobile telephone network, said messages being displayed on a display device of the portable object.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein time zone or display mode selection data signals are transmitted from the server to the portable object for updating a module for adjusting the time zones or a time display mode selection module to choose whether to display the time in 12 h or 24 h mode.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein message or information signals are transmitted from the server to the portable object, which includes a display device for reading the messages, in order to provide it with information as to the state of its horological functions on the basis of adjustments and/or updates made to said horological functions over time.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portable object is a telephone-watch, in particular a wristwatch including a mobile telephone, which includes storage means in which the number of the dedicated server is stored, wherein said number of the server is automatically dialled at intervals of time programmed by the user of said watch.

14. A portable object, in particular a portable telephone-watch, for implementing the method according to claim 1, said object including a microprocessor with a time-keeping circuit, a mobile telephone unit, means for dialling a telephone number, a microphone and an earpiece connected to said mobile telephone unit, and at least one display device for the time, date and/or messages, wherein it includes storage means in which a call number of a dedicated server providing horological function data signals is stored, and wherein the call number stored in the storage means is able to be dialled automatically in the mobile telephone unit at programmed time intervals to establish a telephone link with said server in order to receive signals for adjusting and/or updating the horological functions of said object.