WEARABLE OBJECT SUCH AS A TIMEPIECE INCLUDING MEANS FOR TRIGGERING AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL FUNCTION

• US 20100296369A1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: The Swatch Group Research And Development Ltd (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Tortora, Pierpasquale
• Granted Patent: US 8,942,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/69
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/481 Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces

Abstract

Portable object such as a timepiece including a dial (4) covered by a watch glass (2), the portable object (1) enclosing an electronic control circuit (16) for at least one time function or non-time related function, the portable object further comprising at least one light source (12) and an associated light sensor (10), which are arranged on the dial (4), the light source (12) emitting, through the glass (2), a light beam, which is at least partially reflected towards the light sensor (10), when it is intercepted by the user'"'"'s finger (D) placed on the glass (2) of the portable object, the light sensor (10) supplying the electronic control circuit (16) with an electric signal for activating the corresponding function when it detects the light produced by the light source (12) and reflected by the user'"'"'s finger (D), the portable object being characterized in that the light source (12) emits collimated light while forming, on the glass (2), a spot of defined dimensions which defines the place on the glass (2) where the user has to place his finger.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. Portable object such as a timepiece including a dial covered by a watch glass, the portable object enclosing an electronic control circuit for at least one time function or non-time related function, the portable object further including at least one light source and an associated light sensor, which are arranged on the dial, the light source emitting, through the glass, a light beam, which is at least partially reflected towards the light sensor when it is intercepted by the user'"'"'s finger placed on the glass of said portable object, the light sensor supplying the electronic control circuit with an electric signal to activate the corresponding function when it detects the light produced by the light source and reflected by the user'"'"'s finger, wherein the light source emits collimated light forming, on the glass, a spot of defined dimensions which defines the place on said glass where the user will have to place his finger.

13. Portable object according to claim 12, wherein it includes start means which the user has to activate for the light source to emit light.

14. Portable object according to claim 13, wherein the start means are formed by a push-button.

15. Portable object according to claim 12, wherein it includes as many light source/light sensor pairs as there are functions to be controlled in said portable object.

16. Portable object according to claim 12, wherein it includes an hour hand and a minute hand, which move above the dial and which are placed in a position such that they do not cover the light source/light sensor pair(s) when the light source is activated.

17. Portable object according to claim 12, wherein the light source is a vertical microcavity laser, which emits collimated light whose wavelength is located within the infrared range.

18. Portable object according to claim 17, wherein the light power produced by the microcavity laser is less than or equal to 1 mW.

19. Portable object according to claim 17, wherein the light sensor is a photodiode.

20. Portable object according to claim 18, wherein the light sensor is a photodiode.

21. Portable object according to claim 19, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the dial of the timepiece.

22. Portable object according to claim 20, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the dial of the timepiece.

23. Portable object according to claim 19, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the same printed circuit board, which is itself fixed to the dial or integrated therein.

24. Portable object according to claim 20, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the same printed circuit board, which is itself fixed to the dial or integrated therein.

25. Portable object according to claim 21, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the same printed circuit board, which is itself fixed to the dial or integrated therein.

26. Portable object according to claim 22, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the same printed circuit board, which is itself fixed to the dial or integrated therein.

27. Portable object according to claim 23, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the same printed circuit board, which is itself fixed to the dial or integrated therein.

28. Portable object according to claim 12, wherein the light source and the light sensor are housed in a water-resistant volume.