ELECTRONIC WRIST OR POCKET WATCH COMPRISING A ROTARY CROWN

• US 20180059624A1
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Saronikos Trading and Services, Unipessoal Lda
• Original Assignee: Saronikos Trading and Services, Unipessoal Lda
• Inventors: James, Robert
• Application Number:
  US15/561,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20180059624A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 3/041 Construction of crowns for rotating movement; connection with the winding stem; winding stems
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 47/06 with attached measuring instruments, e.g. pedometer, barometer, thermometer or compass in combination with a tachometer which winds up the clockwork G04B5/206
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/001 Electromechanical switches for setting or display in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A watch includes a case, a display for displaying a plurality of symbols, a processor in signal communication with the display, and configured for controlling the display in a manner such that they will display a screen where at least one first symbol is selected among a plurality of available symbols, a rotary crown associated with the case, and a motion detector configured for detecting at least the rotary motion of the crown, wherein the motion detector is in signal communication with the processor, and wherein the processor is also configured for controlling the display in a manner such that, when the crown is turned, at least one other symbol, different from the first symbol, will be selected among a plurality of available symbols.

Claims

1. An electronic wrist or pocket watch, comprising:

a case,

display means for displaying a plurality of symbols,

processing means in signal communication with the display means, and configured for controlling said display means in a manner such that they will display a screen where at least one first symbol is selected among a plurality of available symbols,

a rotary crown associated with the case, and

motion detection means configured for detecting at least the rotary motion of said crown, wherein said motion detection means is in signal communication with the processing means, and wherein said processing means is also configured for controlling the display means in a manner such that, when the crown is turned, at least one other symbol, different from the first symbol, will be selected among the plurality of available symbols.

2. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is also configured in a manner such that the rotation of the crown will cause the disappearance of one of said available symbols from the screen displayed by the display means and the appearance on said screen of said at least one other symbol of said plurality of available symbols.

3. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is also configured for controlling the display means in a manner such that they will generate a screen where the symbols are displayed along a spiral trajectory, and that, when said crown is turned, the symbols will be selected sequentially along said spiral trajectory.

4. The watch according to claim 3, wherein the processing means is also configured in a manner such that, when the symbol located at one end of the spiral trajectory is selected, turning the crown in one of the possible directions will result in the selection of the symbol located at the other end of the spiral trajectory.

5. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is also configured for controlling the display means in a manner such that they will generate a screen where the symbols are displayed along a circular trajectory, and that, when said crown is turned, the symbols will be selected sequentially along said circular trajectory.

6. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the crown is also configured in a manner such that it can be moved along the axis of rotation of said crown, so that it can be extracted from or inserted into the case.

7. The watch according to claim 6, wherein the motion detection means comprises a translation sensor in signal communication with the processing means, and configured for detecting the insertion and/or extraction of the crown into/from the case, and wherein the processing means is also configured for activating an application associated with the selected symbol when the translation sensor detects the insertion and/or extraction of the crown into/from the case.

8. The watch according to claim 7, comprising a transmission shaft coupled to the crown, wherein the translation sensor comprises a piezoelectric element coupled to said transmission shaft in a manner such that, when the crown of the device is extracted from and/or inserted into the case, said piezoelectric element can be deformed, thereby generating an electric current that can be detected by the processing means.

9. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the motion detection means comprise an electric generator, the shaft of which is coupled to the crown, wherein, when the crown is turned, the generator will generate an electric current that can be detected by the processing means.

10. The watch according to claim 8, comprising energy recovery means and accumulation means that can supply power to said watch, wherein the energy recovery means is electrically connected to the accumulation means, and wherein the energy recovery means is configured for converting the current generated by the motion detection means into a current that can be accumulated into the accumulation means.

11. The watch according to claim 8, wherein the translation sensor comprises also an accelerometric mass positioned on the piezoelectric element and integral therewith, wherein said accelerometric mass is configured for generating a force that will deform said piezoelectric element when said watch is subjected to an acceleration.

12. The watch according to claim 9, wherein the electric generator can also work as an electric motor, wherein the energy recovery means comprises a speed adjuster capable of supplying power to said electric motor/generator in such a way as to cause the crown to rotate when a symbol different from the first symbol is selected without using said crown.

13. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is also configured for controlling the display means in a manner such that they will generate a screen containing a plurality of symbols, wherein the selected symbol is bigger than the others.

14. A method of use of a watch according to claim 1, comprising a selection step, wherein a symbol is selected by turning the crown.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising an application activation step, wherein the application associated with the selected symbol is started by inserting and/or extracting the crown into/from the case of said watch.

16. The method for recharging a watch according to claim 10, comprising a recharge step, wherein said watch is recharged by turning the crown that operates an electric generator.