Rollerball control arrangement for a timepiece adapted to receive radio broadcast messages

• US 5,285,426 A
• Filed: 08/02/1993
• Issued: 02/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ETA SA Fabriques d'Ebauches
• Original Assignee: ETA SA Fabriques d'Ebauches
• Inventors: Teodoridis, Viron
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US08/100,240
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/11, 368/69-70, 368/319-320, 340/825.44, 340/825.47, 340/825.48
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 60/06 Antennas attached to or integrated in clock or watch bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 60/10 inside cases
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/228 combined with other devices having a different main function, e.g. watches

Abstract

A timepiece includes a timekeeper displaying the hour (4) and the minute (5), a receiver for radio broadcast messages adapted to be read on a display (7) and a control arrangement (2) including a rollerball (1) adapted to be manually rolled in a first direction (Y) for which received messages can be displayed one after the other and in a second direction (X) for which at least the functions of engagement, of disengagement or entry into a special operating mode may be chosen. The rollerball may also be pressed in a third direction (Z) for which the displayed message may at least be erased or protected.

Claims

1. A timepiece including a timekeeper for displaying at least the hour and the minute by means of hands, a receiver for radio broadcast messages made up of signs, a memory for storing said messages, a cell for displaying at least said messages, an acoustic transducer and a control arrangement, which at least includes a rollerball emerging partially from the caseband with which the timepiece is provided, said rollerball being adapted to be manually rolled in a first direction thanks to which at least the messages contained in the memory can be displayed one after the other, and in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first, thanks to which at least functions of turn-on, turn-off or entry into a special operating mode of the receiver can be chosen, said rollerball furthermore being adapted to be manually pressed against the return force of a spring in a third direction, perpendicular to the other two, thanks to which at least the displayed message can be erased or protected.

2. A timepiece as set forth in claim 1, in which the rollerball control arrangement is adapted to drive alternately first and second conductive blades which enter respectively into contact with first and second conductive tracks when the rollerball is rolled in the first direction and to drive alternately third and fourth blades which enter respectively into contact with third and fourth conductive tracks when the rollerball is rolled in the second direction and to close a switch when the rollerball is pressed in the third direction.

3. A timepiece as set forth in claim 1, wherein the messages contained in the memory are stacked over one another, the oldest at the bottom and the most recent at the top of the stack, a zone with no message, forming a neutral display when presented, surmounting the most recent message, the memory containing a limited number of messages in a manner such that if the memory is full a new entering message provokes the loss of the oldest message, if such message is not protected.

4. A timepiece as set forth in claim 3, in which if the rollerball is rolled in the first direction and if the memory contains contains several messages, said messages appear one after another on the display, from the most recent to the oldest when the rollerball is rolled in a sense running from 12 o'"'"'clock to 6 o'"'"'clock on the timepiece display and from the oldest to the most recent if the rollerball is rolled in a sense running from 6 o'"'"'clock to 12 o'"'"'clock on the timepiece display, and if the rollerball is rolled in the second direction the displayed message runs past character after character in one sense or in the other according to the sense in which the rollerball is rolled whenever the contents of the message exceed the capacity of the display cell.

5. A timepiece as set forth in claim 3, in which in order to protect or to erase a message appearing on the display cell, the rollerball is pressed in the third direction during a period greater than a predetermined period in order to enter a phase in which the protection function or the erase function can be chosen by rolling the rollerbgall int he second direction, said chosen function appearing on the display and capable then of being validated for the displayed message by exercising a further pressure on the rollerball during a period less than said predetermined period.

6. A timepiece as set forth in claim 5, furthermore including means arranged to erase on request all non-protected messages.

7. A timepiece as set forth in claim 3, in which starting from said neutral display the timepiece can be turned on, turned off or brought into a standby state in which received messages are at least stored in the memory by pressing on the rollerball in the third direction during a period greater than a predetermined period in order to enter a phase in which the turn-on function, the turn-off function or the standby function can be chosen by rolling the rollerball in the second direction, said chosen function appearing on the display and being then capable of validation, for the chosen function, by exercising a further pressure on the rollerball during a period less than said predetermined period.

8. A timepiece as set forth in claim 7, in which the display cell can additionally be brought into an operating mode for which, following pressure on the rollerball during a period greater than a predetermined period, the time of day is displayed so as to be adapted for correction by rolling the rollerball in the second direction, then validated by pressure on the rollerball during a period less than said predetermined period.

9. A timepiece as set forth in claim 8, further including means for turning it on and turning it off at times of day chosen by the user.

10. A timepiece as set forth in claim 8, in which validation of the time of day by pressure on the rollerball simultaneously brings about time setting of the hands of the timepiece.

11. A timepiece as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control arrangement further includes a stem-crown by means of which the timepiece can be set to the time of day, the rollerball control arrangement being used only for controlling the radio-broadcast message receiver.

12. A timepiece as set forth in claim 11, in which the stem-crown can be placed into at least two different axial positions, a first drawn-out position in which the timepiece can be set to the time of day by rotation of the crown and a second pushed-in position for which rotation of the crown has no effect, the first drawn-out position being arranged to close a switch and to drive alternately first and second conductive blades which respectively enter into contact with first and second conductive tracks when the crown is driven in rotation, the second pushed-in position being arranged to open said switch.