Watch with metallic case including an electronic module for storing data, and electronic module for such a watch

• US 7,385,874 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2004
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swatch Group Management Services AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Swatch Group Management Services AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Vuilleumier, Jean-Claude, Mueller, Jacques, Apotheloz, David, Meyrat, Clement
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska; Vit W
• Application Number:
  US10/595,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20070297294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/11, 368/47, 368/88, 368/281, 368/309, 343/718, 343/720, 455/90.3, 455/344, 455/347
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07771 the record carrier comprising means for minimising adverse effects on the data communication capability of the record carrier, e.g. minimising Eddy currents induced in a proximate metal or otherwise electromagnetically interfering object
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals

Abstract

The watch with a metallic case including an electronic module for storing data, which is mounted in an external cavity in the back cover of a case. The module can communicate via broadcast signals with a read and/or write apparatus for said data. The module includes a base on which are mounted an integrated circuit chip having at least two bumps and a coil acting as a transmission and/or reception antenna. The coil is formed by an electrically conductive wire having two ends respectively connected to said bumps of said integrated circuit chip. The coil surrounds a space in which said chip is placed. The dome-shaped base of the electronic module is a metallic element that conducts magnetic flux to insulate the module coil magnetically from the metallic case during data communication between a read/write apparatus and said module. The base of the module can be covered by a protective cover.

Claims

1. A watch with a metallic case including an electronic module for storing data, which is housed at least mostly in a cavity open towards the exterior in an external surface of the watch, said cavity being of complementary shape to said module, said module being able to communicate via broadcast signals with a read and/or write apparatus for said data, said module including a base on which are mounted an integrated circuit chip having at least two bumps and a coil acting as a transmission and/or reception antenna, said coil being formed by an electrically conductive wire having two ends respectively connected to said bumps of said integrated circuit chip, said coil surrounding a space in which said chip is placed, wherein the base of the electronic module is a metallic element that conducts magnetic flux to insulate the module coil magnetically from the metallic case during data communication between a read/write apparatus and said module, and wherein said module and said cavity that is open towards the exterior housing said module define means for quickly and precisely positioning a complementary-shaped head of a read and/or write apparatus.

2. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the base of the module is made of pure iron or a material including a nickel, iron, copper and molybdenum alloy, the alloy being composed particularly of 70 to 80% nickel and 10 to 20% iron.

3. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said cavity and said module have an essentially cylindrical shape and are located substantially in the centre of the back cover of said case.

4. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said base is dome-shaped and has a flat bottom onto which said coil of annular shape and said integrated circuit chip are placed and a lateral wall surrounding said coil, the height of the lateral wall counted from the inner surface of the flat bottom being greater than or equal to the thickness of the coil or the chip, and wherein the base is housed in a cavity of an external surface of the watch between the inner surface of the cavity and the coil.

5. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the electronic module includes a protective cover having a bottom and a circular lateral wall, said cover being placed on said bottom to enclose the coil and the integrated circuit chip via said base, wherein said cover is made of plastic or ceramic material or sapphire, wherein the lateral wall of the cover is fixed mostly inside said cavity, the bottom of said cover projecting in part outside said cavity, and wherein said module is secured by setting in said protective cover into said cavity or by bonding in said cavity or by crimping in said cavity.

6. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of said lateral wall of the cover slightly and continuously increases from its base to its top so as to have an external surface able to cooperate with a complementary-shaped inner wall of said cavity in order to form dovetail type assembly means between said electronic module and the cavity in the watch surface.

7. The watch according to claim 5, wherein said lateral wall of the cover has a cylindrical external surface and said cavity has an inner wall that is also cylindrical.

8. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said base is formed by a substantially circular rigid plate on which are fixed said annular-shaped coil and said integrated circuit chip, said base being positioned between the external watch surface and the coil.

9. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said coil and said integrated circuit chip are directly secured by bonding onto said base and wherein said ends of the coil wire are also directly fixed onto said bumps of the integrated circuit chip by means of an electrically conductive material.

10. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said coil and said integrated circuit chip are fixed onto the substrate of a printed circuit, and wherein said printed circuit has two connection bumps located between said coil and said chip, onto which said ends of said coil wire are fixed and two ends or two conductive wires whose other ends are fixed onto said bumps of said chip.

11. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said module housed in the cavity has a part projecting outside the back cover of said case to define means for quickly and precisely positioning a complementary-shaped head of a read and/or write apparatus.

12. An electronic module for a watch according to claim 1, the module including a base on which are mounted an integrated circuit chip having at least two bumps and a coil acting as a transmission and/or reception antenna, said coil being formed by an electrically conductive wire having two ends respectively connected to said bumps of said integrated circuit chip, said coil surrounding a space in which said chip is placed, wherein the base is a metallic element that conducts magnetic flux to act as a magnetic shield.

13. The module according to claim 12, wherein it includes a protective cover placed on said base to enclose the coil and the integrated circuit chip using said base, said cover being made of plastic or ceramic material, or sapphire.