Watch including a contactless control device for a computer cursor

• US 7,932,893 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Swatch AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Swatch AG (The Swatch Group AG)
• Inventors: Berthaud, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, JIN CHENG
• Application Number:
  US09/631,413
• Time in Patent Office: 3,918 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/158, 345/157, 345/168, 341/22, 178/18.06, 368/281, 368/80, 368/69, 368/224, 368/230, 710/3, 968/247, 968/895
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

Watch (1) including time display means (8; 10) covered by a crystal (4). This watch includes an interface device for controlling a computer cursor. It forms a contactless watch-mouse. For this purpose, a plurality of touch sensitive sensors are arranged so that their sensitive pads (16) are supported at least partially by the crystal (4). The sensitive pads are arranged in particular in the shape of a matrix extending over most of the crystal (4). The click function is performed using a push-button (14) associated with electric contactor or by a pressure sensor or by a touch sensitive sensor provided for this purpose.

Claims

1. A watch including;

(a) display means for at least one item of time related data and having an at least partially transparent outer element covering said display means or forming an outer portion of the display means;

(b) first control means for controlling movement of a cursor on a computer screen, wherein said first control means is formed of a plurality of touch sensitive sensors with each touch sensitive sensor having a touch sensitive pad that is at least partially transparent, and the touch sensitive pads are supported at least partially by said outer element so that the display means is at least partially visible through the touch sensitive pads and the outer element, wherein the touch sensitive sensors are of the capacitive type and the sensitive pads are formed by electrodes deposited underneath the outer element; and

(c) a means for detecting that comprises an electronic processing unit operably connected to receive signals from the touch sensitive sensors and to detect the speed of a user'"'"'s finger over said outer element or the actuation frequency of successive touch sensitive sensors.

2. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said display means include an analogue display protected by said outer element that defines the watch crystal, wherein said sensitive pads are at least partially superposed with said analogue display.

3. The watch according to claim 2, wherein said sensitive pads of said touch sensitive sensors forming said first means are supported by said outer element.

4. The watch according to claim 2, wherein a part of said sensitive pads of said touch sensitive sensors is arranged in a top portion of a case of the watch surrounding said outer element.

5. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said sensitive pads of said touch sensitive sensors forming said first means are supported by said outer element.

6. The watch according to claim 1, wherein a part of said sensitive pads of said touch sensitive sensors is arranged in a top portion of a case of the watch surrounding said outer element.

7. The watch according to claim 1, wherein said sensitive pads of said plurality of touch sensitive sensors are arranged in the shape of a matrix defining lines and columns that extend over most of said outer element.

8. The watch according to claim 1, wherein the ratio between the movement of said cursor and the path taken by a user'"'"'s finger across said outer element is less at low speed or actuation frequency than at relatively high speed or actuation frequency.

9. The watch according to claim 7, wherein the movement of said cursor over said computer screen substantially corresponds to the path taken by the user'"'"'s finger over said outer element.

11. The watch according to claim 1, further including;

(d) second control means for selecting an object shown on said computer screen or carrying out a command relating to said object.

12. The watch according to claim 11, wherein said second control means are arranged in a top portion of a case of the watch, substantially in the 6 o'"'"'clock position.

14. The watch according to claim 11, wherein said second control means is formed by a push-button associated with an electric contactor.

15. The watch according to claim 11, wherein said second control means is arranged in a link of the wristband of the watch or in a portion of the wristband of the watch.

16. The watch according to claim 11, wherein said second control means is formed by said outer element associated with a pressure sensor, wherein selection of said object or said command relating to said object is performed by applying pressure onto said outer element.

17. The watch according to claim 16, wherein said pressure sensor is formed by a piezoelectric crystal arranged on the periphery of said outer element.

18. The watch according to claim 11, wherein said second control means is formed by said outer element associated with at least one micro-contactor or small travel contactor.

10. A watch including

(a) display means for at least one item of time related data and having an at least partially transparent outer element covering said display means or forming an outer portion of the display means;

and

(b) first control means for controlling movement of a cursor on a computer screen, wherein said first control means is formed of a plurality of touch sensitive sensors with each touch sensitive sensor having a touch sensitive pad that is at least partially transparent and the touch sensitive pads are supported at least partially by said outer element so that the display means is at least partially visible through the touch sensitive pads and the outer element, wherein the touch sensitive sensors are of the capacitive type and the sensitive pads are formed by electrodes deposited underneath the outer element, wherein the sensitive pads are arranged in concentric zones, and the direction of movement of said cursor is determined by the orientation of the pad or pads actuated relative to the center of said concentric zones, and wherein the speed of movement of said cursor depends on the concentric zone actuated or on two adjacent concentric zones that are actuated simultaneously.

13. A watch including:

(a) display means for at least one item of time related data and having an at least partially transparent outer element covering said display means or forming an outer portion of the display means;

(b) first control means for controlling the movement of a cursor on a computer screen, wherein said first control means is formed of a plurality of touch sensitive sensors with each touch sensitive sensor having a touch sensitive pad that is at least partially transparent, and the touch sensitive pads are supported at least partially by said outer element so that the display means is at least partially visible through the touch sensitive pads and the outer element, wherein the touch sensitive sensors are of the capacitive type and the sensitive pads are formed by electrodes deposited underneath the outer element; and

(c) second control means for selecting an object shown on said computer screen or carrying out a command relating to said object, wherein said second control means is also formed by a touch sensitive sensor that is a capacitive sensor supported by the outer element and located in a central region of the outer element.

19. A watch including:

(a) display means for at least one item of time related data and having an at least partially transparent outer element covering said display means or forming an outer portion of the display means;

(b) first control means for controlling movement of a cursor on a computer screen, wherein said first control means is formed of a plurality of touch sensitive sensors with each touch sensitive sensor having a touch sensitive pad that is at least partially transparent, and the touch sensitive pads are supported at least partially by said outer element so that the display means is at least partially visible through the touch sensitive pads and the outer element, wherein the touch sensitive sensors are of the capacitive type and the sensitive pads are formed by electrodes deposited underneath the outer element; and

(c) a detector that detects the speed of a user'"'"'s finger over said outer element or the actuation frequency of successive sensors.