Wearable object such as a timepiece including means for triggering an electronic control function

• US 8,942,069 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W
• Application Number:
  US12/530,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20100296369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,338 Days
• Field of Search: 368/69, 368/70, 368/79, 345/156, 345/166, 345/168, 345/170, 345/173, 345/175, 345/176
• 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. A portable object comprising:

(a) a dial covered by a glass;

(b) an electronic control circuit for at least one time function or non-time related function, wherein the electronic control circuit is enclosed by the portable object; and

(c) at least one light source and an associated light sensor, wherein the at least one light source and associated light sensor are arranged on the dial, wherein the light sensor defines an acceptance cone, wherein the geometry of the acceptance cone defines a limit between light that falls into the cone and is converted into a current by the light sensor, and light that passes outside the limit of the acceptance cone,

wherein the light source is disposed to emit a light beam through the glass, wherein the light beam is at least partially reflected towards the light sensor when it is intercepted by a user'"'"'s finger placed on a spot of defined dimension on the glass of the portable object,

wherein the light sensor is connected to supply the electronic control circuit with an electric signal that activates a function when the light sensor directly detects light that is produced by the light source and directly reflected by the user'"'"'s finger into the acceptance cone,

wherein the light source is disposed to emit collimated light forming the spot of defined dimensions on the glass, and wherein the spot defines a place on the glass for the user to place a finger.

2. The portable object according to claim 1, wherein the portable object includes a start means that the user has to activate for the light source to emit light.

3. The portable object according to claim 2, wherein the start means are formed by a push-button.

4. The portable object according to claim 1, wherein the portable object includes as many light source/light sensor pairs as there are functions to be controlled in said portable object.

5. The portable object according to claim 1, wherein the portable object 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.

6. The portable object according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a vertical microcavity laser, which emits collimated light whose wavelength is located within the infrared range.

7. The portable object according to claim 6, wherein the light power produced by the microcavity laser is less than or equal to 1 mW.

8. The portable object according to claim 6, wherein the light sensor is a photodiode.

9. The portable object according to claim 7, wherein the light sensor is a photodiode.

10. The portable object according to claim 8, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the dial of the portable object.

11. The portable object according to claim 9, wherein the photodiode and the microcavity laser are mounted side by side on the dial of the portable object.

12. The portable object according to claim 8, 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.

13. The portable object according to claim 9, 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.

14. The portable object according to claim 10, 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.

15. The portable object according to claim 11, 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.

16. The portable object according to claim 12, 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.

17. The portable object according to claim 1, wherein the light source and the light sensor are housed in a water-resistant volume.

18. The portable object according to claim 1, wherein the portable object is a timepiece.