Wristwatch structure, electronic core for wristwatch, and method for manufacturing wristwatch

• US 9,256,209 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Princo Middle East Fze
• Original Assignee: Princo Middle East Fze
• Inventors: Yang, Chih-Kuang, Guu, Yeong-yan, Chang, Cheng-yi, Shaue, Gan-how
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): POWELL, MATTHEW T
• Application Number:
  US14/188,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 368/155, 368/204, 368/157, 361/822, 361/823
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/00 Electromechanical clocks or watches independent of other time-pieces and in which the movement is maintained by electric means synchronisation G04C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/008 Mounting, assembling of components
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/12 driven by piezoelectric means; driven by magneto-strictive means
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/04 Mounting of electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention provides a wristwatch structure, an electronic core for a wristwatch, and a method for manufacturing the wristwatch. The wristwatch structure comprises: a dial; an indicator designed with the dial; an electric driving component connected to the indicator, for driving the indicator and actuating it; and an electronic core having an integrated circuit unit packaged therein, the electronic core also having a plurality of two-dimensional joints distributed on an external surface thereof, wherein the electric driving component is electrically connected to the integrated circuit unit of the electronic core via one set of joints among the two-dimensional joints. The present invention can improve compatibility for various designs, thereby shortening the product development cycle.

Claims

1. A wristwatch structure, comprising:

a dial;

an indicator arranged in accordance with the dial;

an electric driving component connected to the indicator, for driving the indicator to make the indicator operate correspondingly;

an electronic core having an integrated circuit unit packaged therein, the electronic core having a two-dimensional array of junction points distributed on an external surface thereof; and

a programmable logic unit, for arranging a connection path between the integrated circuit unit of the electronic core and the junction points on the external surface of the electronic core, a pin of the electric driving component being connected to any one of the junction points on the two-dimensional array on the external surface of the electronic core, and the programmable logic unit defining the use of the respective junction points such that the electric driving component is connected to a corresponding inner circuit of the electronic core through said one junction point by use of the programmable logic unit;

wherein the electric driving component is electrically connected to the integrated circuit unit of the electronic core through one set of junction points among the two-dimensional junction points.

2. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the junction points are located at regular positions on the two-dimensional array.

3. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the electric driving component actuates the indicator to indicate relevant information about time.

4. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein by a command from outside, the connection path between the inner circuit of the electronic core and each junction point is adjusted such that the electric driving component is electrically connected to a specific circuit, and based on a control signal outputted by the specific circuit, the electric driving component drives the indicator to make the indicator have a specific movement different from a movement used to indicate time information.

5. The wristwatch structure according to claim 4, wherein the command is transmitted to the wristwatch structure through wireless communication.

6. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array have the same pitch.

7. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array are aligned along a vertical direction and a horizontal direction.

8. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array form a concentric circular array distribution.

9. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array are arranged in a hexagonal grid form.

10. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, further comprising an interposer, which is disposed between the electric driving component and the junction points on the two-dimensional array on the external surface of the electronic core.

11. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the electric driving component has a driving shaft and the electric driving component directly drives the indictor via the driving shaft.

12. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the electric driving component is indirectly connected to the indicator through a transmission mechanism.

13. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the electronic core comprises a multi-layer interconnection substrate, and wherein a logic component, a memory component, and a power management component are packaged on the multi-layer interconnection substrate.

14. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the electronic core is connected to a peripheral electronic component inside the wristwatch structure through a peripheral junction point among the junction points on the two dimensional array.

15. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the electronic core further has non-regularly distributed junction points arranged on the external surface thereof, and the non-regularly distributed junction points are used to connect a circuit outside the electronic core.

16. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array have pre-designed junction points distributed at predetermined positions on the external surface of the electronic core.

17. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the electronic core is shaped as a thin board, and the shape of the electronic core corresponds to that of the wristwatch structure.

18. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array are distributed in pairs.

19. The wristwatch structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a crown disposed at a lateral border of the wristwatch structure, for adjusting the indicator, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array have at least one set of junction points disposed corresponding to the position of the crown.

20. An electronic core for a wristwatch, the wristwatch having an indicator and an electric driving component used to drive the indicator to make the indicator operate correspondingly, said electronic core comprising:

a multi-layer interconnection substrate;

an integrated circuit unit disposed on the multi-layer interconnection substrate, the multi-layer interconnection substrate having a two-dimensional array of junction points; and

a programmable logic unit, for arranging a connection path between the integrated circuit unit of the electronic core and the junction points on the external surface of the electronic core, a pin of the electric driving component being connected to any one of the junction points on the two-dimensional array on the external surface of the electronic core, and the programmable logic unit defining the use of the respective junction points such that the electric driving component is connected to a corresponding inner circuit of the electronic core through said one junction point by use of the programmable logic unit;

wherein the electric driving component is electrically connected to the integrated circuit unit through one set of junction points among the junction;

points on the two-dimensional array.

21. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the junction points are located at regular positions on the two-dimensional array.

22. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array have the same pitch.

23. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array are aligned along a vertical direction and a horizontal direction.

24. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array form a concentric circular array distribution.

25. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array are arranged in a hexagonal grid form.

26. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the integrated circuit unit comprises a logic component, a memory component, and a power management component.

27. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the multi-layer interconnection substrate further has non-regularly distributed junction points arranged on the external surface thereof, and the non-regularly distributed junction points are used to connect a circuit outside the electronic core.

28. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array have pre-designed junction points distributed at predetermined positions on the external surface of the multi-layer interconnection substrate.

29. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array are distributed in pairs.

30. The electronic core according to claim 20, wherein the junction points on the two-dimensional array have at least one set of junction points disposed corresponding to the position of a crown, which is arranged at a lateral border of the wristwatch.

31. A method for manufacturing a wristwatch, comprising steps of:

designing a dial and an indicator, a design of the indicator cooperating with that of the dial;

providing an electronic core, which has a two-dimensional array of junction points distributed on an external surface thereof and a programmable logic unit for arranging a connection path between an integrated circuit unit of the electronic core and the junction points on the external surface of the electronic core, wherein a pin of the electric driving component is connected to any one of the junction points on the two-dimensional array on the external surface of the electronic core, and the programmable logic unit defines the use of the respective junction points such that the electric driving component is connected to a corresponding inner circuit of the electronic core through said one junction point by use of the programmable logic unit;

designing position of at least one electric driving component on the external surface of the electronic core according to the position of the indicator, the electric driving component being used to drive the indicator to make the indicator operate correspondingly;

connecting a pin of the electric driving component to at least one point of the junction points on the two-dimensional array on the external surface of the electronic core;

defining connection paths between the inner circuits of the electronic core and the junction points on the two-dimensional array by use of the programmable logic unit so as to electrically connect the electric driving component to a specific circuit inside the electronic core; and

packaging the dial, the indicator, the electric driving component, and the electronic core into a watchcase.

32. The method according to claim 31, further comprising a step of:

providing a communicative component, which is used to receive a command from outside such that the connection paths between the inner circuits of the electronic core and the junction points on the two-dimensional array are adjusted by the command.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the communicative component comprises a wireless communicative component.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein a surface mounted technology is adopted for connecting the electric driving component to one of the junction points of the electronic core.

35. The method according to claim 31, further comprising a step of:

disposing an interposer between the electric driving component and the junction points on the two-dimensional array on the external surface of the electronic core.

36. The method according to claim 31, further comprising a step of:

disposing a peripheral electronic component outside the electronic core and electrically connecting the peripheral electronic component to the electronic core.

37. The method according to claim 31, further comprising a step of:

disposing non-regularly distributed junction points on the external surface of the electronic core, the non-regularly distributed junction points being used to connect a circuit outside the electronic core.