Method and device for obtaining a continuous movement of a display means

• US 9,541,903 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• 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: Hoover, David
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, CUONG V
• Application Number:
  US13/993,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20130258819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/14 incorporating a stepping motor G04C3/02 - G04C3/12 take precedence generating timing pulses G04F5/00, G04G3/00; setting G04G5/00; synchronisation G04G7/00; generating commutating pulses in masterclocks G04C13/0463, G04C13/02; slave clocks actuated intermittently by electromechanical step advancing mechanisms G04C13/10; control circuits for stepping motors in general H02P8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/146 incorporating two or more stepping motors or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature

Abstract

Method of determining a motion of continuous variable velocity for display means, comprising a step of establishing a model of at least one simulated mechanical force and/or torque value from values measured by a sensor, and a second step of solving a newton equation of motion from these simulated mechanical force and/or torque values, wherein the second step allows a simulated velocity to be calculated for the display means.

Claims

1. A method of determining a motion for a display member of a timepiece, the method comprising:

rotating a crown of the timepiece;

establishing a model for calculating at least one simulated mechanical force and/or torque value from values measured from the rotating crown by a sensor;

obtaining a physical magnitude from the rotating of the crown;

inputting the physical magnitude, measured values, and at least one simulated force and/or torque into a Newtonian equation of motion;

solving the Newtonian equation to calculate a simulated speed for said display member; and

moving the display member at the simulated speed,

wherein the display member is a movable mechanical component that is viewable on the timepiece.

2. The method of determining a motion for said display member according to claim 1, wherein the physical magnitude is a velocity, a magnetic field, an altitude, a depth, a frequency or a geometric angle.

3. The method of determining a motion for said display member according to claim 2, wherein a simulated acceleration of said display member is proportional to a value corresponding to the physical magnitude.

4. The method of determining a motion for said display means according to claim 3, wherein a second mechanical force and/or torque value is used to determine the motion of said display member, and said second mechanical force and/or torque value is modeled on fluid friction.

5. The method of determining a motion for said display member according to claim 4, further comprising an impulse frequency calculated from an angular velocity of the crown.

6. A control device for a display mechanism, wherein said control device includes a calculating unit, a memory unit and motor means adapted to impart a motion of said display member calculated according to claim 1.

7. The control device according to claim 6, wherein said control device includes at least a first and/or a second sensor measuring first physical magnitudes, said first physical magnitudes being converted into second physical magnitudes from which said mechanical force and/or torque values are calculated by pre-processing circuits upstream of the calculating unit.

8. The control device according to claim 7, wherein said control device actuates at least a first motor driving said display member, said first motor further determining a maximum scrolling velocity for said display member.

9. The control device according to claim 8, wherein said control device simultaneously actuates a plurality of motors each dedicated to distinct mechanical display member.

10. The control device according to claim 9, wherein an acceleration and/or deceleration of said display member is calculated according to an impulse frequency measured by said first sensor or according to a relative angle between said display member and a direction of north determined by said second sensor.

11. The control device according to claim 9, wherein an acceleration or deceleration of said display member is calculated according to a relative angle between said display member and a direction of north determined by said second sensor.

12. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the timepiece is of an analogue type.