Optical communication device of a wearable object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10324421-B2
Application number	US-201715652958-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

A timepiece includes a case in which an electronic module supplying at least one item of information is arranged. The at least one item of information is displayed on a dial by a display. The electronic module also includes a communication unit having an optical receiving device. The optical receiving device includes at least one photoelectric receiver arranged to face a first aperture formed on the dial so that an optical signal can be received by the optical receiver.

First claim

What is claim is:

1. A timepiece comprising:
a case, in which an electronic module supplying at least one item of information is arranged, wherein said at least one item of information is displayed on a dial positioned inside of the case by display means,
wherein the electronic module additionally comprises a communication unit having an optical receiving device,
wherein said optical receiving device comprises at least one photoelectric receiver arranged to face a first aperture formed on the dial so that an optical signal can be received by said optical receiver, and
wherein said optical receiving device additionally comprises an occultation device interposed between the dial and the photoelectric receiver and movably mounted to be able to obstruct or let through the optical signal.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein said optical receiving device comprises two photoelectric receivers, each photoelectric receiver facing a first aperture formed on the dial, and said optical receiving device additionally comprises an occultation device interposed between the dial and each photoelectric receiver.

3. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the occultation device comprises a shutter configured in the form of a circular segment mounted on a shaft at its pointed end, wherein said shaft is driven by a motor so that the shutter can be set in rotation.

4. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the display means comprise at least one disc, which is rotatably mounted and set in rotation by at least one motor, wherein said disc carries information to be displayed through a window formed on the dial, the disc and the window serving as occultation device and first aperture respectively, and wherein said disc additionally has a second aperture arranged to able it to be located to face the first aperture and the photoelectric receiver to let through the optical signal.

5. The timepiece according to claim 4 , wherein the disc of the display means has a plurality of positions, in each of which an item of the information is located, and the second aperture is a slot located between two of the positions.

6. The timepiece according to claim 4 , wherein the disc of the display means has a plurality of positions, in each of which an item of the information is located, and said disc has an additional position, in which a second aperture is formed.

7. The timepiece according to claim 4 , wherein the disc of the display means has a plurality of positions, in each of which a marking is located, and the second aperture is a slot at least partially merged with a marking.

8. The timepiece according to claim 4 , wherein the disc of the display means has a plurality of positions, in all of the positions except for one position a marking is located, and the second aperture is a cut in the one position.

9. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the optical signal is an external optical signal.

10. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the timepiece is a watch.

11. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the information that the disc carries is a calendar date.

12. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the display means comprise two discs, each of the two discs is rotatably mounted and set in rotation by at least one motor, wherein each of the two discs carries information to be displayed through a window formed on the dial, the two discs and the window serving as occultation device and first aperture respectively, and wherein the two discs each additionally have a second aperture arranged to face each other and to face the first aperture and the photoelectric receiver to let through the optical signal.

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Lagorgette Pascal

Classifications

• G04B19/247

  disc-shaped {(G04B19/24306 takes precedence; for electrically driven timepieces G04C17/0058)} · CPC title

• G04G21/00 Primary

  Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces · CPC title

• G04C17/0058

  with date indication · CPC title

• G04B19/202

  by means of turning discs (disc-shaped indicating devices with a reference mark or a window G04B19/046; discs driven by clockwork and producing optical special effects G04B45/0007; with inscriptions or drawings driven by a clockwork G04B45/0023; with figures or parts of figures driven by clockwork G04B45/0038) · CPC title

• H04B10/116

  Visible light communication · CPC title