Method for providing information about a mechanical wristwatch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10827237-B2
Application number	US-201916397254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2019
Priority date	Jun 19, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A method for providing information about a mechanical wristwatch, including the following steps, performed by the wristwatch: harvesting an intermittently available external energy, storing the harvested energy, at the end of a predefined period of time, generating an analysis report on an activity of the owner of the wristwatch, based at least on the times and durations of availability of the external energy, when or after the harvested energy quantity reaches a threshold, the threshold being on or above an energy level required to power a transmission unit of the wristwatch, wirelessly transmitting the analysis report to a distant reader with the transmission unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for providing information about a mechanical wristwatch, comprising the following steps, performed by the wristwatch:
harvesting an intermittently available external energy;
storing the harvested energy;
at the end of a predefined period of time, generating an analysis report on an activity of an owner of the wristwatch, based at least on times and durations of availability of the external energy; and
when or after harvested energy quantity reaches a threshold, said threshold being on or above an energy level required to power a transmission unit of the wristwatch, wirelessly transmitting the analysis report to a distant reader with said transmission unit.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the analysis report is also based on the available quantities of harvested energy.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the external energy is at leak in part kinetic energy resulting from movements of the wristwatch, and the report analyses at least an activity level of a wristwatch wearer during the predefined period of time.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the external energy is at least in part solar energy resulting from solar radiations in a surrounding environment of the wristwatch, and the report analyses at least lightening levels of the wristwatch during the predefined period of time.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the external energy is at least in part thermal energy resulting from temperature differences between the wristwatch, a wrist of a wristwatch wearer and a surrounding environment of the wristwatch, and the report analyses at least when and for how long the wristwatch has been worn during the predefined period of time.

6. A method for providing information about a mechanical wristwatch, comprising the following step, performed by the wristwatch:
harvesting an intermittently available external energy
storing the harvested energy
at the end of a predefined period of time, generating an analysis report on an activity of an owner of the wristwatch, based at least on times and durations of availability of the external energy
when or after harvested energy quantity reaches a threshold, said threshold being on or above an energy level required to power a transmission unit of the wristwatch, wirelessly transmitting the analysis report to a distant reader with said transmission unit
the method further comprising the following steps, performed by the wristwatch:
detecting a malfunction of the wristwatch
generating an alarm message representative of the detected malfunction
when or after the harvested energy quantity reaches the threshold, wirelessly transmitting the alarm message to a data processing device with said transmission unit.

7. A method for providing information about a mechanical wristwatch, comprising the following steps, performed by the wristwatch:
harvesting an intermittently available external energy
storing the harvested energy
at the end of a predefined period of time, generating an analysis report on an activity of an owner of the wristwatch, based at least on times and durations of availability of the external energy
when or after harvested energy quantity reaches a threshold, said threshold being on or above an energy level required to power a transmission unit of the wristwatch, wirelessly transmitting the analysis report to a distant reader with said transmission unit
the method further comprising the following steps, performed by the wristwatch:
detecting an electromagnetic radiation beam
retrieving a diagnosis request embedded in said beam
generating a diagnostic report representative of an operating condition of the wristwatch
when or after the harvested energy quantity reaches the threshold, wirelessly transmitting the diagnostic report to a data processing device with said transmission unit.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation beam is a visible light, infrared or ultraviolet beam.

9. The method according to claim 8 , comprising the following step, performed by the wristwatch: authenticating the diagnosis request.

10. A wristwatch configured to carry out a method according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Scordilis Thierry
• Casagrande Arnaud
• De Rosa Luca
• Arend Jean-Luc
• Gorisse Jean
• Randjelovic Zoran

Classifications

• G04B5/20

  by movements of other objects, e.g. by opening a hand-bag, by opening a case, by opening a door; Winding up by wind power · CPC title

• H04Q2209/823

  where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm · CPC title

• H04Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• G04D7/002

  Electrical measuring and testing apparatus · CPC title