Diving computer with coupled antenna and water contact assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059550-B2
Application number	US-201916352979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2019
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A diving computer with coupled antenna and a water contact assembly is disclosed. The diving computer has at least one radiator element located on or connected to an outermost surface of a bezel of the diving computer and a radio unit having a conductive coupling to said radiator element, for enabling wireless communication between said diving computer and external devices. A conductive water contact surface extends through the housing of the diving computer and a water contact detector circuit is arranged, as a part of an underwater condition sensing circuit, to sense an underwater condition of the device. When water establishes a current path through said underwater condition sensing circuit from the water contact surface to ground, the sensing circuit provides an indication of an underwater condition to the diving computer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wearable diving computer, comprising:
a housing including a conductive bezel and a body, said bezel including a radiator element,
a radio unit functionally connected to a diving computer circuitry in said housing, said radio unit having a conductive coupling to said radiator element for enabling wireless communication between said diving computer and external devices,
a water contact surface being at least in part conductive;
a water contact detector circuit arranged to sense an underwater condition of said wearable diving computer,
an underwater condition sensing circuit comprising said water contact surface, said radiator element and a low-pass filter comprising at least an inductor connected at one end to said conductive coupling and at the other end to a ground potential of said diving computer,

wherein said water contact detector circuit is configured, when water establishes a current path through said underwater condition sensing circuit, to detect an electrical connection from said water contact surface to ground and to provide an indication of an underwater condition to said diving computer.

2. A wearable diving computer according to claim 1 , wherein said water contact surface is arranged through a button which is operable from the outside of said body, and the structure of said button includes said water contact surface.

3. A wearable diving computer according to claim 2 , wherein said button is a push-button component comprising a structure with a button part and a hollow guide part, wherein the button part consists of a touch surface portion connected to a shaft portion being arranged to slide in said hollow guide part when said button part is being engaged by a user, and wherein at least said guide part includes said water contact surface.

4. A wearable diving computer according to claim 1 , wherein said radio unit is a near field radio unit.

5. A wearable diving computer according to claim 1 , wherein said radio unit is a satellite receiver unit.

6. A wearable diving computer according to claim 1 , wherein said water contact detector circuit is arranged to deactivate said radio unit when an underwater condition is detected.

7. A wearable diving computer according to claim 1 , wherein said water contact detector circuit is arranged to automatically switch to an operating mode of the diving computer when an underwater condition is detected.

8. A wearable diving computer according to claim 1 , wherein said radio unit is a Bluetooth or WiFi transceiver unit.

9. A wearable diving computer according to claim 1 , wherein said radio unit is a GPS receiver unit.

10. A water contact detector assembly for detecting an underwater condition of a wearable device comprising:
a housing of said wearable device, said housing having a conductive bezel and a body;
a radio unit in said housing, said radio unit having a conductive coupling to a radiator element in said bezel for enabling wireless communication between said wearable device and external devices,
a water contact surface being at least in part conductive,
a water contact detector circuit,
an underwater condition sensing circuit comprising said water contact surface, said radiator element and a low-pass filter comprising at least an inductor connected at one end to said conductive coupling and at the other end to a ground potential of said wearable device,

wherein said water contact detector circuit is configured, when water establishes a current path through said underwater condition sensing circuit, to detect an electrical connection from said water contact surface to ground and to provide an indication of an underwater condition to said wearable device.

11. A water contact detector assembly according to claim 10 , wherein said water contact surface is arranged through a button which is operable from the outside of said body, and the structure of said button includes said water contact surface.

12. A water contact detector assembly according to claim 11 , wherein said button is a push-button component comprises a button part and a hollow guide part, wherein the button part consists of a touch surface portion connected to a shaft portion being arranged to slide in said hollow guide part when said button part is being engaged by a user, and wherein at least said guide part includes said water contact surface.

13. A water contact detector assembly according claim 10 , wherein said water contact detector circuit is arranged to deactivate said radio unit when an underwater condition is detected.

14. A water contact detector assembly according to claim 10 , wherein said water contact detector circuit is arranged to automatically switch to an underwater operating mode of said wearable device when an underwater condition is detected.

Assignees

• Suunto Oy

Inventors

• Sepänniitty Mikko
• Puuri Heikki
• Hurskainen Ville
• Stählberg Tapio
• Tarnanen Niko
• Varjonen Eero
• Ahola Tom

Classifications

• H04N23/51

  Housings · CPC title

• H01Q5/385 Primary

  Two or more parasitic elements · CPC title

• H01Q9/0421

  with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element (H01Q9/0414 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B63C11/26 Primary

  Communication means, {e.g. means for signalling the presence of divers}(electric communication in general H04) · CPC title

• H01Q5/392

  the parasitic elements having dual-band or multi-band characteristics · CPC title