Method for setting a quartz watch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11243499-B2
Application number	US-201815919549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2018
Priority date	Mar 20, 2017
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for setting a quartz watch, the watch comprising an optical sensor and a microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, the method being performed by way of a portable electronic appliance comprising a point light source and a microcontroller configured to control said point light source, the method comprising the following steps:
placing the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the electronic appliance on the order of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, flashing the point light source of the electronic appliance so as to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of setting parameters, the sequence then being received by the optical sensor of the watch decoding the received light sequence, by way of the microcontroller of the watch, in order to recover the setting parameters on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, setting the watch according to the setting parameters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for setting a quartz watch, the watch including an optical sensor and a microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, the watch also including a point light source controlled by the microcontroller of the watch producing a sequence of light pulses, the method being performed by the way of a portable electronic appliance including a point light source, also producing a sequence of light pulses and a microcontroller configured to control said point light source, the electronic appliance also including an optical sensor designed to supply electrical signals of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, the method comprising:
placing the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the electronic appliance;
on the order of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, flashing the point light source of the electronic appliance to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of setting parameters, the sequence then being received by the optical sensor of the watch;
decoding the received sequence of light pulses, by way of the microcontroller of the watch, in order to recover the setting parameters;
on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, setting the watch according to the setting parameters;
placing the optical sensor of the electronic appliance facing the point light source of the watch;
on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, flashing the point light source of the watch to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of state data characteristic of a current setting of the watch, the sequence of light pulses then being received by the optical sensor of the electronic appliance;
decoding the received sequence of light pulses, by way of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, in order to recover the state data; and
comparing the state data with the setting parameters,
wherein the watch further includes time display hands and means for rotating said hands,
wherein the electronic appliance further includes a camera and optical recognition software that are controlled by the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, and
wherein the method further comprises, following the setting step, on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, actuating the means for rotating the time display hands to place said hands in a position for coding an item of state data characteristic of a current setting of the watch;
placing the face of the watch and the camera of the electronic appliance facing one another;
detecting the position of the time display hands by way of the camera and the optical recognition software of the electronic appliance; and
converting the detected position of the time display hands in order to recover the item of state data.

2. The setting method according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic appliance further includes a screen that makes possible display of images captured by the camera of the electronic appliance,
the method comprising, following the converting the detected position of the time display hands:
superimposing a virtual object illustrating the item of state data onto the face displayed on the screen of the electronic appliance.

3. The setting method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing the item of state data with one of the setting parameters.

4. The setting method according to claim 1 , wherein the watch includes a perpetual calendar mechanism and means for positioning elements of said mechanism, the microcontroller of the watch being configured to control said means for positioning,
wherein the setting further comprises actuating the means for positioning the elements of the perpetual calendar mechanism to position said elements in a position corresponding to the setting parameters.

5. The setting method according to claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor of the watch is a phototransistor.

6. The setting method according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic appliance is a smartphone.

7. A method for setting a quartz watch, the watch including an optical sensor and a microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, the watch also including a point light source controlled by the microcontroller of the watch producing a sequence of light pulses, the method being performed by the way of a portable electronic appliance including a point light source, also producing a sequence of light pulses and a microcontroller configured to control said point light source, the electronic appliance also including an optical sensor designed to supply electrical signals of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, the method comprising:
placing the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the electronic appliance;
on the order of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, flashing the point light source of the electronic appliance to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of setting parameters, the sequence then being received by the optical sensor of the watch;
decoding the received sequence of light pulses, by way of the microcontroller of the watch, in order to recover the setting parameters;
on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, setting the watch according to the setting parameters;
placing the optical sensor of the electronic appliance facing the point light source of the watch;
on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, flashing the point light source of the watch to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of state data characteristic of a current setting of the watch, the sequence of light pulses then being received by the optical sensor of the electronic appliance;
decoding the received sequence of light pulses, by way of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, in order to recover the state data; and
comparing the state data with the setting parameters,
wherein the watch further includes time display hands and means for rotating said hands,
wherein the electronic appliance further includes a camera and optical recognition software that are controlled by the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, and wherein the method further comprises, following the setting step, on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, actuating the means for rotating the time display hands to place said hands in a position for coding an item of state data characteristic of a current setting of the watch,
wherein the optical sensor of the watch is situated on a movement of the watch on a bottom side, the method further comprising, before the step of positioning the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the electronic appliance:
removing a bottom of the watch casing to expose the optical sensor of the watch.

8. A method for setting a quartz watch using a portable electronic appliance, the watch including an optical sensor situated on a movement of the watch on a bottom side, a first microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, a point light source controlled by the first microcontroller of the watch, and time display hands, the portable electronic appliance including a point light source, a second microcontroller configured to control said point light source, and an optical sensor designed to supply electrical signals to the second microcontroller, the method comprising:
flashing, using the second microcontroller, the point light source of the electronic appliance to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of setting parameters, the sequence then being received by the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the portable electronic ap

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Lagorgette Pascal
• Balmer Raphael
• Peters Jean-Bernard

Classifications

• G04R20/28 Primary

  Tuning or receiving; Circuits therefor · CPC title

• G04B19/24 Primary

  Clocks or watches with date {or week-day} indicators {, i.e. calendar clocks or watches}; Clockwork calendars · CPC title

• G04R20/30

  Decoding time data; Circuits therefor · CPC title

• G04C9/00 Primary

  Electrically-actuated devices for setting the time-indicating means (of secondary clocks G04C13/03) · CPC title

• G04B19/32

  by luminescent substances {(disc or drum shaped indicating means with marks or windows G04B19/04; with numbers or number-marks G04B19/20; cases for housing the electrical parts G04G17/00; projection of hands and/or scales on weighing apparatus G01G19/00; on measuring instruments G01D5/262; for advertising G09F19/18)} · CPC title