Watch provided with a control member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11314208-B2
Application number	US-202017077047-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2020
Priority date	Dec 10, 2019
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A watch includes a control member which makes it possible to manage one or more electronic functions. The control member includes an optical guide, which extends between a proximal face and a distal face with respect to the middle. A light source is arranged such that it can illuminate the distal face through the optical guide, and an imaging device, including a photodetector, is arranged to capture an image of a portion of the finger of a user of the watch, when they touch the distal face. A processor generates commands based on signals generated by the photodetector, in the way of an optical mouse, for example, to make it possible for the user to browse in a menu displayed on a digital screen.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A watch comprising a case, which includes a middle, an horological movement inside the middle, and a control member defining a central axis and mounted laterally with respect to the middle, the watch being provided with at least one electronic feature; wherein:
the control member includes an optical guide comprising a proximal face close to the middle and a distal face distant from the middle, said optical guide making it possible for the transmission of optical signals between the distal face thereof and the proximal face thereof, the distal face being arranged such that a user can touch it with their finger,
the watch is provided with at least one light source capable of illuminating at least one portion of the distal face through the optical guide,
the watch is provided with an imaging device comprising a photodetector and arranged to be able to produce, when the light source is active, an image of a portion of a finger of a user which is located at the level of the distal face of the optical guide in a detection zone, spatially determined and fixed relative to the middle,
the watch includes a processor configured to be able to receive from the photodetector, a plurality of successive digital images of portions of said finger which are located successively in said detection zone, to be able to process this plurality of digital images so as to detect a movement of said finger relative to said detection zone, and to be able to generate a command which manages said electronic feature of the watch based on said movement of the finger, and
wherein the light source and the photodetector are incorporated in or against an inner surface of a side wall of the middle, the middle includes a first optical channel and a second optical channel, which are positioned respectively opposite the light source and the photodetector, the first optical channel and the second optical channel are separated by an opaque separator.

2. The watch according to claim 1 , wherein the optical guide is a toroidal coaxial part with the central axis.

3. The watch according to claim 2 , wherein the optical guide has the form of a tube which is fixed between a cylinder and a ring manufactured from an opaque material and forming, with the optical guide, the control member.

4. The watch according to claim 1 , wherein the first optical channel and the second optical channel are provided respectively with a first lens and a second lens arranged such that:
the first lens extends the light beams generated by the source, so as to illuminate said detection zone, and
the second lens, forming the imaging device, being arranged to project said image on the photodetector.

5. The watch according to claim 4 , wherein:
the source and the photodetector are mounted on one same PCB,
the separator is fixed to the PCB and is raised from a surface of the PCB,
the lenses are fixed to the separator.

6. The watch according to claim 1 , wherein the control member is a rotating crown, capable of rotating an extended element about the central axis user rotates the crown to carry out a first function other than the one of said electronic feature.

7. The watch according to claim 1 , wherein the control member is a head of a pushbutton having, as a first function, an activation of a feature of a chronograph equipping the watch, this first function being other than the one of said electronic function.

8. The watch according to claim 1 , wherein the control member is capable of undergoing an axial and self-reversible alignment with respect to the middle; in that the watch comprises at least one detector arranged so as to be able to detect said axial alignment; and wherein said processor is configured to generate, in response to said axial alignment, a specific command.

9. The watch according to claim 8 , wherein the specific command generated by the detection of said axial alignment is the activation or the deactivation of the light source and of the photodetector.

10. The watch according to claim 8 , wherein a command generated by the detection of said axial alignment is the confirmation of a selection.

11. The watch according to claim 1 , wherein the horological movement is of the mechanical type.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Ferri Yvan
• Tortora Pierpasquale

Classifications

• G04R60/06

  Antennas attached to or integrated in clock or watch bodies · CPC title

• G04G21/08 Primary

  Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces · CPC title

• G04B3/04

  Rigidly-mounted keys, knobs or crowns {(jointed winding-stem G04B37/06)} · CPC title

• G04G21/00 Primary

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

• G04R60/10

  inside cases · CPC title