System for adjusting an illumination function of a watch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024210881-A1
Application number	US-202318503257-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2023
Priority date	Dec 22, 2022
Publication date	Jun 27, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for adjusting an illumination function of a watch including an external timepiece element with an autonomous lighting device, the system including a portable electronic device with a communication unit and a controller to control this communication unit, the lighting device being formed by an assembly of stacked layers connected together and each including one or more of the following functional elements: a light source for generating light in a visible face of the body of the at least one external timepiece element; a self-contained power supply unit; a communication module; and a control unit to control the switching on or off of the light source and to control the communication module, the external timepiece element and the device to be connected to each other to adjust the illumination of the external timepiece element.

First claim

1 . A system for adjusting an illumination function of a watch comprising at least one external timepiece element provided with an autonomous lighting device, the system including a portable electronic device provided with a communication unit and a controller configured to control said communication unit, the lighting device being formed by an assembly of a plurality of stacked layers connected together and each including one or more of the following functional elements:
at least one light source capable of generating light in a visible face of the body of said at least one external timepiece element; a self-contained power supply unit; a communication module; and a control unit configured to control the switching on or off of said at least one light source and to control the communication module, said external timepiece element and said device being configured to be connected to each other to adjust the illumination of said at least one external timepiece element.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said device is configured to generate and transmit to said external timepiece element at least one instruction for controlling the illumination from said at least one light source.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said device is configured to generate and transmit to said external timepiece element at least one instruction for configuring illumination rules for said at least one light source.

4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the illumination of said at least one external timepiece element as a function of said at least one instruction received by the external timepiece element for controlling the illumination from said at least one light source.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the illumination of said at least one external timepiece element as a function of said at least one instruction received by the external timepiece element for configuring illumination rules for said at least one light source.

6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises:
a plurality of modes for the illumination of said at least one external timepiece element, which modes can constitute an instruction for controlling the illumination from said at least one light source of this external timepiece element, and/or a plurality of scenarios for the illumination of said at least one external timepiece element, which scenarios can constitute an instruction for configuring illumination rules for said at least one light source of this external timepiece element.

7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the communication unit and the communication module are configured to be connected to each other by establishing wireless communication, in particular near-field communication.

8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said assembly comprises:
a first layer forming a visible face of the external timepiece element comprising said at least one light source of the external timepiece element; a second layer comprising the photovoltaic module of the self-contained power supply unit; a third layer comprising an electrical accumulator of the self-contained power supply unit; and a fourth layer forming a hidden face of the external timepiece element comprising the control unit and the communication module.

9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said assembly comprises:
a first layer forming a visible face of the external timepiece element comprising said at least one light source of this external timepiece element; a second layer comprising the photovoltaic module of the self-contained power supply unit; and a third layer forming a hidden face of the external timepiece element comprising an electrical accumulator of the self-contained power supply unit, the control unit and the communication module.

10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein a first layer of the assembly comprises at least one event sensor connected to the control unit.

Assignees

• Eta Sa Mft Horlogere Suisse

Inventors

• Huot-Marchand Sylvain
• Dubugnon Dominique

Classifications

• G04G19/10

  Arrangements for supplying back-up power · CPC title

• G04G21/04 Primary

  using radio waves (radio-controlled time-pieces G04R) · CPC title

• G04G19/00

  Electric power supply circuits specially adapted for use in electronic time-pieces · CPC title

• G04B19/30 Primary

  Illumination of dials or hands {(dials in general G04B19/06; moving indicating means with numbers or hands, in general G04B19/20; arrangements for indicating different local apparent times by means of a globe illuminated from inside G04B19/22; continuous indication of the time by non-electric light sources G04B25/00, e.g. by electric lamps G04C17/02; illumination by electric lamps which function at fixed times or periodically G04C19/02; illuminated panels G09F13/00)} · CPC title

• G04G17/02

  Component assemblies · CPC title