Device for measuring the accuracy of a mechanical watch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9383725-B2
Application number	US-201514944990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2015
Priority date	Nov 26, 2010
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A device for measuring the accuracy of a mechanical watch includes a time reference source, a calculating mechanism, and another data processing unit. The time reference source is formed by an internal time reference source, or by a receiving and processing mechanism arranged to receive and process signals transmitted by an external time source to permanently update a repeater clock internal to the device. The calculating mechanism is arranged to calculate time differences between display values, and/or between time reference points provided by the time reference source, and to calculate a variation in rate. The another data processing unit is arranged to store and process at least one variation in rate calculated by the calculating mechanism, and/or a viewing mechanism arranged to display at least one variation in rate calculated by the calculating mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for measuring accuracy of a mechanical watch, wherein the measuring device comprises:
a time reference source, formed by an internal time reference source, or by a receiving and processing device to receive and process signals transmitted by an external time source to permanently update a repeater clock internal to said measuring device;
a device to shoot at least one of photographs and video, said device to shoot at least one of photographs and video being coupled to said time reference source;
a storage device to store images resulting from at least one of shots and display values corresponding to said images, and time reference points of instants at which said shots are taken, said time reference points being supplied by said time reference source;
at least one of image analysis hardware and image analysis software to determine at least one of a position in space of visible indicators in each shot taken, and a time display value in each shot taken;
a calculating device to calculate at least one of time differences between the display values provided by said at least one of image analysis hardware and image analysis software and time differences between the time reference points provided by said time reference source, and to calculate a variation in rate; and
at least one of another data processing unit to store and process at least one variation in the rate calculated by said calculating device, and a viewing device to display at least one variation in the rate calculated by said calculating device.

2. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring device further comprises:
a controller configured to coordinate, with reference to said time reference source, processing and analysis of said device to shoot at least one of photographs and video, said storage device, said at least one of image analysis hardware and image analysis software, and said calculating device, to deliver a variation in the rate calculated by said calculating device to at least one of said viewing device and said another data processing unit.

3. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring device further comprises:
an image discrimination device to process shots taken simultaneously of several watches independently of each other; and
a controller of said at least one of image analysis hardware and image analysis software and said calculating device, said controller being configured to allocate results of the variation in the rate calculation to each of said watches.

4. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein said time reference source includes the receiving and processing device to receive and process the signals transmitted by the external time reference source to permanently update the repeater clock internal to said measuring device, said external time reference source being formed by a GPS signal transmitter network or by a telephone network delivering a periodic signal or by a mother clock transmitting a hertz or radio signal.

5. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein said time reference source is internal and formed by a clock comprised in said measuring device.

6. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein said measuring device is formed by a mobile telephone or an iPhone® or a smartphone coupled to an internal or external time reference source.

Assignees

• Swatch Group Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Willemin Michel
• Decosterd Cedric
• Hessler Thierry
• Conus Thierry

Classifications

• G04D7/12

  Timing devices for clocks or watches for comparing the rate of the oscillating member with a standard {(supporting devices for clocks with built-in recording apparatus G04D1/063; measuring short time intervals G04F10/00; frequency measuring in general H04B, G01R)} · CPC title

• G04D7/004 Primary

  Optical measuring and testing apparatus · CPC title