Patents by Inventor Nicolas FRANÇOIS

Nicolas FRANÇOIS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11988994
    Abstract: A horological component including a substrate and at least one first decoration component including at least one first photoluminescent material configured to procure a phosphorescent appearance. The horological component includes a second decoration component including at least one second material, the second material being metallic and configured to procure a metallic appearance, or variochromic and configured to procure a color that varies under the effect of a stimulus, the first decoration component and the second decoration component being arranged relative to one another on the substrate to form a decoration having a metallic appearance or a color that varies under the effect of a stimulus when the horological component is exposed to light and a phosphorescent appearance when the horological component is in the dark. A timepiece can include such a horological component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Nicolas Francois, Agnes Marlot Doerr, Carole Govaerts
  • Patent number: 11991275
    Abstract: Aspects and embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for generating a private cryptographic key for use in a secure cryptogram for transmission between a first entity and a second entity. The method may comprise: selecting a random vector defined in an n-dimensional vector space shared between the first entity and the second entity, the vector comprising one or more component coordinates defined in the n-dimensional vector space, each component coordinate being associated with one or more bits; determining the one or more bits associated with each component coordinate comprised in the random vector; and generating the private key in dependence on the one or more bits associated with each component coordinate comprised in the random vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: BTQ AG
    Inventors: Olivier Francois Roussy Newton, Andrew Deonarine, Nicolas Alexandre Roussy Newton, Railton Frith
  • Publication number: 20240152097
    Abstract: Time-to-digital converter (TDC) using multiple Vernier in a cascaded architecture reduces the timing jitter by decreasing the number of the ring oscillator cycles during the measurement processes. Time-to-digital converter (TDC) measurements using a third oscillator for the second Vernier process has significant advantages compared to changing the period of the second oscillator during the measurement cycle. The Vernier architecture described herein may operate with faster oscillators, reducing the number of intervals before converging and leading to a lower time conversion and a better timing jitter. Adding multiple cascaded Vernier interpolation may further improve the TDC measurement resolution while having only a small increment of time required to resolve the time interval calculations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Frédéric NOLET, Nicolas ROY, Jean-François PRATTE, Frederik DUBOIS
  • Patent number: 11971686
    Abstract: A dial, and timepiece including the dial, including a mother-of-pearl wafer partially covering a support member, and a decorative element arranged on a reverse of the wafer, the decorative element being visible on an obverse of the wafer when subjected to a stimulus and invisible on the obverse of the wafer in the absence of the stimulus. The decorative element has a first empty area on a reverse of the wafer, and a second empty area on the obverse of the wafer, facing the first empty area. A colour compensation layer is deposited on the first empty area or the second empty area, the colour being selected such that the difference in colour ?E in the CIE Lab colour space between the colour compensation layer and the decorative element in the absence of said stimulus, perceived by a user observing the obverse of the wafer, is less than 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Agnès Marlot Doerr, Nicolas François, Alexandros Mouskeftaras, Michel Willemin, Jean-Claude Martin, Carole Govaerts
  • Publication number: 20240122312
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bracelet strand made of a transparent or translucent elastomer material, comprising a first end capable of connecting to a watch case, characterised in that it comprises a rigid insert having a solid part forming a reinforcement, and a hollow part arranged to receive a fluid and solid elements dispersed in the fluid, said hollow part being located at the centre of the solid part, and in that the insert is coated in the transparent elastomer, and is positioned at the first end capable of connecting to a watch case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Sophie NAPOLI, Nicolas FRANÇOIS, Marek DOVCIK
  • Publication number: 20240068113
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for treating an electromembrane process aqueous composition comprising sodium and/or potassium sulfate, said process comprising removing water from said electromembrane process aqueous composition under conditions suitable for substantially selectively precipitating sodium and/or potassium sulfate monohydrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: NEMASKA LITHIUM INC.
    Inventors: Jean-François MAGNAN, Guy BOURASSA, Nicolas LAROCHE, Gary PEARSE, Stephen Charles MACKIE, Mykolas GLADKOVAS, Peter SYMONS, J. David GENDERS, Geneviève CLAYTON, Pierre BOUCHARD
  • Publication number: 20230418231
    Abstract: A modular watch (1) including at least a middle (10), a back (11), a display module (12) having a dial, time display means, a crystal and first magnetic gear means, a horological module (13) including a horological movement with second magnetic gear means arranged to cooperate with the magnetic gear means of the display module (12), and first and second bracelet strands integral with the middle (10) at a pair of horns (20, 30). The display module (12) and the horological module (13) are mounted one on top of the other, said display module (12) being mounted such that it is fixed against the middle (10), and the horological module (13) being mounted such that it can rotate between the back (11) and the display module (12) in order to set the time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Cédric Nicolas, Jean-Jacques Born, Sophie Napoli, Nicolas François, Pablo Rodriguez
  • Publication number: 20230374707
    Abstract: A textile part (10) including at least two textile layers superimposed on one another and each including fibres, the layers being formed by an energy-generating layer (11; 12) configured to generate an electric current from light radiation or from mechanical stresses, and an energy storage layer (13) for supplying an electronic device with an electric current, the storage layer (13) being electrically connected to the generating layer (11; 13) and configured to store the electric current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Nathalie MARINAKIS, Nicolas FRANÇOIS, Alain JORNOD
  • Patent number: 11808344
    Abstract: A planet carrier for a mechanical gearbox for a turbomachine includes a one-piece cage that extends about an axis of rotation defining an internal housing configured to receive a sun gear and planet gears of the gearbox. The planet carrier further includes a lubrication system with at least one bore formed in the cage and extending parallel to the axis over more than 30% of a maximum axial dimension (Lmax) of the cage. The lubrication system also includes for the at least one bore, at least two sprinklers which are fitted to the cage and which are each mounted in a recess of the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Guillaume Pierre Mouly, Frederic Nicolas François Laisnez, Adrien Louis Simon
  • Patent number: 11808213
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mechanical reducer (6) for a turbomachine, in particular an aircraft, this reducer (6) including: a sun gear extending around an axis (61) of rotation, a crown which extends around the sun gear and which is configured to be fixed in rotation around said axis (61), planet gears which are meshed with the sun gear and the crown and which are held by a planet carrier (62) which is configured to be movable in rotation about said axis (61), In addition, the oil distributor (65) comprises a plurality of oil distribution modules (67) assembled together, each module (67) comprising at least one lubrication pipe (68) having an inlet intended to receive oil and an outlet (69) adapted to lead the oil into an opening (63) of the planet carrier (62), the opening (63) being intended for lubricating the reducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Guillaume Pierre Mouly, Frédéric Nicolas François Laisnez, Adrien Louis Simon
  • Patent number: 11766098
    Abstract: A fashion item (100) including a thin wall with locally and selectively expandable areas including: an internal core (30) made of a lining material which can expand in contact with a liquid; a support layer (10) having an external face (11) opposite an internal face (12) on which the internal core (30) is arranged, the support layer (10) being configured so that the expansion of the lining material does not substantially cause its deformation; and an impermeable covering layer (20) attached to the support layer (10) so as to tightly enclose the internal core (30), the layer including one or a plurality of through holes (21) opening onto the internal core (30) and arranged relative to each other so as to form a predefined matrix, the covering layer (20) being configured such that the expansion of the lining material substantially causes its deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Nicolas François, Sophie Napoli
  • Publication number: 20230296631
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining a characteristic of one or more eggs in an automated manner, comprising the steps of: a. extracting a sample from one or more eggs in an automated manner; i. holding and transferring the sample through one or more instruments to a unit for holding one or more samples; ii. ejecting an aliquot from the sample by applying sound or light energy to at least an amount of the sample; iii. entraining the ejected aliquot in a gas or liquid stream; and iv. transporting the ejected aliquot to a mass spectrometer using the gas or liquid stream; and b. analyzing the sample or an aliquot thereof in an automated manner in a mass spectrometer for the absence or presence and the amount of one or more molecules, to determine one or more characteristics of the egg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Wil Marijn STUTTERHEIM, Wouter Sebastiaan BRUINS, Sebastiaan Frans TEUNISSEN, Thomas HANKEMEIER, Nicolas Francois Pierre DROUIN
  • Publication number: 20230279288
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a master mixture comprising: from 40 to 95% by weight of a photoluminescent pigment, said pigment having a particle size limited by sifting at 30 ?m; 5 to 60% by weight of a polymer in the form of an elastomer or an elastomer precursor chosen from fluorinated polymers from the FKM family, the polyurethane (TPU) family, Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers, silicones, ethylene propylene rubbers (EPR) and the thermoplastic derivatives (TPO) thereof and acrylic elastomers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Sophie NAPOLI, Nicolas FRANCOIS
  • Patent number: 11679577
    Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece component made of composite material including at least one reinforcement and one matrix, the reinforcement having a three-dimensional honeycomb structure with a plurality of cells into which the matrix is injected. The invention also concerns a method for manufacturing such a timepiece component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Nicolas Francois, Gregory Kissling, Stewes Bourban, Juliette Muller, Jean-Luc Bazin
  • Patent number: 11672313
    Abstract: A piece of jewellery made of a natural elastomer composite material, wherein the natural elastomer composite material includes a natural elastomer matrix wherein between 0% and 6% cellulose fibres, between 0 and 5% anti-odour agents, and between 0 and 30% silica are dispersed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Nicolas Francois, Julien Dahan, Gregory Kissling
  • Patent number: 11672603
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for patient-specific intervention planning, the system comprising a physical model of an anatomical structure, wherein the physical model is a patient-specific model based on medical image data; a virtual model of the anatomical structure, wherein the virtual model is a patient-specific model based on medical image data; a tracking device configured to track a position of a physical representation of an interventional tool with respect to the physical model of the anatomical structure; a processor configured to perform the step of: registering the physical model of the anatomical structure with the virtual model of the anatomical structure and registering the physical representation of the interventional tool with a virtual representation of the interventional tool based on the position of the physical representation of the interventional tool and the physical model of the anatomical structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Nicolas François Villain, Hernan Guillermo Morales Varela, Mathieu De Craene
  • Publication number: 20230142441
    Abstract: A turbomachine blade is made of composite material formed of woven fibers and embedded in a polymerized resin. The blade includes a root connected by a stilt to a vane which comprises a pressure side and a suction side. At least one anti-wear strip of fabric is located on a surface of the root and/or the stilt. At least one anti-wear strip is secured to the root surface in a unitary manner by the resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Matthieu Patrick Jean Roger PERLIN, Nicolas François Paul BROUSSAIS-COLELLA, Damien Vincent LE CLOAREC, Ambroise Nicolas Marie MALFROY
  • Publication number: 20230137675
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a luminescent timepiece component for a portable object includes producing a pre-mixture of a phosphorescent pigment in an amount of 10 to 40% by weight, a fluorescent pigment in an amount of 1 to 4% by weight and a plasticiser in a maximum amount of 10% by weight; mixing a polymer base with the pre-mixture and extruding a first time the mixture obtained to obtain a homogeneous polymer mixture; extruding a second time the polymer mixture to form a strip of a predetermined thickness; and cutting the strip to obtain the desired luminescent timepiece component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Sophie Napoli, Nicolas FRANÇOIS
  • Patent number: 11639791
    Abstract: A decorative item including an element made at least partly of a metallic, polymeric or ceramic based material and including a face visible to an observer, at least one light source external or internal to the element, the decorative item further includes at least one optical fibre embedded in the material of the element, the optical fibre serving as a guide for the light from the light source in order to produce, during use, a light effect on the visible face of the element. A method for manufacturing the decorative item is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Olga Reinauer, Agnes Marlot Doerr, Nicolas Francois, Pierpasquale Tortora, Stewes Bourban
  • Publication number: 20230075984
    Abstract: A casing of an aircraft turbomachine includes an annular shell extending around an axis A and made of a composite material having fibers that which are woven and embedded in a resin. An annular layer made of abradable material extends inside the shell, around axis A and is obtained by spreading and polymerizing a paste. Support panels extend around axis A and are interposed between the shell and the abradable layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicants: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, SAFRAN AEROSPACE COMPOSITES
    Inventors: Meredith ROBERTS, Chris ANDERSON, Nicolas François Paul BROUSSAIS-COLELLA, Ambroise Nicolas Marie MALFROY, Foster Alexander MAXWELL, Paul MYSLINSKI, Adrienne RETIVEAU-LECA