Abstract: The present invention is a lighting device for an electronic or electromechanical apparatus such as a timepiece of the wristwatch type. The invention including a device displaying time-related or other information, this lighting device including a light source for lighting the display device. The lighting device is characterized in that the light source is also able to measure the intensity of the ambient light. The invention also concerns a method for controlling the lighting of an apparatus of the aforementioned type.

Abstract: The device includes an indicator (3) in the shape of a plate, moving behind a dial (1) having a circular aperture (2), which represents the lunar disc. The indicator includes an S-shaped line of separation (6) between a dark zone (4) and a light zone (5) representing the non-illuminated part and the illuminated part of the moon in the aperture. The indicator is rotatably mounted at the centre of symmetry C of the line of separation (6) on a rotating support making two revolutions per lunation. An image matching the appearance of the moon in each phase is thus obtained. Such a device can be used particularly in a watch or another timepiece.

Abstract: The manual control device for executing functions of an electronic watch (1) particularly a diary watch, includes a certain number of sensors (C1 to C7) wherein one touch sensitive pad of each sensor is placed for example on an internal face of the crystal (4). When a user's finger (20) is placed on the watch crystal in a determined zone of the sensitive pad of a sensor to be activated, it causes an electronic circuit (14) of the device to execute an instruction or a function. In a first mode selected by the electronic circuit, at least two sensors are grouped such that the electronic circuit executes the same operation when a finger is placed on the crystal in a determined zone of the sensitive pad of one sensor or the other. However, in a second mode selected by the electronic circuit, each sensor (C1 to C7) activated by the finger (20) provides measuring signals to the electronic circuit (14) for the execution of a different specific operation for each sensor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a timepiece having a mechanical clockwork-movement (10) driven by a barrel spring (14) and provided with a mechanical regulator, with a balance and a balance spring, which is associated, via electromagnetic coupling, with an electronic regulator driven by a quartz resonator. The rim of the balance (13) balance is provided with at least one pair of permanent magnets (38, 39). The electronic regulator includes a fixed coil (12) arranged for cooperating with said magnets via electromagnetic coupling, a rectifier (58) provided with at least one capacitor, and a circuit for enslaving the frequency of the mechanical regulator to the oscillator frequency by braking obtained by briefly short-circuiting the coil. In order to use a mechanical movement of a common type, in which only the balance is altered, the coil (12) is located on the side of the balance-cock (23) with respect to the balance rim.

Abstract: The watch is provided with a circular row of capacitive keys defined by transparent electrodes (21 to 32) arranged on the inner face of the crystal (5) of the watch and connected to a detection device via a multiplexer. These keys are activated by the person wearing the watch placing a finger (38) on the crystal facing one of the electrodes. The watch further includes means for detecting the position of at least one of the hands (8, 9) by means of the same detection device, using the electrodes (21 to 32) of the capacitive keys and/or other fixed electrodes (51).

Abstract: There is disclosed a wristwatch (21) including a middle part (22) defining a middle plane (Y), conductive means (35, 36) for attaching the wristband (32) to the middle part, a radio-frequency module (27) arranged inside the middle part and connected, on the one hand, to a ground plane and, on the other hand, to a radiating element, insulated from each other and forming an antenna. The ground plane includes at least one conductive surface portion (37) of the wristband connected to the wristband attaching means and the middle part which is conductive, the latter being connected from the inside to the radio-frequency module. The radiating element includes a first conductive surface element (25) arranged in a substantially parallel plane to the middle plane defined by the middle part.

Abstract: The device for implanting a microphone (1) and at least one pressure compensating member (2) in a telephone watch consists in placing the microphone and the compensating member close together. A membrane (5) covers the microphone (1) and a disc (6) forms the compensating member (2). The membrane (5) and the disc (6) open at least partially into a single chamber (7) opening onto the outside via an opening (8) in the form of a slot. A liquid (arrow A) can be injected through this slot to rid the chamber, the membrane and the disc of foreign bodies which could accumulate therein.

Abstract: There is disclosed a wristwatch having a case containing a mechanical watch movement (10) driven by a spring barrel (14) and provided with a mechanical regulator with a balance and balance-spring, which is associated, via electromagnetic coupling, with an electronic regulator driven by a quartz resonator. The rim of the balance (13) is provided with a pair of permanent magnets (38, 39). The electronic regulator includes a fixed coil (12) arranged for cooperating with said magnets via electromagnetic coupling, a rectifier (58) provided with at least one capacitor, and a circuit (60) for enslaving the frequency of the mechanical regulator to the frequency of the oscillator by braking obtained by briefly short-circuiting the coil. In order to enable a common type of mechanical movement to be used, only the balance of which is altered, the electronic regulator is formed by a structural module (11) that is entirely separate from the mechanical watch movement (10).

Abstract: The present invention concerns an electronic astronomical watch, in particular of the wristwatch type, said watch (1) being capable of indicating the position of celestial bodies in the heavens, said watch (1) including: a time base (48) for producing a standard frequency signal; means (50) for determining the current time and date from the standard signal means (28, 30) for selecting a celestial body; analogue time display means using two hands (10, 12); means (32) for determining the position of the selected celestial body in the heavens and indicating this position via the display means (10, 12), the watch (1) being wherein it includes a rotating dial (14) on which there is shown the map (16) of the heavens and in that the shape of the hands (10, 12) is such that their intersection or point of conjunction enables any point of the map of the heavens (16) to be designated on the dial (14).

Abstract: An electronic diving watch (1, 100) with analog display is described, comprising bidirectional means for moving the hour (13) and minute (14) hands respectively. The watch provides a diving mode of operation in which the hands displaying the current time are also used to display data relating to the dive. More particularly, the hour hand (13) is used to provide information vital to the wearer of the watch, namely the maximum remaining duration before it becomes necessary to effect a decompression stage during the ascent. An embodiment is described in which the duration of a single stage at 3 meters is also indicated once the maximum remaining duration has been exceeded.

Abstract: The substrate with electrodes is formed of a transparent material onto which is deposited a film (1) of a transparent conductive material of thickness e1 and of refractive index n1, said film being structured to form a set of electrodes (1a) whose contours (8) delimit insulating spaces (3), wherein the insulating spaces (3) are filled with a transparent dielectric material of thickness e2 and of refractive index n2 so that the respective thicknesses of the conductive material and the dielectric material are inversely proportional to the values of the refractive indices of said materials and said dielectric material forms neither depressions nor beads at the contour (8) of the electrodes. A hardcoating layer (7) may be disposed between the substrate (5) and the electrodes and a protective film (9) added.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a timepiece including a barrel, a spring housed in the barrel, time display members mechanically coupled to said barrel, an electric energy generator also coupled to said barrel, and a regulator circuit for enslaving the frequency of said generator to a reference frequency. The regulator circuit includes for this purpose switching means arranged for electrically braking said generator during braking periods, when said regulator circuit detects that the frequency of said generator is higher than the reference frequency. The generator controls actuating means of an analogue power reserve member, via an electric quantity transmitted by electric coupling between the actuating means and the generator, during said braking periods.

Abstract: There is disclosed a portable instrument for measuring a physiological quantity arranged to be brought into contact with the surface of an organic tissue including, essentially arranged in the same plane, an illumination device including at least one light source with a determined illumination surface for subjecting a portion of the organic tissue to a light emission in at least one determined wavelength range; and a detection device distant from the illumination device for detecting the intensity of the light emission produced by the illumination device after propagation in the organic tissue.

Abstract: The invention concerns a sensor allowing the concentration of a constituent to be determined and being formed by a tongue of small dimensions including a thin plastic substrate (1) supporting at least two current conducting strips (4, 5) separated by a narrow insulating strip (3) of the substrate (1), said substrate (1) and said strips (4, 5) being covered with a plastic covering (2) into which are cut, at one end an opening (8) allowing portions of strip (4, 5) to appear for connection to an electronic apparatus and at the other end two windows (9a, 9b) separated by a strip (11) of the covering (2), said windows (9a, 9b) delimiting on the strips (4, 5) the useful surfaces of a reference electrode beneath a first window (9b) and a measuring electrode beneath a second window (9a) covered with a specific reactant. It is characterised in that at least the measuring window (9a) has an oblong contour in the direction of the tongue.

Abstract: The device includes an indicator (3) in the shape of a plate, moving behind a dial (1) having a circular aperture (2), which represents the lunar disc. The indicator includes an S-shaped line of separation (6) between a dark zone (4) and a light zone (5) representing the non-illuminated part and the illuminated part of the moon in the aperture. The indicator is rotatably mounted at the centre of symmetry C of the line of separation (6) on a rotating support making two revolutions per lunation. An image matching the appearance of the moon in each phase is thus obtained. Such a device can be used particularly in a watch or another timepiece.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a portable object such as, in particular, a timepiece (1) including means for controlling at least an electronic function such as an horological function, these control means including at least a touch-sensitive key (16) for selecting the desired electronic function, characterized in that the control means further include a strain gauge (22) allowing the selection of the desired electronic function to be confirmed and/or the electronic function to be activated, the confirmation and/or activation of said electronic function being effected by applying pressure to the portable object via the effect of which the strain gauge (22) generates a control signal which will be applied to an electronic data processing circuit, said portable object also being able to include means able to emit an acoustic signal to indicate to a user that the desired function has actually been switched on.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a portable object such as, in particular, a timepiece (1), including means (16) for displaying at least one data item and a case (2) formed of a top portion including a crystal (14) covering the display means (16) and a bottom portion delimited by a back cover (6) located below said display means (16), this object including a piezoelectric transducer (32) generating an electric voltage when mechanical pressure is exerted on said top portion, the voltage generated by the piezoelectric transducer (32) being applied to a first electronic circuit which will generate a logic signal in response to the pressure exerted, this electronic circuit being arranged inside said case (2), characterized in that said piezoelectric transducer (32) is arranged in the bottom portion of said case (2) and is rigidly connected to said case (2).

Abstract: An electronic diving watch (1) with an analog display is described, comprising bidirectional driving means respectively of an hour hand (11) and a minute hand (12). The watch has a diving operating mode in which the display hands of the current time are likewise used in order to display data relating to the dive. More precisely, the hour hand (11) is used for the indication of information which is vital for the wearer of the watch, i.e. either that his body has not been subjected to physiological modifications which are significantly substantial enough for him to be required to observe a decompression stage during the ascent, or the parameters of the stage(s) to be effected, if need be. Liquid crystal screens (14, 15) are furthermore provided in order to display complementary information.

Abstract: The case (2) includes means (4a, 4b; 24, 25) for attaching a wristband (3) to a wrist and means for connecting a flexible support (11) of a keyboard (13, 23) with keys (14, 15) connected inside the case (2) to a data processing unit (29) controlling a display device (16, 16a, 16b) allowing characters, supplied by the processing unit (29), to be displayed on a dial (7) of the case (2), the electric power for the electronic components of the assembly being provided by a power source (10). The case is characterized in that the flexible support (11) for the keyboard (13, 23) is connected on one side of the case (2) and its length substantially corresponds to the size of the wrist outline, and in that the wristband (3) totally covers the keyboard (13, 23) while being provided with fixed attachment means (4b, 24) diametrically opposite the means for connecting the keyboard (13, 23) and removable attachment means (4a, 25) located in proximity to said connection to the keyboard.

Abstract: The wristwatch includes in its case a resistive piezo-electric pressure and temperature sensor (26) exposed to a pressure chamber (42) communicating with the outside environment, for measuring ambient pressure. In order to provide individual calibration as a function of temperature followed by a permanent correction of the sensor pressure signals, the latter is fixed to the lower surface of a printed circuit board (30) bearing the electronic circuits (35) processing the sensor signals. The calibration parameters are stored in a non-volatile memory (36) of said circuits. A rigid and sealed separating wall (43) forms an internal bottom separating the pressure chamber (42) from the watch sealed part.