Patents Examined by Daniel Wicklund
  • Patent number: 9880522
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a component in a substrate including: a) modifying a structure of at least one region of the substrate to make the at least one region more selective; and b) chemically etching the at least one region to selectively manufacture the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventors: Thierry Hessler, Nicolas Rebeaud, Jean-Luc Helfer, David Richard, Sebastien Graf
  • Patent number: 9869974
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a display module having a hole and including a plurality of first light sources disposed along a perimeter of one side of the display module and a plurality of second light sources which are positioned opposite the plurality of first light sources and are disposed along a perimeter of the other side of the display module, a shaft rotatably inserted into the hole of the display module, a movement which is positioned in the rear of the display module, is connected to one end of the shaft, and provides a rotational force for the shaft, a window which is separated from the display module and is positioned in front of the display module, and a hand which is positioned between the display module and the window and is fixed to the other end of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Pilgoo Kang, Dongseuck Ko, Jeeyoung Cheon, Jonghun Kwon
  • Patent number: 9864343
    Abstract: A three dimensional support element for a timepiece sensor, made in 3D-MID and including integrated electrical connection paths, a flexible connection interface formed of bent wire springs or flexible finger-pieces, and a rigid connection interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Raphael Balmer, Francois Klopfenstein
  • Patent number: 9851697
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic apparatus including a dial plate having light transparency, a module including an antenna for receiving circularly polarized waves which is disposed below the dial plate, the antenna having a radiation electrode, and a solar panel disposed between the dial plate and the module, wherein the solar panel includes a common substrate, a plurality of solar cells disposed on the common substrate, and an inactive segment disposed on the common substrate at a place corresponding to the place of the radiation electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Saito, Makoto Sawada, Junro Yano
  • Patent number: 9846412
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a solar panel including a solar cell, the solar cell including a plurality of light receiving regions and a connecting region, the connecting region having a width narrower than widths of the plurality of light receiving regions and connecting the plurality of light receiving regions, wherein a conductive reinforcing material made of a conductive material is provided in the connecting region and is electrically connected to the plurality of light receiving regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Abe, Masakuni Iwanaga, Junro Yano, Yuta Saito
  • Patent number: 9836027
    Abstract: A device for winding automatic watches, including an electrical energy source and a receptacle support including a surface configured to receive in abutment a back cover of a watch, the device configured to generate a magnetic and/or electrostatic field or eddy currents, in a fixed position underneath the bearing surface and generate, on a substantially annular angular sector, a magnetic and or electrostatic field that varies as a function of time and whose direction is orthogonal to the bearing surface, or generating eddy currents that vary as a function of time. The device can be provided for a watch including an automatic winding mechanism with an oscillating weight including a first ferromagnetic inner part and a second heavy metal peripheral part, and possibly with a paramagnetic conductive disc coaxial to the oscillating weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Michel Willemin, Jean-Jacques Born, Francois Klopfenstein, Patrick Ragot
  • Patent number: 9823625
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a dial, a module and a solar panel. The module is arranged under the dial and including a circular polarization antenna which includes a power feed point and a radiating electrode. The solar panel is arranged between the dial and the module and has an area corresponding to an area of the dial in a face direction thereof. The solar panel is constituted by a plurality of solar cells including a solar cell that has a light receiving surface arranged at a position corresponding to the radiating electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Abe, Masakuni Iwanaga, Junro Yano, Yuta Saito
  • Patent number: 9811055
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a dial plate, and a solar battery which is disposed on a rear side of the dial plate. The dial plate is provided with grooves or ridges. The grooves or the ridges have portions where inclination angles with regard to a normal line of the dial plate are different, and due to this, light which is transmitted through the dial plate is incident from a plurality of directions with angles which are different with regard to the solar battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takumi Oshio
  • Patent number: 9791832
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a winding stem, a calendar correction transfer wheel that rotates in synchronization with the winding stem in a state in which the winding stem is pulled to a first-step position, a calendar corrector wheel that rotates in synchronization with the calendar correction transfer wheel, a setting wheel lever that supports the calendar correction transfer wheel and the calendar corrector wheel, and a date indicator that rotates in synchronization with the calendar corrector wheel. The setting wheel lever is provided with shaft receiving holes to which the calendar corrector wheel is attachable in a rotatable manner, and the calendar corrector wheel is attached to one of the shaft receiving holes in accordance with the type of the date indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Eiichi Hiraya
  • Patent number: 9785119
    Abstract: A multiview 3D wrist watch includes clock circuitry to determine a time, and a plurality of light sources to generate a plurality of input planar lightbeams. A directional backplane having a plurality of directional pixels scatters the plurality of input planar lightbeams into a plurality of directional lightbeams. Each directional lightbeam has a direction and an angular spread controlled by characteristics of a directional pixel in the plurality of directional pixels. A shutter layer receives the time from the clock circuitry and modulates the plurality of directional lightbeams to generate a 3D time view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: LEIA INC.
    Inventors: Brian Taff, David A. Fattal, Raymond G. Beausoleil
  • Patent number: 9785124
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece has a case; an annular antenna housed in the case; a time display unit that is disposed on the inside of the antenna, and includes a dial and hands that rotate on a center pivot; and a battery compartment housing a storage battery that feeds the antenna. The antenna is not superimposed with the storage battery held in the battery compartment when seen from the direction perpendicular to the dial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Mitani, Teruhiko Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9782661
    Abstract: An athletic timing device includes a housing carrying a touch-less sensor. The device is self-contained and can be easily placed at generally any point on a surface used for athletic activities, e.g., a football field, basketball court, or a track. The collective design of the sensor and the housing facilitates activation of the sensor without interfering with normal athletic activities, i.e., activities can be performed and timed under normal conditions without physical contact between the timing device and objects involved in the athletic activity. Example activities that can activate the sensor include snapping a football, kicking a soccer ball, or sprinting away from (or back to) the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Daedalus Design, LLC
    Inventors: Brent Griffin, Maxim Markov, Samuel Dion
  • Patent number: 9775414
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is provided, including a main body, a C-shaped member, and a hinge module, wherein the main body includes a display surface and the C-shaped member includes an opening. The hinge module pivotally connects the main body with the C-shaped member. When the main body is situated in a first position, the main body covers the opening. When the main body rotates from the first position around an axis to a second position relative to the C-shaped member via the hinge module, the main body is away from the opening. An acute angle is formed between the axis and the display surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: HTC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shih-Hsun Ou, Chun-Ta Huang, Ernest Euan Tien
  • Patent number: 9753436
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a wearable electronic device. The wearable electronic device includes an enclosure having a sidewall with a button aperture defined therethrough, a display connected to the enclosure, a processing element in communication with the display. The device also includes a sensing element in communication with the processing element and an input button at least partially received within the button aperture and in communication with the sensing element, the input button configured to receive two types of user inputs. During operation, the sensing element tracks movement of the input button to determine the two types of user inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Colin M. Ely, Fletcher Rothkopf, Christopher Matthew Werner, John B. Morrell, Camille Moussette, Duncan Kerr, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky
  • Patent number: 9753434
    Abstract: Facilitate operations to release a bezel from a rotation prevented state and to rotate the bezel and avoid erroneously releasing the rotation prevented state. A timepiece includes a restrictor having engaging teeth and being movable between a restricted position and a release position by engaging/disengaging the engaging teeth with teeth of the bezel. The timepiece also has a holding mechanism holding the restrictor between a held state, i.e., restricted position and a non-held state. i.e., the release position. The holding mechanism includes two push-buttons and a release mechanism including a spring bar and engaging hole. The release mechanism switches the restrictor to the non-held state irrespective of a continuance of applying the pressing operation forces after the pressing operation forces are applied simultaneously to the two push-buttons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michiyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9740170
    Abstract: An oscillator (10) includes a spiral spring (11) made from a paramagnetic or diamagnetic material and an assembled balance wheel (12) having a shaft (13) on which the following elements are fitted: a balance wheel (14), a plate (15) and a collet (16) rigidly connected with the spiral spring (11). The maximum diameter (Dmax) of the shaft is less than 3.5, or even 2.5, or even 2 times the minimum diameter (D1) of the shaft on which one of the elements is fitted, or the maximum diameter (Dmax) of the shaft is less than 1.6, or even 1.3 times the maximum diameter (D2) of the shaft on which one of the elements is fitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ROLEX SA
    Inventors: Jean-Louis Bertrand, Benoit Boulenguiez, Thomas Cimprich, Raoul Behrend
  • Patent number: 9727029
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a case formed of a metal case barrel and a metal bezel, and the case accommodates an antenna body made of a resin mixed with a dielectric material and having an annular shape. A dielectric auxiliary member made of a dielectric having a dielectric constant greater than that of the antenna body and having an annular shape is disposed between the antenna body and the bezel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Teruhiko Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9720378
    Abstract: A chronometer to monitor the passage of time prior to a projected date of birth of a baby and to recognize and celebrate the birth of the baby. The chronometer includes a generally hollow egg-shaped housing including a bottom, a top, a hinge mechanism, and a latching mechanism. The hinge mechanism rotatably connects the top to the bottom so the top can open and close. The latching mechanism releasably connects the top to the bottom. The chronometer also includes a replica of a young chicken housed in the chronometer, and includes a display to indicate the length of time until the projected birth date of the baby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Craig A Hills, David A. Fussell
  • Patent number: 9720377
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a representation of a non-rectilinear object, the representation particularly including a movable element kinematically connected to a drive mechanism. The representation also includes at least one second movable element, the drive mechanism being arranged such that the movable elements each move, simultaneously and in synchronization, between a first and a second end position, and vice versa, the movable elements forming the representation at a first size and at a second size greater than the first, respectively, when the movable elements are in the first and second end positions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventor: Paul Hartzband
  • Patent number: 9715219
    Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus, including a first information acquisition section which acquires priority action information, a second information acquisition section which acquires biological information related to a body clock of the user at a present time, a state setting section which sets an ideal state of the body clock corresponding to the priority action, a state estimation section which estimates a present state of the body clock at the present time, a third information acquisition section which acquires set action information related to a set action, and a display control section which displays a state of the body clock in the schedule on a display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichiro Koyama, Takeshi Asakawa, Shinako Matsuyama