Patents Examined by Vit Miska
  • Patent number: 8289814
    Abstract: A timepiece with LED lights uses a simple light-medium body with a very rough finish to allow light from LED(s) to pass though input-end(s) of the light-medium body and travel within the body and obtain a very even brightness on all surfaces of the light medium that are seen by a viewer. Combined with a milky/frosted front sheet overlay, the light-medium surface can get perfect area illumination effects. The movement for the time display can include analog indicators with a guilt-in light-medium on the top cover to achieve a super slim LED illumination for the time piece. For night light application, the sealed-unit may consist of prong-means and an LED related circuit sealed within a safety standard plastic material and assembled with the night light body to save a lot of cost enable use of all kinds of materials. The invention may also be adapted to an LCD display timepiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Inventor: Tseng-Lu Chien
  • Patent number: 8243554
    Abstract: An analog type electronic timepiece including a plurality of hands for displaying a time; a driving unit for electrically driving the hands; a receiver for receiving and demodulating a radio wave containing a time code signal; and a second synchronization determination unit for determining a second synchronous point of the time code signal demodulated by the receiver through identifying a driving noise mixed in the time code signal by action of the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Haruo Kajitani
  • Patent number: 8243556
    Abstract: A display plate for a solar cell device provided with a solar cell on the bottom surface side includes a light transmission substrate, a light transmission reflecting plate that is disposed on the bottom surface side of the light transmission substrate, and a decorative member that is disposed on the top surface side of the display plate. The light transmission substrate is provided with a reflecting surface on the bottom surface side or on the top and bottom surface sides of the light transmission substrate. The reflecting surface of the light transmission substrate is made of a prism reflecting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Yamaguchi, Seiichi Hiroe, Masaaki Satou, Motoyoshi Itou
  • Patent number: 8243555
    Abstract: Implementations are presented herein that include a time delay path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stephan Henzler, Siegmar Koeppe
  • Patent number: 8238200
    Abstract: A timepiece with a multiplication table display is provided. Preferably, the timepiece has a programmable display, such as a liquid crystal display or the like, allowing the display to display the present time to the user, as is conventionally known, as well as providing methods of performing and teaching multiplication. A first multiplier is selected by the user, and the first multiplier is displayed in a central region of the display. A second multiplier is then selected by the user, and the user may use the display of the timepiece to calculate a particular product, or may be graphically shown how the product is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Kuwait University
    Inventor: Ali Ashour Al-Jafar
  • Patent number: 8228763
    Abstract: A device is disclosed for measuring a plurality of time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Stephan Henzler
  • Patent number: 8223594
    Abstract: Disclosed is a chronograph timepiece in which it is possible to prevent the chronograph drive timing and the magnetic field detection timing from overlapping each other to unnecessarily effect driving with correction drive pulses. A processing unit controls drive circuits so as to drive a time indication motor and a chronograph indication motor with a predetermined timing based respectively on timekeeping information obtained and chronograph measurement information obtained, and effects control such that a magnetic field detecting unit detects a magnetic field with a predetermined timing; when the drive timing for the chronograph indication motor and the magnetic field detection timing for the magnetic field detecting unit overlap each other, the processing unit changes the magnetic field detection timing for the magnetic field detecting unit so that the drive timing for the chronograph indication motor and the magnetic field detection timing for the magnetic field detecting unit may not overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ihashi, Kenji Ogasawara, Kazuo Kato, Kazumi Sakumoto, Hiroshi Shimizu, Akira Takakura, Eriko Noguchi, Takanori Hasegawa, Keishi Honmura, Saburo Manaka, Kosuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8215827
    Abstract: When it is judged that a chronograph second counter and a chronograph minute counter have measured a maximum measurement time, a maximum measurement control unit controls a drive pulse generation circuit so as to drive and stop a motor such that chronograph hand stops at predetermined positions. When, in this state, a restarting operation is performed on a start/stop button, a normal chronograph measurement operation is restarted. At this time, a mechanical structure has been restored to a reset state, so that even at the time of restarting after the measurement of the maximum measurement time, the load at the starting operation is the same as that of the normal operation, thus generating no sense of incongruity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Kato, Akira Takakura, Kenji Ogasawara, Saburo Manaka, Kazumi Sakumoto, Hiroshi Shimizu, Tomohiro Ihashi, Keishi Honmura, Takanori Hasegawa, Kosuke Yamamoto, Eriko Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8218400
    Abstract: A clock comprising concentric rings of slots slits for indicating time by fully illuminating an appropriate one of the slots. Full illumination is propagated from one slot to an adjacent slot by causing all of the slots in a ring of slots to briefly light up sequentially, thus causing a flash of light to propagate around the ring of slots, thus more clearly showing passage of a second, a minute etc as the illumination was switched from the one slot to the adjacent slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Fromanteel Limited
    Inventors: John Crawshaw Taylor, Stewart Leonard Huxley
  • Patent number: 8213268
    Abstract: Disclosed is a chronograph timepiece in which it is possible to prevent a non-rotation state at the time of first driving when chronograph measuring operation is reset during motor drive and restarting is effected. When a resetting operation is performed on a reset button during the driving of a motor and a rotation detection circuit detects non-rotation, a drive control unit controls a drive pulse generation circuit such that the control is completed without reversing the polarity of a motor drive pulse output from the drive pulse generation circuit, and that the motor is driven by a drive pulse of the same polarity as that at the time of the previous resetting in response to a starting operation performed on a start/stop button, driving the motor by the drive pulse of the same polarity at the time of restarting after the resetting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Kato, Akira Takakura, Kenji Ogasawara, Saburo Manaka, Kazumi Sakumoto, Hiroshi Shimizu, Tomohiro Ihashi, Keishi Honmura, Takanori Hasegawa, Kosuke Yamamoto, Eriko Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8210739
    Abstract: A movement for a timepiece, that includes: a housing (10, 12); an energy source; a gear driven by the energy source (14); a frame (26) for a tourbillon (18) rotatingly mounted on the housing (10, 12) about a first axis (AA) and driven by the gear (14); a balance (32) mounted so as to oscillate in bearings on the frame (26); and an escapement (16, 34) including a fixed wheel (16) and a control member (34) interacting with the balance (32), the fixed wheel (16) sustaining the balance (32). In this movement, the bearings are arranged so that the balance (32) oscillates about a second axis (BB) inclined relative to the first axis (AA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: CompliTime SA
    Inventors: Robert Greubel, Stephen Forsey
  • Patent number: 8213266
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece, comprises a timing section to perform timing of time based on an oscillation signal; an electric wave receiving section to receive an electric wave; a voltage detecting section to detect a power source voltage supplied from a power source section; and a stop control section to stop a receiving function of the electric wave receiving section and continue a timing operation of the timing section when the voltage detecting section detects that the power source voltage becomes lower than a first level range, and then to stop the timing operation of the timing section when a warning period for urging a user to perform the power generation by the power generating section elapsed in a state where the power source voltage is lower than the first level range without changing to a lower level than a second level range lower than the first level range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoo Kasuo, Fumiaki Ochiai
  • Patent number: 8208348
    Abstract: When detecting a rotational position of a seconds hand, it is determined whether data stored in a register in correspondence with a supply state of a drive current previously supplied to a coil of a stepping motor is “0”. When the data is “0”, the rotational position of the seconds hand is optically detected. When the data is “1”, the seconds hand is rotated one step, and then, the rotational position of the seconds hand is optically detected. Even though the seconds hand is shifted one second, the position detection is executed every two steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Kojima, Nobuhiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 8206029
    Abstract: The part is made from a plate (1) made of a brittle material, such as glass, quartz or silicon and includes at least one aperture (2, 4, 6) for driving in a shaft (5). This aperture is characterized in that it includes alternately rigidifying and positioning zones (8) and resilient deformation zones (10). Application to securing a shaft onto the moving parts of a timepiece movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Frédéric Vaucher, Raymond Gabus, Marco Verardo
  • Patent number: 8194506
    Abstract: An analog radio controlled clock includes a housing, a plurality of indicating, a radio controlled unit, and an audio alarm arrangement, which includes an alarm control unit and an audio device. The alarm control unit is disposed in the receiving cavity of the housing to communicate with the driving control unit for allowing setup of an alarm time. The audio device is electrically connected with the alarm control unit, and is arranged to generate interactive audible signal to a user regarding setting of an alarm time, wherein the audio device is arranged to commands and transmits them to the alarm control unit for setting up the alarm time, so that the user is able to set up the alarm time through commands such as voice instructions and simple physical actuation to the analog radio controlled lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventor: Tai Wai Luk
  • Patent number: 8194222
    Abstract: A display device that has a display panel having a front substrate, an image forming unit, and a back substrate rendered together in layers, and a wiring board layered on the back surface of the back substrate. A plurality of input/output pins are formed on the front surface of the back substrate, and a plurality of connection pins that are electrically connected to the input/output pins by respective conductor members are formed on the back surface of the wiring board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki Seki, Kenichi Okuhara
  • Patent number: 8194507
    Abstract: A hidden display may be used in an apparatus to display information to a user. The display hardware is generally hidden within the apparatus and illuminated information appears on an outside surface of the apparatus to display the information. The hidden display may couple light into a display panel from the inside of the apparatus to provide the illuminated information on the outside surface of the display panel. The display panel may provide diffuse reflection of ambient light on the outside of the display panel such that the display hardware is not visible behind the display panel but without providing a mirror-like reflection. The display may be used in a variety of different apparatuses or devices including, but not limited to, clocks and clock audio devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Brookstone Purchasing, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen B. Mills
  • Patent number: 8182138
    Abstract: A device comprises a basic clock movement MB whose time indicators are driven by a first barrel connected to a first wheelwork and a first regulator organ, and an autonomous chronograph module MCA whose indicators are driven by a second barrel independent from the first, connected to a second wheelwork and a second regulator organ. The chronograph module is exclusively composed of mechanical elements. The frequency of oscillation supplied by its regulator is equal N times the frequency of oscillation supplied by the regulator of the base movement, with the coefficient N being definable according to a specific application of the chronograph, so that any chronograph module thus previously defined can work with the same base movement. The chronograph regulator remains constantly engaged with the corresponding wheelwork. The chronograph module allows a time interval to be read with a minimum precision of a hundredth of second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: LVMH Swiss Manufactures SA
    Inventor: Hughes Jolidon
  • Patent number: 8184505
    Abstract: A method for determining portions of a GPS satellite signal may use non-coherent integration to determine a repeated pattern such as a preamble. Once the repeated pattern is determined, portions of the GPS satellite signal that may be determined with partial correlation sums. Sensitivity to satellite signals may be increased by computing more partial correlation sums on portions of the GPS satellite signal. In one embodiment, time of day information may be determined from the GPS satellite signal with partial correlation sums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Qualcomm Atheros, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi-Hsiu Wang, Dennis Hilgenberg
  • Patent number: 8174936
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a movement and a current-time ringing mechanism that includes: an hour cam (40) for providing information on the hour of the current time to an hour sampler, quarter cam (28) for providing information on the quarters of the current time to a quarter sampler, a minute cam (22) for providing information on the minutes of the current time to a minute sampler, wherein the cams are adapted to be driven by the movement, the quarter cam (28) and the minute cam (22) being pivotally mounted and being free relative to each other, and the minute cam (22) including a snail including a single row of 60/N stages and being adapted to be driven by the movement at N revolutions per hour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignees: Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier S.A., Sowind S.A.
    Inventor: Alberto Papi