Patents Examined by Vit W. Miska
  • Patent number: 10162309
    Abstract: The mechanical timepiece movement with power reserve indication comprises at least one barrel system connected to a winding wheel of a differential gear and an unwinding wheel of the differential gear. An intermediate wheel of the differential gear is connected to a cam wheel set to drive it in rotation via a reducing stage. A rack, which acts on a power reserve indicator, is in contact with the cam wheel set. When the power reserve is at zero, a locking part of the rack comes into contact with a locking member to lock the movement at an unwinding output of the barrel system or in contact with the unwinding wheel of the differential gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Julien Saglini
  • Patent number: 10162310
    Abstract: A method of forming a decorative surface on a micromechanical timepiece part including a silicon-based substrate, including at least one step a) of forming pores (2) on the surface of the silicon-based substrate over a zone of the silicon-based substrate which corresponds to the decorative surface to be formed, the pores being designed to open out at the external surface of the micromechanical timepiece part. A micromechanical timepiece part including a silicon-based substrate, and having, over at least one zone of the silicon-based substrate, pores which are formed in the zone of the silicon-based substrate and open out at the external surface of the micromechanical timepiece part in order to form a decorative surface over the zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventor: Philippe Dubois
  • Patent number: 10152025
    Abstract: Movement including an escapement mechanism and a resonator including an inertial element subjected to the action of a flexible gimbal and cooperating with an escape wheel set pivoting about a main axis, which includes driving means cooperating in a continuous transmission of motion with complementary means of the inertial element in every angular position of the latter, the flexible gimbal tending to return these complementary means towards the main axis, and including elastic return means about axes orthogonal to the main axis and restricting the mobility of the inertial element in two rotational degrees of freedom, about a fixed position of the centre of inertia of the inertial element with respect to a plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Gianni Di Domenico, Jean-Luc Helfer
  • Patent number: 10133240
    Abstract: The invention concerns an oscillator for a timepiece movement, comprising a staff rigidly connected to a balance carrying first and second bipolar magnets spaced apart from the staff and capable, depending on the angular position of the balance, of being positioned alternately within range of a magnetic field produced by a fixed bipolar magnet, the latter being located on the trajectory of the first and second bipolar magnets and being arranged in such a way that, when one of the bipolar magnets approaches the fixed bipolar magnet, identical polarities are located opposite each other in order to produce a repulsive force. The oscillator further comprises a pallet assembly and an escape wheel for establishing a kinematic connection between a source of energy of the timepiece movement and the balance staff, and arranged in such a way that the balance is capable of having a sustained periodic oscillating movement of an amplitude greater than 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Inventor: Marc André Jeanneret
  • Patent number: 10114344
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a communication unit that performs communication with an external apparatus; a timekeeping unit that performs timekeeping of time; and a control unit, after completion of a connection with the external apparatus using the communication unit, updates time of the timekeeping unit using time information when being in a state where time can be set by obtaining the time information from the external apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryogo Ito, Kazuma Akamatsu, Megumi Takagi, Shunsuke Katsumata
  • Patent number: 10115244
    Abstract: The invention relates to a timing system for measuring a runner's (2) running time between two presence points (3) of the runner's running path, comprising a measurement beam receiver (MSE (5)) and a measurement beam emitter (MSG (6)). The measurement beam (8) from these intersects said running path. When reception of the measurement beam is interrupted, presence signals are generated for the runner that are evaluated in the timer (8) in order to acquire and output the running time. In a running path with a turn-around between a start/finish line (SZL (10)) and a turn-around point (4.3), or a running path that is undulating to zig-zagged, the measurement beam receiver MSG (beam source 6.2, mirror 6.1) is situated at the ends of said running path. Presence signals are generated at the turn-around point (4.3) and/or at least one of the turning points (3) of said running path. In addition, the pairing of an additional measurement beam receiver [start/finish MSE (5.2)] and beam source (6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SPEED4 SYSTEM AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Alexander Paes
  • Patent number: 10114342
    Abstract: A wearable device may include: an analog watch unit that includes a time indicating unit that indicates time, and a drive unit that drives the time indicating unit; a touch screen that senses an input for adjusting the drive unit; and a control unit that controls the drive unit in response to the sensed input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung-Sik Kim, Jong-Hoon Lim, Chang-Yeong Kim, June-Hee Lee, Dong-Churl Kim, Ho-Seong Seo, Yang-Wook Kim, Jae-Hyun Park
  • Patent number: 10101711
    Abstract: Past and future time visualization enables a user to visualize the amount of time that has passed or when a future time will be reached. By triggering past time visualization, a device displays an arced line from a previously selected time to the present time. By triggering future time visualization, a device displays an arced line from the present time to a selected future time. In some embodiments, when the future time is reached, an alarm is triggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Inventor: Barbara Carey Stackowski
  • Patent number: 10095187
    Abstract: Watch with a timepiece movement, a resonator mechanism, including a magnetic escapement mechanism including an escape wheel set including a magnetized track, with a succession of areas according to a scrolling period in which its magnetic features are repeated, each area including an increasing magnetic field ramp followed by a magnetic field barrier with an increasing field and of higher field gradient that that of the ramp, the track includes a continuous, closed magnetic layer over the entire periphery of the escape wheel set, of constant thickness and variable width, whose geometry defines these magnetic field ramps and barriers, this escape wheel set cooperating with a sprung balance via a pivoting magnetic stop member comprising a pole piece arranged to cooperate alternately with an internal track and an external track of the magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Gianni Di Domenico, Dominique Lechot, Jerome Favre, Benoit Legeret, Davide Sarchi
  • Patent number: 10095184
    Abstract: A mechanical oscillator endowed with a strip, with the aforesaid strip incorporating a first silicon layer having a crystal lattice extending along a first direction of one plane, a thermal compensation layer composed of a material having a Young's modulus thermal coefficient of opposite sign to that of the silicon, and a second silicon layer having a crystal lattice extending in a second direction of the plane, with the first and direction being offset at an angle of 45° within the plane of the layers, and with the thermal compensation layer extending between the first and second silicon layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TRONIC'S MICROSYSTEMS
    Inventors: Vincent Gaff, Pierre-Marie Visse, Luca Ribetto
  • Patent number: 10095190
    Abstract: A smart watch and a method of replacing components of the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the smart watch includes a display panel including a body portion having a polygonal shaped planar structure and a corner portion extending from one side of the body portion and being bent away from the surface of, and at the side of, the body portion. The smart watch also includes a housing disposed under the display panel and having an area that is smaller than the combined area of the body portion and the corner portion. The corner portion is defined by the one side of the body portion and two adjacent sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Minjae Kim
  • Patent number: 10082770
    Abstract: A communication apparatus comprises a communicator that receives a standard time from an external apparatus, a manipulation receiver that receives a time correction action from a user, and a controller that performs a timing processing for clocking time and a time correction processing for correcting the time clocked by the timing processing, on the basis of the standard time received by the communicator, or on the basis of the time correction action received by the manipulation receiver. The controller changes processing contents of the time correction processing until a prescribed time interval has elapsed, when the time clocked by the timing processing is corrected on the basis of the time correction action received by the manipulation receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Morohoshi, Hirohisa Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10073419
    Abstract: A computerized watch is described that includes a cover that forms an outer surface of the computerized watch, a screen configured to output graphical information for display, a set of physical watch hands positioned between the cover and the screen and configured to present a time of day. One or more computer processors and a memory comprising instructions. The instructions, when executed, cause the one or more computer processors to responsive to determining that the computerized watch is operating in a time display mode, manipulate the set of physical watch hands such that the set of physical watch hands present the time of day by obscuring a portion of a display region of the screen, and responsive to determining that the computerized watch is not operating in the time display mode, manipulate the set of physical watch hands such that the set of physical hands do not obscure the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Brett Lider, Melissa Frank
  • Patent number: 10067480
    Abstract: An electronic device includes at least an acquisition unit, an input unit, a time correction amount calculation unit, and a transmitting unit. A timepiece includes at least a receiving unit, a power storage unit, a drive unit, and a control unit. The input unit receives an input of the time displayed by the display unit of the timepiece. The time correction amount calculation unit calculates a time correction amount for correcting the time of the timepiece from a difference between the time, the input of which is received by the input unit and the current time acquired by the acquisition unit. The transmitting unit transmits the time correction amount to the timepiece by using light. The receiving unit receives the time correction amount. The power storage unit stores electricity by using power converted from the light. The drive unit drives the indicating hand. The control unit corrects the time displayed by the indicating hand, based on the time correction amount received by the receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Kenji Ogasawara, Akira Takakura, Kazumi Sakumoto, Tamotsu Maesawa, Kazuhiro Koyama, Tomohiro Ihashi, Kosuke Yamamoto, Ayumi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10067475
    Abstract: A timepiece is equipped with a movement, a timepiece case accommodating the movement, and a hollow tubular structure portion having a connection proximal portion directly or indirectly in contact with the movement. The hollow tubular structure portion is formed such that a space defined between itself and the timepiece case is hermetically sealed. The inner space of the hollow tubular structure portion communicates with the exterior of the timepiece case via an external opening of the timepiece case. The timepiece can secure a sufficient waterproof performance and can transmit sound from a sound source efficiently to the exterior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Niwa, Takuma Kawauchiya, Masahiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10067477
    Abstract: A wristwearable device for displaying travel information using at least one travel information indicator, the wristwearable device including a receiver for receiving data indicative of the travel information from a transmitting device; at least a first actuation mechanism, operatively coupled to the at least one travel information indicator, for rotating the at least one travel information indicator in at least one of a clockwise and counterclockwise direction; a controller, operably coupled to the receiver and the actuation mechanism, for causing the at least first actuation mechanism to rotate the at least one travel information indicator in at least one of the clockwise and counterclockwise direction based on the data received by the receiver; and wherein the position of the at least one travel information indicator conveys information regarding a travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Timex Group USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Felix Poguntke, Achim Leicht, Alexander Pfitzenmeier, Stephanie Schneider
  • Patent number: 10054905
    Abstract: Watch comprising a movement, with a balance comprising a ring distinct from the balance rim, elastically fixed to a flange with respect to which this ring is movable in rotation to modify the position of inertia blocks elastically carried by the flange, each able to be indexed in different stable angular positions corresponding to a different inertia of the balance, the movement including an operating member movable between coupled and uncoupled positions which includes a stop means for immobilizing the rim in a coupled position, and a control means for rotating the ring to modify the position of the inertia blocks in the coupled position, the watch including a crown controlling the control means, a rotating coupling ring controlling the coupling/uncoupling of the operating member through contactless interaction with an external adjustment tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Lionel Paratte, Donald William Corson, Dominique Lechot
  • Patent number: 10054910
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a timer unit, a timepiece-side communication unit, a timepiece-side daylight saving time information storage unit and a processor. The timer unit counts local time at a current position. The timepiece-side communication unit communicates with an external device. The timepiece-side daylight saving time information storage unit stores daylight saving time implementation information therein at least at the current position. The processor corrects the local time in correspondence to an implementation situation of daylight saving time at the current position, based on the daylight saving time implementation information, acquires update information of the daylight saving time implementation information from the external device through the timepiece-side communication unit and reflects the acquired update information in the daylight saving time implementation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Nagareda
  • Patent number: 10054909
    Abstract: An adjustable alarm indicator of an alarm application is described. The adjustable alarm indicator may be presented in connection with an alarm setting sequence. The adjustable alarm indicator may include a variable element having a variable annular shape, a first element associated with a first end of the variable element, and a second element associated with a second end of the variable element. The first element may be independently moveable to adjust the size of the variable element. The second element also may be independently moveable to adjust the size of the variable element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Roy J. E. M. Raymann, Jay Kriz Blahnik, Stephanie M. Greer, Aroon Pahwa, Jonathan T. Varbel
  • Patent number: 10048651
    Abstract: Movable assembly for a timepiece display device, with a display member pivoting about an axis and having a first off-center center of inertia positioned in a direction of unbalance, and a mobile element pivoting about the axis integrally with the display member and having a second center of inertia in the direction of unbalance on the opposite side to that of the first center of inertia and including at least one cutout on the opposite side to that of the second center of inertia with respect to the axis, and/or at least one inertia block situated entirely on the side of the second center of inertia, and any bore or recess or cutout comprised in the mobile element, other than a bore around the axis, is situated entirely on the side opposite to that of the second center of inertia with respect to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Lagorgette, Damien Schmutz, Raphael Balmer, Joel Maridor