Patents Examined by Vit W. Miska
  • Patent number: 9857774
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a secondary battery; a constant voltage generation circuit that is driven in accordance with the secondary battery; a control logic circuit that is driven with a constant voltage generated by the constant voltage generation circuit and controls the constant voltage generation circuit; and a starting circuit that outputs a control signal for operating the constant voltage generation circuit in correspondence to an initialization signal input from outside in a case in which the constant voltage generation circuit is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masaya Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 9846411
    Abstract: A mechanical timer for setting a snooze time for an alarm mechanism controlling a mechanical actuator cooperating with a striking mechanism controlled by a timepiece movement, including a first control able to be actuated at a first moment by a user during the playing of an alarm chime to disengage the actuator and momentarily stop the chime, and including a timer arranged to automatically cause the alarm chime to play again at a second moment, after a predefined duration from the first moment, this timer including a second control able to be actuated by a user to set this predefined duration, and a release cam indirectly controlled by the first control and arranged to control the pivoting of a hammer lever, which, depending on its angular position, releases or locks the actuator to allow or respectively prevent the playing of an alarm chime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Blancpain SA
    Inventor: Mehdi Denden
  • Patent number: 9836029
    Abstract: The alarm clock having a motion sensor and mobile device connectivity is an alarm clock providing connectivity with a cellular telephone, smartphone or any similar suitable type of mobile device. The alarm clock having a motion sensor and mobile device connectivity includes an optical projector for projecting an image representative of a display screen of the mobile device on an external display surface, such as a wall or a ceiling. The alarm clock having a motion sensor and mobile device connectivity includes a housing for receiving a clock controller. A clock display, audio alarm, motion sensor, optical projector and a device interface are each mounted on the housing and are in communication with the clock controller. Actuation of the motion sensor by detected movement of a user's hand or the like selectively actuates the optical projector to project the image representative of the display screen of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventor: Abduljalil K. H. Habash
  • 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: 9836026
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a wall clock with changeable size comprising a clock base, a front cover, a dial, a framework assembly, a rear cover and a framework assembly disposed between the dial and the rear cover, in which the framework assembly comprises a central dish for displaying time, which is configured to be suitable for passing through one of the holes of the dial; a plurality of arms, each of which is configured to be retractable in a length direction thereof, and has one end being secured to the central dish; and a plurality of fixing members for the arms, mounted removably and radially at different positions of the other end of the respective arms so that the framework assembly can be fixed in the clock base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventor: Lai Fun Wan
  • Patent number: 9817369
    Abstract: To provide a mechanical component, a mechanical component manufacturing method, a movement, and a timepiece allowing the forcing-in portion to be firmly fixed to the shaft member, providing a sufficient buffer effect, and capable of precisely determining the outer diameter dimension. Provided is a mechanical component rotating around a shaft member. This mechanical component includes: a component main body having a through-hole through which the shaft member is passed; and a forcing-in portion formed on the inner surface of the through-hole and fixed to the shaft member through the forcing-in of the shaft member. The component main body has a retaining recess constituting an anchor structure regulating displacement of the forcing-in portion with respect to the component main body. The forcing-in portion is formed of a metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Sachiko Tanabe, Takashi Niwa, Masahiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9804569
    Abstract: A hand unit for a timepiece, including: a hand for indicating time; and an attachment member including a support part attached to a rotational center of the hand so as to support the hand, and a cylindrical part defining a rotational axis of the hand and configured to be attached to a rotating shaft in the timepiece, the cylindrical part continuing from the support part extending towards a rear side of the timepiece along the rotational axis, wherein a bottom of the cylindrical part is at a position that is approximately the same or lower than a tip of the hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Enta, Junro Yano
  • Patent number: 9804574
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece and control method of an electronic timepiece prevent system shutdowns due to a voltage drop, and increase opportunities to acquire time information. An electronic timepiece 1 has a reception module 50 that receives satellite signals; a storage battery 24 that supplies drive power; a voltage detection circuit 74 that detects the voltage of the storage battery 24; a temperature detector 67 that detects temperature; a reception command unit that instructs receiving satellite signals; and a reception controller that executes a reception process to receive satellite signals in response to a command from the reception command unit. The reception controller executes the reception process when the detected battery voltage is greater than or equal to a threshold set for the detected temperature, and does not execute the reception process when the reserve power is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 9804570
    Abstract: A mechanical clock movement includes a resonator, an escapement linked to the resonator, and a display of at least one item of time information. The display is driven by a mechanical drive device via a counter wheel train, the work rate of which is set by the escapement. At least the resonator is housed in a chamber, in which a reduced pressure in relation to atmospheric pressure prevails. The escapement is a magnetic escapement including an escape wheel coupled directly or indirectly to the resonator via a non-contact magnetic coupling system, wherein the magnetic coupling system is formed so that a non-magnetic wall of the chamber runs through the magnetic escapement so that a first part of the escapement is located inside the chamber whereas a second part of the escapement is located outside the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer, Thierry Conus, Gianni Di Domenico, Jean-Jacques Born
  • Patent number: 9798293
    Abstract: An alarm clock device is provided that includes a cup portion and a component housing. The component housing is coupled to a lower edge of the cup portion. The component housing includes a circuit board, a micro controller mounted on the circuit board, an orientation sensing component in communication with the micro controller and detecting movement of the alarm apparatus, and a speaker in communication with the micro controller emitting an audible alarm at a time designated by a user. A light ring is in communication with the micro controller and coupled to the alarm clock device between the cup portion and the component housing. The light ring illuminates the cup portion at the time designated by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Inventor: Bashir Roohani
  • Patent number: 9798291
    Abstract: Wristwatch comprising a mechanical device for executing a first mechanical function arranged to produce a first acoustic alarm signal, and an electronic device housed in a bracelet and arranged to produce a second acoustic alarm signal and/or a mechanical vibration, wherein the electronic device is arranged to produce the second acoustic alarm signal at the moment when the mechanical device for executing the first mechanical function produces the first acoustic alarm signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Martin, Jean-Jacques Born, Thierry Conus, Jean-Claude Eggen, Emmanuel Fleury, Michel Willemin
  • Patent number: 9791833
    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: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Lider, Melissa Frank
  • Patent number: 9785118
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an assembly for holding or supporting a timepiece balance spring including a balance spring stud and a stud-holder, wherein said stud-holder includes: a base comprising an upper face and a lower face extending along a longitudinal axis; characterized in that the base includes a lug of non-constant shape protruding from one of the faces, said assembly further comprising a holding plate including a first opening and a second opening separated by a deformable arm, with the stud engaging in the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Julien Christan, Laurent Kaelin, Ivan Villar, Thierry Conus
  • Patent number: 9785117
    Abstract: A motor drive device includes a driver unit configured to be connected to a stepping motor, and a controller connected to the driver unit. The controller causes the driver unit to output a drive pulse to the stepping motor for causing the stepping motor to rotate stepwise in a prescribed rotation direction. The controller detects, through the driver unit, a current induced by a counter-electromotive force generated in the stepping motor in response to the drive pulse. The controller causes the driver unit to apply a counter pulse having the same electrical polarity as the drive pulse to the stepping motor so as to suppress an amount of the current induced by the counter-electromotive force when the stepping motor is not rotating in response to the drive pulse so that the amount of the induced current detectably differs between when the stepping motor is rotating and not rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yohei Kawaguchi, Fumiaki Ochiai, Yuta Saito
  • Patent number: 9785120
    Abstract: A world watch capable of automatically adjusting displayed information otherwise indicating time of day around the world upon occurrence of a daylight savings time event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Simplify and Go, LLC
    Inventors: Luke A. Westra, Dan Kraemer
  • Patent number: 9785123
    Abstract: A wearable device is described herein. The wearable device includes a display. The display can be a digital display with analog components. The wearable device also includes an input device. The input device is to control the digital display and the analog components correspond to the digital display. In some cases, the input device is a bezel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Anna-Marie Mansour, Charles E. Johnson, II, Rowland L. Brown, Aaren B. Esplin, Wendy March, Steven T. Holmes, Saurabh Dadu, Michael R. Bynum, Min Liu
  • Patent number: 9766591
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving an expiry time in a smart clip and one of timing and counting down to the expiry time comprises coupling an electronic receiver to the smart clip and connecting a timer to the electronic receiver are disclosed. Receiving the expiry time by the electronic receiver, and one of timing and counting down to the expiry time by the timer are also disclosed. Other features and embodiments of the invention are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Jersa, III, Suhasini Balachandran
  • Patent number: 9753433
    Abstract: A mechanical component includes a component main body having a through-hole through which a shaft member is passed, and a forcing-in portion made of metal material formed on the inner surface of the through-hole and fixed to the shaft member through the forcing-in of the shaft member. The component main body has a retaining recess and the forcing-in portion fills the inner space of the retaining recess so that the retaining recess constitutes an anchor structure regulating displacement of the forcing-in portion with respect to the component main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Sachiko Tanabe, Takashi Niwa, Masahiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 9746835
    Abstract: A radio-controlled timepiece includes: a radio wave reception unit that receives satellite waves and extracts an incoming code sequence encoded in the received satellite waves; a counter unit that counts a date/time of the radio-controlled timepiece; and a processor that: generates an expected code sequence containing at least a portion of a preamble code and a code generated on the basis of the date/time counted by the counter unit that are expected to be part of the incoming code sequence that is extracted, detects a match between the expected code sequence that has been generated and the incoming code sequence by sequentially comparing the expected code sequence with the incoming code sequence, and acquires a present date/time, as indicated by the satellite waves, in accordance with a detection timing of the match, as measured by the data/time counted by the counter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Matsue, Hideo Abe, Kazuaki Abe
  • Patent number: 9740172
    Abstract: An analog electronic timepiece is an analog electronic watch capable of displaying a plurality of types of calendar information, and includes a first index adapted to indicate the type of the calendar information, and a second index adapted to indicate a value of the calendar information of the type indicated by the first index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kojima, Makoto Okeya