Patents by Inventor Michel Willemin
Michel Willemin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20220121157Abstract: An assembly (1) for measuring a relative humidity level inside a watch (2), comprising the watch (2) and a device (4) for determining the humidity level present in the enclosure (9) of a case (3) of this watch (2), the determination device (4) comprising a free space optical system and a control unit (7). The system includes: an emitter module (5) for emitting at least one light beam (8); and a receiver module (6) for receiving the at least one light beam (8); the control unit (7) being connected to the modules (5, 6) and the at least one light beam (8) emitted by the emitter module (5) defining an optical path partly comprised in the case (3) and extending as far as the receiver module (6) and the control unit (7) being configured to evaluate the absorption of the light beam (8) by the water vapour capable of being present inside the enclosure (9) of the case (3).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Dominique Dubugnon, Cedric Blatter, Michel Willemin
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Patent number: 11307535Abstract: A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding, the process including the following steps: a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel, b) getting hold of a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/° C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature, c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel, d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy, e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2018Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Alexandre Haemmerli, Francois Gueissaz, Jean-Claude Martin, Lionel Paratte, Yves Winkler, Gianni Di Domenico, Pascal Winkler, Jean-Luc Helfer, Lionel Tombez, Baptiste Hinaux, Donald William Corson, Michel Willemin
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Publication number: 20220113682Abstract: The winding device includes a motorization device for driving a watch holder carrying at least one automatic watch with a mobile oscillating mass, and a measuring device for measuring the variation in the resistive torque opposed to the motorization device by the watch holder equipped with watches, depending on the degree of winding of the watches. The measuring device includes a speed measuring device to determine the speed and/or the variation in the speed of the motorization device, and/or include a torque measuring device to determine the value of the torque and/or the variation in the torque at the watch holder, and/or include a current measuring device to determine the value of the current and/or the variation in the current of an electric motor of the motorization device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Michel WILLEMIN, Jérôme FAVRE, Nicolas LIVAT
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Publication number: 20220107607Abstract: A coiling limitation device for a timepiece barrel includes at least one non-return notch arranged to cooperate with a sliding flange of the spring of the barrel, which is integrated in a watch including a resonator cooperating with an escapement mechanism. This device includes an acoustic device for the acoustic monitoring of the coiling of the barrel of a watch positioned on a receptacle included by the device, which acoustic devices are arranged to identify a click noise during each start of cooperation between the sliding flange and a notch. The device includes piloting devices arranged to stop the coiling of the barrel at the instant of the perception of the click noise or the repetition of the click noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2021Publication date: April 7, 2022Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Jérôme FAVRE, Jean-Jacques BORN, Nakis P. KARAPATIS, Michel WILLEMIN, Jean-Claude MARTIN
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Publication number: 20210341343Abstract: A method for calibrating an electronic temperature sensor connected to a mobile device. The device includes a microprocessor and memory linked to the microprocessor, to store an application coupled to a data entry interface. The temperature sensor is initially placed in a plurality of predetermined environments, where it provides an initial raw temperature value measured in each environment, and, for each of these environments, a predetermined initial temperature value corresponding to the actual temperature of this environment is entered beforehand directly into the application via the interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Michel Willemin, Jérôme Stauffer, Thierry Scordilis
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Patent number: 11144012Abstract: The present invention relates to a covering element for a portable object made of a first material, the first material being a ceramic material having a first color, characterized in that the surface of said covering element is at least partially treated so as to exhibit at least one conversion having a different color from the first color.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2016Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Loic Curchod, Cedric Faure, Michel Willemin, Simon Springer
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Publication number: 20210181679Abstract: A balance for timepieces includes a rim, a hub, and at least one arm connecting the hub to the rim. At least one portion of the balance is made of an at least partially amorphous metal alloy. The at least partially amorphous metal alloy is based on an element chosen from the group consisting of platinum, zirconium and titanium, and has a coefficient of thermal expansion comprised between 7 ppm/° C. and 12 ppm/° C. The balance can be manufactured by moulding. A resonator can include such a balance and a monocrystalline quartz balance spring.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2018Publication date: June 17, 2021Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Alexandre HAEMMERLI, Francois GUEISSAZ, Jean-Claude MARTIN, Lionel PARATTE, Yves WINKLER, Gianni DI DOMENICO, Pascal WINKLER, Jean-Luc HELFER, Lionel TOMBEZ, Bapitste HINAUX, Donald Willan CORSON, Michel WILLEMIN
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Patent number: 10991530Abstract: A portable object including a near-field communication device. The communication device includes an antenna, the ends of which are configured to be connected electrically to an electronic chip, forming, together with the chip, an electrical circuit. In an original manner, the portable object includes a control element which is able to be displaced between two predefined positions, i.e. an active position wherein the communication device is activated and a passive position wherein the communication device is deactivated. The portable object includes, furthermore, a mechanical switch which is able to switch between an open state and a closed state in response to a displacement of the control element from one to the other of its predefined positions.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Pierry Vuille, Jean-Claude Martin, Michel Willemin, Thierry Scordilis
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Publication number: 20210080908Abstract: A display mechanism of a watch including at least one indicator member and a drive member assembly. The indicator member is mounted to rotate about a first axis of rotation and is configured to indicate a time. The indicator member also has a second axis of rotation extending along the indicator member and a rotary element mounted to rotate about the second axis of rotation. The drive assembly includes a first drive member and a second drive member such that the first drive member drives the rotary element when it is moving about the first axis of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Cedric NICOLAS, Simon SPRINGER, Ahmad ODEH, Michel WILLEMIN
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Patent number: 10948879Abstract: A method for adjusting the rate of a watch with an oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0, with a servo-system including a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE, which is approximately equal to, or equal to the nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of this nominal frequency N0, the watch is subjected to excitation oscillation or to a modulated motion, generated by the master oscillator, during a transition phase after which the oscillator of the watch is stabilised at excitation frequency NE, and there is incorporated in the servo-system a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, arranged to move a support on which such a watch is fixed.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Jerome Favre, Michel Willemin, Jean-Jacques Born, Dominique Lechot, Gianni Di Domenico
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Patent number: 10940906Abstract: The active lighting device of a bicycle includes a first optical system with a first light source for long-distance illumination, controlled by a control unit, and a second optical system with a second light source for short-distance illumination, controlled by the control unit. It includes a light sensor for determining the light intensity of a location in which the bicycle is situated and allows the control unit to adapt the light intensity of the light sources, if they are activated and if the ambient light intensity is below a determined light threshold. Moreover, a speed sensor is provided for determining the speed of the bicycle in use on a path, so that the control unit controls the activation of the first light source from at least one determined speed threshold. An orientation detector is provided for orienting the light sources depending on a curve travelled by the bicycle in use.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2019Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Olivier Matthey, Michel Willemin, Bruno Scagliarini
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Patent number: 10901370Abstract: A safety valve for a watch including a head that is movably mounted on a tube and able to move between an open position and a closed position, the tube including in its internal volume a first spring and wherein the tube is provided on an external face with a cam surface allowing a manual movement and an automatic movement of the head into its open position, after the first spring, the tube includes a second spring having a higher stiffness than that of the first spring.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2018Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Pierry Vuille, Michel Willemin, Jean-Claude Martin
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Patent number: 10895851Abstract: An active lighting device is placed on a person's wrist to light a path that the person is taking. The device is preferably in the form of a wristwatch. The device includes first light sources, which are controlled by a control unit. The first light sources are placed on a portion of a case. Each first light source activated by the control unit can produce a light beam of different orientation from another first light source activated by the control unit. The device further includes a motion sensor connected to the control unit to determine the wrist movement of the person wearing the device in order to allow the control unit to select certain first light sources to be activated depending on the person's wrist movement in order to light the path to be followed in the same defined forward direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2019Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Olivier Matthey, Michel Willemin, Bruno Scagliarini
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Patent number: 10796300Abstract: An assembly includes a main terminal equipped with a communication module using at least a first communications protocol capable of connecting the main terminal to a communication network, which enables the use of at least one function, the main terminal being arranged to use at least one configuration program, and the configuration program enables at least one preferred function to be selected and a code representing the selected preferred function to be generated, and a second communications protocol. The assembly additionally comprises at least one secondary terminal equipped with a passive communication module using the second communications protocol to communicate with the main terminal in order to protect the code representing the selected preferred function.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin S.A.Inventors: Georges Nicolas Hayek, Michel Willemin, Jean-Claude Martin, Thomas Gyger
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Patent number: 10751568Abstract: A method of detecting and calculating height of a jump performed by an individual including detection of a reception subsequent to the jump is described. The detection includes a sub-step of detecting a pressure spike of amplitude greater than a first threshold amplitude, within pressure measurements provided by a pressure sensor embedded aboard a watch worn on the wrist of the individual. Also described is calculation of a height of the jump by differencing a starting altitude corresponding to a last stable pressure measured before the pressure spike and a finishing altitude corresponding to a first stable pressure measured after the pressure spike via the pressure sensor, a stable pressure being defined as a pressure whose variations do not exceed 0.1 hectopascals for at least 2 seconds.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2017Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Christophe Germiquet, Yvan Ferri, Michel Willemin
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Publication number: 20200264566Abstract: The present invention relates to a covering element for a portable object made of a first material, the first material being a ceramic material having a first color, characterized in that the surface of said covering element is at least partially treated so as to exhibit at least one conversion having a different color from the first color.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2016Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Loic CURCHOD, Cedric FAURE, Michel WILLEMIN, Simon SPRINGER
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Publication number: 20200201261Abstract: A dial including a mother-of-pearl wafer partially covering a support member, and a decorative element arranged on a reverse of the wafer, the decorative element being visible on an obverse of the wafer when subjected to a stimulus and invisible on the obverse of the wafer in the absence of the stimulus. The decorative element has a first empty area on a reverse of the wafer, and a second empty area on the obverse of the wafer, facing the first empty area. A colour compensation layer is deposited on the first empty area or the second empty area, the colour being selected such that the difference in colour ?E in the CIE Lab colour space between the colour compensation layer and the decorative element in the absence of said stimulus, perceived by a user observing the obverse of the wafer, is less than 3. Also, a timepiece including the dial.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2019Publication date: June 25, 2020Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Agnès MARLOT DOERR, Nicolas François, Alexandros Mouskeftaras, Michel Willemin, Jean-Claude Martin, Carole Govaerts
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Patent number: 10691070Abstract: The present invention relates to a safety valve including: a tube intended to be fixed to a watch case, a hollow head mounted for rotation about the tube, a first element fixedly mounted with respect to the head and a second element integral with the head, wherein the first element and the second element each include one or more passages allowing gas to flow, the rotational motion of the head allowing the passages of the first element and of the second element to be placed in communication for gas to escape from the interior to the exterior of the case in case of overpressure inside the case or, conversely, allowing the passages of the first element and of the second element to be moved out of alignment to prevent gas escaping.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Pierry Vuille, Michel Willemin, Jean-Claude Martin
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Publication number: 20200089168Abstract: An oscillator includes a resonator, which has an inertial mass returned by an elastic return and carries entry and exit pallets cooperating with teeth of an escape wheel each provided with a magnet. Each pallet includes a magnetic arrangement, with an annular sector, centred on the axis of oscillation of the resonator, defining a first magnetic barrier area extending above and/or below a mechanical pallet-stone of the entry pallet or exit pallet, over the entire length of this mechanical pallet-stone acting as support for the teeth during the supplementary arc, in order to form a magnetic cylinder escapement mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Gianni DI DOMENICO, Jerome Favre, Dominique Lechot, Baptiste Hinaux, Olivier Matthey, Pascal Winkler, Marc Stranczl, Michel Willemin, Ahmad Odeh
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Publication number: 20200070915Abstract: The active lighting device of a bicycle includes a first optical system with a first light source for long-distance illumination, controlled by a control unit, and a second optical system with a second light source for short-distance illumination, controlled by the control unit. It includes a light sensor for determining the light intensity of a location in which the bicycle is situated and allows the control unit to adapt the light intensity of the light sources, if they are activated and if the ambient light intensity is below a determined light threshold. Moreover, a speed sensor is provided for determining the speed of the bicycle in use on a path, so that the control unit controls the activation of the first light source from at least one determined speed threshold. An orientation detector is provided for orienting the light sources depending on a curve travelled by the bicycle in use.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Applicant: The Swatch Group Research and Development LtdInventors: Olivier Matthey, Michel Willemin, Bruno Scagliarini