Patents by Inventor Pascal Winkler

Pascal Winkler 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).

  • Patent number: 7883255
    Abstract: There is disclosed a timepiece (40) including optical means for forming a decorative pattern, in the form of a figurative image, in response to an action by the user. The optical means forming a figurative image include an optical guide (1, 51) having two large faces (10, 11) and at least one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (19) each having at least one light reflective surface (20) are arranged in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (20), via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to form in a well defined direction, the set of light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be selected as the normal with respect to the mid-plane of the watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 7884897
    Abstract: The invention proposes a liquid crystal (38) display device (12) including a liquid crystal (38) cell (30), a control unit (26), and a backlighting module (48) including at least a first (50) and a second (52) light source of different colours which transmit light rays (Rr, Rb) inside a light guide (54), characterized in that the light guide (54) includes a plurality of prisms (64, 66) which deflect the light rays (Rr, Rb) towards the display face (28), a first series (S1) of prisms (64, 66) being orientated towards the first light source (50) and a second series (S2) of prisms (52) being orientated towards the second light source (52), and in that the prisms (64, 66) are distributed in zones of the light guide (54) which are located underneath the electrodes (40). The invention also proposes a timepiece (10) fitted with this device (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Emile Grosjacques, Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 7883256
    Abstract: There is disclosed a timepiece (40) including optical means for forming a decorative pattern, in the form of a figurative image, in response to an action by the user. The optical means forming a figurative image include an optical guide (1, 51) having two large faces (10, 11) and at least one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (19) each having at least one light reflective surface (20) are arranged in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (20), via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to form in a well defined direction, the set of light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be selected as the normal with respect to the mid-plane of the watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 7839726
    Abstract: A timepiece (40) includes optical means for forming a decorative pattern, in the form of a figurative image, in response to user action. The optical means forming a figurative image include an optical guide (1, 51) having two large faces (10, 11) and at least one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (19), each having at least one light reflective surface (20), are arranged in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (20), via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to form in a well defined direction, and the set of light beams forms a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be selected as the normal with respect to the mid-plane of the watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Winkler
  • Publication number: 20090245031
    Abstract: The invention proposes a liquid crystal (38) display device (12) including a liquid crystal (38) cell (30), a control unit (26), and a backlighting module (48) including at least a first (50) and a second (52) light source of different colours which transmit light rays (Rr, Rb) inside a light guide (54), characterized in that the light guide (54) includes a plurality of prisms (64, 66) which deflect the light rays (Rr, Rb) towards the display face (28), a first series (S1) of prisms (64, 66) being orientated towards the first light source (50) and a second series (S2) of prisms (52) being orientated towards the second light source (52), and in that the prisms (64, 66) are distributed in zones of the light guide (54) which are located underneath the electrodes (40). The invention also proposes a timepiece (10) fitted with this device (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD.
    Inventors: Emile Grosjacques, Pascal Winkler
  • Publication number: 20090109650
    Abstract: There is disclosed a timepiece (40) including optical means for forming a decorative pattern, in the form of a figurative image, in response to an action by the user. The optical means forming a figurative image include an optical guide (1, 51) having two large faces (10, 11) and at least one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (19) each having at least one light reflective surface (20) are arranged in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (20), via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to form in a well defined direction, the set of light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be selected as the normal with respect to the mid-plane of the watch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: ASULAB S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Winkler
  • Publication number: 20090109651
    Abstract: There is disclosed a timepiece (40) including optical means for forming a decorative pattern, in the form of a figurative image, in response to an action by the user. The optical means forming a figurative image include an optical guide (1, 51) having two large faces (10, 11) and at least one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (19) each having at least one light reflective surface (20) are arranged in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (20), via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to form in a well defined direction, the set of light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be selected as the normal with respect to the mid-plane of the watch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: ASULAB S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Winkler
  • Publication number: 20090109801
    Abstract: There is disclosed a timepiece (40) including optical means for forming a decorative pattern, in the form of a figurative image, in response to an action by the user. The optical means forming a figurative image include an optical guide (1, 51) having two large faces (10, 11) and at least one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (19) each having at least one light reflective surface (20) are arranged in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (20), via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to form in a well defined direction, the set of light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be selected as the normal with respect to the mid-plane of the watch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: ASULAB S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 7274520
    Abstract: The device consists in compensating for the distortion of the characters marked on the dial caused by a lens, by writing the characters with a reverse pin cushion or barrel distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Management Services AG
    Inventors: Yvan Ferri, Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 7171105
    Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus having a display zone, such as a liquid crystal screen (4), and including an optical device for forming a decorative pattern in the form of a figurative image. The optical device for forming a figurative image includes an optical guide (1), at least partially superposed onto the display zone (4) and having two large faces (10, 11) and one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (20) each having at least one surface (21) for reflecting light are arranged in a first group in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (21) via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to be formed in a well defined direction, the set of the light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be chosen to be the normal in relation to the mid-plane of the optical guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventor: Pascal Winkler
  • Patent number: 7038976
    Abstract: A light source (15) is housed in a housing (6) of a case, underneath the dial (10) opposite a guide (17) directing the light onto a reflector (20), formed in a hollow in the internal or external face of a crystal (1) the thickness of which decreases regularly from the center to the periphery thereof for reorienting the light by total internal reflection into the crystal (1) until it emerges towards the dial (10) when the maximum refractive index is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Asulab S.A.
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Gian-Carlo Poli, Joachim Grupp
  • Publication number: 20060083476
    Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus having a display zone, such as a liquid crystal screen (4), and including an optical device for forming a decorative pattern in the form of a figurative image. The optical device for forming a figurative image includes an optical guide (1), at least partially superposed onto the display zone (4) and having two large faces (10, 11) and one lateral face (12). Optical extractors (20) each having at least one surface (21) for reflecting light are arranged in a first group in at least one of the large faces (11). A light source (8, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) is arranged so as to emit light in the direction of the reflective surfaces (21) via the lateral face (12) of the optical guide. Thus, each of the reflective surfaces causes a reflected light beam to be formed in a well defined direction, the set of the light beams forming a figurative image in that direction, which can typically be chosen to be the normal in relation to the mid-plane of the optical guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventor: Pascal Winkler
  • Publication number: 20060077570
    Abstract: The device consists in compensating for the distortion of the characters marked on the dial caused by a lens, by writing the characters with a reverse pin cushion or barrel distortion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Applicant: The Swatch Group Management Services AG
    Inventors: Yvan Ferri, Pascal Winkler
  • Publication number: 20060067168
    Abstract: A light source (15) is housed in a housing (6) of a case, underneath the dial (10) opposite a guide (17) directing the light onto a reflector (20), formed in a hollow in the internal or external face of a crystal (1) the thickness of which decreases regularly from the centre to the periphery thereof for reorienting the light by total internal reflection into the crystal (1) until it emerges towards the dial (10) when the maximum refractive index is exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Gian-Carlo Poli, Joachim Grupp