Patents by Inventor Pierpasquale Tortora

Pierpasquale Tortora 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: 8942069
    Abstract: Portable object such as a timepiece including a dial (4) covered by a watch glass (2), the portable object (1) enclosing an electronic control circuit (16) for at least one time function or non-time related function, the portable object further comprising at least one light source (12) and an associated light sensor (10), which are arranged on the dial (4), the light source (12) emitting, through the glass (2), a light beam, which is at least partially reflected towards the light sensor (10), when it is intercepted by the user's finger (D) placed on the glass (2) of the portable object, the light sensor (10) supplying the electronic control circuit (16) with an electric signal for activating the corresponding function when it detects the light produced by the light source (12) and reflected by the user's finger (D), the portable object being characterized in that the light source (12) emits collimated light while forming, on the glass (2), a spot of defined dimensions which defines the place on the glass (2)
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Pierpasquale Tortora
  • Patent number: 8517589
    Abstract: Lighting system for a data display device (12, 20), wherein said lighting system includes a light guide (1; 22) including an area (2; 26) into which the light produced by at least one light source (4) is injected, said injection area (2; 26) is extended by an area (8; 24) for extracting the light propagating inside the guide (1; 22) to light the display device (12; 20), said extraction area (12, 20) is provided with light extractors (10), the light guide (1; 22) takes the form of a loop closed on itself at the light injection area (2; 26) to allow the light originating from the light source (4) and which was not extracted from the light guide (1; 22) in the extraction area (8; 24) to continue to travel inside the light guide (1; 22) and to return to the starting point thereof at the light injection area (2; 26), the data display device (12; 20) is arranged inside the loop, and the lighting system is characterized in that the light is extracted from the light guide (1; 22) in a perpendicular direction to a pla
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Pierpasquale Tortora
  • Patent number: 8430517
    Abstract: Lighting system for a data display device (56), said lighting system including a light guide (30) into which the light produced by a light source (38) is injected, said lighting system being characterized in that the light guide (30) includes a plane light injection and collimation zone (32) in the form of a parabola, said parabola including two branches (48a, 48b) connected to each other via an apex (40), the light source (38) being arranged opposite the apex (40), the branches (48a, 48b) of the parabola which delimit the contour of the plane injection and collimation zone (32) being extended by a plane extraction zone (36) for the light propagating inside the guide (30), said extraction zone (36) having a rectangular section and being provided with light extractors (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventor: Pierpasquale Tortora
  • Publication number: 20110299300
    Abstract: Lighting system for a data display device (12, 20), wherein said lighting system includes a light guide (1; 22) including an area (2; 26) into which the light produced by at least one light source (4) is injected, said injection area (2; 26) is extended by an area (8; 24) for extracting the light propagating inside the guide (1; 22) to light the display device (12; 20), said extraction area (12, 20) is provided with light extractors (10), the light guide (1; 22) takes the form of a loop closed on itself at the light injection area (2; 26) to allow the light originating from the light source (4) and which was not extracted from the light guide (1; 22) in the extraction area (8; 24) to continue to travel inside the light guide (1; 22) and to return to the starting point thereof at the light injection area (2; 26), the data display device (12; 20) is arranged inside the loop, and the lighting system is characterized in that the light is extracted from the light guide (1; 22) in a perpendicular direction to a pla
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD
    Inventor: Pierpasquale Tortora
  • Publication number: 20110149603
    Abstract: Lighting system for a data display device (56), said lighting system including a light guide (30) into which the light produced by a light source (38) is injected, said lighting system being characterized in that the light guide (30) includes a plane light injection and collimation zone (32) in the form of a parabola, said parabola including two branches (48a, 48b) connected to each other via an apex (40), the light source (38) being arranged opposite the apex (40), the branches (48a, 48b) of the parabola which delimit the contour of the plane injection and collimation zone (32) being extended by a plane extraction zone (36) for the light propagating inside the guide (30), said extraction zone (36) having a rectangular section and being provided with light extractors (54).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD
    Inventor: Pierpasquale Tortora
  • Publication number: 20100296369
    Abstract: Portable object such as a timepiece including a dial (4) covered by a watch glass (2), the portable object (1) enclosing an electronic control circuit (16) for at least one time function or non-time related function, the portable object further comprising at least one light source (12) and an associated light sensor (10), which are arranged on the dial (4), the light source (12) emitting, through the glass (2), a light beam, which is at least partially reflected towards the light sensor (10), when it is intercepted by the user's finger (D) placed on the glass (2) of the portable object, the light sensor (10) supplying the electronic control circuit (16) with an electric signal for activating the corresponding function when it detects the light produced by the light source (12) and reflected by the user's finger (D), the portable object being characterized in that the light source (12) emits collimated light while forming, on the glass (2), a spot of defined dimensions which defines the place on the glass (2)
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD
    Inventor: Pierpasquale Tortora