Electrochemical indicators are configured to indicate a variable such as time and/or a temperature excursion. In some embodiments, the electrochemical indicators comprise an anode layer and a cathode layer which contact an electrolyte to activate each indicator. In some embodiments, the electrochemical indicator comprises an electrically isolated RFID chip and an RFID antenna which are placed in electrical communication in response to the external variable. The completed RFID tag may then be read by an RFID reader. A completed RFID tag may also be incorporated within the electrochemical indicators comprising an anode layer and a cathode layer and where the RFID tag is unshielded and becomes readable as the indicator expires.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a device capable of wireless communication includes a counter for counting current time, and a processor for setting a communication mode of the device to one of a notification mode in which the device sends a first notification signal for informing of its existence and a detection mode in which the device detects a second notification signal sent from other device. In the case that the processor changes the communication mode of the device from the notification mode to the detection mode and the second notification signal received in the detection mode includes first time information, the processor corrects time of the counter based on the first time information.

A radio-controlled timepiece includes a receiver configured to receive satellite radio waves including first time information, a short-range receiver configured to receive radio waves including second time information transmitted from a mobile device, an operating device configured to accept instruction operation, a reception controller configured to selectively execute first reception processing of acquiring the first time information by operating the receiver at a preset time and second reception processing of acquiring the second time information by operating the short-range radio receiver in response to the instruction operation from the operating device, and a time correction controller configured to correct a display time based on the first time information acquired in the first reception processing or the second time information acquired in the second reception processing.

A radio-controlled timepiece includes a receiver configured to receive satellite radio waves including first time information, a short-range receiver configured to receive radio waves including second time information transmitted from a mobile device, an operating device configured to accept instruction operation, a reception controller configured to selectively execute first reception processing of acquiring the first time information by operating the receiver at a preset time and second reception processing of acquiring the second time information by operating the short-range radio receiver in response to the instruction operation from the operating device, and a time correction controller configured to correct a display time based on the first time information acquired in the first reception processing or the second time information acquired in the second reception processing.

The present invention relates to a method for setting a quartz watch, the watch comprising an optical sensor and a microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, the method being performed by way of a portable electronic appliance comprising a point light source and a microcontroller configured to control said point light source, the method comprising the following steps: placing the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the electronic appliance on the order of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, flashing the point light source of the electronic appliance so as to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of setting parameters, the sequence then being received by the optical sensor of the watch decoding the received light sequence, by way of the microcontroller of the watch, in order to recover the setting parameters on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, setting the watch according to the setting parameters.

Either the electronic timepiece or the communication device of a communication system has a first communicator, and the other has a second communicator. The first communicator has a first transmitter including a transmission coil and a drive circuit configured to drive the transmission coil, and is configured to transmit signals by communicating through electromagnetic coupling; and an first receiver including a photodetector and a detection circuit that detects the output value of the photodetector, and configured to receive signals by optical communication. The second communicator has an second transmitter including a light-emitting device and a drive circuit that drives the light-emitting device, and configured to transmit signals by optical communication; and a second receiver including a reception coil and a detection circuit that detects the output value of the reception coil, and configured to receive signals by communicating through electromagnetic coupling.

Either the electronic timepiece or the communication device of a communication system has a first communicator, and the other has a second communicator. The first communicator has a first transmitter including a transmission coil and a drive circuit configured to drive the transmission coil, and is configured to transmit signals by communicating through electromagnetic coupling; and an first receiver including a photodetector and a detection circuit that detects the output value of the photodetector, and configured to receive signals by optical communication. The second communicator has an second transmitter including a light-emitting device and a drive circuit that drives the light-emitting device, and configured to transmit signals by optical communication; and a second receiver including a reception coil and a detection circuit that detects the output value of the reception coil, and configured to receive signals by communicating through electromagnetic coupling.

Appearance of simultaneous connections is provided to devices that support two wireless protocols which are not permitted to operation simultaneously. As an example the method and systems disclosed are applied to the communication between a phone and a smartwatch wherein Bluetooth (BT) classic protocol is used for e.g. voice commands and phone calls and Bluetooth low Energy (BLE) protocol is used for data notifications. In a first embodiment of the disclosure automatic mode switching between BT and BLE is provided. In a second embodiment a dual-ID device utilizes separate IDs for both protocols in time multiplexed connections. It operates as logically independent devices with individual ID's although physically it is a single device.

Appearance of simultaneous connections is provided to devices that support two wireless protocols which are not permitted to operation simultaneously. As an example the method and systems disclosed are applied to the communication between a phone and a smartwatch wherein Bluetooth (BT) classic protocol is used for e.g. voice commands and phone calls and Bluetooth low Energy (BLE) protocol is used for data notifications. In a first embodiment of the disclosure automatic mode switching between BT and BLE is provided. In a second embodiment a dual-ID device utilizes separate IDs for both protocols in time multiplexed connections. It operates as logically independent devices with individual ID's although physically it is a single device.

Appearance of simultaneous connections is provided to devices that support two wireless protocols which are not permitted to operation simultaneously. As an example the method and systems disclosed are applied to the communication between a phone and a smartwatch wherein Bluetooth (BT) classic protocol is used for e.g. voice commands and phone calls and Bluetooth low Energy (BLE) protocol is used for data notifications. In a first embodiment of the disclosure automatic mode switching between BT and BLE is provided. In a second embodiment a dual-ID device utilizes separate IDs for both protocols in time multiplexed connections. It operates as logically independent devices with individual ID's although physically it is a single device.