A HYBRID MECHANICAL SMART TIMEKEEPER SUCH AS A WATCH

Abstract

The hybrid timekeeper, such as a watch, comprises a classical part with at least a mechanical movement with hands to indicate a time measure on a dial, a crown and a rotating winding mass, and a smart module, both classical part and smart module being combined in a same watch case. The timekeeper in combination with a portable phone can be the parts of a general communication ecosystem.

Claims

1. A hybrid timekeeper, such as a watch, comprising a classical part comprising at least a mechanical movement with hands to indicate a time measure on a dial, a crown and a rotating winding mass, said timekeeper further comprising a smart module with electronical components, both classical part and smart module being combined in a same watch case, the module being inserted in the case and providing smart capabilities to the timekeeper.

2. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein said timekeeper communicates wirelessly via said module with a smart phone.

3. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein said module is used to sense and monitor body signs or to display, and/or to react to information/data received from a source, such as a phone, for example reminders, deadlines, meetings, incoming emails, news, and/or as a payment means/terminal, for example by using NFC technology or another equivalent communication technology, and/or in a more general context of IoT (“internet of things”) to connect the user to other products of the current life, and/or to create a new community of experiences between wearers of the same watch or of the same brand or another associated brand.

4. The hybrid timekeeper of the claim 1 wherein applications are installed at least in the phone to carry out the said functions.

5. The hybrid timekeeper as defined in claim 3 wherein a recognition feature/app allows a wearer to detect a proximity with another wearer of the same timekeeper, or a timekeeper of the same brand (or even another brand but with a corresponding feature/app) so that wearers may enter in contact personally as soon as a proximity has been detected.

6. The hybrid timekeeper as defined in claim 1 wherein this can be done by geolocalization (for example in the phones of the wearers, or in the cloud or another place with appropriate upload and download of data) or close communication such as wifi, NFC, Bluetooth and/or another equivalent technologies between the devices.

7. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein the smart part comprises at least charging means to produce electrical energy to be stored in an accumulator of the timekeeper and displaying means.

8. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein said charging means comprises a microgenerator system and/or an induction system.

9. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein the microgenerator system uses a dedicated rotating mass and/or the rotating mass of the mechanical movement and/or the actuation of the crown of the timekeeper.

10. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprise at least a touchscreen.

11. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein the displaying means comprise at least a display on the module.

12. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein the displaying means comprise at least a display at the dial level.

13. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein the display covers the entire dial or only a part of the dial.

14. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein smart functions are controlled by the crown and/or a bezel.

15. The hybrid timekeeper of claim 1, wherein the timekeeper is a watch, such as a wristwatch.

16. A communication ecosystem using at least a timekeeper as defined in claim 1 with at least a portable device, such as a phone.

17. A method of using a hybrid timekeeper as defined in claim 1.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the timekeeper is used to create a new community of experiences between wearers of the same timekeeper or of the same brand or another associated brand, whereby said wearers connect for common interactions, such social contacts, exchanges, meetings.

19. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the use is to sense and monitor body signs and/or to display such signs or information related to such signs.

20. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the use is to react to information/data received from a source, such as a phone.

21. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the use is as a payment means/terminal.

22. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the use is in a context of IoT (“internet of things”) to connect the user to products of the current life.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematical back view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematical back view in perspective of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematical back cut view in perspective of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematical front view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematical front view in perspective of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] FIG. 6 illustrates a schematical front cut view in perspective of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] FIG. 7 illustrates embodiments of the present invention;

[0062] FIG. 8 illustrates bloc-diagrams of embodiments of the present invention.

[0063] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of an eco-system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0064] For the sake of clarity, a timekeeper according to the present invention has been named or is named, in embodiments, “smart watch” or “hybrid smart watch” or “hybrid watch” or simply “watch” in the present specification, with no limiting intention, as the principles of the present invention are applicable to other similar devices such as timekeepers and other time measuring means and devices. Also other similar products are also envisaged and encompassed in the frame of the present specification.

[0065] An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 which shows the back of the case 2 of a wristwatch 1 to be worn on the arm of a user.

[0066] The watch comprises in a general manner the case 2 and two parts 3, 4 of a strap for attachment to the wearer. Preferably, the strap parts 3 and 4 are easily exchangeable, for example to be able to personalize the watch and its appearance or to follow a trend, or to illustrate an event (such as a sports competition, a concert, a social event, an historical date etc. . . . ).

[0067] The case 2 further comprises a window 5, preferably transparent, through which one may see the mechanical movement of the watch, or parts of it, said mechanical movement being used for marking or indicating the time of the day with appropriate hands as is known in the field of mechanical watch making, and an electronic (or smart) module 10, a description of which being given later in the present description. The watch also comprises a crown 6 as is known in the art.

[0068] Typically, the “classical” part of the watch 1 comprises the mechanical movement (automatic or manual) for displaying the time of day as is well known in the art.

[0069] According to embodiments of the present invention, the watch is a smart watch that not only includes this mechanical part of a watch but also a smart module (i.e. an electronic module) 10 dedicated for smart functions as described herein thus providing many improvements and additional features and functions to a timekeeper according to the present invention.

[0070] FIG. 2 illustrates the watch in a side perspective view with the same elements identified by the same references as above.

[0071] FIG. 3 illustrates the watch in a side perspective view with same elements identified by the same references as above but being cut to better illustrates the inner arrangements of the parts. The watch thus comprises a glass 11 and hands 12 (hours), 13 (minutes) and 26 (seconds) to indicate the time of the day (or night) on its front side. The glass 11 and 25 (glass of the module 10) may be a normal transparent glass (made of any suitable material) or a transparent, tinted or colored touchscreen OLED, AMOLED, TFT, electronic paper (“E-Paper”) as known in the field of displays in some embodiments of the invention. The interest of E-paper is its low electrical consumption but of course this is an example and other constructions and materials are possible in the frame of the present invention.

[0072] Reference 15 designates the dial of the movement.

[0073] Reference 14 designates in a general manner the mechanical part of the watch that is classic in the art of watchmaking, known in the art and thus not described in more detail here. It can be manual winding mechanism or an automatic one.

[0074] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of a timekeeper according to an embodiment of the present invention with the references detailed above. On this figure is also illustrated element 20 which is a microgenerator used to generate electrical energy, for example by cooperation with the winding mechanism of the timekeeper.

[0075] The hybrid watch according to the present invention, in addition to the classical mechanical watch described hereabove, comprises a smart part 10 (e.g. digital means) integrated in the watch case 2 that comprises preferably at least the following elements/means, all described in the course of the present description: [0076] a digital screen 25 that may replace at least partially the dial 15 or form a part thereof; [0077] the front glass 11 and 25 of the watch may include touchscreen and display capabilities; [0078] a micro generator 20 (for example: Kinetron System™) system to generate electrical energy; [0079] an electrical accumulator 21 (or battery) to store electrical energy; [0080] an induction system or means and capability to charge the accumulator with energy. [0081] a long range wireless power to charge the accumulator (named Qi) [0082] receiving and emitting capabilities (NFC, wifi, Bluetooth etc. . . . ) to be able to communicate with a phone, with readers and terminals, with a distant web, such as the internet, all these accesses being either directly or through a phone.

[0083] Accordingly, in embodiments of one aspect the present invention, the hybrid smart watch may comprise or use a plurality of means (such as sources of energy) for charging an electrical accumulator.

[0084] One source may be a Kinetron™ system (see the website http://www.kinetron.eu/for information about this technology) or a Kinetron-like system that generates electrical energy with movement. As known, the Kinetron™ system comprises a moving mass and microgenerators 20 that produce electrical energy by the movement of the mass. To this effect, a dedicated mass may be used to act on the generators, the dedicated mass being moved by the movements of the wearer of the watch. Alternatively, one may also use the rotating mass of the winding system of the mechanical watch or both masses (the dedicated one and the one of the winding system) to sollicitate the Kinetron™ system and generate electrical energy.

[0085] In another embodiment, the Kinetron™ system or its equivalent may also be sollicitated by rotating the crown 6 of the watch that also will rotate the generators and thereby produce electrical energy. For example, the placement of the crown 6 in a dedicated position (for example by pushing) may be used as the trigger for the energy production by rotation of the crown 6.

[0086] The movement may also be a displacement of the wearer (for example by walking) or another action of the wearer that may be converted in electrical energy.

[0087] All these solicitations may be carried out independently or in a combined manner to produce electrical energy that will be stored in the accumulator of the watch. Accordingly, one hybrid watch or device according to the invention may use one principle or another or all to generate energy.

[0088] In another embodiment, the energy charging may be done via induction means with a wireless charger (long range or short range). This way may be combined with the other systems and principles described above to provide an efficient system relying on different sources to produce energy.

[0089] In an embodiment, the front glass 25 of the module comprises display means/capabilities (for example by way of E-Paper screen) in order to propose applications and/or information/data to the wearer of the watch. Typically, the selection of an application may be driven by the crown 6 placed in a dedicated position (for example by pushing the crown 6 and then rotating it to show the possible applications) and validating the choice (for example by pressing on the crown). Of course, applications may be preinstalled in the watch or downloaded later from a dedicated place (for example a website), preferably applications are located on a portable phone of the wearer which then transmits or receives the information/data to or from the module 10. The glass 11 has a touch control technology being formed as a touchscreen, and it is possible then for the user to monitor or access the chosen application directly by touching the glass 11 of the watch and to launch said application or access to different pages/windows/levels of the application.

[0090] As another display, the watch may comprise a digital screen (for example TFT display) that is at the level of the dial 15 of the movement. This screen may be used to show information, for example linked to applications of the watch (the applications are in the cloud (wireless server) or mainly in the smart phone computer but preferably not in the watch. The watch is a companion or a slave and communicates via wireless and contact. Both displays (the one of the front glass and the one of the dial) may be used in the same watch, or they may be alternative, proposed in different models (i.e. embodiments) of the watch. If they are used together, they may propose independent information or linked information or a partial information.

[0091] As said above, the crown 6 may be used to firstly act on the hands 12-13 to adjust the time, but also to generate energy and to navigate between application (or even in a given application) by its rotation. Preferably, the dedicated position to carry out one of these functions is determined by the position of the crown 6, for example by pushing and/or turning the crown 6. Other ways are possible, for the example by the turning direction of the crown 6, depending on its position.

[0092] For example: [0093] A position is used to manage the mechanical functions of the movement. [0094] A position is used to charge manually the battery for the smart module thanks to the Kinetron or equivalent system. Typically, 30 seconds will produce 1 day of energy. [0095] A position is used to manage the smart module with apps on the screen (of the watch and/or of the module).

[0096] Other positions may be envisaged to add other functionalities and/or management capabilities.

[0097] Many variants are possible. Also, another part of the watch may be used to this effect, in combination with the crown 6 or not, for example a watch bezel, or additional buttons on the watch case. Accordingly, it is possible to provide several possibilities to create definite actions on the watch, for example to choose applications or navigate within them etc. . . .

[0098] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate front view and side perspective view of a watch according to an embodiment with the same elements identified with the same references as in the preceding drawings.

[0099] FIG. 7A to 7D illustrate perspective views of a module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0100] The module 10 comprises at least an accumulator 21 for electrical energy, such as a rechargeable battery, a PCB 22 (printed circuit board) with the electronics used for the electronic parts of the watch (chip etc. as is known in the art). All the electronic parts are connected and communicate as desired as is known in the art of electronics and smart products. The accumulator 21 may be present in the module 10 only, or in the watch 1, or distributed in both.

[0101] The module also comprises contacts 23 for electrical contact with the components of the watch 1. FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate the module 10 which is not inserted in the watch case 2. FIG. 7C illustrate the module inserted in the watch case 2. FIG. 7D illustrates the module alone in a perspective view.

[0102] In further embodiments, the touch screen 25 of the module 10 may be independent from the watch and provide access to applications stored in the watch or accessed via wireless technology or it may complement the watch function in providing additional information (such as date, reminders of action stored in a dedicated schedule etc. . . . as described herein).

[0103] The combination of all these technical features thus allows a wearer to use in the same device a traditional part of a watch and modern features, both worlds thus coexisting in a same device and complementing each other.

[0104] FIG. 8 illustrates block drawings (“system A”, “system B”, “system C”) of possible embodiments of the invention.

[0105] In all systems, the module 10 is connected to the watch 1 by the contacts 23 (on the module side) and 24 (on the watch side), the module comprises the power accumulator 21, the PCB 22 and possibly an antenna 24′ (or several antennas, for example adapted to frequency and/or to use, for example WiFi, NFC and other close and distant communications channels and means therefor).

[0106] Preferably, the module 10 is fixed to the watch once inserted via means that allow a stable position and an exchange of the module: for example a screw or another equivalent means, a key, a snap-like system etc. . . .

[0107] Also the module 10 and the watch 1 are waterproof at least when assembled. This may be achieved by the use of sealing means, such as an O-ring, gasket/seals as are common in the field of watchmaking for example.

[0108] On the watch side, each system illustrates a possible way of generated electrical energy for the smart part: [0109] System A uses microgenerators (such as 20), which are actuated by the rotation of the mechanical part (for example its winding means) [0110] System B uses the crown 6 as generator of electrical energy [0111] System C uses directly the rotation of the mechanical parts.

[0112] Of course, each of these systems may be used alone or in any combination in the present invention. Other equivalent system may be used as well to achieve this goal of provision of electrical energy to the watch.

[0113] An example of an eco-system according to the present invention is illustrated schematically in FIG. 9 with blocs showing functions, as described in the present application hereabove. For example, the timekeeper (watch 10) is at the center of the eco-system and preferably connecter/paired with a portable phone of the wearer of the timekeeper.

[0114] Starting from the top block (“at 12”), the watch may be immersed and used in an Internet of things (IoT) system for communication with other “things” such as objects as discussed above, such as a car, home appliances and automation, travel applications (tickets etc. . . . ), replacement for physical cards etc. . . .

[0115] The next blocs are discussed clockwise.

[0116] The second bloc (Watch owner”) indicates the capabilities of managing watch owner/user data, such as body activity and other body or health parameters discussed herein.

[0117] The next block (“Smart phone”) indicates the smart phone relation/exchanges and capabilities.

[0118] The next block (“Payment terminal”) indicates the terminal and payment capabilities of the watch.

[0119] The next block (“Other”) indicates other function that will possible in the future based on technology progress and consumer wishes and needs.

[0120] The next block (“Watch”) indicates the interaction possibilities with other identical or similar watch owners (social contact and exchanges, meeting etc. . . . ).

[0121] The next block (“Satellite”) indicate the interaction possibilities and uses in relation to satellites (for example geolocalization, route/trip planning, and other communication possibilities using a satellite).

[0122] Of course, all these examples are non-limiting possibilities and others are also within the frame of the present invention.

[0123] The present invention and technology is a true hybrid mecha-smart device. It may work with the energy produced naturally by the watch's wearer during his daily business. It is an automatic watch that feeds an intelligent digital display. Technically, the active movement of the oscillating wrist/rotor assembled with several micro-generators do the job, plus an optional wireless induction charge in order to be sure to be switched on during at least all day. This purely mechanical process allows electrical energy to continuously feed the smart digital capabilities of the device and the backlit E-Paper or LED pattern) (and/or TFT) electronic smart module.

[0124] Of course, the timekeeper according to the present invention also comprises communication means, for example antenna means for a wireless communication with a network, for example the internet for up and downloading of data, information, updates and applications and for carrying out the desired functions described herein. This exchange may also be carried out by other appropriate and/or equivalent technical means (wire, docking station, induction, NFC etc.).

[0125] The embodiments described in the present application are illustrative examples and should not be regarded as limiting. Many variants of a timekeeper are possible using different technical features in combination are possible. Also, equivalent means may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0126] If examples of the present specification relate to a watch (or a wrist watch), the principles of the invention are of course applicable to other devices with no limitation. In addition, the object, for example the watch may also be used without the smart part, i.e. without the module 10, as a normal mechanical watch. In such case, the smart function will simply not be activated but the watch will retain its initial function of indicating time.