Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse

Em Microelectronic-Marin Sa

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Montres Rado S.a.

François Klopfenstein

Jean-Jacques Born

Pascal Lagorgette

Silvio Dalla Piazza

Jean-Bernard Peters

Emmanuel Fleury

André Zanetta

Yves Godat

Rolf Vetter

Damien Schmutz

Daniel Gruenig

Nicolas Jeannet

Sergio Rota

Laurent Christe

Patrick Ragot

Philippe Renevey

Raphaël Balmer

Joerg Berthoud

Christophe Verjus

Nicolas Blanckaert

Fabien Henriet

Xavier Stehlin

Matthieu Tardivon

Victor Neuman

Christe Laurent

Gérald Matthey

André Kaltenrieder

Raphäel Haenni

The time base includes an oscillator generating a periodic signal, a frequency divider circuit formed by a division chain defining several division stages and a circuit for adjusting the divided frequency by inhibiting, in each inhibition period of a plurality of successive inhibition periods, an integer number of clocking pulses at the input of a given stage of the division chain. The time base is arranged to produce, in each inhibition period, a first real number corresponding to the real number of clocking pulses that must be removed to be precise and the adjustment circuit is arranged to calculate, in each inhibition period, a second real number equal to the addition of the first real number and the fractional part of the second real number obtained in the preceding inhibition period, the integer part of this second real number defining the number of clocking pulses to be inhibited in each inhibition period.

Time base including an oscillator, a frequency divider circuit and clocking pulse inhibition circuit

The invention relates to a timepiece () fitted with a glass () having an inside face and an outside face to the timepiece and a lighting device () comprising at least one ultraviolet or infrared light-emitting diode () to illuminate at least one zone () integrating fluorescent and/or phosphorescent pigments of an indicator element () visible through the glass, characterized in that the light-emitting diode is arranged on the periphery of the glass forming a waveguide capable of diffusing the ultraviolet or infrared light, and that means for diffusing ultraviolet or infrared light () from the glass towards the interior of the timepiece are arranged in the path of the ultraviolet or infrared light.

Timepiece fitted with a lighting device comprising an ultraviolet light-emitting diode

The invention proposes a pulsometer () comprising a case () which contains an electronic optical pulse measuring device () and an electronic circuit, a tightening wristband () which holds the back cover of the case () pressed against the wrist (), characterized in that the electronic optical measuring device () includes at least two light sources (E, E, E) and at least two receivers (R, R, R), in that the light sources (E, E, E) and the receivers (R, R, R) are arranged in the form of a matrix comprising two lines (L, L) each oriented along an orthogonal direction to the direction (D) of the wrist (), and at least two columns (C, C, C), oriented parallel to the direction (D) of the wrist (), in that each line (L, L) of the matrix alternately contains a light source (E, E, E) and a receiver (R, R, R), and each column (C, C, C) of the matrix contains a light source (E, E, E) and a receiver (R, R, R). The invention also proposes a control method for this pulsometer ().

Pulsometer worn on wrist and associated control method

The backlighting device () enables an information display element of a portable object such as a wristwatch to be illuminated from the back. This device comprises a light guide plate () having a front face and a rear face, a light reflector () located on the rear face of the light guide plate, a light diffuser film () and a rectifier film () located on the front face of the light guide plate and a source of visible light (). This light source, such as a light emitting diode (), feeds light beams to the edge of the light guide plate, which spread in the light guide plate between its two faces. A layer, such as a diffuser film, has a zone (') with opacity decreasing from a limit () located close to the boundary area of the light guide plate, which receives the light beams of the light source, in order to attenuate the intensity of the light crossing said zone. This zone with decreasing opacity is, for example, a shading white or black dye disposed on the diffuser film.

Backlighting device for an information display element of a portable object

The backlighting device () enables an information display element of a portable object such as a wristwatch to be illuminated from the back. This device comprises a light guide plate () having a front face and a rear face, a light reflector () located on the rear face of the light guide plate, a light diffuser film () and a rectifier film () located on the front face of the light guide plate and a source of visible light (). This light source, such as a light emitting diode (), feeds light beams to the edge of the light guide plate, which spread in the light guide plate between its two faces. A layer, such as a diffuser film, has a zone (') with opacity decreasing from a limit () located close to the boundary area of the light guide plate, which receives the light beams of the light source, in order to attenuate the intensity of the light crossing said zone. This zone with decreasing opacity is, for example, a shading white or silver dye disposed on the diffuser film, or a semi-transparent metal covering of variable thickness, or a metal covering pierced by a plurality of small holes of varying diameter and spacing, or a metal covering formed from a plurality of metal dots of varying diameter and spacing so that light beams are partially reflected and returned into the light guide plate to reduce the losses of useful photons.

There is disclosed an electronic instrument intended to be worn on a user's wrist, such as a wristwatch (), including a case () and a wristband () secured to the case. The case encloses an electronic module (), a display device () and an electric power source () powering the electronic module and the display device. This instrument further includes an antenna () arranged in an off-centre position with respect to the centre (&#x25ef;) of the instrument. The instrument is configured to be worn on the wrist in a first, so-called normal position, and in a second, so-called opposite position, rotated through 180&#xb0; with respect to the first position about an axis (&#x3b1;) substantially perpendicular to the general plane (&#x3a0;) of the electronic instrument. The instrument further includes control means for switching the display device into a first so-called normal display mode, when the instrument is worn in the first position, and into a second so-called reverse display mode, when the instrument is worn in the second position, the data displayed by the display device being shifted through 180&#xb0; from one display mode to the other.

Electronic instrument intended to be worn on the wrist and including, in particular, an antenna for receiving and/or transmitting radio-frequency signals

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Delémont, Switzerland

François Klopfenstein