The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Jean-Luc Arend

Arnaud Casagrande

Jean Gorisse

Thierry Scordilis

Luca De Rosa

Zoran Randjelovic

Carlos Velasquez

A method for operating a fast start-up oscillator system, which includes a reference oscillator and a quartz oscillator connected to an electronic oscillator circuit, which is provided to supply a master clock signal to a start-up controller configured to perform a fast start-up procedure of the quartz oscillator via the reference oscillator. The start-up controller includes a calculation unit and a memory unit for storing data in connection with the reference oscillator for starting the quartz oscillator. The method includes parameterising the calculation unit for starting the quartz oscillator, generating excitation bursts, determining a phase deviation in different successive periods between the oscillation of the reference oscillator and the oscillation of the quartz oscillator, calculating a frequency error in the calculation unit, and correcting the frequency of the reference oscillator to the frequency of the quartz oscillator.

Method for operating a fast start-up oscillator system, and fast start-up oscillator system

A correction method for a super-regenerative receiver being configured to resonate at at least one oscillator resonant frequency reference value and comprising at least one control stage, at least one varactor, at least one reference system and, at least one oscillator. The method includes at least one setup of at least one reference signal value by the at least one reference system, at least one comparison of at least one oscillator frequency actual value of the at least one oscillator with the at least one reference signal value by the at least one reference system and at least one adjustment of at least one gain of the at least one control stage.

Super-regenerative receiver and correction method thereof

A method for detecting an RF signal detected by a super-regenerative receiver (). The receiver includes a reference oscillator () for generating an oscillation in the oscillator, a bias current generator () for supplying a bias current, an oscillation detector () connected between an output (coilp) of the oscillator and the bias current generator for controlling when an RF signal is received by the receiver, and an impedance matching unit () disposed between the input of the receiver and the reference oscillator (). Following activation of a start control signal, detection of the oscillation of the reference oscillator is performed, and once the reference oscillator oscillates above a critical increasing bias current value, the oscillation detector orders the bias current generator to cut off the bias current and thus stop the oscillation of the reference oscillator to reduce the overall electricity consumption during an RF signal detection phase.

Method for detecting an RF signal in a super-regenerative receiver, and receiver for implementing the method

A method is provided for enhancing the detection of the start time of a reference oscillator () of a super-regenerative receiver (), which includes the reference oscillator, a bias current generator (), an oscillation detector (), and an impedance matching unit (). Following the supply of the bias current (i_vco) after receiving the activation control signal (Sosc), an oscillation detection is performed by the oscillation detector (), and once oscillation is detected, an additional amplification current (iboost) dependent on the envelope of the detected oscillation, of an amplification current generation circuit is supplied to the reference oscillator () in addition to the bias current to amplify the oscillation signal to be above a critical oscillation start threshold so as to precisely define the start time of the oscillator, and enable the oscillation detector () to order the stoppage of oscillation of the reference oscillator ().

Method for enhancing the starting of an oscillator of a super-regenerative receiver, and receiver for implementing the method

A crystal oscillator and a startup method for initiating operation of a crystal oscillator, the crystal oscillator includes an oscillator structure including a crystal resonator and an electronic oscillator circuit connected to the crystal resonator, the oscillator structure having a first terminal and a second terminal, a startup controller operable to initiate an oscillation in the oscillator structure by exciting the oscillator structure with a sequence of excitation signals derivable from a clock signal and when triggered by a timing signal, the sequence of excitation signals includes at least a first excitation signal and a second excitation signal, a comparator including a first and a second input terminal and an output terminal, the first input terminal being connected to the first terminal and wherein the second input terminal is connected to the second terminal.

Crystal oscillator and startup method for a crystal oscillator

A crystal oscillator and a startup method for initiating operation of a crystal oscillator with a crystal resonator including a first terminal and a second terminal, an electronic oscillator circuit connected to the crystal resonator, a first capacitor including first and second terminals, the second connected to the first terminal of the crystal resonator, a second capacitor including first and second terminals, the second connected to the second terminal of the crystal resonator. A switch includes first, second and third terminals, wherein an electrical conductivity between the first terminal and the second terminal of the switch is controllable by a voltage at the third terminal, wherein the first terminal of the switch is connected to the first terminal of the first capacitor and wherein the second terminal of the switch is connected to the first terminal of the second capacitor.

A method for providing information about a mechanical wristwatch, including the following steps, performed by the wristwatch: harvesting an intermittently available external energy, storing the harvested energy, at the end of a predefined period of time, generating an analysis report on an activity of the owner of the wristwatch, based at least on the times and durations of availability of the external energy, when or after the harvested energy quantity reaches a threshold, the threshold being on or above an energy level required to power a transmission unit of the wristwatch, wirelessly transmitting the analysis report to a distant reader with the transmission unit.

Method for providing information about a mechanical wristwatch

A transmitter-receiver includes an electronic chip a mixer for mixing the frequency of a received radio frequency signal with that of an oscillating signal supplied by a first frequency synthesizer in, a switch having two inputs connected to an output of the mixer and to an auxiliary input terminal, a filter and gain stage connected to the output of the switch, and a modulator-demodulator connected to the output of the filter and gain stage. The first frequency synthesizer is connected between the output of the modulator-demodulator and radio frequency input and output terminal, and configured to supply a frequency-modulated signal to the radio frequency input and output terminal. The electronic chip further includes a second frequency synthesizer connected between the output of the modulator-demodulator and an auxiliary output terminal, and configured to synthesize a modulated low-frequency signal supplied by the auxiliary output terminal, whereby the center value of the low frequency is equal to the value of the intermediate frequency.

Transmitter-receiver comprising an electronic chip

A transponder-based module is placed on a mobile object so as to transmit information in proximity to a reading device. The transponder-based module includes at least one energy source for supplying the transponder-based module, at least one sensor for performing measurements of a physical parameter, and a microcontroller linked to the measurement sensor for processing the measurements of the sensor. The module further includes a memory unit for storing the measurement data of the measurements performed by the sensor, a receiver of an interrogation signal from a reading device in proximity, and a transmitter for transmitting measurement data stored at ultra-high frequency and at very high bitrate subsequent to the reception of an interrogation signal from the reading device in proximity.

RFID transponder-based module for communicating information to a reading device

The electronic circuit with a self-calibrated PTAT current reference includes a PTAT current generator dependent on at least one integrated resistor for supplying a PTAT output current. It further includes a reference current generator dependent on at least one switched capacitor resistor, for supplying a reference current. The reference current and the PTAT output current are compared in a comparator so as to digitally adapt the programmable integrated resistor, or to digitally adapt the dimensional ratio of the transistors of a current mirror in the PTAT current generator, to supply the adapted PTAT output current.

Electronic circuit with self-calibrated PTAT current reference and method for actuating the same

The high sensitivity FSK radiofrequency signal receiver includes an antenna for receiving FSK radiofrequency signals, a LNA amplifier receiving signals picked up by the antenna, a local oscillator for supplying oscillating signals, a mixer for mixing the incoming signals with the oscillating signals to produce intermediate signals. The receiver includes a broadband or poly-phase filter for filtering the intermediate signals, and a sampler for supplying sampled intermediate signals to a high sensitivity demodulation stage, which supplies data signals. The receiver includes a processing circuit for performing a discrete Fourier transform of sampled intermediate signals. The selector at the processing circuit output determines the difference between the signal amplitude peak frequency above a determined threshold and the expected frequency of the intermediate signals. The frequency difference enables for correcting the oscillating signals frequency, to enable the demodulation stage to demodulate the data in the sampled intermediate signals and supply data signals.

Receiver for FSK radio frequency signals with high sensitivity demodulator and method for activating the same

The dual-modulus prescaler circuit () is devised to operate at a very high frequency. This circuit includes an assembly formed of two dynamic D-type flip flops (), and two NAND logic gates () arranged in negative feedback between the two flip flops. The two flip flops are clocked by an input clock signal (CK) to supply a divided output signal (OUT) whose frequency matches the input clock frequency divided by 2 or by 3 as a function of a division mode selection signal (divb) applied to the input of the first NAND logic gate (). One non-inverted output of the second flip flop is connected to one input of the first flip flop (). The first dynamic flip flop includes three active branches and supplies a single inverted output signal. A third flip flop () with three active branches receives an inverted mode selection signal (div) at input in order to supply the mode selection signal to the inverted output thereof, clocked by the non-inverted output signal of the second flip flop.

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Corcelles, Switzerland

Jean-Luc Arend