The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Asulab S.a.

Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse

Omega Sa

The Swatch Group Management Services Ag

Yvan Ferri

Jean-Jacques Born

Pierry Vuille

Cedric Nicolas

Nicolas Rebeaud

Simon Bourquin

Gregory Kissling

Michel Willemin

Pascal Lagorgette

Dominique Lechot

Pierpasquale Tortora

Raphael Balmer

Christophe Germiquet

Yves Oesch

Jean-Daniel Etienne

Emil Zellweger

François Gueissaz

Damien Schmutz

Roger Willemin

David Hoover

Pascal Winkler

Yves Winkler

Jean-Claude Martin

Rudolf Dinger

Lionel Paratte

Rocco Catanese

Francois Gueissaz

Cédric Nicolas

Stephane Rychen

Olivier Silvant

Alain Jornod

Loïc Curchod

Sergio Rota

Mohammad Hussein Kahrobaiyan

Raphaël Balmer

Paul Dinnissen

Alexandre Didier

David Correa

Raphael Haenni

René Viennet

Léonard Testori

Joseph Ricchiuto

Dominique Léchot

Stéphane Rychen

Dominique LÉCHOT

Raphaël Haenni

David Corrêa

A rotary piezoelectric motor (), in particular for a timepiece, including a rotor () configured to rotate and actuate a mechanical device, and a stator () configured to rotate the rotor (), the stator () including a piezoelectric actuator provided with a resonator () arranged to perform an oscillatory motion, and a fixed element (). The resonator in a movable element () arranged at a distance from the fixed element () and connected to the fixed element (), the piezoelectric actuator being configured to move the movable element () against the rotor () to make it rotate, the movement of the movable element () making the rotor () rotate in a first direction.

Rotary piezoelectric motor, in particular for watchmaking

A watch includes a control member capable of managing a primary function of the watch, such as a rotating crown or a push-piece, as well as a magnetic ball that can be manually pivoted by the user about the centre thereof. A 3D magnetic sensor is arranged in the watch to detect the orientation of the magnetic field emitted by the magnetic ball, in addition to a processor for converting an electric signal generated by the magnetic sensor into an instruction for managing one or more other electronic functions of the watch. The magnetic ball is partially arranged inside the control member such that it is accessible to a user. The watch can further comprise a proximity sensor for detecting the axial position of the control member relative to the middle of the watch.

Watch provided with a control member

A thermoelectric watch including a thermoelectric module including a hot plate and a cold plate connected by semiconductor pillars, wherein the hot plate is thermally connected to the back cover of the watch, the cold plate is thermally connected to the case middle of the watch via a support element with at least two branches, at least two branches have a common end on which is held the cold plate of the thermoelectric module, and at least two branches are flexible to absorb shocks.

Thermoelectric watch

A watch includes a control member, for example a crown or a head of a push-piece, which is mounted in a resilient manner on the outer end of an elongated element projecting outside the middle, such that a user can tilt in a self-reverting manner the control member in two dimensions orthogonal and perpendicular to the central axis of the elongated element. At least one proximity sensor is incorporated into the middle of the watch, in a location allowing this proximity sensor to produce an electric signal that represents the tilting of the control member about an axis that is perpendicular to the central axis. A processor generates at least one instruction on the basis of the electric signal provided by at least one proximity sensor, for example to allow the user to browse a menu or a calendar displayed on a digital screen.

A watch including a control member that is able to manage at least one first function of the watch and at the same time to control one or more additional electronic functions. The control member, for example a crown or a push-piece head, is mounted on the elongate element defining a central axis and passing through a wall of the watch middle. At least one strain gauge is mounted around the elongate element and arranged so as to produce an electrical signal representing a radial force exerted by the elongate element on the strain gauge when a user laterally exerts a force on the control member. A processor generates at least one command on the basis of the electrical signal, for example to enable the user to navigate in a menu or a calendar displayed on a digital screen.

A watch includes a control member which makes it possible to manage one or more electronic functions. The control member includes an optical guide, which extends between a proximal face and a distal face with respect to the middle. A light source is arranged such that it can illuminate the distal face through the optical guide, and an imaging device, including a photodetector, is arranged to capture an image of a portion of the finger of a user of the watch, when they touch the distal face. A processor generates commands based on signals generated by the photodetector, in the way of an optical mouse, for example, to make it possible for the user to browse in a menu displayed on a digital screen.

An external element of a timepiece or a piece of jewelry includes a body made of an insulating ceramic material, the body including a housing, a wireless communication system disposed in the housing, and at least one part of a surface of the external element includes a layer of metallic visual appearance, the layer being obtained by carburization, nitridation, or a combination of carburization, nitridation.

External element of metallic appearance having an integral communication system

An external assembly element of a timepiece made from a first material, including a groove in which a communication circuit is arranged, wherein the communication circuit is over-molded with a polymer material filling the groove.

External assembly element with integrated communication circuit

Timepiece movement fitted with an electromagnetic transducer comprising at least one coil and a rotor formed of a central shaft, of two magnetic plates that are mounted on the central shaft and of a plurality of bipolar magnets which are axially polarized and mounted on at least one of the two magnetic plates, said at least one coil penetrating at least partially into a circular space which is defined by the rotor between its two magnetic plates and left free by this rotor. The central shaft comprises a pinion which engages with a wheel of the timepiece movement, this pinion being arranged between the two magnetic plates and said wheel being partially arranged between the two magnetic plates, in an angular sector of the circular space that is left free by the electromagnetic transducer, so as to engage with the pinion. Advantageously, said wheel has a roller that is almost or entirely non-conductive and a non-magnetic staff.

Timepiece movement fitted with an electromagnetic transducer

Watch band comprising lower and upper half band portions connected at a fold portion to surround a watch lug at the fold portion, each comprising a drilled hole for the passage of a double rivet comprising lower and upper bodies, either inserted one inside the other or each inserted into a common tube, the band including, at each double rivet, a snap means for ensuring a reversible axial stop for the lower body with respect to the upper body, comprising either a holding plate aligning lower and upper grooves of the lower and upper bodies, or two lower and upper clip lips of the common tube each clip fitted onto a complementary lower or upper lip of the lower or upper body.

Riveted watch band

A method of detecting and calculating height of a jump performed by an individual including detection of a reception subsequent to the jump is described. The detection includes a sub-step of detecting a pressure spike of amplitude greater than a first threshold amplitude, within pressure measurements provided by a pressure sensor embedded aboard a watch worn on the wrist of the individual. Also described is calculation of a height of the jump by differencing a starting altitude corresponding to a last stable pressure measured before the pressure spike and a finishing altitude corresponding to a first stable pressure measured after the pressure spike via the pressure sensor, a stable pressure being defined as a pressure whose variations do not exceed 0.1 hectopascals for at least 2 seconds.

Method of detecting and calculating height of a jump

A method of detecting a movement of a timepiece setting stem arranged to be moved axially along and/or rotated about its longitudinal axis. The method includes a light source illuminating a portion of the setting stem; a light detector receiving a reflected or diffracted light pattern from the setting stem; a processor forming a first pixel pattern representative of the reflected light pattern at a first time instant; the processor forming a second pixel pattern representative of the reflected light pattern at a second, later time instant; and determining that the setting stem has been moved, if the second pixel pattern is different or shifted with respect to the first pixel pattern.

Optical position detection of a timepiece crown stem

A wristwatch including a watch case, a bezel mounted to rotate on the watch case, and a dial including at least one luminous index. The luminous index is illuminated through the dial by at least one light source disposed underneath the dial and powered by an electrical energy source. An activation component for activating the light source is housed inside the rotating dial and cooperates with a detection element housed inside the watch case. The activation component, in a determined position of the rotating bezel, detects presence of the activation component by the detection element. The detection element then emits an electrical signal addressed to a microprocessor circuit housed inside the watch case. The microprocessor circuit emits in response to reception of the electrical signal emitted by the detection element an electrical signal that activates lighting of the light source for a determined period of time.

Wristwatch comprising a dial with luminous indices

Altitude measurement device including an atmospheric pressure sensor arranged to be compressed or to expand in a rectilinear direction as a function of the atmospheric pressure to be measured which increases or decreases, wherein the movements of deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor are transformed, via a transmission system, into a pivoting motion, in a plane perpendicular to the rectilinear direction of deformation of the atmospheric pressure sensor, of an activation system which drives the pivoting of an indicator hand, wherein the indicator hand moves over a graduated circular scale, wherein the atmospheric pressure sensor is arranged to be able to be moved in one direction or in the opposite direction depending on the rectilinear direction of deformation thereof relative to the other components of the altitude measurement device, wherein the atmospheric pressure sensor is mounted on a seat which is fixed in a support, which forms a case with a cover.

Altitude measurement device and portable object comprising the same

Growing community of inventors

Lausanne, Switzerland

Yvan Ferri