SETTING PROCEDURE OF AN ELECTRONIC CLOCK

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electronic watches. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for setting an electronic watch, for example, a quartz watch. Previous art

[0002] So-called "smart" watches, capable of communicating with electronic devices such as smartphones, have become increasingly popular in the watchmaking industry in recent years. Setting such a watch can be done manually, notably by activating push buttons, crowns, and / or touchscreens, which can be rather cumbersome for the user or the after-sales service responsible for adjustments. For example, if the watch has a perpetual calendar mechanism, adjusting the position of the analog display elements of the perpetual calendar mechanism, and more generally, setting the perpetual calendar mechanism itself, can be done by pulling and / or turning a crown on the watch and / or pressing one or more pushers. This allows you to select a year type (for example, leap year) and correctly position the various display elements, and more generally, all the elements of the perpetual calendar mechanism.Not only is this process tedious for the user, who has to remember and correctly execute all the adjustment operations one after the other, but it also introduces risks of errors and discrepancies.

[0003] We also know in the prior art document CH712176A1 which describes a solution of a complex implementation consisting of a method of adjusting a watch part essentially by optical means.

[0004] We understand that there is a need to find a solution, especially one that does not have the disadvantages of the previous art. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a method for adjusting a mechanism performing a horological function such as the perpetual calendar of an electronic watch such as a quartz watch, which is simple, robust and reliable.

[0006] For this purpose, the invention relates to a method for setting an electronic watch, according to claim 1.

[0007] This method has the advantage of being able to be implemented without the user having to make complex adjustments via crowns, push buttons, or touchscreens, for example. The method may require initiation, which can be done either manually by pressing a push button or a touchscreen on the watch or electronic device, or automatically when the watch and the electronic device are in close proximity.

[0008] This process also has the advantage of requiring very little equipment: a portable device such as a smartphone with a suitable mobile application is all that is needed to implement it. The process does not require the use of dedicated equipment such as a sensor to connect to a computer, nor any bulky equipment. Anyone (for example, a watchmaker) with a smartphone could implement the process.

[0009] In other embodiments: The connection establishment step includes a substep of initiating a connection between the watch and the electronic device as soon as the watch is located relative to the electronic device at a distance allowing the establishment of a connection; the verification step includes a substep of comparing the state data with the setting parameters; the watch comprising a perpetual calendar mechanism and means for positioning elements of said mechanism, the microcontroller of the watch being configured to control said positioning means, the configuration step comprising an actuation of the positioning means of the elements of the perpetual calendar mechanism so as to position said elements in a position corresponding to the setting parameters, and the electronic device being a smartphone.

[0010] The invention also relates to a system for setting the electronic watch, according to claim 6. Brief description of the figures

[0011] The objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention, given solely by way of non-limiting example and illustrated in the figure 1 which schematically represents the steps in the process of setting an electronic watch such as a quartz watch. Detailed description of an implementation method

[0012] In a practical example illustrated on the figure 1The invention relates to a method for setting an electronic watch, such as a quartz watch, using a portable or mobile electronic device. In other words, this watch and the portable electronic device enable the implementation of such a method. This method is suitable for setting a mechanism that performs a horological function, such as the perpetual calendar of a quartz watch. These horological functions may also include the date, day, month, year, current moon phase, etc.

[0013] This process is implemented by a watch adjustment system comprising a portable electronic device capable of connecting to the watch using near-field communication technology. In this context, the watch in the system includes, but is not limited to: a near-field communication module, in particular a shielded near-field communication module as will be seen later; a microcontroller configured to exchange electrical signals with the near-field communication module; a regulating device such as a quartz oscillator to provide a time base to the microcontroller and also to drive one or more stepper motors rotating the hour display hands and analog display elements of a watch function mechanism such as a perpetual calendar; a case closed on both sides by a dial and back of the watch; a strap mounted on the case; an analog display including hands, in particular three display hands for the hour, minute, and second respectively; a perpetual calendar mechanism;an input interface such as a touchscreen or push buttons, a crown, etc... a power supply unit such as a battery to power, in particular, the microcontroller. ;

[0014] In this watch, the perpetual calendar mechanism comprises a set of components, including the date, day, and month display elements. These display elements are preferably analog and include, for example, two hands to indicate the day and month, and a disc to indicate the date. It is therefore understood that these display elements allow the date, day, month, and possibly the moon phase to be indicated, automatically taking into account the different lengths of months and leap years. More precisely, a display element such as a hand points to a date, day, month, or moon phase indication on the watch dial, or a display element such as a disc on which date, day, month, or moon phase indications are inscribed, one of these indications being positioned opposite an aperture on the dial.

[0015] The microcontroller of this watch is capable of controlling the positioning means for the elements of the perpetual calendar mechanism, including the display elements. The positioning means for the elements of the perpetual calendar mechanism advantageously include one or more stepper motors. The microcontroller is also connected to control means, or an input interface, which may be a crown, pushers, or touchpads, directly operable by the wearer of the watch. Furthermore, the near-field communication module, which is connected to the microcontroller, can be positioned: on the movement of the watch on the case back; on a visible upper face of a dial of this watch or a lower face of this dial, in particular by being arranged in a cavity provided in this dial; on a visible upper face of a rehaut of the watch or a lower face of this rehaut, in particular by being arranged in a cavity provided in this rehaut; in the thickness of this dial; between the lugs (towards the bracelet), or on the side of the case, behind a non-metallic waterproof element, and in or on a bezel of this watch.

[0016] A portable electronic device is an electronic device, also called a user terminal, capable of being worn and carried by a user and remaining functional while in transit. Examples include smartphones, phablets, and tablets. Naturally, devices requiring mains power, such as desktop computers, are excluded from this definition. Device combinations, such as a laptop computer with a sensor connected wirelessly or via a wired connection, are also excluded. This electronic device is used to transmit the settings parameters to the watch. It comprises a casing containing an electronic circuit. This circuit includes a microcontroller and a near-field communication (NFC) device, both powered by a battery.The electronic device may also include a camera and an input interface such as a touchscreen or buttons. Furthermore, the microcontroller may incorporate an optical character recognition algorithm in its memory to assist in detecting information, particularly from the watch face, based on data processed by the camera.

[0017] The device and the near-field communication module implement, for example, short-range, high-frequency wireless communication technologies such as NFC (Near Field Communication). This device and communication module operate using technologies that differ from RFID and Bluetooth. For example, this device and communication module can operate in high-frequency (HF) frequency bands, such as 13.56 MHz.

[0018] This communication device and module enable data exchange over short distances between the watch and the electronic device. Such distances can range from approximately 0 to 10 cm, and preferably from 0 to 5 cm. The watch's communication module can be passive, powered by radio frequencies emitted by the electronic device's communication system.

[0019] More specifically, the device and the near-field communication module each comprise an electronic chip and at least one antenna. The chip, which is connected to said at least one antenna, comprises hardware and software elements. In this context, the hardware and / or software elements of the chip specifically include at least one microprocessor cooperating with memory elements. The device and the communication module each comprise a support element, such as a plastic or laminated composite substrate, onto which the chip and said at least one antenna are bonded.

[0020] It should be noted that the watch's communication module may include a magnetic shielding element integrated into the mounting bracket or between this bracket and the part of the watch where it is intended to be mounted. This magnetic shielding element improves the efficiency and sensitivity of radio signal reception / transmission by the communication module's antenna by isolating at least one antenna from the watch's metallic components in its immediate vicinity. In other words, this magnetic shielding element prevents alterations to the magnetic field emitted or received by the communication module, alterations that would be caused by the presence of various metallic components of the watch located in the immediate vicinity of the communication module. Furthermore, it is capable of reducing the negative influence that these metallic components can have on the communication module's performance.This negative influence would consist of the attenuation of the magnetic field generated or received by this communication module.

[0021] In this context, the process for setting the watch is implemented by the setting system, which includes the electronic device and the watch itself. Specifically, it allows for the setting of a perpetual calendar mechanism in this watch by positioning the display elements of said mechanism. Furthermore, when the context relates to setting this perpetual calendar mechanism, one can refer to it as a process for setting a perpetual calendar mechanism in a quartz watch.

[0022] This process includes a step of establishing a near-field connection 10 between the electronic device and the watch. By "near field"It is important to understand here that the connection is made using NFC technology (Near Field Communication) and provided that the distance between the electronic device and the watch is between 0 and 10 cm, preferably between 0 and 5 cm. This step 10 includes, when the watch's communication module is located on the watch movement's case back, a sub-step 11 of removing the watch case back to expose the communication module. This case back of quartz watches is generally removable to allow for changing the watch's power supply.

[0023] This sub-step 11 is not mandatory and is not carried out, for example, when: the case back has a transparent portion or is made of a partially transparent material, or the case back is non-metallic, or the communication module is arranged on a transparent portion of the case back, or the communication module of the watch is arranged for example: ▪ in a bezel of the watch; ▪ between the lugs (towards the strap), or on the side of the case, behind a non-metallic waterproof element; ▪ in or on a dial of the watch, and / or ▪ in or on a flange of this watch.

[0024] Subsequently, this connection establishment step 10 includes an initiation substep 12, which may be automatic, of a connection between the watch and the electronic device as soon as the watch is located relative to the electronic device at a distance allowing the establishment of a near-field connection. In other words, such a substep 12 can be initiated manually or automatically.

[0025] When this substep 12 is performed manually, it is referred to as a manual initiation substep 12 of a connection between the watch and the electronic device, provided that the watch is located relative to the electronic device at a distance that allows for the establishment of a near-field connection. In this context, the watch and the electronic device are positioned relative to each other at a distance that allows for the establishment of a near-field connection. Subsequently, the watch's communication module initiates a connection process with the electronic device's communication device, or conversely, the electronic device's communication device initiates this connection process with the watch's communication module, following an interaction, as the case may be, between the user and an input interface on the watch, or the user and an input interface on the electronic device.

[0026] When this substep 12 is performed automatically, simply locating the watch relative to the electronic device at a distance sufficient for establishing a near-field connection is enough to initiate the connection process between the watch's communication module and the electronic device's communication system. In this context, we refer to substep 12 as an automatic connection initiation step between the watch and the electronic device, as soon as the watch is located relative to the electronic device at a distance sufficient for establishing a connection. In this configuration, this substep 12 therefore contributes to establishing an automatic connection, without user intervention on the watch or the electronic device, between the watch and the electronic device, as well as automatically adjusting the watch's functions transparently to the user.It should be noted that this substep 12 may include an authentication phase between the module and the communication device that is transparent to the user. In other words, such an authentication phase does not require user intervention. In this context, authentication elements are included in the memory elements of both the module and the communication device.

[0027] Once the connection is established between the watch and the electronic device, the process includes a verification step 13 by the microcontroller of the electronic device to confirm the accuracy of a watch state data item. Such a watch state data item is data that represents at least a partial setting of the watch. Examples include a time zone, country code, alarm, geolocation, date, tide, sun or moon phase, UTC time, etc., set on the watch. In cases where the process aims to set a perpetual calendar mechanism, the state data item may relate to the current date, day, month, or year (or even the current moon phase when the perpetual calendar mechanism includes a moon phase display element), for example, data relating to geolocation, hemisphere, country code, etc.), said state data representing a current setting state of the perpetual calendar mechanism, for example a position of a display element of said mechanism.

[0028] Such a verification step 13 includes a substep 14 of transmission to the watch's communication module by the near-field communication device, under the command of the microcontroller of the electronic device controlling said communication device, of an instruction to retrieve the watch's timekeeping status data. During this substep 14, a signal related to said instruction is generated by the microcontroller to be transmitted to this communication device. Subsequently, the communication device then transmits this instruction to the watch's communication module.

[0029] Next, verification step 13, following the watch's receipt of this instruction, involves a substep 15 of sending the watch's microcontroller's microcontroller's near-field communication module to the electronic device. This substep 15 transmits the watch's status data, characterizing a current watch setting corresponding to the watch's current settings. During this substep 15, the microcontroller determines the watch's status data characterizing a current setting of a mechanism related to a watch function such as a perpetual calendar. In the context of a perpetual calendar, the status data relates to the current date, day, month, and year (and possibly the current moon phase when the perpetual calendar mechanism includes a moon phase display element, for example, data relating to geolocation, hemisphere, country code, etc.).This status data is sufficient to represent the current setting state of the perpetual calendar mechanism, including the position of its display elements. The microcontroller then generates a signal containing this clockwork status data, which is transmitted to the communication module. The watch's communication module then sends this status data to the communication device.

[0030] As an alternative to these transmission substeps 14 and sending substeps 15, the verification step 13 may include a substep 16 for determining the watch's status data from a watch dial reading process performed by the electronic device comprising the camera and an optical recognition algorithm executed by the electronic device's microcontroller. Such a substep 16 then includes a phase 17 for positioning the watch dial and the electronic device's camera opposite each other. "Opposite" means that the dial and the camera are positioned relative to each other and at a distance such that the hands of the time display are within the camera's field of view.Subsequently, this substep 16 comprises a detection phase 18 of information characterizing a current watch setting, which is contained within the watch dial, using the camera and optical recognition algorithm of the electronic device. Then, this substep 16 comprises an estimation phase 19 of the watch's state data based on the detected information. This state data can also characterize a current setting of the perpetual calendar mechanism.

[0031] Subsequently, verification step 13 includes a substep 20 comparing the state data with setting parameters to verify that the perpetual calendar mechanism is correctly set. These setting parameters are retrieved, for example, regularly or on demand via an internet network from the electronic device. "setting parameter",We are referring to any parameter that allows the watch to be at least partially adjusted. This could include, for example, information about the date, as we have seen, but also information relating to a time zone, country code, alarm, geolocation, date, tide, sun or moon phase, UTC time, etc. It should be noted that when referring to parameters for adjusting the perpetual calendar mechanism, we are referring to information relating to the current date, day, month, and year (and possibly the current moon phase when the perpetual calendar mechanism includes a moon phase display element; this data would then be, for example, geolocation, hemisphere, country code, etc.). This information is sufficient to correctly adjust the watch's perpetual calendar mechanism, particularly the position of its display elements.

[0032] The process then includes a step 21 of sending at least one setting instruction to the watch's near-field communication module. This setting instruction is sent by the near-field communication device, at the command of the electronic device's microcontroller, as soon as the watch's status data is identified / estimated to be inaccurate. During this step 21, a control signal relating to said setting instruction is generated by the microcontroller and then transmitted to the electronic device's communication device. This control signal is such that it corresponds to an encoding of setting parameters for the perpetual calendar mechanism, that is, an encoding of a set of data relating to the current date, day, month, and year (and also to the moon phase, if applicable).As previously mentioned, such settings are retrieved regularly or on demand via the internet from the electronic device. It should be noted that using a dedicated application installed on the electronic device is advantageous for coding. If the electronic device is a smartphone or tablet, this application can generate the coding from the date, day, month, year, and geolocation data provided by the device. This setting instruction is then transmitted by the communication device to the watch's communication module.

[0033] The process then includes a processing step 22 of said at least one instruction received by means of the watch's microcontroller, in order to generate watch setting parameters. During this step 22, the microcontroller processes said instruction in order to obtain the current perpetual calendar.

[0034] Next, the process includes a watch configuration step 23, controlled by the watch's microcontroller, according to the generated adjustment parameters. During this step 23, controlled by the watch's microcontroller, the aim is to actuate the positioning means for the elements of the perpetual calendar mechanism so as to place said elements in a position corresponding to the adjustment parameters obtained during processing step 22.

[0035] It will be understood that various modifications, improvements, and / or combinations obvious to a person skilled in the art can be made to the embodiment of the invention described above without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, verification step 13 could be omitted, with the user translating the position of the time display hands into usable data.

[0036] Furthermore, even though the description details the setting and verification of the setting of a perpetual calendar mechanism, other settings could alternatively be made, for example, setting a time zone, the time, tides, etc. Moreover, this set information is not necessarily displayed on the watch in an analog manner (by hands or discs, for example), but can be displayed digitally on the dial: configuration step 23 therefore does not necessarily involve activating means for moving analog display elements.

Claims

1. A method for setting an electronic watch, the watch comprising a near-field communication module and a microcontroller configured to exchange electric signals with this module, the method being carried out by means of a portable electronic apparatus comprising a near-field communication device and a microcontroller configured to control said device, characterised in that the method comprises the following steps: - establishing a near-field connection (10) between the electronic apparatus and the watch, said step (10) comprising, when the communication module on the watch is located on the watch movement on the back side, a removal substep in which the back of the watchcase is removed (11) so as to reveal the communication module on the watch, said connection establishment step (10) comprising an automatic initiation substep (12) in which a connection between the watch and the electronic apparatus is automatically initiated as soon as the watch is located relative to the electronic apparatus at a distance allowing a connection to be established; - verifying (13), by means of the microcontroller on the electronic apparatus, the accuracy of a horological state datum for the watch once the connection has been established between the watch and the electronic apparatus, the step (13) comprising, after an instruction to retrieve the horological state datum for the watch has been received, a sending substep (15) in which the horological state datum characterising a current setting for the watch is sent to the electronic apparatus by the near-field communication module when instructed to do so by the microcontroller on the watch, said verification step (13) comprising a transmission substep (14) in which the near-field communication device transmits an instruction to retrieve the horological state datum for the watch to the communication module on the watch when instructed to do so by the microcontroller on the electronic apparatus controlling said communication device; - sending (21), to the near-field communication module on the watch, by means of the near-field communication device and when instructed to do so by the microcontroller on the electronic apparatus, at least one instruction for setting the watch if the horological state datum is inaccurate; - processing (22) said at least one instruction received by means of the microcontroller on the watch, in order to generate watch setting parameters; and - configuring (23) the watch when instructed to do so by the microcontroller on the watch, according to the setting parameters generated.

2. The setting method according to the preceding claim, in which the connection establishment step (10) comprises an initiation substep (12) in which a connection is initiated between the watch and the electronic apparatus as soon as this watch is located relative to the electronic apparatus at a distance allowing a connection to be established.4..

3. The setting method according to any of claims 1 to 2, in which the verification step (13) comprises a comparison substep (20) in which the horological state data are compared with setting parameters.

4. The setting method according to any of the preceding claims, the watch comprising a perpetual date mechanism and means for positioning elements of said mechanism, the microcontroller on the watch being configured to control said positioning means, the configuration step (23) comprising actuating the means for positioning the elements of the perpetual date mechanism so as to position said elements in a position that corresponds to the setting parameters.

5. The setting method according to any of the preceding claims, the electronic apparatus being a smartphone.

6. A system for setting the electronic watch using the method according to any of the preceding claims, the system comprising a portable electronic apparatus provided with a near-field communication device and a with microcontroller configured to control said device, the watch comprising a near-field communication module and a microcontroller configured to exchange electric signals with this module, said watch and said apparatus being configured to be connected, in the near field, with each other to set the watch.