Capacitive Watch Hand Calibration for Automatic Time Sync
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Solution Overview
Problem
Light smart watches require manual adjustment of watch hands for precise time setting, leading to time errors over long use and inability for automatic calibration due to internal size and gearbox design limitations, affecting user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and device utilizing an FPC soft board under the dial with partitioned sub-partitions that form capacitors with watch hands, detecting capacitance changes to determine hand positions, comparing with mobile time, and adjusting hands wirelessly to synchronize with mobile time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual adjustment of watch hands is used for precise time setting, then time setting precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to accumulated time errors requiring frequent manual adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual adjustment system with an automated capacitance detection and control system. The FPC soft board with sub-partitions detects watch hand positions through capacitance changes, and the controller automatically adjusts the gearbox to synchronize time, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The watch hands automatically indicate their positions through capacitance changes detected by the FPC soft board, and the system self-adjusts the time by controlling the gearbox based on the detected positions and comparison with mobile terminal time, making the system self-calibrating without user intervention.
2Ease of operation
If automatic calibration system is added to light smart watch, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The FPC soft board serves multiple functions: it acts as the circuit board structure, provides capacitance detection through sub-partitions, and enables position sensing of watch hands. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving automatic calibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in capacitance parameters caused by the proximity of watch hands to sub-partitions for position detection. By leveraging this physical parameter change, the system achieves automatic calibration without requiring complex mechanical sensors or additional hardware, thus minimizing complexity increase.
3Measurement precision
If FPC soft board with sub-partitions is added for capacitance detection, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to insulation and partitioning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) soft board instead of rigid PCB structures. This flexible film approach allows for easier manufacturing of partitioned structures with insulation layers, as the flexible nature accommodates the insulation requirements between sub-partitions more readily than rigid boards, thereby reducing the practical manufacturing precision burden while maintaining detection precision.
4Productivity
If automatic calibration is implemented, then productivity is improved through reduced manual intervention, but use of energy increases due to continuous capacitance detection and adjustment operations
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitance detection and time calibration operations are performed periodically rather than continuously. The system detects hand positions and adjusts time at specific intervals or triggered by events, which significantly reduces power consumption compared to continuous monitoring while still maintaining high productivity by automatically correcting time errors without requiring frequent user intervention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables automatic and precise time adjustment without manual intervention, maintaining product appearance and low power consumption, effectively addressing the calibration bottleneck in light smart watches and enhancing user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a watch hand and each sub-partition in a partition corresponding to the watch hand form a capacitor in turn when the watch hand runs
Data Source
AI summary
A method for calibrating a light smart watch includes: providing an FPC soft board under a dial, a size of the FPC soft board matching a size of the dial, the FPC soft board is divided into a plurality of partitions, each partition is insulated from other partitions, and each of watch hands and each partition form a capacitor in turn when the watch hands run; detecting a capacitance change amount of each partition, determining positions of partitions where the watch hands are currently located, and determining a current time indicated by the watch hands, according to the positions of partitions where the watch hands are currently located; comparing the current time indicated by the watch hands with a current time of a mobile terminal to determine a time error; and adjusting the watch hands, according to the time error to run in sync with the time of the mobile terminal.