Solar Time Encoding for Low-Power Watch Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic watches that indicate sunrise and sunset times require complex algorithms and location systems, which increase processing power demands, cost, and battery consumption.

Innovation Solution

A method for encoding and transmitting solar times using a small number of bits, allowing a low-powered watch processor to decode solar times without needing localization capabilities or a powerful processor.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If complex algorithms and location systems are integrated into the watch to calculate solar times, then the accuracy of solar time indication is improved, but the processing power requirements, cost, and battery consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesolar time indication accuracyVSAvoidprocessor complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex calculation function from the watch and relocates it to an external device (smartphone or computer). The watch only retains the simple decoding and display function, while the heavy computational workload of calculating solar times based on geographical location and day of year is performed externally and transmitted to the watch as pre-calculated data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs the complex solar time calculations in advance using a powerful external device, then transmits the results to the watch. This preliminary action eliminates the need for the watch to perform real-time complex calculations, reducing its processing requirements while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If GPS or triangulation modules are integrated into the watch to determine geographical location, then the accuracy of solar time calculation is improved, but the cost and battery consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegeographical location accuracyVSAvoidbattery consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the location determination function from the watch and relocates it to an external device. The watch no longer needs to integrate GPS or triangulation modules, as location data is obtained externally through the user's smartphone or computer, significantly reducing the watch's power consumption and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary device (smartphone or computer) that acts as a mediator between the location determination system and the watch. This intermediary handles the power-intensive location tracking and calculation tasks, allowing the watch to function with minimal power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Speed

If real-time calculation of solar times is performed on the watch, then the responsiveness is improved, but the processing power and algorithm complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesolar time calculation speedVSAvoidprocessor power
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs solar time calculations in advance using a powerful external device, then transmits the pre-calculated results to the watch. This eliminates the need for real-time calculation on the watch while maintaining immediate display capability, as the data is already prepared and ready for transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy of the calculated solar time data and transmits it to the watch. Instead of performing calculations on the watch, the system generates the data externally and replicates it on the watch, reducing the processing power requirements of the watch while maintaining data availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3599518B1Method for encoding and transmission of at least one solar time
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 ETA SA MFG HORLOGERE SUISSE
  • EP3599518B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3599518B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3599518B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method of encoding (P1) a solar time, called initial solar time (Hs1), associated with a geographical location (Loc) and a day (J1) of the year, characterized in that it comprises: - the selection SEL(Href, Nb1) of a reference time (Href) and an initial number of bits (Nb1) according to the type of the initial solar time (Hs), - the calculation CALC(Nm1) of a number of minutes (Nm1) separating said initial solar time (Hs1) and the reference time (Href), - the encoding COD(Hs1) of said number of minutes (Nm1) on the initial number of bits (Nb1).