CH719270A2 - Electronic watch comprising a case provided with a bezel forming in whole or in part a tactile interface of said watch. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic watch (1) comprising a case provided with a bezel forming in whole or in part a tactile interface of said watch (1), said bezel comprising an antenna circuit (10) of a communication module and being provided with a body (5) comprising internal and external faces, the internal face (16) comprising a tactile control circuit (13) of a tactile control member of this watch (1) and the external face comprising at least one touch zone (18a, 18b), said touch control circuit (13) comprising at least one layer of conductive material forming an electrode (22) located under said at least one touch zone (18a, 18b).

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a bezel of an electronic watch forming all or part of a touch interface, said bezel comprising an antenna circuit of a communication module and a touch control circuit of a touch control member of the watch.

Technology background

[0002] Many portable electronic objects are known in the state of the art capable of being connected to communication networks such as electronic watches which are provided with touch interfaces conventionally arranged in the crystals of the latter. Such tactile interfaces are generally used to improve the interactivity of watches and to simplify handling thereof, in particular when the latter offer a substantial number of menus and functions.

[0003] In order to be able to connect to communication networks such as networks of the Bluetooth type or else in connection with geolocation, such electronic watches include communication means conventionally incorporating an antenna. It is known that the optimum size of such an antenna depends directly on the wavelength of the transmitted/received signal. Indeed, an antenna of optimal length makes it possible to send/receive a signal in full and at full power.

[0004] In these watches, the available space being limited, an antenna must have a suitable design to be integrated into the case of the watch. And if the watch incorporates a means of radio communication that operates on radio frequencies (such as 2.4 GHz or 1.5 GHz), the size of the product becomes critical in relation to the wavelength (120 mm and 200 mm).

[0005] Furthermore, other constraints must also be taken into account due to the fact that these watches have many metal parts and that an antenna must be insulated from them.

[0006] In this context, it is understood that there is a need to find a solution, in particular which does not have the drawbacks of the prior art.

Summary of the invention

[0007] One of the aims of the invention is to have an electronic watch comprising a touch interface and integrating an antenna circuit having an optimum length for sending/receiving a signal in full and at full power and integrating in the case of this watch whose reception volume is limited.

Another object of the invention is to obtain an electronic watch whose aesthetics, energy consumption and manufacturing costs are not impacted or only slightly impacted by the integration of a touch interface in a bezel. this watch.

Another object of the invention is to obtain an electronic watch whose aesthetics, energy consumption and manufacturing costs are not impacted or only slightly impacted by the integration of a touch interface and a antenna circuit in a bezel of this watch.

[0010] For this purpose, the invention relates to an electronic watch comprising a case provided with a bezel forming in whole or in part a tactile interface of said watch, said bezel comprising an antenna circuit of a communication module and being provided with a body comprising internal and external faces, the internal face comprising a tactile control circuit for a tactile control member of this watch and the external face comprising at least one tactile zone, the said tactile control circuit comprising at least a layer of conductive material forming an electrode located under said at least one touch zone.

[0011] In other embodiments: - said at least one layer of conductive material forming the electrode coats a portion of the internal face defined under said at least one tactile zone of the external face using a technology of physical vapor deposition of the conductive material or selective microscale printing technology of the conductive material; - the layer of conductive material coating said portion of the internal face has a surface which is less than the surface of said tactile zone of the external face; – the internal face comprises several electrodes per touch zone; – the antenna circuit and the tactile control circuit are located in the bezel on either side of an axis of symmetry passing through the center of the bezel; – the antenna circuit comprises first and second strands made on a first portion of the internal face, said first and second strands each having a proximal end and a distal end, and extending in parallel between their proximal and distal ends, the first and second strands being connected at their distal ends as well as at their proximal ends; - said at least one layer of conductive material forming the electrode is made on a second portion of the inner face of the bezel; – the antenna circuit comprises a microcircuit connected to the first and second strands via an electrical connection element; - the control circuit comprises a microcontroller connected to said at least one electrode via at least one electrical connection element; – the bezel is made of at least one dielectric and/or electrically non-conductive material; – the watch is a connected watch comprising such a bezel.

Brief description of figures

[0012] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description which follows, made in conjunction with the appended figures listed below: - Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an electronic watch comprising a bezel forming in whole or in part a tactile interface of said watch, according to one embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2A is a representation of the bezel comprising a wall provided with an inner face comprising a tactile control circuit consisting in particular of electrodes, according to the embodiment of the invention; - Figure 2B is a larger scale view of part E shown in Figure 2A, according to the embodiment of the invention; - Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the arrangement of the electrodes of the tactile control circuit and of an antenna circuit of said watch on the internal face of the bezel, according to the embodiment of the invention; – Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the watch comprising a communication module and a tactile control member, respectively the antenna circuit and the tactile control circuit of which are arranged on the internal face of the wall of the bezel, according to the embodiment of the invention, and - Figure 5 shows the bezel of the electronic watch allowing the antenna circuit and the tactile control circuit to be seen by transparency, according to the embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

[0013] Referring to Figure 1, the invention relates to an electronic watch 1 such as a connected watch.

In this context, such an electronic watch 1 is provided with a case 3 comprising a bezel 2 forming all or part of a touch interface of said electronic watch 1 through which a wearer of this watch 1 can interact with the latter with a view to controlling, for example, watchmaking functions of this watch 1. This case 3 also comprises a middle part which can be made of metal (for example steel, preferably stainless steel), of a synthetic material (for in a composite material comprising a polymer matrix loaded with fibers, typically carbon) or in ceramic or else in at least one dielectric and/or electrically non-conductive material. The case 3 also comprises a back and a crystal which participate in forming, with the middle part, an enclosure of this case 3. In such an enclosure, are arranged in particular a display device 7 and an electronic device 4 of said electronic watch 1.

[0015] The display device 7 includes display elements that can be analog like needles and/or digital like an LCD, LED or even OLED screen. Such a display device 7 is located between the crystal and the electronic device 4, a spacer or flange being able to be arranged between the crystal and this display device 7.

As regards the electronic device 4, it comprises an electronic watch movement. It is configured to provide at least one piece of information to be displayed on this display device 7. This electronic device 4 comprises, in a non-exhaustive and non-limiting manner, a communication module 6, an electronic watch control module, an accumulator of electrical energy, in particular a battery as well as various sensors such as, for example, sensors participating in the determination of a geolocation, an altitude or a temperature of a place or even in the determination of physiological, biometric, vital and /or behavior of the wearer of the electronic watch 1.

[0017] It will be noted that in this configuration, the control module allows the wearer of such an electronic watch 1 to be able to interact with the latter, in particular by being able to activate/deactivate/select different functions - for example watch functions - capable of be implemented by this electronic watch 1. This control module comprises a tactile control member 8 and in alternatives other control members such as pushers or buttons arranged on the caseband.

In the electronic device 4, the communication module 6 includes an antenna circuit 10 connected to a microcircuit 11, and the touch control unit 8 includes a microcontroller 12 connected to a touch control circuit 13. as we will see later, the antenna circuit 10 and the control circuit 13 are arranged on an internal face 16 of the bezel 2, the latter forming in whole or in part a touch interface of the electronic watch 1.

[0019] Such a bezel 2 is preferably fixed to the middle part of the case 3. This bezel 2 can be a part removably fixed to the middle part or even a part made in one piece with this middle part. It may be a one-piece part or, conversely, a part formed from two parts interconnected in a reversible and/or leaktight manner. The bezel 2 comprises a body 5 provided with the inner face 16 mentioned above and an outer face 17. The outer face 17 is a visible face of this bezel 2 by the wearer which can be manipulated in particular at the level of first and second zones tactile 18a, 18b defined on this face. The bezel 2 may include on its outer face 17 a graduation. In the example illustrated, the graduation comprises figurative indexes 24 which are in the form of numbers (preferably Arabic).

[0020] In order for the antenna circuit 10 and the control circuit 13 to operate efficiently and/or optimally, this bezel 2 is made of at least one dielectric and/or electrically non-conductive material. Said at least one material makes it possible to contribute to the achievement of the capacitive effect of the tactile control member 8. This material also participates in not damaging the radiation of the antenna circuit 10, in increasing its electrical length and in improve its performance in relation to its physical size. Such a material may for example be a polymer, titanium or a ceramic, or any other synthetic material. It will be noted that it is possible that the entire body 5 of this bezel 2 is not made of this type of material but that only portions of this body 5: - in which are arranged the antenna circuit 10 and the control 13 are made of this material, and/or - comprising the first and second touch zones 18a, 18b of the outer face of bezel 2 are made of this material.

[0021] As we have mentioned, such a bezel 2 is located at the level of the middle part and encloses the glass. It can be a rotating bezel or a fixed bezel. The bezel 2 can also be arranged in the case 3 so as to form a single piece with the caseband, that is to say a caseband-bezel. In this variant, the middle part and the bezel then have an outer face 17 which is the face visible to the wearer of this watch 1.

[0022] The body 5 of this bezel 2 may include arrangements aimed at providing access to a printed circuit 14 of the electronic device 4 comprising the microcontroller 12 of the control member 8 and the microcircuit 11 of the communication module 6. Such arrangements thus offer the possibility of forming a passage in this body 5 of the bezel 2 in order to connect the control circuit 13, in particular the electrodes 22, and the antenna circuit 10 respectively to the microcontroller 12 of the control member 8 and to microcircuit 11 of communication module 6.

[0023] Referring to Figures 2A to 4, the control unit 8 comprises the microcontroller 12 which is connected to the touch control circuit 13. Such a touch control circuit 13 comprises at least one layer of conductive material forming an electrode 22 located under one of the first and second tactile zones 18a, 18b of the outer face 17 of the body 5 of the bezel 2. In other words, each electrode 22 is formed by the layer of conductive material or is in the form of such a layer. Such an electrode 22 has a circular or parallelepiped or even triangular shape. This layer of conductive material forming the electrode 22 therefore covers a portion of the inner face 16 defined under one or other of the tactile zones of the outer face 17. It will be noted that the layer of conductive material covering said portion of the internal face 16 has a surface which is less than the surface of each touch zone of the external face 17.

This electrode 22 may comprise a connection terminal 23a intended to link/connect it to the microcontroller 12 of the control member 8. In this configuration, the control circuit 13 comprises an electrical connection element 20 capable of carrying out the connection between each electrode 22 and the microcontroller 12. This connecting element 20 is capable of cooperating with at least one electrical track 15b of the printed circuit 14 of the electronic device 4 comprising the microcontroller 12. In this way, each electrode 22 is thus connected to the microcontroller 12 from this connecting element 20 and said at least one electrical track 15b. Finally, it will be noted that the tactile control circuit 13 preferably comprises as many connecting elements 20 as the internal face 16 of the bezel 2 comprises electrodes 22.

[0025] Referring to Figures 2A to 5, the touch control member 8 comprises six electrodes 22 distributed on the inner face 16 of the body 5 of the bezel 2. More specifically, these electrodes 22 are applied / deposited on this inner face 16 so as to define/form the two distinct touch zones 18a, 18b on the outer face 17 of this bezel 2, these two touch zones 18a, 18b thus forming the touch interface of the electronic watch 1. In this configuration, the face internal 16 comprises several electrodes 22 per touch zone 18a, 18b. The first touch zone 18a comprises three electrodes 22 arranged respectively under the indexes 24 two, three and four defined on the external face 17 of the bezel 2. The second touch zone 18b also comprises three electrodes 22 arranged respectively under the indexes 24 five, six and seven defined on this external face 17 of the bezel 2. In this configuration, the first tactile zone 18a allows the wearer of the watch 1 to interact with the latter by carrying out a movement, in particular a "vertical movement" (referenced Dv on FIG. 5) of an accessory such as a stylus or else of an end of one of its limbs such as a finger on this first zone 18a. With regard to the second tactile zone 18b, it allows the wearer of the watch 1 to interact with the latter by performing a movement, in particular a "horizontal movement" (referenced Dh in FIG. 5) of such an accessory or else from the end of one of its members on this area 18b. The vertical displacement describes a trajectory which is substantially parallel or parallel to an axis of symmetry A of the bezel 2 passing through the center O of this bezel 2 and this trajectory also being substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to an axis of revolution R of this bezel 2 With regard to the horizontal displacement, it describes a trajectory which is substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to this axis A (or to the trajectory described by the vertical displacement) and also perpendicular to the axis of revolution R of this bezel 2 Such an axis A separates the bezel 2 into two equal parts/portions by connecting the indexes 24 twelve and six present on the external face 17 of this bezel 2.

In the electronic device 4, the communication module 6 is able to allow the connection of the electronic watch 1 to a Bluetooth type communication network. In other words, the communication module 6 is configured to communicate according to a Bluetooth type protocol. Alternatively, this communication module 6 may be able to allow the connection of the watch 1 to a GNSS (Geolocation and Navigation Satellite System) satellite location network, such as for example the GPS (Global Positioning System), Glonass or Galileo. This communication module 6 includes the antenna circuit 10 connected to the microcircuit 11.

In the present embodiment, such an antenna circuit 10 is included on the inner face 16 of the body 5 of the bezel 2. This antenna circuit 10 comprises first and second strands 19a, 19b each having a proximal end and a distal end, and extending in parallel between their proximal and distal ends. In this antenna circuit 10, the architecture with two strands in parallel makes it possible to widen the frequency band (100 MHz), necessary for example to communicate on a communication network of the Bluetooth type (2.4 GHz). In this antenna circuit 10, the first and second strands 19a, 19b are connected by their distal ends as well as at their proximal ends. In this configuration, the antenna circuit 10 essentially extends along an arcuate trajectory comprising two strands 19a, 19b arranged in parallel on the internal face 16 which follows this trajectory. This antenna circuit 10 also comprises an electrical connection element 21 connected to a connection terminal 23b included on the internal face 16 connected to these proximal or distal ends. This electrical connection element 21 is able to cooperate with at least one electrical track 15a of the printed circuit 14 of the electronic device 4 comprising the microcircuit 11 of the communication module 6. In this way, the antenna circuit 10 is connected to this microcircuit 11 from said electrical connecting element 21 and said at least one electrical track 15a.

In this configuration, the antenna circuit 10 and the tactile control circuit 13 are located in the bezel 2 on either side of an axis of symmetry B passing through the center O of the bezel 2 and which is substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to the axis of revolution R of this bezel 2. This axis referenced B separates the bezel 2 into two parts/portions and forms an angle α with the axis A which is between 30 and 40 degrees and which is preferably 36 degrees. Thus, the antenna circuit 10 and the tactile control circuit 13 are wholly or partly produced on separate portions of the internal face 16 of the body 5 of the bezel 2. These two portions are separated by the axis of symmetry B More precisely, the internal face 16 of the bezel 2 comprises two portions having substantially the same surface or of the same surface. This first portion comprises the first and second strands 19a, 19b as well as the connection terminal 23b of this antenna circuit 10. The second portion comprises the electrodes 22.

It will also be noted that the control circuit 13 and the antenna circuit 10 can be made on this internal face 16 of the body 5 of the bezel 2 from a physical vapor deposition technology of a conductive material or a selective printing technology on a micrometric scale of this conductive material comprising a conductive ink. Screen printing technologies with silver on an inner face 16 made of polyester or with copper on an inner face 16 made of polyimide can also be envisaged.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described and that various modifications and simple variants can be envisaged by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. Electronic watch (1) comprising a case provided with a bezel (2) forming in whole or in part a tactile interface of said watch (1), said bezel (2) comprising an antenna circuit (10) of a communication module (6) and being provided with a body (5) comprising internal and external faces (16, 17), the internal face (16) comprising a touch control circuit (13) of a touch control device (8) of this watch (1) and the external face (17) comprising at least one tactile zone (18a, 18b), said tactile control circuit (13) comprising at least one layer of conductive material forming an electrode (22) located under said at least one touch zone (18a, 18b). 2. Electronic watch (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said at least one layer of conductive material forming the electrode (22) covers a portion of the internal face (16) defined under said at least one tactile zone of the external face (17) from a physical vapor deposition technology of the conductive material or from a technology of selective printing on a micrometric scale of the conductive material. 3. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer of conductive material coating said portion of the internal face (16) has a surface which is less than the surface of said tactile zone of the external face (17). 4. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the internal face (16) comprises several electrodes (22) per touch zone. 5. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the antenna circuit (10) and the tactile control circuit (13) are located in the bezel (2) on both sides. other of an axis of symmetry (B) passing through the center of the bezel (2). 6. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the antenna circuit (10) comprises first and second strands (19a, 19b) made on a first portion of the internal face (16 ), said first and second strands (19a, 19b) each having a proximal end and a distal end, and extending in parallel between their proximal and distal ends, the first and second strands (19a, 19b) being connected by their ends distal as well as at their proximal ends. 7. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one layer of conductive material forming the electrode (22) is produced on a second portion of the internal face (16) of the bezel (2). 8. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the antenna circuit (10) comprises a microcircuit (11) connected to the first and second strands (19a, 19b) via an electrical connection element (21). 9. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control circuit (13) comprises a microcontroller (12) connected to said at least one electrode (22) via at least one least one electrical connection element (20). 10. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bezel (2) is made of at least one dielectric and/or electrically non-conductive material. 11. Electronic watch (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a watch, in particular a connected watch comprising the bezel (2).