EP2466400B1 - Inertia movement of a mechanical display member - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of analog display devices. It relates in particular to timepieces provided with a display made using mechanical devices.

In mechanical timepieces, in particular wristwatch watches, time-setting devices actuated by a ring connected kinematically to the watchwheel of the watch in its axial position corresponding to the setting mode are known. time, with gear gear ratios determined to move the minute hand quickly and easily without having to rotate the crown either too long or often.

In electronic timepieces with digital display, in particular with liquid crystals, it is known to be able to accelerate the speed of scrolling of digital symbols as a function of a prolonged or repeated activation of a sensor when in a specific adjustment mode. For example, a prolonged pressure on a push button speeds up scrolling to a maximum speed for the display value to be corrected. The adjustment is then made sequentially for each display parameter.

Also known are correction devices for digital display using a corona equipped with sensors as an actuating element, and an electronic coupling device for making a correction at a speed which is a function of that of rotation of the crown, as for example. example the electronic circuit described in the patent GB 2019049 . In this case, the correction speeds are constant between different bearings corresponding to rotational speeds of the crown, but can change abruptly with each increment. Moreover, no correction takes place between two successive movements of the ring, and no mechanism is provided to slow the scrolling of the counter used for the correction. Thus a fine adjustment involves a repetition of low amplitude operations by the user, in order to generate the lowest correction speed possible. This proves on the one hand inconvenient, and on the other hand does not allow to overcome a jerky movement of needles.

The Swiss patent CH 641630 describes an electronic device for scrolling symbols at a variable speed in response to the activation of a sensor (movement of a finger on a touch sensor, pressure on a pusher). The number of activations of the sensors and the duration of these activations have the effect of incrementing or decrementing values contained in a register, which in turn determine a proportional scrolling speed. Decrementing the values of the register after a prolonged inactivation of the sensors makes it possible to progressively reduce the speed of scrolling; however, this slowing down of the scrolling speed still lacks fluidity since the relative variations of the scrolling speed are even greater than the values of the register are close to zero. This solution has the advantage of using sensors without mechanical parts; the disadvantage is that the use is less intuitive than a traditional crown. Moreover, this solution only concerns digital displays and does not apply to watches comprising analog display devices.

In addition, the document US4261048 discloses a quartz watch provided with an electronic circuit capable of making rapid corrections without the aid of a dedicated mechanical adjustment train, for which two predetermined correction speeds are possible: a first at 64 Hz for a coarse adjustment, and a second at 2Hz for fine tuning. The speed of correction of the needles is however not variable, and it is necessary to activate the crown a second time, while the needles are moving during the rough adjustment, to stop them and then to be able to make a fine adjustment.

The document US4470707 an electronic watch with an alarm mode and which has an electronic circuit for quickly switching from the display mode of the current time to that of the display of the alarm schedule at an accelerated speed after having chosen the minimum trajectory to be made for the needles. No acceleration or deceleration phase is however provided for the hands during the change of display mode, which is performed at a fast but constant speed, and the hands are immediately stopped when a value match is found in registers associated with the positioning of the needles.

The document EP0361015 , which relates to a quartz watch provided with a Lavet type bipolar stepper motor, discloses an integrated circuit and a low impedance control coil arranged to make corrections faster than in conventional quartz watches, for which the speed of correction is limited to 60Hz for questions of stability of the rotor. However, the correction speed is still constant here and no phase of acceleration or deceleration can be controlled for the hands, the control push button being only intended to actuate the fast-forward or fast-return mode, for which the rotational speeds are predetermined.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a solution free from the drawbacks of the prior art evoked.

In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a device and a correction method faster and more intuitive for the user while preserving the approach of a completely mechanical solution.

These objects are achieved by means of a device as defined in independent claim 1 and by a method as defined in independent claim 10.

Another advantage of the proposed solution is to minimize the manipulations necessary for the adjustment, only sporadic activations of the control member being necessary to adjust the position of the display members. In addition, the control of the adjustment operations is improved thanks to the possibility of acting not only to accelerate the speed of correction but also to decelerate this same speed.

An additional advantage of the proposed solution is to allow simultaneous adjustment of several display parameters, contrary to the usual sequential settings for electronic watches. The time saved by the invention for the correction by a continuous movement of the display means between the activation periods of the activation means gives the ability to move for example the hour and minute hands at the same time , according to the intuitive approach of a classic mechanical watch, without a large correction taking a long time to the eyes of the user.

Finally, according to a preferred embodiment described below, the proposed solution does not require any particular resolution of sensors to increment the display values. The fluidity of the adjustment is ensured in particular by the fact that it is not a correction speed which is deduced from the movements of the control member, or detected by a sensor, but the acceleration of the display member. This therefore makes it possible to generate a continuous speed of the display member, in accordance with the movement of a mechanical member according to Newtonian laws of physics. This speed has only slight variations between different periods of actuation of the control member, and the proposed solution therefore undergoes no threshold effect at the sensor resulting in jerks for the movements of the organs d display.

• la figure 1A illustre une vue schématique du dispositif de couplage selon un mode de réalisation préférentiel de l'invention;
• la figure 1B montre les différents paramètres utilisés et les différentes étapes de calcul effectuées par divers éléments du dispositif de couplage selon le mode de réalisation préférentiel illustré à la figure 1A;
• la figure 2A illustre une structure de capteur selon un mode de réalisation préférentiel de l'invention;
• la figure 2B montre le fonctionnement du capteur selon le mode de réalisation préférentiel illustré par la figure 2A;
• la figure 3 montre un diagramme d'état pour les différentes séquences d'opérations de réglage selon un mode de réalisation préférentiel de l'invention.

Other features and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description of various embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which:

• the Figure 1A illustrates a schematic view of the coupling device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
• the Figure 1B shows the various parameters used and the various calculation steps performed by various elements of the coupling device according to the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. Figure 1A ;
• the Figure 2A illustrates a sensor structure according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
• the Figure 2B shows the operation of the sensor according to the preferred embodiment illustrated by the Figure 2A ;
• the figure 3 shows a state diagram for the different sequences of adjustment operations according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The present invention relates to a coupling device between two parts, at least one of which is mechanical and the other is mechanical or linked to a sensor. The coupling device creates an interdependent relationship for the mutual operation of these parts; it is thus possible to generate the movement of a part, unilaterally or bilaterally from that of the other. The invention relates both to a coupling device comprising electronic elements, as well as a totally mechanical coupling device, that is to say without any electronic circuit. Although the preferred variant of the invention described hereinafter with the help of the figures uses a microcontroller to simulate and implement the desired inertial effect for the scrolling of the analog display means, it is quite possible to establishing a kinematic connection between activation means, in the form of a mechanical control member and the display means, typically a crown and needles in the context of a conventional timepiece. For example, a kinematic connection of freewheel type can be obtained thanks to an inverting wheel whose one gear is engaged with a gear actuated by the crown, while the other gear is secured to a mass disk on which is fixed the minute hand, the hour hand being actuated then via a conventional timer train. In this configuration, the mass disk rotates freely around its axis of rotation and that of the pinion which is integral with it as soon as the crown is no longer actuated, and the friction forces gradually reduce the speed of rotation of the disk and therefore that of the minute hand when the crown is no longer actuated.

A preferred embodiment of the coupling device of the invention is intended for timepieces and is illustrated in FIGS. Figures 1A and 1B , which respectively show the logical structure of the coupling device 3 as well as the various parameters used and the different calculation steps performed by various elements of the coupling device 3 to transform the movement of the control means 1 into a non-proportional movement of the means of display, unlike a traditional mechanical wheel. The Figure 1A shows the preferred structure of the activation means 1, in the form of a ring 11, whose actuation can be effected in two opposite directions of rotation S1 and S2, and that of the display means 2, in the form However, one could imagine applying the coupling device 3 according to the invention to other types of mechanical display members 2, such as rings or drums. The invention therefore makes it possible to transform a first angular velocity 111 corresponding to that of driving the ring 11 in a given direction of rotation, for example S1, at another angular speed 211 of the minute hand 21. The two angular speeds 111 and 211 are not proportional, since the minute hand 211 is progressively accelerated following the activation of the ring 11 in the direction S1 according to a Newtonian equation movement 700 described later, which also allows to confer a continuous character to the movement of the needles.

The coupling device 3 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. Figure 1A comprises an electronic circuit 31 preferably in the form of an integrated circuit comprising a processing unit 5, comprising for example a microcontroller, and a motor control circuit 6. The microcontroller transforms digital input parameters, provided by a counter module 44 at the output of a sensor 4 of movements of the activation means 1, for example the rotation of the ring 11, information for the control circuit of the motors 6, such as a number of steps engines. The counter module 44 makes it possible to transform the electrical signals produced by the sensor 4 into discrete digital values, and thus manipulated by a software processing unit such as the microcontroller. The latter is however not described in detail because known to those skilled in the art. According to the preferred embodiment illustrated, the control circuit 6 controls two separate motors, a first motor 61 being dedicated to controlling the movements of the minute hand 21, and a second motor 62 being dedicated to controlling the hour hand 22. The coupling device 3 thus simultaneously actuates a plurality of motors 61, 62 each dedicated to separate mechanical display means. The dissociation of the engines makes it possible to quickly change the display mode, by indicating, for example, the time of an alarm, or the direction of the terrestrial magnetic field.

• l'étape 4001 consiste en la détermination d'une fréquence d'impulsions 401, utilisée en sortie du module compteur 44 par le microcontrôleur de l'unité de traitement 5 pour calculer le nombre de pas moteurs et en déduire la fréquence de pas moteurs 611, 622. Une structure préférentielle pour le capteur 4 utilisé pour réaliser cette étape 4001 est détaillée plus loin à l'aide des illustrations des figures 2A et 2B;
• lors de l'étape 5000, un coefficient de proportionnalité 701 est multiplié à la fréquence d'impulsions 401 pour déterminer une valeur de couple 401', fictif, et qui est censé être appliqué, selon la modélisation choisie dans le cadre de l'invention, à l'aiguille des minutes 21 autour de son axe de rotation.
• l'étape 5001 est l'étape de calcul principale réalisée par le microcontrôleur. Elle vise à déterminer la fréquence de pas moteurs 611 du premier moteur 61 en fonction de la fréquence d'impulsions 401, afin d'en déduire la vitesse angulaire 211 effective de l'aiguille des minutes. Pour ce faire, le microcontrôleur résout une équation newtonienne 700, modélisant ici le mouvement de l'aiguille des minutes 21 comme celui d'un système tournant selon le principe fondamental de la dynamique, qui stipule que l'accélération angulaire d'un corps en rotation est proportionnelle à la somme des couples mécaniques qui lui sont appliqués. Avec les paramètres de simulation choisis dans le cadre du mode de réalisation préférentiel de l'invention, l'équation newtonienne 700 se lit $$704*703\prime =401\prime -703",$$
  
  où dans la partie gauche de l'équation le coefficient 704 correspond au moment d'inertie du système tournant simulé (usuellement représenté par la lettre J dans des équations physiques) et la référence 703' correspond à l'accélération des moyens d'affichage utilisée dans le cadre de l'invention, comme par exemple ici l'aiguille des minutes 21 autour de son axe de rotation. Afin de conférer un maximum d'inertie au mouvement de l'aiguille des minutes 21, c'est-à-dire pour qu'elle continue de tourner le plus longtemps possible entre les activations de l'organe de commande, on pourra noter que le coefficient 704 du moment d'inertie du système tournant simulé est choisi de préférence beaucoup plus grand que le moment d'inertie réel de l'aiguille des minutes 21, ce qui lui donne le comportement d'un système plus massif, comme si elle était par exemple solidaire en rotation d'un disque en métal. Dans la partie droite de l'équation newtonienne 700 ci-dessus, la valeur 401' correspond à une valeur de couple mécanique fictive appliquée au système tournant qui est simulé pour l'aiguille des minutes 21. Le couple fictif 401', qui dépend de la fréquence d'impulsions 401, est différent de zéro lors de la rotation de la couronne 11. Un autre couple fictif 703", proportionnel à la vitesse angulaire 703 simulée des moyens d'affichage, en l'occurrence celle de l'aiguille des minutes 21, modélise un frottement fluide qui ralentit progressivement le mouvement de l'aiguille des minutes 21. Ce couple mécanique est le seul appliqué lorsque la couronne 11 n'est plus activée. Similairement à la valeur de couple fictif 401', la valeur de couple fictif 703" est obtenue en multipliant la vitesse angulaire simulée 703 par un coefficient de proportionnalité 702, appelé coefficient de frottement fluide. Cette modélisation de frottement fluide fait prendre dans ce cas à l'équation newtonienne 700 la forme d'une équation différentielle pour la vitesse angulaire simulée 703 de l'aiguille 21, qui est résolue par le microcontrôleur. Selon le mode de réalisation préférentiel décrit, la résolution de cette équation newtonienne du mouvement 700, permet ainsi d'émuler un mouvement d'aiguilles fluide et continu puisque la vitesse angulaire de cette dernière est déterminée comme s'il s'agissait de celle d'un système tournant soumis à un couple mécanique lorsque la couronne est actionnée, et un couple de ralentissement fluide. Selon le mode de réalisation préférentiel décrit ici, le paramètre d'entrée choisi pour cette équation est un couple fictif 401' proportionnel à la vitesse de rotation de la couronne 11, et comme résultat en sortie une vitesse de rotation 703 simulée de l'aiguille des minutes 21.

The microcontroller uses, for its calculations, various parameters stored in a memory unit 7, in order to be able to determine a number of motor steps, or a motor step frequency 611, 622 when these are related to a time unit such as the minute or hour. These motor pitch frequencies 611, 622 respectively correspond to the activation frequencies of the first motor 61 and the second motor 62 according to the Newtonian equation. of motion 700, described below. The Figure 1B illustrates the different steps of transformation of the angular speed 111 of rotation of the ring 11 into a number of motor steps, as well as the calculation parameters:

• step 4001 consists of determining a pulse frequency 401 used at the output of the counter module 44 by the microcontroller of the processing unit 5 to calculate the number of motor steps and to deduce the frequency of the motor steps 611 , 622. A preferred structure for the sensor 4 used to perform this step 4001 is detailed below with the aid of the illustrations of Figures 2A and 2B ;
• in step 5000, a proportionality coefficient 701 is multiplied at the pulse frequency 401 to determine a dummy torque value 401 ', which is supposed to be applied, according to the model chosen in the context of the invention , at the minute hand 21 around its axis of rotation.
• step 5001 is the main computing step performed by the microcontroller. It aims to determine the frequency of no motors 611 of the first motor 61 as a function of the pulse frequency 401, in order to deduce the effective angular velocity 211 of the minute hand. To do this, the microcontroller solves a Newtonian equation 700, modeling here the movement of the minute hand 21 as that of a rotating system according to the fundamental principle of dynamics, which states that the angular acceleration of a body in rotation is proportional to the sum of the mechanical torques applied to it. With the simulation parameters chosen in the context of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the Newtonian equation 700 is read $$704*703\text{'}=401\text{'}-703",$$
  
  where in the left part of the equation the coefficient 704 corresponds to the moment of inertia of the simulated rotating system (usually represented by the letter J in physical equations) and the reference 703 'corresponds to the acceleration of the display means used in the context of the invention, as for example here the minute hand 21 around its axis of rotation. In order to give a maximum of momentum to the movement of the minute hand 21, that is to say so that it continues to rotate as long as possible between the activations of the control member, it will be noted that the coefficient 704 of the moment of inertia of the simulated rotating system is preferably chosen much larger than the actual moment of inertia of the minute hand 21, which gives it the behavior of a more massive system, as if it was for example integral rotation of a metal disk. In the right part of the Newtonian equation 700 above, the value 401 'corresponds to a fictitious mechanical torque value applied to the rotating system which is simulated for the minute hand 21. The imaginary pair 401', which depends on the pulse frequency 401 is different from zero when the crown 11 is rotated. Another imaginary pair 703 "proportional to the simulated angular velocity 703 of the display means, in this case that of the needle of the minute 21, models a fluid friction which progressively slows down the movement of the minute hand 21. This mechanical torque is the only one applied when the ring 11 is no longer activated, similar to the notional torque value 401 ', the value of Fictitious pair 703 "is obtained by multiplying the simulated angular velocity 703 by a coefficient of proportionality 702, called the coefficient of fluid friction. This fluid friction modeling in this case makes the Newtonian equation 700 the form of a differential equation for the simulated angular velocity 703 of the needle 21, which is solved by the microcontroller. According to the preferred embodiment described, the resolution of this Newtonian equation of the movement 700, thus makes it possible to emulate a fluid and continuous needle movement since the angular velocity of the latter is determined as if it were that of a rotating system subjected to a mechanical torque when the crown is actuated, and a fluid retarding torque. According to the preferred embodiment described here, the input parameter chosen for this equation is a dummy torque 401 'proportional to the speed of rotation. of the crown 11, and as output result a simulated rotation speed 703 of the minute hand 21.

• l'étape 5002 déduit la valeur de fréquence 622 du deuxième moteur 622 en fonction de la valeur de fréquence du premier moteur 611 trouvée en sortie de l'étape 5001. En effet le rapport des vitesses de rotation entre l'aiguille des minutes 21 et celle des heures 22 est de 12, dans le cadre d'un affichage analogique standard selon lequel une révolution complète de l'aiguille des minutes 21 correspond à l'avancement d'une heure de celle de l'aiguille des heures 22, soit d'un douzième de cadran pour une graduation des heures de 1 à 12. Il est ainsi relativement aisé de déduire la valeur de fréquence 622 du deuxième moteur 62 sans devoir effectuer de calcul intrinsèque, ni d'opération de division, mais simplement en implémentant au niveau du circuit de commande des moteurs 6 un ordre d'implémentation d'un pas du 2^e moteur 62 après chaque 12^e pas du premier moteur 61. Les exigences en termes de calcul sont ainsi minimisées tout en procurant un effet visuel intuitif de mouvement coordonné de plusieurs organes d'affichage, à savoir l'aiguille des minutes 21 et celle des heures 22, lors de leur réglage. La subordination de cette étape additionnelle de calcul 5002 à l'étape de calcul précédente 5001 selon le mode de réalisation préférentiel décrit permet par ailleurs de coordonner simplement le mouvement des deux aiguilles 21, 22.

The simulated rotational speed 703 then makes it possible to deduce proportionally the number of engine pitches per second, that is to say the engine pitch frequency 611. The effective angular speed of the minute hand 211 is reciprocally proportional to the frequency of 611 engines thus established. According to a preferred variant of the invention, each motor pitch causes movement of the needle 21 of an angular sector corresponding to an indication of less than one minute duration. In order to make the scrolling of the needles as fluid as possible, the angular incrementation value of each step preferably equal to 2 degrees is chosen. In other words, each motor step rotates the minute hand 21 with an angular value corresponding to one third of that corresponding to one minute. A finer resolution would also be possible but would require increased use of the engine 61 which should increment more steps and consume in this case all the more energy.

• step 5002 deduces the frequency value 622 from the second motor 622 as a function of the frequency value of the first motor 611 found at the output of step 5001. Indeed, the ratio of the speeds of rotation between the minute hand 21 and that of the hours 22 is 12, in the context of a standard analog display according to which a complete revolution of the minute hand 21 corresponds to the one-hour advance of that of the hour hand 22, that is a twelfth dial for a graduation of the hours of 1 to 12. It is thus relatively easy to deduce the frequency value 622 of the second motor 62 without having to perform intrinsic calculation or division operation, but simply by implementing the level of the control circuit of the motors 6 an order of implementation of a step of the ^2nd engine 62 after each ¹² steps from the first motor 61. the requirements in terms of calculation are minimized while providing an intuitive visual effect coordinated movement of several organs display, namely the minute hand 21 and that of the hours 22, when they are set. The subordination of this additional calculation step 5002 to the preceding calculation step 5001 according to the preferred embodiment described furthermore makes it possible to simply coordinate the movement of the two needles 21, 22.

The preferred embodiment carries out the coupling between the activation means 1, preferably mechanical, but which can also take the form of, for example, a capacitive sensor, such as a touch screen, and a display 2 by means of a sensor module 4. which makes it possible to characterize the movement of the activation means 1, preferably a ring 11, by numerical values, namely a number of pulses. This step of determining a pulse frequency 4001 is a digitization process necessary to provide an input parameter that can be manipulated by the electronic circuit 31, which can then simulate the movement of the mechanical display means as if it were determined by the application of a torque 401 'proportional to the pulse frequency 401. The actual movement of the needles is considered as inertial because it corresponds to that of a rotating solid which is no longer subjected, as soon as the crown It is no longer activated, only at a so-called fluid friction torque, proportional to its rotational speed itself, causing their progressive slowdown. According to the preferred embodiment described, this fluid friction torque 703 "is however fictitious, and simulated by the microcontroller 5 in the context of the Newtonian equation 700 above, it is also not applied directly to the minute hand 21, but at the simulated speed of the minute hand 703 also used to solve the Newtonian equation 700 above.

One of the specificities of the proposed modeling with respect to a "physical reality" is that the actual angular speed of the needles, and according to the preferred embodiment chosen the angular speed of the minute hand 211, is necessarily limited because of the constraints of system in terms of processing capabilities. Indeed, the first and second motors 61, 62 can only implement a predetermined maximum number of steps per second, and therefore there is always a maximum frequency 611 'of no motors from which no further acceleration is possible. possible. The maximum frequency of motor nozzles 611 'of the first motor 61 controlling the minute hand 21 is preferably between 200 and 1000 Hz, which corresponds to a maximum speed of rotation of the minute hand 21 between approximately one and five turns per second when a complete dial turn corresponds to 180 engine pitch. It may be noted that whatever the embodiment chosen for the invention involving the use of an electronic circuit 31, a maximum running speed of the mechanical display means 2 must always be defined according to the processing capabilities of the device. motor control circuit 6.

The Figure 2A shows a preferred embodiment of the sensor 4 according to the invention, which makes it possible to relatively simply determine a pulse frequency 401 used by the electronic circuit 31 to calculate the values of acceleration and deceleration of the mechanical display means 1 by solving the Newtonian equation 700 applied to this input parameter. The sensor 4 is mounted on a rod 41, integral in rotation with the ring 11, and which can be rotated in two opposite directions S1 and S2. At the periphery of this rod 41 are mounted a plurality of electrical contactors 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 4 in number according to a preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 2A . The sensor 4 furthermore comprises two electrical contacts 42, 43 mounted on a fixed structure, a first contact 42 on the terminals of which the value of an output signal 412 is measured and a second contact 43 on the terminals of which the value of an output signal 413 when a voltage is applied to the electrical contactors 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d.

The Figure 2B shows, in the upper part (a) the first and second signals 412 and 413 obtained during a rotation of the ring 11 in the direction of rotation S1, corresponding to the direction of clockwise. The first period 401a, corresponding to the duration during which each signal 412, 413 is positive, the second period 401b during which each signal 412, 413 is zero and the third total period 401c, corresponding to the sum of the first and second periods 401a, 401b are identical for each of the first and second output signals 412, 413, which are simply offset in time by an amount corresponding to the path of one of the electrical contacts 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d of the first contact 42 to contact 43 ^e 2 external. The diagram is inverted in the lower part (b) of the figure, in which the ring 11 is rotated counterclockwise S2, and the slot of the first output signal 412 is formed before that of the second signal These signals 412, 413 and their periods 401a, 401b, 401c are then transmitted to the counter module 44 to be converted into digital values.

If it has been previously established that the preferred embodiment of the invention using the sensor 4 of the Figure 2A preferably for reasons of convenience, a relatively small number of contactors, the use of such a contactor to determine the pulse frequency 401 applied to the Newtonian equation 700 has the further advantage of not requiring any fine resolution of the sensor 4 to guarantee the fluidity of the correction, since the speed determined by solving this equation is always continuous even if the acceleration is not. Thus a less fine resolution of the granularity of the torque values, proportional to the pulse frequency 401, will not have the consequence of advancing the display means 2 in jerks, but simply to generate more frank accelerations. following the detection of each additional pulse. It is also possible to adjust the coefficient of proportionality 701 with respect to the frequency of pulses detected as a function of the sensitivity of the sensor.

It may also be envisaged, according to an alternative embodiment, to use one or more contactors associated with one or more push buttons (not shown) and to increment the pulse frequency 401 each time a first push button is pressed, and respectively decrementing the pulse frequency 401 each time a second push button is pressed. According to this alternative embodiment, two sensors each dedicated to increasing and respectively decreasing the pulse frequency 401 will therefore be used, which corresponds, according to the model of the invention, to applying a mechanical torque in one direction or in the opposite direction to accelerate and respectively decelerate the movement of the needles 21, 22.

The figure 3 shows a state diagram for different sequences of time setting operations using needles according to a preferred embodiment of the invention applied to a timepiece. Those skilled in the art will understand that it is however possible to adjust other types of parameters that are not necessarily temporal (that is to say, all types of symbols) and that the needles could be replaced by others. analog display devices.

Step 1001 corresponds to a first activation of the ring 11, which makes it possible to generate the movement of the minute hand 21. When the ring gear is actuated in a given direction of rotation, for example in the direction S1, the sensor 4 detects a number of pulses 401 "positive" corresponding to a positive angular velocity 111 for the ring 11 and simulates the application of a torque applied to the needle in the same direction. Thus the rotation of the ring 11 in the direction S1 of the clockwise allows to advance the minute hand 21 on the dial. Repeated rotation of the ring 11 in the same direction S1 makes it possible to keep the pulse frequency 401 positive during the successive sampling periods used by the counter module 44, and thus to further accelerate the movement of the needle 21. according to the Newtonian equation 700, until a fluid and continuous movement for which it is no longer possible to visually observe the jump of the needle during each step. The movement of the minute hand 21, however, can not exceed a maximum angular velocity, which is observed when the maximum motor pitch frequency 611 'is reached, but the rotation of the ring 11 no longer has any effect. that this maximum speed is reached. According to a preferred embodiment, a maximum simulated angular velocity 7031 is determined as a function of the maximum engine pitch frequency 611 '. Since the algorithm solving the Newtonian equation reaches this upper velocity limit, it saturates, that is to say stops increasing the simulated angular velocity 703 even if the algorithm were to give a result of a value higher.

The diagram of the figure 3 illustrates the comparison step 5003 performed by the microcontroller 5 to determine if the speed saturates, in which case the simulated angular velocity 703 is limited to the maximum value 7031 and the angular acceleration 703 'is zero for the sampling period on which the calculation was done. The feedback loop starting from the comparison step 5003 to a positive acceleration value 703 'indicates that no saturation occurs until the maximum simulated angular velocity 7031 has been reached.

Although step 1001 has been described in the context of activation of the ring 11 in the direction of rotation S1 of the clockwise to preferably advance the minute hand 21 in the same direction, it is possible to also to ensure that activation of the ring 11 in the opposite direction S2 similarly turn the hands of minutes 21 and hours 22 in the opposite direction, the number of pulses 401 being calculated identically for each period of sampling but the information on the direction of rotation determined by the sensor 4 makes it possible to choose the direction of rotation applied to the hands by the first and second motors 61, 62.

Moreover, the solution proposed here that the movement applied to the mechanical display means is the result of an acceleration that depends on the speed of the crown, is very robust against a low resolution crown. In addition, the movement remains fluid, even if the user advances the crown by blows. If a user rotates the crown by successive strokes, the corrections continue between shots. This brings a significant time saving in the case where the mechanical display means are not very efficient. Thus a simultaneous adjustment of the hour hand 22 and minutes 21 according to a fully mechanical approach, in which the minute hand rotates completely for each time change, is made possible at an acceptable speed for the user even for a relatively slow system. Indeed, to maintain this very intuitive approach for the user, a correction of a few hours for electronic timepieces with analog display requires the minute hand to make a large number of engine steps, the execution of which can be 'prove far too long for the user if the engines are inefficient. However, the significant time gain afforded by the invention thanks to the continuous movement of the needles between the activation periods of the ring 11 enables these adjustments to be made simultaneously, independently of the performance of the electronics and the motors.

Whatever the direction of rotation S1 or S2 of the ring gear 11, the activation step 1001 therefore makes it possible to simultaneously adjust the hour hand 22 and the minute hand 21, which is particularly advantageous for watches where each parameter is usually set sequentially for performance reasons.

Step 1001 'is a step subordinate to step 1001, or more generally any activation step, which it follows immediately. This is a step during which the ring 11, or more generally the control means 1, ceases to be activated. During this step, the modeling of the invention makes that no external torque is applied to the system since the detected pulse frequency 401 is zero, which depends inter alia on the sampling period chosen at the level of the electronic sensor interface, formed here by the counter module 44 to determine the pulse frequency 401. As soon as the value 401 vanishes, the angular acceleration 703 'is determined by the only fluid friction modeled, namely according to the Newtonian equation 700: $$703\text{'}=-703"/704$$

The resolution of this Newtonian equation 700 determines the slowdown of the inertial type of the display member, for example the minute hand 21 in the embodiment described above, since the deceleration is only proportional to the simulated angular velocity 703. During this slowdown of the inertial type, the system is in the first deceleration phase B1 illustrated on FIG. figure 3 .

If on the other hand, after turning the ring 11 for example in the direction S1, the ring 11 is turned in the opposite direction S2 during an additional actuating step 1002, the angular acceleration 703 'is always negative, but the deceleration B2, illustrated on the figure 3 , is more pronounced because the sign of the fictitious torque 401 'becomes negative, acting with the angular acceleration 703' to slow down the system more quickly.

Actuation of the ring 11 in the opposite direction makes it possible to further refine the adjustment by means of the additional activation step 1002 when approaching a desired value while the angular velocity is at that moment. there relatively high, because the second phase of deceleration B2 which is generated is more pronounced than the first deceleration phase B1 which occurs only during a prolonged inactivation of the crown 11.

As can be seen from the figure 3 the first activation step 1001 is therefore always followed by an acceleration phase A of mechanical means of display 2, and first of all the minute hand 21 for which the acceleration is most noticeable. This acceleration phase A ends when the motor control circuit 6 detects that a maximum frequency has been reached, in this case that of step 611 'of the first motor 61, in which case it follows a phase C during which the simulated angular velocity 703 is limited to the maximum angular velocity value 7031. During this phase C, the minute hand 21 is therefore constant, bounded by the maximum frequency 611 'of pitch of the first motor 61. Any activation additional crown 11 in the same direction of rotation S1 there is no impact on the actual angular speed 211 of the minute hand; however, such activations make it possible to maintain the actual angular velocity 211 at this constant level while preventing the angular acceleration value 703 'from becoming negative after a too prolonged inactivation, corresponding according to the preferred embodiment described at a period of sampling, and which can be calibrated for example to one second. Moreover, the proportionality coefficients defining the moments applied to the system in the Newtonian equation of the motion 700, namely the coefficient 701 of proportionality with respect to the pulse frequency 401 and that of the fluid friction 702 may preferably be chosen, together with the maximum value of motor steps 611 'of the first motor 61, so that the angular acceleration value 703 is always positive as soon as at least one pulse 401 is detected per second, or the value chosen for the lapse of time respectively. of time above, so that the effective angular velocity 211 always remains constant if the ring 11 is activated at least once per second as soon as the maximum angular velocity 21 has been reached.

It is thus clear from reading the foregoing that whatever the activation means, preferably mechanical 1 and the mechanical display means 2 used in the context of the invention, the acceleration phase A means display 1 is followed most of the time by a phase C during which the speed of scrolling means display 2 is constant when the deviation of the display value displayed when the setting is undertaken and the value that is desired to achieve is important. If the control means are not activated during a determined period of time, the first deceleration phase B1 of the display means 2 takes place following this prolonged inactivation; otherwise a second phase of deceleration B2 more pronounced can be actuated during an additional activation step 1002 of the control means in the opposite direction to that used during the initial activation step 1001. In the case of a 11 is opposite direction of rotation S2 if S1 was the first direction of rotation, and S1 if S2 was the first direction of rotation. The use of a second activation step 1002 depends on the user's preferences of the display device in terms of the scrolling speed and the moment from which he wishes to make a finer adjustment of or display elements. analog.

The coupling solution of mechanical display and control means according to the invention therefore allows increased control throughout the adjustment operations by being able to accelerate and / or decelerate at any time the scrolling or mechanical display elements. Moreover, the speed variations are much more progressive than according to the solutions of the prior art where the speeds are directly deduced from sensor values. The determination of an acceleration in place of a speed from the magnitudes of a sensor makes it possible to fluidize the movement of the mechanical display elements. Although the preferred solution described transforms a physical quantity into a physical quantity of the same order, namely an angular velocity - that of the ring 11 - at another angular velocity - those of the needles 21 minutes and 22 hours - however also consider replicating the coupling device 3 to any other type of mechanical display means 2 and any activation means 1, provided that an effect of inertia is provided for the movement of the means of activation. 2. In the case of timepieces, it may be preferred to generate a rotary movement of display means 2 which are most frequently used for mechanical watches, whatever the activation mode used (rotation of a crown, pressure on a push button, scrolling of a finger on a touch screen, etc.); however, displacements of linear indicators are also conceivable, in which case the fundamental equation of motion will no longer relate a torque and an angular acceleration, but a force and a linear acceleration. Similarly, the slowing of the inertial movement is in this case no longer caused by a couple modeling fluid friction, but by a friction force.

Claims (14)

1. Coupling device (3) between the activation means (1) and mechanical display means (2) of a display mechanism, said coupling device (3) being adapted to apply a variable velocity of motion to said mechanical display means (2) in response to the activation of said activation means (1), characterized in that it generates an inertial motion of said mechanical display means (2), wherein deceleration of said mechanical display means is proportional to velocity of said mechanical display means once the activation means are no longer activated.
2. Coupling device (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes at least one sensor module (4) dedicated to said activation means (1) and an electronic circuit (31) for simulating and controlling an inertial motion of the mechanical display means (2), determined from a Newton equation of motion (700) with fluid friction modelling.
3. Coupling device (3) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it activates at least one motor (61) driving said mechanical display means (2), said motor (61) also determining a maximum velocity of motion (611') for said mechanical display means (2).
4. Coupling device (3) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it simultaneously activates a plurality of motors (61, 62), each dedicated to distinct mechanical display means (21, 22).
5. Coupling device (3) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the acceleration and/or deceleration of said mechanical control means (1) is calculated according to an impulse frequency (401) detected by a sensor (4) mounted on a stem (41) of a crown (11).
6. Coupling device (3) according to claim 5, wherein said activation means (1) is a crown (11) and said mechanical display means are hands (21, 22), characterized in that the angular acceleration (703') of at least one of said hands (21, 22) is calculated according to said impulse frequency (401) and to a simulated angular velocity (703) for said hand (21).
7. Coupling device (3) according to claim 6, wherein each motor step indexes said hand (21) through an angular sector corresponding to an indication with a duration of less than one minute.
8. Coupling device (3) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said activation means (1) is a crown (11), characterized in that the activation of said crown (11) in a first direction of rotation (S1) causes a first acceleration phase (A) of said mechanical display means (2), whereas the activation of said crown (11) in a second direction of rotation (S2), opposite to said first direction of rotation, causes a second deceleration phase (B2) of said mechanical display means (2).
9. Coupling device (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that it kinematically connects said activation means (1), formed by at least one mechanical control member, to said mechanical display means (2).
10. Method for adjusting the display parameters visualised using mechanical display means (2), wherein said mechanical display means (2) can be activated by activation means (1), said method including a step of activating said activation means (1) to apply a motion of variable velocity to said mechanical display means (2), characterized by the following sequence of steps following said activating step:

    - a first phase (A1) of accelerating said mechanical display means (2);

    - a first inertial deceleration phase (B1) of said mechanical display means (2) following inactivation of said control means (2) for a given period of time, wherein deceleration of said mechanical display means is proportional to velocity of said mechanical display means.
11. Method for adjusting display parameters according to claim 10, characterized in that it includes an additional step of activating said mechanical control means (2) to cause a second deceleration phase (B2), which is more pronounced than said first inertial deceleration phase (B1).
12. Method for adjusting display parameters according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the motion of said display means (2) is determined by a Newton equation of motion (700).
13. Method for adjusting display parameters according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that it includes an additional phase (C) during which the velocity of said display means (2) is constant.
14. Method for adjusting display parameters according to any of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that said display means (2) includes two distinct members which are simultaneously adjusted.

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