Electronic converter for converting an acoustic signal into a pseudo-digital signal, timepiece including such a converter and two-directional communication method via acoustic waves
US6577559B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 2, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 10, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01H11/08
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention concerns the use of a sound generator circuit (22) including a piezoelectric vibrator (P3) as an acoustic wave receiver.The invention also concerns an electronic converter (20) including a sound generator circuit (22) provided with a piezoelectric vibrator (P3) as well as means supplying a reference voltage, characterized in that it further includes comparison means which compare the reference voltage to the voltage generated by the piezoelectric vibrator (P3) when the latter picks up an acoustic wave, said comparison means generating a pseudo-digital signal when the voltage generated by said vibrator (P3) exceeds said reference voltage.Finally the invention concerns a timepiece provided with a converter circuit (20) as described above, as well as a two-directional communication method via acoustic waves between an emitter unit and a receiver unit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.