# US 11,029,764 B2 · Optical detection device and related turntable watch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,764 B2 - Document ID: US11029764B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/431,700 - Filed: 2019-06-04 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-12 - Assignees: Pixart Imaging Inc. - Applicants: PixArt Imaging Inc. - Inventors: Chung-Ting Yang; Kai-Ho Tsai; Yen-Min Chang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029764B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0304: {Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means (constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042)} - G06F 3/0312: {for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels (tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473)} - G01D 5/32: with attenuation or whole or partial obturation of beams of light (G01D5/40 takes precedence {; mechanical adjustment G01D5/264}) - G01D 18/00: Testing or calibrating apparatus or arrangements provided for in groups G01D1/00 - G01D15/00 - G04C 3/14: incorporating a stepping motor (G04C3/02 - G04C3/12 take precedence {; generating commutating pulses in primary clocks G04C13/0463}) - G04F 3/06: with electric driving mechanisms - G06F 3/0421: {by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen} - G01D 5/30: the beams of light being detected by photocells - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G04C: ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES - G04F: TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING (measuring pulse characteristics G01R, e.g. G01R29/02; in radar or like systems G01S) ## Abstract An optical detection device capable of detecting a pointer position of a turntable watch includes an optical receiver and a processor. The optical receiver is disposed inside the turntable watch and adapted to receive an optical reflecting signal. The processor is electrically connected to the optical receiver and adapted to compare a physical quantity of the optical reflecting signal with a predefined condition for determining whether a pointer of the turntable watch is located above the optical receiver. The optical detection device further includes an optical emitter electrically connected to the processor and adapted to emit an optical detecting signal. The optical detecting signal is projected onto the pointer to generate the optical reflecting signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical detection device of detecting a pointer position of a turntable watch, the optical detection device comprising: an optical receiver disposed on a substrate distant from a holder with a plurality of pointers of the turntable watch and adapted to receive an optical reflecting signal passing through the holder; and a processor electrically connected to the optical receiver and adapted to compare a physical quantity of the optical reflecting signal with several predefined conditions for determining whether one of the plurality of pointers is located above the optical receiver and distinguishing one pointer from another pointer via the optical reflecting signal received by the same optical receiver. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical detection device of claim 1, further comprising: an optical emitter electrically connected to the processor and adapted to emit an optical detecting signal, wherein the optical detecting signal is projected onto the pointer to generate the optical reflecting signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical detection device of claim 1, wherein the processor is electrically connected to a motor and a time receiver of the turntable watch, the processor is used to drive the motor to calibrate the pointer in accordance with a comparison result of the physical quantity and a time signal received by the time receiver. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical detection device of claim 1, wherein the optical detection device further comprises a memory electrically connected to the processor and used to store a predefined threshold, the processor compares the physical quantity with the predefined threshold to determine whether the physical quantity conforms to the predetermined condition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The optical detection device of claim 4, wherein the predefined condition is represented as the physical quantity greater than the predefined threshold in response to the pointer coated by high reflectivity material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The optical detection device of claim 4, wherein the predefined condition is represented as the physical quantity smaller than or equal to the predefined threshold in response to the pointer coated by low reflectivity material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical detection device of claim 1, wherein the physical quantity is illumination of the optical reflecting signal, and the illumination is computed according to intensity values detected by at least some of the pixels of the optical receiver. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical detection device of claim 1, wherein the processor sets a first acquired result from a plurality of comparison results as a reference for calibrating the pointer when acquiring the plurality of comparison results conforming to the predefined condition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical detection device of claim 1, wherein the turntable watch has a first pointer and a second pointer, the processor compares the physical quantity with a first predefined condition and a second predefined condition to determine the optical reflecting signal belonging to the first pointer or the second pointer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The optical detection device of claim 9, wherein the first predefined condition and the second predefined condition are intensity range or a remaining period of specific intensity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The optical detection device of claim 9, wherein the processor is electrically connected to a motor of the turntable watch, and used to respectively or simultaneously depart the first pointer and the second pointer from a position located above the optical receiver via the motor for initialization. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The optical detection device of claim 1, wherein the optical receiver is exposed via a hole formed on a holder of the turntable watch, or is disposed under a light penetrating unit filled inside the hole of the holder. ### Claim 13 An optical detection device of detecting a pointer position of a turntable watch, the optical detection device comprising: an optical emitter adapted to emit an optical detecting signal; an optical receiver disposed on a substrate distant from a holder with a plurality of pointers of the turntable watch and adapted to receive an optical reflecting signal passing through the holder, wherein the optical detecting signal is projected onto one of the pointers to generate the optical reflecting signal; and a processor electrically connected to the optical emitter and the optical receiver, and adapted to compare variation in physical quantity of several optical reflecting signals respectively received at different time with several predefined conditions for identifying the optical reflecting signals are aborted or used to determine the pointer is located above the optical receiver and distinguish one pointer from another pointer via the optical reflecting signals received by the same optical receiver. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The optical detection device of claim 13, wherein the processor turns off the optical emitter to acquire a first optical reflecting signal and then turns on the optical emitter to acquire a second optical reflecting, and analyzes difference between the physical quantity of the first optical reflecting signal and the second optical reflecting signal for deciding whether an identifying result of the pointer is affected by ambient illumination. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The optical detection device of claim 14, wherein the identifying result is affected by the ambient illumination when the physical quantity difference is smaller than or equal to a predefined value, and the identifying result is not affected by the ambient illumination when the physical quantity difference is greater than the predefined value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The optical detection device of claim 13, wherein the processor is electrically connected a motor of the turntable watch, the processor shifts the pointer forward and backward via the motor to respectively acquire a first optical reflecting signal and a second optical reflecting signal, and analyzes physical quantity of the first optical reflecting signal and the second optical reflecting signal to identify the optical reflecting signals are aborted or useful. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The optical detection device of claim 16, wherein the first optical reflecting signal and the second optical reflecting signal are aborted when at least one of the physical quantity of the first optical reflecting signal and the second optical reflecting signal does not conform to a predefined condition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The optical detection device of claim 17, wherein the predefined condition is represented as the physical quantity greater than or smaller than a predefined threshold in response to a coefficient of reflectivity material coated on the pointer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The optical detection device of claim 16, wherein time difference between the first optical reflecting signal and the second optical reflecting signal is a predefined value stored in a memory of the optical detection device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The optical detection device of claim 13, wherein the processor counts a remaining period of the physical quantity conforming to a predetermined condition, and analyzes the remaining period to identify whether the optical reflecting signals are aborted or useful. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The optical detection device of claim 20, wherein the processor determines the optical reflecting signals are aborted when the remaining period is greater than a predefined period stored in a memory of the optical detection device. ### Claim 22 A turntable watch, comprising: a casing where inside a substrate, a plurality of pointers and a holder are disposed, the substrate being distant from the holder, the pointers being movably disposed on the holder; a covering component disposed on the casing and adapted to cover the pointers, the covering component comprising: a transparent body; and a light rejecting layer disposed on a first surface of the transparent body to face the outside of the casing for rejecting an ambient optical signal with a specific wavelength; and an optical detection device of detecting position of the pointers, the optical detection device comprising: an optical emitter adapted to emit an optical detecting signal with the specific wavelength; an optical receiver disposed on the substrate and adapted to receive an optical reflecting signal passing through the holder, wherein the optical detecting signal is projected onto one of the pointers to generate the optical reflecting signal; and a processor electrically connected to the optical receiver, and adapted to compare the optical reflecting signal with several predefined conditions for determining whether the pointer is located above the optical receiver and distinguish one pointer from another pointer via the optical reflecting signals received by the same optical receiver. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The turntable watch of claim 22, wherein the covering component further comprises a light absorbing layer disposed on a second surface of the transparent body opposite to the first surface, and adapted to absorb the optical detecting signal and the optical reflecting signal with the specific wavelength. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The turntable watch of claim 22, wherein the processor determines the pointer is located above the optical receiver when physical quantity of the optical reflecting signal conforms to a predetermined condition. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The turntable watch of claim 24, wherein the processor determines the optical reflecting signal conforms to the predetermined condition in response to the physical quantity greater than a predefined threshold when the pointer is coated by high reflectivity material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The turntable watch of claim 24, wherein the processor determines the optical reflecting signal conforms to the predetermined condition in response to the physical quantity smaller than or equal to a predefined threshold when the pointer is coated by low reflectivity material. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The turntable watch of claim 22, wherein the holder has a hole aligning with the optical receiver, and the hole is hollow or filled by a light penetrating unit.