US 4,062,180 A · Electronic chess clock

Abstract

A chess clock is provided which is electronic in operation and digital in display having three modes of operation. In the first mode, the tournament mode, the display has two digital clock displays in minutes and seconds which indicate the time remaining in any given period for each player, together with the total number of required moves remaining. The total time allotted in each period, and the number of moves are programmable into the clock. The subsequent periods to the primary first period are also programmable into the clock with time remaining in preceding periods automatically added on to subsequent periods. The fast game mode is similar to the tournament game with the exception that both times are digitally displayed and not the number of moves since this is not a parameter of the game. A seconds game mode is also provided with one time remaining only display with a countdown for the number of seconds allowed per each move, typically 10 seconds. This displays only the active player's time remaining since there is also a very short time add-on grace period feature in this mode. Suitable buzz tones indicate time periods elapsed and in the seconds game a preliminary elapsed time together with a grace period lapse is indicated.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A chess clock comprising:

first and second digital readout means;
a digital memory means coupled to said first and second digital readout means, said memory means operable for receiving at least one predetermined programmed time period, said first and second digital readout means operable for counting down from a predetermined programmed time period total in said memory means;
switch means coupled to said memory means and operable for starting a counting down of one digital readout means and stopping a countdown of the other of said first and second digital readout means;
and
an add time means coupled to said memory means for adding any unused time from one period into a subsequent programmed period of time.

2 more elements

A chess clock comprising:

a clock for generating a series of periodic pulses;
an address sequence counter connected to said clock generator for producing a sequence of digital coded number addresses;
a digital memory unit having a plurality of storage locations for digital coded numbers, each storage location having a specific address designated by a digital coded number, said digital memory having a read output and a write input, said digital memory being connected to said address sequence counter for receiving said sequence of digital coded number addresses and being adapted to connect said each storage location to said read output and said write input in response to the digital coded address for said each storage location;
switch means coupled to said write input of said digital memory unit for presetting and storing numbers and in response thereto generating at least one digital coded number for storage in a specific location in said digital memory unit;
adder means connected to said read output and said write input of said digital memory unit and having means for decrementing said at least one digital coded number stored in said digital memory unit when said at least one digital coded number appears at said read output, said adder means presenting the decremented digital coded number to said write input of said digital memory unit for storage;
and
display means connected to said write input of said digital memory unit for displaying said decremented digital coded number.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electronic chess clock

Life of this patent

Electronic chess clock

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7