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US 4,065,916 AGranted
Electronic timepiece
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorHorst Leuschner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic timepiece includes a shutdown latch circuit. The latch circuit is initially set by insertion of a battery power source in the electronic timepiece. When the latch circuit is set, all other circuits in the timepiece, and particularly the display circuits, are turned off to conserve battery power during the "shelf-life" of the electronic timepiece. When the command switch is first activated, the latch circuit is reset, and all of the other electronic circuits are turned on in a predetermined initialized condition.
Claims24
An electronic timepiece comprising:
- a. electronic timekeeping circuitry responsive to a reference frequency signal for generating electrical signals indicative of timekeeping functions;
- b. display means coupled to said timekeeping circuitry and responsive to said electrical signals for displaying said timekeeping functions;
- c. switch means coupled to said electronic timekeeping circuitry for controlling a function thereof;
- d. battery receiving means for receiving battery means to power said electronic timekeeping circuitry;
- and
- e. shutdown latch circuit means coupled to said battery receiving means and to said switch means, said latch circuit means being responsive to a voltage applied from said battery receiving means for toggling to a first state in which power consumption by preselected circuits of said electronic timekeeping circuitry is inhibited and responsive to said switch means for toggling to a second state in which power consumption by said preselected circuits is enabled upon the first activation of said switch means after said latch circuit means is set in said first state, said latch circuit means remaining in said second state so long as a voltage is present from said battery receiving means, wherein
- f. battery power during the "shelf-life" of the electronic timepiece is conservable with said latch circuit in said first state.
4 more elements
An electronic timepiece comprising;
- a. inhibitable oscillator means for generating a reference frequency;
- b. CMOS electronic timekeeping circuitry coupled to said oscillator means and responsive to said reference frequency signal for generating electrical signals indicative of timekeeping functions;
- c. display means coupled to said timekeeping circuitry and responsive to said electrical signals for displaying said timekeeping functions;
- d. switch means coupled to said electronic timekeeping circuitry for controlling a function thereof;
- e. battery receiving means for receiving battery means to power said electronic timekeeping circuitry;
- and
- f. shutdown latch circuit means coupled to said battery receiving means and to said switch means, said latch circuit means being responsive to a voltage applied from said battery receiving means for toggling to a first state in which said oscillator means is inhibited and responsive to said switch means for toggling to a second state in which said oscillator circuit is enabled, said latch circuit means thereafter remaining in said second state so long as said voltage is present from said battery receiving means, wherein battery power is conservable during the "shelf-life" of the electronic timepiece with said shutdown latch circuit in said first state.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.