US 4,106,281 AGranted

Time displays for electronic time keeping devices

OwnerAlfred B. Freemaninventor

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Abstract

Optical displays for electronic watches or clocks use LED or LCD optical elements at the numbered positions on the watch or clock face to present time and other information from the electronic circuitry. Embodiments having 12 optical elements energize appropriate elements to show hour and 5 minute positions directly with time coding distinguishing between them. These embodiments also include apparatus to energize the optical elements in various time and space patterns to show the number of minutes the time is from the indicated five minute position. Another embodiment using six optical elements shows hour and 5 minute positions alternately by energizing two adjacent elements to indicate the intermediate positions. Still another embodiment uses four optical elements to show hour and 5 minute positions alternately with a special space and time code for other than quarterly positions, and further to show minute and second information on demand. The embodiment also includes controls to trigger animated display patterns for visual alarm or alert signaling.

Claims13

Dependent claims

In an electronic time keeping device having a timing signal source and a time register holding the time in electrical form, the combination of:

(a) a plurality of optical display elements located at the traditionally numbered hour and 5 minute positions on the face of said time keeping device;
(b) means responsive to digital signals identifying said positions for energizing those of said optical display elements at said positions, said energizing means receiving said digital signals from applying means;
(c) first means coupled to said time register for applying one of said digital signals identifying the hour position in said time register to said energizing means;
(d) second means coupled to said time register for applying one of said digital signals identifying the 5 minute position held in said time register to said energizing means;
(e) means coupled to said timing signal source for operating said first and second applying means in different distinguishable time patterns recurring repetitively a plurality of times per minute;
(f) means coupled to said time register and to said timing signal source for generating a sequence of said digital signals repetitively a plurality of times per minute, said generating means being responsive to the number of minutes from the 5 minute position held in said time register and said digital signals in said sequence each identifying a different one of the positions of said elements;
and
(g) third means coupled to said generating means for applying said sequences of said digital signals from said generating means to said energizing means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.