Automatic system for setting digital watches

An interface unit for a digital watch that includes a chain of counters for maintaining a sequence of time levels and for responding to a data entry unit that applies as energy pulses, control data as command codes and bursts of data pulses to said interface unit, said digital watch including an initial divider having a connecting point for controlling the frequency of said chain of counters, said watch responding to set and time signals for controlling, setting and displaying of said time levels comprising:

• energy sensitive means for receiving said energy pulses from said data entry unit;
• shift register means responsive to said control data from said energy sensitive means for providing said set and time signals;
• data timer means responsive to said control data for providing data control signals;
• latching means for receiving commands from said shift register means and coupled to said watch for passing said set and time signals thereto for selecting the counters of said chain of counters;
• gating means responsive to said control data and coupled to said watch for applying said bursts of pulses to said connecting point of said initial divider, and
• toggle means responsive to said data control signals for sequentially controlling said latching means to receive the command codes from said shift register means and controlling said gating means to pass said bursts of pulses to said initial divider.

A digital watch module being message set in response to data pulses received from a data entry unit at a selected frequency comprising:

• slewing means for slewing through a sequence of characters,
• memory means for storing selected characters received from said slewing means,
• an initial divider for developing slewing pulses at a normal operating frequency being at a pulse frequency such that said selected frequency is at least a plurality of integral multiples of said normal operating frequency, and
• an interface unit for receiving said data pulses and transferring selected groups of said data pulses to said slewing means at said selected frequency.

An interface unit for a digital watch that includes a message display, a message memory and slewing means and an initial divider for providing clock signals to said slewing means, said digital watch responding to set and time signals from said interface unit for setting said message, said interface unit responding to a data entry unit that applies control data as command codes and bursts of data pulses to said interface unit, comprising:

• means for receiving said control data,
• data timer means responsive to said control data for generating data control signals,
• shift register means for receiving said command codes and providing said set and time signals,
• latching means for receiving commands from said shift register means and coupled to said watch for passing said set and time signals thereto,
• gating means for receiving said control data and coupled to said watch for applying said bursts of pulses to said initial divider, and
• toggle means responsive to said data control signals for sequentially controlling said latching means to receive the commands from said shiftregister means and controlling said gating means to pass said bursts of pulses to said initial divider.