US 4,223,523 A · Electronic analog alarm timepiece

Abstract

An electronic analog wristwatch includes an alarm which is set by rapidly, electromechanically driving the watch hands forward proximate to the desired alarm time, slowly advancing the hands electromechanically to the exact alarm setting, and then rapidly returning, by electromechanically driving, the hands to the actual present time. A counter records the number of drive pulses required to advance the hands to the alarm setting, while another counter records the time elapsed, measured in pulses, in setting the alarm including advancement and return of the hands. The number of pulses required for hand advancement is stored in memory. The pulses required for hand return are counted until the sum of the hand returning pulses and the elapsed time pulses equals the number of pulses which were required for advancing the hands, as stored in memory. At this time the watch is switched into its normal timekeeping mode, and the number of pulses required for return of the hands from the alarm setting to the actual time is stored in memory. The alarm is activated when a coincidence detector indicates that the number of real time pulses after return of the hands equals the count stored in memory.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method of setting a secondary function of an electronic analog wristwatch for timekeeping including a high frequency oscillator, a frequency divider network, hands, a driver operating from said divider network to move said hands and means for providing a secondary function, comprising the steps of:

(a) driving the hands from the first present time at an accelerated rate to any desired time setting representative of said secondary function;
(b) concurrently counting the number of pulses required to drive the hands from said first present time to said desired secondary function setting;
(c) concurrently and continuously counting the time elapsing while said wristwatch is diverted for said secondary function setting from normal timekeeping functions;
(d) driving said hands at an accelerated rate toward said first present time;
(e) driving said hands again at normal rate for normal timekeeping when actual present time is reached by said hands, the time required for said hands to reach said actual present time being a function of the pulse count required to move said hands from said first present time to said secondary function setting, said pulse count being adjusted by said count of elapsing time.

2 more elements

A method of setting a secondary function of an electronic analog wristwatch for timekeeping including a high frequency oscillator, a frequency divider network, hands for indicating time, a driver operating from said divider network to move said hands, means for providing a secondary function, and an external member, comprising the steps of:

(a) driving said hands with driver output pulses from the first present time at an accelerated rate toward any desired setting representative of said secondary function;
(b) concurrently counting the number of pulses required to drive said hands from said first present time to said desired secondary function setting;
(c) concurrently and continuously counting the time elapsing while said wristwatch is diverted for said secondary function setting from normal timekeeping functions;
(d) actuating said external member to terminate step (a) at an intermediate hand setting prior to said desired secondary function setting;
(e) driving said hands at the normal rate to said desired secondary function setting;
(f) actuating said external member to terminate step (e);
(g) terminating all motion of said hands for a fixed period of time, whereby the user of said wristwatch may observe the secondary function setting precisely;
(h) storing the count of step (b) in a memory device;
(i) driving said hands at an accelerated rate toward said first present time;
(j) counting the driving pulses required for step (i);
(k) countinuously summing together the counts of step (j) and step (c);
(l) comparing the summed count of step (k) with the count stored in said memory device in step (h);
(m) driving said hands again at normal rate for normal timekeeping when actual present time is reached by said hands, said actual present time being indicated by the coincidence of said compared counts of step (l).

10 more elements

An electronic analog wristwatch including:

a high frequency oscillator;
a divider network dividing down the output frequency signal of said oscillator and providing a low frequency signal output for timekeeping;
means for providing an analog indicator of time on said wristwatch;
means for driving said analog means in response to output signals from said divider network, the rate of driving of said hands being proportionate to the frequency of the output signal from said divider;
means for selectively displacing said analog means to a time representative of occurrence of said secondary function and from said secondary function setting to the then present time without interrupting the operation of said divider network;
secondary function means;
means for storing said secondary function setting at least in part in response to the displacement of said analog means;
and means for activating said secondary function means in response to the substantial coincidence of secondary function time as recorded in said storing means and present time.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electronic analog alarm timepiece

Life of this patent

Electronic analog alarm timepiece

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25