Electronic watch with sequential readout and control

In an electronic watch having a high frequency timing element and a high frequency counter driven by said timing element, the combination of:

• (a) a sound transducer,
• (b) a time register driven by said high frequency counter,
• (c) an alarm register,
• (d) means coupled to said time register and said alarm register for sensing when said time register and said alarm register store the same digits,
• (e) means coupled to said sensing means and said high frequency counter for producing an alarm signal to drive said sound transducer responsive to said sensing means, and
• (f) means coupled to said alarm register and responsive to a tap on said sound transducer for driving said sound transducer with a sequential code representing each of the digits stored in said alarm register in turn.

In an electronic time keeping device, the combination of:

• (a) a timing element;
• (b) a time register fed by the timing element;
• (c) a readout transducer for presenting time information;
• (d) means coupled to said time register and said readout transducer responsive to a signal pulse for reading out the contents of said time register to said readout transducer;
• (e) a sound transducer;
• and
• (f) means for coupling said reading means to said sound transducer so the output signal pulse of said sound transducer resulting from a tap on said sound transducer triggers said reading means to produce a readout.

In an electronic timepiece having a high frequency timing element, a frequency dividing means driven by the timing element and a time register for storing information representative of hours and minutes, said timepiece having a plurality of operational states, the combination of:

• (a) a single control operable by the user of said timepiece, said single control having a single manually actuatable element;
• (b) means responsive to starting actuations of said single manually actuatable control element for selecting operational states of said timepiece;
• (c) means responsive to subsequent actuations of said single manually actuatable control element which occur within a predetermined period following one of said starting actuations for changing the numbers stored in said time register;
• (d) an alarm register;
• (e) means coupled to said alarm register and said time register for producing an alarm indication when the contents of said alarm register and said time register are the same;
• and
• (f) means coupled to said alarm register and enabled by one of said operational states for changing the contents of said alarm register in response to further actuations of said single manually actuatable control element.

In an electronic timepiece having a high frequency timing element, and a frequency dividing means driven by the timing element and including a time register for storing time based information representative of hours and minutes, the combination of:

• (a) a sound transducer;
• (b) means for applying an audible frequency signal from said frequency dividing means to drive said sound transducer;
• (c) means coupled to said time register for activating said applying means for a short interval in response to selected periodic changes in the information stored in said time register;
• (d) means coupled to said frequency dividing means and to said time register for encoding signals from said frequency dividing means to represent time based information stored in said time register;
• (e) said applying means when activated applying said encoded signals to said sound transducer;
• and
• (f) means responsive only to a selected number of voltage pulses each caused by a tap on said transducer for selectively enabling and disabling said activating means.

An electronic timepiece comprising:

• (a) a high frequency timing element;
• (b) means driven by the timing element for producing signals representing time based information;
• (c) a plurality of registers connected to receive and driven by said time based information signals for storing time based information represented thereby;
• (d) means for reading out said time based information stored in said registers to the user, said read out means including an input, said read out means comprising optical display means having a set of optical display elements capable of simultaneously displaying less than all of the time based information stored in said plurality of registers and capable of simultaneously displaying only the time based information stored in selected ones of said plurality of registers, said selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers, said optical display means alternatively displaying the time based information stored in first selected ones of said registers and second selected ones of said registers on the same set of optical display elements;
• (e) a single control having only a single manually actuatable control element with a single actuated position for effecting implementation of selected operational states each of which effects selective production and application of an output representative of the time based information stored in said registers to said input of said read out means;
• (f) selection means responsive to manual actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position for implementing selected ones of said plurality of operational states as a function of and in response to different numbers of said manual actuations of said single control element;
• (g) first means activated by a first selected one of said operational states implemented in response to a first number of said manual actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position for producing and applying a first selected output representative of the time based information stored in only said first selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means without disconnecting said first selected registers from said time based information signals;
• and
• (h) second means activated by a second selected one of said operational states implemented in response to a second number of said manual actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position for producing and applying a second selected output representative of the time based information stored in only said second selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means without disconnecting said second selected registers from said time based information signals;
• said optical read out means reading out that information corresponding to the time based information stored in said first selected ones of said registers and represented by said first selected output on said same set of optical display elements in response to said first number of actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position and alternatively reading out information corresponding to the time based information stored in said second selected ones of said registers and represented by said second selected output on said same set of optical display elements in response to said second number of actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position.

An electronic timepiece having a plurality of operational states comprising:

• (a) a high frequency timing element;
• (b) frequency dividing means driven by the timing element for producing time based information signals;
• (c) a plurality of information storing registers connected to receive and driven by said time based information signals for storing time based information represented by said signals including time based information representative of hours and minutes;
• (d) a single manually actuatable control having only a single manually actuated control element for effecting selection of said operational states and thereby selection of various different ones of said registers;
• (e) means responsive to an initial manual actuation of said single control element for selecting one of said operational states of said timepiece and responsive to a selected number of subsequent manual actuations of said single control element within a predetermined finite time period after said initial actuation for selecting another of said plurality of operational states of said timepiece;
• (f) means responsive to said one operational state for selecting first ones of said registers being less than all of said registers and responsive to said other operational state for selecting second ones of said registers being less than all of said registers;
• (g) read out means including optical display means having a set of optical display elements capable of communicating to the user only the time based information stored in said selected ones of said plurality of registers, said read out means having an input;
• and
• (h) means for producing and applying an output representative of information stored in said selected ones of said plurality of registers to said input of said read out means without disconnecting said selected ones of said plurality of registers from said time based information signals;
• whereby an output representing the time based information stored in said selected first ones of said registers and an output representing the time based information stored in said second selected ones of said registers are alternatively applied to said display means and alternatively displayed utilizing said set of optical display elements.

An electronic timepiece having a high frequency timing element and a frequency dividing means driven by the timing element for producing time based information signals, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of registers connected to receive and responsive to said time based information signals for storing time based information represented thereby;
• (b) read out means having an input for reading out information corresponding to an output signal applied to said input, said read out means comprising optical display means having a set of optical display elements capable of simultaneously displaying less than all of the time based information stored in said plurality of registers and capable of simultaneously displaying only the time based information stored in selected ones of said plurality of registers, said selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers, said optical display means alternatively displaying the time based information stored in first selected ones of said registers and second selected ones of said registers on the same set of optical display elements;
• (c) a single manually actuatable control element having a single actuated position;
• (d) means responsive to manual actuation of said single control element to said single actuated position for selecting different ones of said registers without disconnecting said selected ones of said registers from said time based information signals, said selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers, and for applying an output signal representative only of the time based information stored in said selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means, the ones of said registers selected being a function of the number of actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position.

An electronic timepiece comprising:

• (a) a high frequency timing element;
• (b) means driven by the timing element for producing signals representing time based information;
• (c) a plurality of registers driven by said time based information signals for storing time based information represented thereby and for producing a plurality of outputs representative thereof;
• (d) means for reading out said time based information stored in said registers to the user, said read out means including an input and comprised of optical display means having a set of optical display elements having the limited to capability of displaying less than all of the time based information stored in said registers;
• (e) a single control having only a single manually actuatable control element and a single actuated position for effecting implementation of selected operational states each of which effects selective application of outputs representative of the time based information stored in selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means;
• (f) selection means responsive to manual actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position for implementing selected ones of said plurality of operational states as a function of and in response to different numbers of said manual actuations of said single control element;
• (g) first means activated by a first selected one of said operational states implemented in response to a first number of said manual actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position for applying outputs representative of the time based information stored in only first selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means, said first selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers;
• and
• (h) second means activated by a second selected one of said operational states implemented in response to a second number of said manual actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position for applying outputs representative of the time based information stored in only second selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means, said second selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers;
• said read out means displaying information corresponding to the outputs applied thereto representative of the time based information stored in said first selected ones of said registers on said set of display elements in response to said first number of actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position and alternatively displaying information corresponding to the outputs applied thereto representative of the time based information stored in said second selected ones of said registers on said same set of display elements in response to said second number of actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position.

An electronic timepiece having a plurality of operational states comprising:

• (a) a high frequency timing element;
• (b) frequency dividing means driven by the timing element for producing time based information signals;
• (c) a plurality of information storing registers driven by said time based information signals for storing time based information represented by said signals including time based information representative of hours and minutes;
• (d) a single manually actuatable control having only a single manually actuated control element for effecting selection of said operational states and thereby selection of said registers;
• (e) means responsive to an initial manual actuation of said single control element for selecting one of said operational states of said timepiece and responsive to a selected number of subsequent manual actuations of said single control element within a predetermined finite time period after said initial actuation for selecting another of said plurality of operational states of said timepiece;
• (f) means responsive to said one operational state for selecting first ones of said registers, said selected first ones of said registers being less than all of said registers, and responsive to said other operational state for selecting second ones of said registers, said selected second ones of said registers being less than all of said registers;
• (g) read out means including optical display means having a set of optical display elements capable of simultaneously displaying less than all of the time based information stored in said plurality of registers and capable of simultaneously displaying only the time based information stored in said selected ones of said plurality of registers for communicating to the user only the time based information stored in said selected ones of said plurality of registers;
• and
• (h) means enabled by each of said operational states for applying only the outputs representative of information stored in said selected ones of said plurality of registers to said optical display means;
• whereby only the time based information stored in said selected first ones of said registers and only the time based information stored in said selected second ones of said registers is alternatively displayed utilizing said set of optical display elements.

An electronic timepiece having a high frequency timing element and a frequency dividing means driven by the timing element for producing time based information signals, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of registers responsive to said time based information signals for storing time based information represented thereby;
• (b) read out means comprised of optical display means having at least one set of optical display elements, said one set of optical display elements being capable of simultaneously displaying less than all of the time based information stored in said plurality of registers and being capable of simultaneously displaying only the time based information corresponding to an output signal applied thereto representative of time based information stored in selected ones of said registers, said selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers;
• (c) a single manually actuatable control element having a single actuated position and;
• (d) means responsive to manual actuation of said single control element to said single actuated position for selecting different ones of said registers, said selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers, and for applying an output signal representative only of the time based information stored in said selected ones of said registers to said read out means, the ones of said registers selected being a function of the number of actuations of said single control element to said single actuated position.

An electronic timepiece comprising:

• (a) a high frequency timing element;
• (b) means driven by the timing element for producing signals representing time based information;
• (c) a plurality of registers connected to receive and driven by said time based information signals for storing time based information represented thereby;
• (d) means for reading out said time based information stored in said registers to the user, said read out means including an input, said read out means comprising optical display means having a set of optical display elements capable of simultaneously displaying less than all of the time based information stored in said plurality of registers and capable of simultaneously displaying only the time based information stored in selected ones of said plurality of registers, said selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers, said optical display means alternatively displaying the time based information stored in first selected ones of said registers and second selected ones of said registers on the same set of optical display elements;
• (e) a single control having only a single manually actuatable control element for effecting implementation of selected operational states each of which effects selective production and application of an output representative of the time based information stored in said registers to said input of said read out means;
• (f) selection means responsive to manual actuations of said single control element for implementing selected ones of said plurality of operational states as a function of and in response to different numbers of said manual actuations of said single control element, said selection means implementing said second selected one of said operational states in response to said second number of said manual actuations of said single control element only if said second number of said manual actuations occur within a selected first predetermined finite time period after said first number of said manual actuations;
• (g) first means activated by a first selected one of said operational states implemented in response to a first number of said manual actuations of said single control element for producing and applying a first selected output representative of the time based information stored in only said first selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means without disconnecting said first selected registers from said time based information signals;
• and
• (h) second means activated by a second selected one of said operational states implemented in response to a second number of said manual actuations of said single control element for producing and applying a second selected output representative of the time based information stored in only said second selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means without disconnecting said second selected registers from said time based information signals;
• whereby said optical read out means reads out that information corresponding to the time based information stored in said first selected ones of said registers and represented by said first selected output on said same set of optical display elements in response to said first number of actuations of said single control element and alternatively reads out information corresponding to the time based information stored in said second selected ones of said registers and represented by said second selected output on said same set of optical display elements in response to said second number of actuations of said single control element.

An electronic timepiece comprising:

• (a) a high frequency timing element;
• (b) means driven by the timing element for producing signals representing time based information;
• (c) a plurality of registers driven by said time based information signals for storing time based information represented thereby and for producing a plurality of outputs representative thereof;
• (d) means for reading out said time based information stored in said registers to the user, said read out means including an input and comprised of optical display means having a set of optical display elements having the limited capability of displaying less than all of the time based information stored in said registers;
• (e) a single control having only a single manually actuatable control element for effecting implementation of selected operational states each of which effects selective application of outputs representative of the time based information stored in selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means;
• (f) selection means responsive to manual actuations of said single control element for implementing selected ones of said plurality of operational states as a function of and in response to different numbers of said manual actuations of said single control element, said selection means implementing selected ones of said operational states only in response to said manual actuations of said single control element ocurring with a first predetermined finite time period;
• (g) first means activated by a first selected one of said operational states implemented in response to a first number of said manual actuations of said single control element for applying outputs representative of the time based information stored in only first selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means, said first selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers;
• and
• (h) second means activated by a second selected one of said operational states implemented in response to a second number of said manual actuations of said single control element for applying outputs representative of the time based information stored in only second selected ones of said registers to said input of said read out means, said second selected ones of said registers being less than all of said registers;
• whereby said read out means displays information corresponding to the outputs applied thereto representative of the time based information stored in said first selected ones of said registers on said set of display elements in response to said first number of actuations of said single control element and alternatively displays information corresponding to the outputs applied thereto representative of the time based information sotred in said second selected ones of said registers on said same set of display elements in response to said second number of actuations of said single control element.