# US 4,377,345 A · Alarm signaling circuit for timepiece

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- Number: US 4,377,345 A
- Document ID: US4377345A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/219,884
- Filed: 1980-12-24
- Granted: 1983-03-22
- Earliest claimed: 1979-12-28
- Assignees: Rhythm Watch Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Shinji Yamada; Mitsuru Nagoya
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4377345A

## CPC

- G04G 13/023: {Adjusting the duration or amplitude of signals}
- G04G: ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES

## Abstract

An alarm signaling circuit for a timepiece including a volume control circuit having a variable volume controller which can be externally adjusted and a fixed volume setting means which determines a constant volume, a change over switch which selectively changes the controller and the setting means, and a change over control circuit which has a time section for measuring an alarm signalling time and which supplies a change over control signal to the change over switch after a predetermined passage of time from the start of alarm signaling. The alarm signaling circuit performs the alarm signaling action at a certain volume established by the variable volume controller during a first alarm signaling period from a start of alarm signaling till the predetermined passage of time and further performs the alarm signaling action at a fixed alarm volume determined by the fixed volume setting means in a consecutive second alarm signaling period.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An alarm signaling circuit for a timepiece having settable first and second alarm signal periods and which is capable of external and optional determination of alarming volume comprising:
a volume control circuit having a variable volume controller which can be externally adjustable and a fixed volume setting means which determines a constant volume;
a change over switch which selectively changes between said volume controller and said fixed volume setting means in response to a change over control signal; and
a change over control circuit which has a timer section for measuring alarm signaling time and for supplying said change over control signal to said change over switch after a predetermined passage of time from a start of an alarm signaling;
whereby alarm signaling action at a certain volume is established by said variable volume controller during said first alarm signaling period and alarm signaling action at a fixed alarming volume is determined by said fixed volume setting means in a consecutive said second alarm signaling period.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An alarm signaling circuit for a timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the alarm signaling action is performed in a different tone between the first alarm signaling period and the second alarm signaling period.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

An alarm signaling circuit for a timepiece according to claim 2, wherein an alarming action is performed in melody sounds optionally selected from a plurality of melody sounds during the first alarm signaling period, and an alarm signaling action is performed in electronic sounds in the second alarm signaling period.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An alarm signaling circuit for a timepiece according to claim 1, wherein alarming signal is formed by an oscillator, a divider for dividing frequency signals from said oscillator, a program counter for dividing the frequency signal from said divider to output a predetermined signal, a ROM memorizing numerically valued data, and a musical scale ROM providing alarm signaling data from said melody ROM to said program counter as an addressing signal and a signal selecting the dividing ratio.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An alarm signaling circuit for a timepiece according to claim 1, wherein said volume controller comprises an FET, fixed resistors connected to said FET, and a variable resistor having its amount of resistance optionally controlled externally to said timepiece.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An alarm signaling circuit for a timepiece according to claim 1, wherein said fixed volume setting means includes an FET and two fixed resistors connected to said FET.