Electronic timer

An electronic timer, comprising:

• timer input data designating means for designating timer input data, including input clock data, operation data and time interval data constituents, to control the operation of a selected device;
• buffer memory means, electrically connected to said timer input data designating means, for temporarily storing the input data specified by said timer input data designating means;
• data storage means, electrically connected to said buffer memory means, for storing input clock data and the operation data provided from said buffer memory means;
• clock counter means for counting actual clock data;
• data transfer means, electrically connected to said buffer memory means and said data storage means, for transferring the input clock data and the operation data from said buffer memory means to said data storage means and vice versa;
• display means, electrically connected to said buffer memory means, for displaying the input data stored in said buffer memory means;
• judgment means, electrically connected to said buffer memory means and said data transfer means, for judging whether said input data stored in said buffer memory means is input clock data or time interval data;
• adding means, electrically connected to said buffer memory means and said clock counter means, for adding said time interval data stored in said buffer memory means to said actual clock data counted by said clock counter means, so that the resultant clock data is stored in said buffer memory means and displayed by said display means;
• and
• said judgment means judging that the input clock data is supplied from said timer input data designating means to said buffer memory means so that said data transfer means transfers the input data stored in said buffer memory means to said data storage means, wherein said input clock data including an A.M. or P.M. designation and a day-of-week designation and said judgment means determines whether the timer input data is input clock data or time interval data by detecting the absence or presence of the A.M./P.M. and the day-of-week designations, such judgment means determining the timer input data to be input clock data whenever at least an A.M./P.M. designation or day-of-week designation is made and causing such display means to indicate which designation is omitted when only an A.M./P.M. designation or day-of-week designation is made.

An electronic timer, comprising:

• timer input data designating means for designating timer input data, including input clock data and operation data to control the operation of a selected device;
• buffer memory means, electrically connected to said timer input data designating means, for temporarily storing timer input data specified by said timer input data designating means;
• data storage means, electrically connected to said buffer memory means for storing the input clock data and the operation data provided from said buffer memory means;
• data transfer means, electrically connected to said buffer memory means for transferring the timer input data from said buffer memory to said data storage means and vice versa in response to the operation of said timer input data designating means;
• clock counter means, electrically connected to said data storage means, for counting a clock pulse generated in said timer indicative of actual clock data;
• display means, electrically connected to said buffer memory means, for displaying the timer input data stored in said buffer memory means;
• flick-free means, electrically connected to said display means, for preventing flicker of said display means by inhibiting any carry functions of said clock counter means while said display means is driven;
• said clock counter means including first and second clock counter means for counting said clock pulse;
• said data transfer means for transferring the input clock data and the operation data from said buffer means to said data storage means and vice versa, while transferring the input clock data or the actual clock data from said buffer memory means to said first counter means and vice versa;
• said display means including a plurality of display segments;
• display drive means, electrically connected to said display means and said buffer memory means, for dynamically driving said display segments in accordance with the input data stored in said buffer memory means;
• and
• said flicker-free means including clock counter control means, electrically connected to said first and second clock counter means, for enabling said second clock counter means to count the clock pulse during the driving period of said display segments while disabling said first clock counter means to count the clock pulse at the same time and for adding the contents of said second clock counter means to those of said first clock counter during a period of time when said display segments are not driven.