Electronic timepiece including integrated circuitry
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorTatsuo Moriya
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated circuit for an electronic timepiece includes at least one semiconductor nonvolatile memory device. Reference data can be checked across a pair of output terminals prior to being stored in at least one EPROM to check the accuracy and acceptability of the reference data for driving a motor of the timepiece. The reference data once written into the EPROM serves as control data. Both the reference data and control data are used for controlling at least one function of the timepiece. The control data also can be checked across the output terminals to determine its accuracy and acceptability for driving the motor. Testing of the reference data and control data can be performed on a faster than real time basis.
Claims54
An integrated circuit for an electronic timepiece, comprising:
- reference data holding means for holding reference data for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece;
- memory means for storing control data for use in controlling said at lest one function of said timepiece;
- output means for receiving at least the reference data to confirm its acceptability for use in driving the timepiece;
- and
- transfer means for transferring the reference data to the memory means for storage in the memory means as the control data, said transfer means being operable for transferring the reference data to the memory means concurrent with and after said reference data is received by said output means.
An integrated circuit for an electronic timepiece, comprising:
- reference data holding means for holding reference data for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece;
- memory means for storing reference data received from said reference data holding means for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece and for storing control data for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece;
- and
- output mans for receiving the reference data held by said reference data holding means prior to and concurrent with being stored in the memory means to confirm the accuracy of the reference data nd for receiving the control data after being stored in the memory means to confirm the accuracy of the control data.
An integrated circuit for an electronic timepiece, comprising:
- reference data holding means for holding reference data for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece;
- memory means for storing reference data received from said reference data holding means and producing the same as control data for use in controlling said at least one function of said timepiece;
- output means for receiving the reference data held by said reference data holding means and the control data stored in the memory means;
- data selector means for selecting between control data stored in said memory means and reference data held by said reference data holding means;
- and
- mode forming means for establishing at least two test modes;
- wherein said data selector means is operable for selecting said control data during one of said two test modes and for selecting said reference data during the other of said two test modes and wherein said output means is operable for receiving said reference data and said control data based on the selection made by said data selector means.
An electronic timepiece including an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit comprising:
- reference data holding means for holding reference data for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece;
- memory means for storing control data for use in controlling said at least one function of said timepiece;
- output means for receiving at least the reference data to confirm its acceptability for use in driving the timepiece;
- and
- transfer mean for transferring the reference data to the memory means for storage in the memory means as the control data, said transfer means being operable for transferring the reference data to the memory means concurrent with and after said reference data is received by said output means.
An electronic timepiece including an integrated circuit and step motor, said integrated circuit comprising:
- reference data holding means for holding reference data for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece;
- memory means for storing reference data received from said reference data holding means for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece and for storing control data for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece;
- and
- output means for receiving the reference data held by said reference data holding means prior to and concurrent with being stored int eh memory means to confirm the accuracy of the reference data and of receiving the control data after being stored in the memory means to confirm the accuracy of the control data for use in driving the step motor of the timepiece.
An electronic timepiece including an integrated circuit and step motor, said integrated circuit comprising:
- reference data holding means for holding reference data for use in controlling at least one function of said timepiece;
- memory means for storing reference data received from said reference data holding means and producing the same as control data for use in controlling said at least one function of said timepiece;
- output means for receiving the reference data held by said reference data holding means and the control data stored in the memory means;
- data selector means for selecting between control data stored in said memory means and reference data held by said reference data holding means;
- and
- mode forming means for establishing at least two test modes;
- wherein said data selector means is operable for selecting said control data during one of said two test modes and for selecting said reference data during the other of said two test modes and wherein said output means is operable for receiving said reference data and said control data based on the section made by said data selector means to confirm the accuracy of the control data for use in driving the step motor of the timepiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.