Clock having magnetically-levitated pendulum

Abstract

An analog or digital clock having a ferromagnetic pendulum that is magnetically levitated under feeedback-control and that, alternatively, may be (1) driven at a forced oscillation frequency which is decoupled from and asynchronous with the clock's time control element (e.g., a quartz crystal), (2) driven at a forced oscillation frequency which is coupled to and synchronous with the clock's time control element or (3) oscillated at the resonant frequency of the levitated pendulum and this resonant frequency is used as a time control for determining the clock's timing. Such a levitated pendulum clock is useful for both ornamental and educational purposes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.