Digital power control circuit for an electric wrist watch

Claim 2

A control circuit adapted for selectively applying and removing electrical power flowing from a power supply to the power terminal of a signal source which when energized provides a plurality of driving signals at a constant frequency at its output terminal to drive a load that selectively provides first control signals at its output terminal, the control circuit removing the power from the power terminal of the signal source in response to the duration between successive ones of the first control signals exceeding a predetermined time, the control circuit including in combination: counter means having an input terminal, an output terminal and a reset terminal; first circuit means coupling said input terminal to the output terminal of the signal source; second circuit means coupling said reset terminal to the output terminal of the load; said counter means counting the driving signals and providing a second control signal at said output terminal thereof in response to the occurrence of a predetermined number of said driving signals which takes substantially the predetermined time, said counter means resetting its count in response to each of the first control signals; switch means for connecting the power supply to the signal source and having a control terminal; third circuit means connecting said control terminal of said switch means to said output terminal of said counter means; and said switch means being responsive to said second control signal applied to said control terminal thereof to disconnect the signal source from the power supply thereby causing the termination of the driving signal.

Claim 3

The control circuit of claim 1 wherein said counter means is adapted to provide a third control signal to said control terminal of said switch means in response to any one of said first control signals occurring after said second control signal, said third control signal rendering said switch means conductive to apply power to the signal source in response to said first control signal.

Claim 4

The control circuit of claim 1 wherein said counter means includes: multivibrator means having toggle, reset and output terminals; gate means having input and output terminals, said input terminal of said gate means being connected to said output terminal of said multivibrator means; and fourth circuit means connecting said output terminal of said gate means to said output terminal of said counter means.

Claim 5

The control circuit of claim 3 wherein said first, second and fourth circuit means each includes an invertor.

Claim 6

The control circuit of claim 3 wherein said multivibrator includes a plurality of bistable multivibrators each having toggle, reset and output terminals; fifth circuit means coupling all of said reset terminals together to form said counter reset terminal; said gate means having a plurality of input terminals; and means connecting said output terminals of said bistable multivibrator means to said inputs of said gate means.

Claim 7

The control circuit of claim 3 wherein said switch means, said multivibrator means and said gate means are complementary metal oxide semiconductor structures forming parts of an integrated circuit.

Claim 8

A control circuit adapted for selectively switching electrical power flowing from a battery to the power terminal of an oscillator providing driving pulses at a constant frequency at its output terminal when power is applied thereto, which pulses drive a watch motor that provides a plurality of first control signals at its output terminal when being driven by the driving pulses so long as a mechanical device connected with the watch motor has not been operated, the control circuit including in combination: counter means having a plurality of bistable multivibrators each having reset, toggle and output terminals, first circuit means connecting said reset terminals together to form a counter reset terminal, said toggle terminal of a first multiviBrator comprising a toggle terminal of the counter, and the output terminals of all except a last multivibrator being coupled to the input terminal of an adjacent multivibrator, the output terminal of said last multivibrator being a counter output terminal, second circuit means coupling said counter toggle terminal to the output terminal of the oscillator, said counter means counting the driving signals and providing a second control signal at said counter output terminal in response to the occurrence of a predetermined number of said driving signals; said predetermined number of driving signals occurring if said mechanical device is operated; third circuit means coupling said counter reset terminal to the output terminal of the motor; said counter means resetting its count in response to each first control signal developed by the motor; gate means having a plurality of input terminals and an output terminal, each of said gate input terminals being connected to one of said output terminals of one of said plurality of bistable multivibrator means, said gate means being structured to provide a third control signal at said output terminal thereof in response to said second control signal; switch means having a first terminal connected to the battery, a second terminal connected to the power terminal of the oscillator, and a control terminal; fourth circuit means connecting said control terminal of said switch means to said output terminal of said gate means; and said switch means being responsive to said third control signal to disconnect the oscillator from the battery.

Claim 9

A control circuit adapted for selectively switching electrical power flowing from a battery to the power terminal of an oscillator providing driving pulses at a constant frequency at its output terminal when power is applied thereto, which pulses drive a watch motor that provides a plurality of first control signals at its output terminal when being driven by the driving pulses so long as a mechanical device connected with the watch motor has not been operated, the control circuit including in combination: counter means having a plurality of bistable multivibrators each having reset, toggle and output terminals, first circuit means connecting said reset terminals together to form a counter reset terminal, said toggle terminal of a first multiviBrator comprising a toggle terminal of the counter, and the output terminals of all except a last multivibrator being coupled to the input terminal of an adjacent multivibrator, the output terminal of said last multivibrator being a counter output terminal, second circuit means coupling said counter toggle terminal to the output terminal of the oscillator, said counter means counting the driving signals and providing a second control signal at said counter output terminal in response to the occurrence of a predetermined number of said driving signals; said predetermined number of driving signals occurring if said mechanical device is operated; third circuit means coupling said counter reset terminal to the output terminal of the motor; said counter means resetting its count in response to each first control signal developed by the motor; gate means having a plurality of input terminals and an output terminal, each of said gate input terminals being connected to one of said output terminals of one of said plurality of bistable multivibrator means, said gate means being structured to provide a third control signal at said output terminal thereof in response to said second control signal; switch means having a first terminal connected to the battery, a second terminal connected to the power terminal of the oscillator, and a control terminal; fourth circuit means connecting said control terminal of said switch means to said output terminal of said gate means; and said switch means being responsive to said third control signal to disconnect the oscillator from the battery.

Claim 10

The control circuit of claim 7 further including means connected with the motor and which is operable to cause the motor to provide one of said first control signals at its output which resets said counter means.

Claim 11

The control circuit of claim 7 wherein said second, third and fourth circuit means each include an invertor.

Claim 12

The control circuit of claim 7 where said counter, gate, and switch means are included in an integrated circuit.

Claim 13

An assembly for an electrical horological instrument including in combination: power supply means having a limited quantity of electrical energy stored therein; driving circuit means coupled to said power supply means; an electric motor coupled to and operated by said driving circuit means; motor-operated switch means which is opened and closed by said electric motor; manually operable means adapted to control the state of said motor-operated switch means; and control circuit means for selectively controlling the flow of electrical power from said power supply means to said electric motor, said control circuit means having electrically operated logic means coupled with said motor-operated switch means and said driving circuit means, said logic means being responsive to a state of said motor-operated switch means to selectively remove the driving voltage from said electric motor to thereby preserve said electrical energy stored in said power supply means.

Claim 14

An assembly for an electrical horological instrument including in combination: power supply means having a limited quantity of electrical energy stored therein; driving circuit means coupled to said power supply means; an electric motor coupled to and operated by said driving circuit means; motor-operated switch means which is opened and closed by said electric motor; manually operable means adapted to control the state of said motor-operated switch means; and control circuit means for selectively controlling the flow of electrical power from said power supply means to said electric motor, said control circuit means having electrically operated logic means coupled with said motor-operated switch means and said driving circuit means, said logic means being responsive to a state of said motor-operated switch means to selectively remove the driving voltage from said electric motor to thereby preserve said electrical energy stored in said power supply means.

Claim 15

The assembly of claim 11 wherein said control circuit means includes counter means and gate means.

Claim 16

The assembly of claim 12 wherein said counter means includes a plurality of multivibrators each having reset, input and output terminals; first circuit means connecting said reset terminals together to provide a reset terminal for the counter means; second circuit means coupling said reset terminal of said counter means to said motor-operated switch means; and third circuit means connecting the output terminal of all except the last multivibrator to the input terminal of an adjacent multivibrator, the output terminal of said last multivibrator being coupled to said gate means.

Claim 17

The assembly of claim 13 wherein said driving circuit means, said counter means and said gate means are comprised of complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices that are all included in one integrated circuit structure.