US4004407A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital display electronic timepiece
Assignee: Suwa Seikosha KK
•
Filing: 1974-09-19
•
Granted: 1977-01-25
•
Expires: 1994-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A digital display electronic timepiece having circuitry for adjusting the division ratio of the divider circuit and a digital display displaying the amount that division ratio is adjusted. The electronic timepiece includes a quartz crystal oscillator circuit for producing a high frequency time standard signal, a divider circuit including a plurality of series connected divider stages adapted to produce a low frequency time standard signal in response to said high frequency time standard signal, certain of said divider stages producing timekeeping signals representative of actual time in response to said low frequency time standard signal, and a division ratio adjustment circuit adapted to effect an adjustment of the low frequency signal in response to said high frequency signal. The adjustment circuit produces an adjustment setting signal indicative of the division ratio adjustment. Display elements are coupled to the certain divider stages, the display elements displaying actual time in response to the timekeeping signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Kinji Fujita
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 20:55
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04G; G04G3/00; G04G3/02; G04G3/022; G04G9/00; G04G9/08; G04G9/087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
An electronic timepiece comprising oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal, divider circuit means including a plurality of series-connected divider stages adapted to produce a low frequency time standard signal in response to said high frequency signal, certain of said divider stages producing time keeping signals representative of actual time in response to said low frequency time standard signal, and division ratio adjustment means coupled to said divider circuit and adapted to effect an adjustment of the frequency of the low frequency signal in response to the high frequency signal, said division ratio means producing a setting signal corresponding to the amount of adjustment, digital display means for displaying one of actual time in response to said timekeeping signals being applied thereto and the amount of division ratio adjustment in response to the division ratio adjustment setting signal being applied thereto, and selector means operable between a timekeeping mode and an adjustment mode, said selector means being adapted to receive said timekeeping signals and apply same to said display means in said timekeeping mode and to receive said adjustment setting signal and apply same to said display means in said adjustment mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
An electronic timepiece comprising oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal, divider circuit means including a plurality of series-connected divider stages adapted to produce a low frequency time standard signal in response to said high frequency signal, certain of said divider stages producing time keeping signals representative of actual time in response to said low frequency time standard signal, and division ratio adjustment means coupled to said divider circuit and adapted to effect an adjustment of the frequency of the low frequency signal in response to the high frequency signal, said division ratio means producing a setting signal corresponding to the amount of adjustment, digital display means for displaying one of actual time in response to said timekeeping signals being applied thereto and the amount of division ratio adjustment in response to the division ratio adjustment setting signal being applied thereto, and selector means operable between a timekeeping mode and an adjustment mode, said selector means being adapted to receive said timekeeping signals and apply same to said display means in said timekeeping mode and to receive said adjustment setting signal and apply same to said display means in said adjustment mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital display means includes a plurality of display digits, said selector means being adapted to receive the timekeeping signals and apply same to each of said display digits in said timekeeping mode and to apply said adjustment setting signal to only certain of said same digital display digits in said division ratio adjustment mode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 2, wherein said division ratio adjustment means includes a counter adapted to be selectively energized to the division ratio adjustment amount desired, said counter producing said division ratio signal adjustment setting, and manually operated switching means coupled thereto to selectively set said counter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 3, wherein said division ratio adjustment means further includes feedback circuit means connected in series between said oscillator means and said divider means said feedback circuit means being adapted to receive said division ratio adjustment setting signal and a low frequency time standard signal and in response thereto produce a correction signal, and an EXCLUSIVE OR gate adapted to receive as a first input, said high frequency time standard signal and as a second input said correction signal, said EXCLUSIVE OR gate producing as an output in response to said input signals an adjusted high frequency time standard signal to said divider means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selector means includes manually operated switch means adapted to selector one of said timekeeping and division ratio adjustment modes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 5, and including further switching means coupled to said certain divider stages and further coupled to said first manually operable switch means, said further switching means effecting correction of the count of said divider stages when said first manually operated switch means is in said timekeeping mode, said further switches effecting division ratio adjustment when said first switching means is in a division ratio adjustment mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 6, wherein said certain divider stages produce timekeeping signals representative of the display of minutes and said display means are adapted to display the minutes timekeeping signal produced by said certain divider stages.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 7, and including further divider stages for producing timekeeping signals representative of hours, and additional digital display means coupled to said selector means for receiving the timekeeping signals by said additional divider stages when said switching means is in a timekeeping mode, said additional display means being blank when said selection switching means is in a division ratio mode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 6, wherein said division ratio adjusting means includes a counter adapted to be selectively set to the division ratio amount desired, said counter producing said division ratio signal, said further swtiching means being coupled thereto to selectively set said counter when said first switching means is in said division ratio adjustment mode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3823545A
Cited
US3795099A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-01-25 | 1980-07-26 | 1981-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-01-25 | 1984-07-26 | 1985-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-01-25 | 1988-07-26 | 1989-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |