Apparatus for correcting second hand of electronic timepiece

Claim 1

In an electronic timepiece of the type having an oscillator for generating high frequency pulses; a dividing circuit connected to receive the high frequency pulses from said oscillator and divide them into lower frequency pulses suitable for use as a time standard; and indicating means responsive to the lower frequency pulses for indicating the time in at least minutes and seconds; an apparatus for correcting the seconds indication of said indicating means comprising a delaying circuit connected to receive lower frequency pulses from said dividing circuit and delay them a predetermined time period, a selecting circuit connected to receive the lower frequency pulses from said dividing circuit and connected to receive the delayed lower frequency pulses from said delaying circuit and operative in response to control signals applied thereto to selectively pass the pulses to said indicating means, resettable second advancing means operative when actuated to develop an advance control signal and apply it to said selecting circuit whereby said selecting circuit adds a lower frequency pulse to a delayed lower frequency pulse to thereby advance the seconds indication, resettable second retarding means operative when actuated to develop a retard control signal and apply it to said selecting circuit whereby said selecting circuit inhibits the passing of a lower frequency pulse to thereby retard the seconds indication, actuating means for selectively actuating said second advancing means and said second retarding means to thereby accordingly correct the seconds indication of said indicating means, said actuating means including a manually actuatable advancing switch connected to said second advancing means and operative to effect an advance of the seconds indication by one second in response to each switch actuation irrespective of the duration of the switch actuations, and a manually actuatable retarding switch connected to said second retarding means and operative to effect a retard of the seconds indication by one second in response to each switch actuation irrespective of the duration of the switch actuations, and counting means for counting the number of actuations of said advancing and retarding switches and effecting resetting of corresponding ones of said second advancing means and second retarding means upon correction of the seconds indication as determined by the number of switch actuations.