Time setting and correcting circuit for electronic timepieces

Claim 1

In an electronic timepiece having a quartz crystal time standard, a stepping motor for applying driving motion to coupled minute and hour indicating hands, and multistage frequency dividing means responsive to signals from said time standard for applying stepping signals at a predetermined first frequency to said stepping motor, the improvement comprising a time setting and correcting circuit including: a single user-actuable switch; a first memory means; timing means responsive to said switch for setting said first memory means after actuation of said switch for a predetermined interval of time; circuit means responsive to said frequency dividing means and said first memory means for applying supplemental stepping signals to said motor at a second frequency higher than said first frequency; counter means connected to said first memory means and said frequency dividing means for counting said supplemental signals of said second frequency, said counter having an output connected to reset said first memory means when said counter means reaches a predetermined count; and, means responsive to said switch for applying at least one supplemental stepping signal to said motor upon actuation of said switch for less than said predetermined interval of time.