Time signalling device for a timepiece which produces musical sounds

Claim 1

A time signalling device for a timepiece comprising: hour signal detector cooperating with a minute wheel in the time indicating gear train to detect hour signal at an indicated time by the ON action of a hour detecting contact; a time signalling trigger circuit for generating a time signalling trigger signal at a requested time and time signalling sound directing signal based on the hour signal of said hour signal detector; a time striking number detector having a sliding contact composed of contact disc having a plurality of contact point group facingly installed to an hour wheel in the time indicating gear train for generating a time striking number signal corresponding to an indicated time of the timepiece; an oscillator generating basic frequencies required to produce melody sounds and time striking sounds; a programmable divider dividing said basic frequencies from said oscillator to generate frequencies of required musical notes; a musical note length counter counting said basic frequencies from said oscillator to determine required length of musical notes; ROM for memorizing melody sound data consisting of dividing ratio data of said programmable divider which produces determined musical notes and objective count value data of said musical note length counter which determines the required length of musical notes, time striking sound data consisting of dividing ratio data of said programmable divider which produces determined musical notes and objective count value data of said musical note length counter which determines the required length of musical notes, time signalling sound completion data, time striking commencement jump data, and time striking cycle jump data; a time signalling sound selecting circuit having an address counter reading melody sound data and time striking sound data out of said ROM in response to said time signalling trigger signal; a time striking counter receiving said time striking number signal for setting a number in said time striking counter corresponding to a value of said time striking number signal and for counting down said value and for outputting a time striking completion signal when the value is counted down to zero; a time signalling circuit outputting requested melody sound data, reading the signal to said time signalling sound selecting circuit in accordance with said time signalling sound directing signal, completing the time signalling action by said time signalling completion data of said ROM, outputting said time striking sound data reading signal to said time signalling sound selecting circuit by said time striking commencement jump data and said time striking cycle jump data of said ROM, and further completing said time signalling action by said time striking completion signal of said time striking counter; a wave form ROM for memorizing the wave form of predetermined time signalling sounds as digital signals; an address counter counting signals from said programmable divider to read the data from said wave form ROM one after another; a D/A converter for converting the data from said wave form ROM to an analog signal; and a sound generator producing the requested time signalling sound in accordance with the analog signal from said D/A counter.