Asulab S.a.

Claude-Eric Leuenberger

Rudolf Dinger

Jean-Georges Michel

Ngoc C Bui

A pager is described for use in an electronic watch. The pager comprises a frame (1) for picking up a magnetic signal and a piezoelectric transducer (11) having a static capacitance on its terminals, for producing a sound. 11 To improve sensitivity of reception, a switching circuit (15) connects the transducer (11) in parallel with the frame (1) to tune it by means of the static capacitance to the frequency of the magnetic signal carrier wave. To increase the performance of the transducer (11 ) when it operates as a sound transmitter, the switching circuit (15) connects the frame (1) in series with the transducer (11).

Pager having receiving frame tuned by transducer

This transponder includes a dielectric support, an antenna and a covering layer. The central portion of the antenna forms a self induction loop which, together with the junction capacity of a non-linear component serving to close the loop, provides a circuit resonating at the frequency at which the transponder receives its energy. The antenna radiates energy at double this frequency which energy may be detected by a receiver.

Passive transponder for locating avalanche victims

The timepiece comprises an oscillator (1), a frequency divider (2), a control circuit (3), a stepping motor (4), a seconds hand (5), a circuit (7) for detecting steps missed by the motor, an up-down counter (15) having a capacity N, and a flip-flop (16). At each missed step the detecting circuit (7) generates a tally pulse (S.sub.7) which increments the counter (15). The latter is also decremented by periodic pulses appearing on the B output of the frequency divider (2). When a cell supplying the timepiece is nearly exhausted, the number of steps missed per unit of time is high and the counter (15) is, on balance, incremented. When passing from state N-1 to state N the counter issues on its Q.sub.h output a pulse that causes the Q output of the flip-flop (16) to go high. The control circuit (3) produces, in response to this high state of the flip-flop, a signal warning of the imminent end of the cell's life in the form of an irregular motion of the seconds hand (5). Otherwise, when the cell is still good, the number of missed steps is low and the counter (15) is decremented. When passing from state 1 to state 0 the counter issues on its Q.sub.b output a pulse that causes the Q output of the flip-flop (16) to go low, thereby stopping the warning signal.

Electronic timepiece

To compensate for frequency variation in the quartz oscillator 4, 6 due to temperature variation, a second quartz oscillator 12, 14 forming a thermal sensor is employed. The beat frequency fB (circuit 16) which is counted in the counter 26 for a period of time T.sub.1 gives a measurement corresponding to temperature. The number which is thus counted is raised to its square and by means of the comparator 30 taken away from the pulses counted by the divider 8 with a periodicity T.sub.T. The system may be used to provide temperature compensation for a time keeping quartz time base.

Resonator temperature compensated time base and watch using said time

An integrated circuit for a controllable frequency oscillator using integrated variable-capacitance capacitors. The circuit is a MOS type. Each of the variable capacitance capacitors comprises a n.sup.+ -p junction at the interface of a first region of n.sup.+ conductivity type and a second region of p conductivity type, which are formed in a semiconductor substrate of n type. The first and second regions emerge at the surface of the semiconductor wafer. A decoupling capacitor is associated with the variable-capacitance capacitor by the formation of a stack arrangement comprising the portion of insulating oxide layer covering the surface portion of the wafer at which said first region emerges and an electrically conducting layer covering said insulating layer portion.

Integrated circuit for a controllable frequency oscillator

A quartz thermometer which emits a signal, the frequency of which is a substantially linear function of temperature. The thermometer comprises a quartz resonator provided with electrodes disposed on the margins of the upper and lower main surfaces, parallel to the length direction. The electrodes are supplied with electric current so as to cause the resonator to vibrate torsionally. The length of the resonator is substantially parallel to the X axis of the quartz crystal. An electronic circuit is responsive to the signal emitted by the resonator for producing an output representative of temperature.

Growing community of inventors

Chezard, Switzerland

Claude-Eric Leuenberger