Citizen Watch Company, Ltd.

Rhythm Watch Co., Ltd.

Yasushi Nomura

Shigeru Morokawa

Fukuo Sekiya

Yukio Hashimoto

Keiichiro Koga

Fumio Nakajima

Takayasu Machida

Kenji Yamada

Hajime Nishimura

Yuzo Komatsu

Minoru Watanabe

Kazunari Kume

Katsuo Nishimura

Minoru Natori

Yasuhiko Nishikubo

Shinichi Shirasu

Ryuichi Maruka

Akira Nakai

An electronic timepiece which can provide an analog display by a pointer of time information of at least 'hour' and 'minute' delivered from an electromechanical time keep mechanism and can digitally display by a photoelectric display device a time information set for emitting an alarm and memorized in an alarm memory circuit is disclosed. The electronic timepiece comprises further means for electrically keeping the time information of at least 'hour' and 'minute', a coincidence detection circuit for detecting a coincidence of the time information delivered from the electrical time keep mechanism with the time information delivered from alarm memory circuit and an alarm emitting device for emitting an alarm signal by a coincidence signal delivered from the coincidence detection circuit.

Electronic timepiece

An electronic timepiece includes a frequency supply for providing a relatively high frequency time base signal, a circuit including a frequency converter responsive to the time base signal to provide a relatively low frequency time unit signal, and a time-keeping register responsive to the time unit signal to produce a time information signal. An input means includes an external control to provide an actuation signal when actuated, and an input signal is generated in response to the actuation signal, provision being made for selectively rendering the input signal generating means inoperative. An enabling signal is generated in response to the input signal and the time information signal, and a control responsive to the enabling signal controls the circuit means to correct the time information signal.

An electronic timepiece includes a primary timepiece circuit unit including a frequency supply for providing a relatively high frequency signal, a frequency converter responsive to the relatively high frequency signal to provide a relatively low frequency time unit signal, timing signals, and a plurality of word pulses indicative of a plurality of data words representing time data concerning the current time, and a set of additional data other than the time data, a timekeeping register arranged to store the time data and the additional data, and display elements for displaying the time data and the additional data. A secondary timepiece circuit unit includes a register arranged to store the additional data to be transferred to the timekeeping register.

An electronic timepiece includes a frequency supply for providing a relatively high frequency time base signal, a frequency converter responsive to the time base signal to provide a relatively low frequency time unit signal, and timekeeping means responsive to the time unit signal to provide current time information. The current time information is corrected and displayed. A calculation command signal is generated and enables a circuit means to produce, in response to the time unit signal, a frequency error signal indicative of an error in the frequency of the time unit signal. A gain/loss adjustment signal is generated in response to the frequency error signal, and a frequency adjusting circuit is provided for adjusting the frequency of the time unit signal in response to the gain/loss adjustment signal.

An electronic timepiece having a battery lifetime detection mechanism is provided with a control circuit and external operation member the suitable manipulation of which permits a battery lifetime warning indication, produced in response to a signal from the detection mechanism, to be temporarily displayed in the normal time display mode, transferred to an permanently displayed in another display mode, or converted to an audible warning tone if suitable acoustic means are provided.

An electronic timepiece of the type of a so-called analog hand display is disclosed which displays the time by means of hands and is capable of changing the calendar display of a calendar mechanism within very short period of time by means of a reversible motor. Additionally the electronic timepiece is automatically corrected at the end of every month.

An electronic timepiece includes a frequency supply for providing a relatively high frequency time base signal, a frequency converter responsive to the time base signal to provide a relatively low frequency time unit signal, timing signals, and a plurality of word pulses indicative of a plurality of data words representing time data concerning the current time and additional data concerning alarm time. A timekeeping register stores the time data and the additional data and provision is made for generating a carry signal in dependence on the time data. The information in the register is altered in response to the time unit signal and the carry signal to update the time data and provision is made to write in the additional data into the register. The coincidence between the current time and the alarm time is detected by an alarm unit which generates a coincidence signal indicative thereof. Display elements responsive to an output of the timekeeping register are operable to display the time data and the additional data.

Electronic alarm timepiece

An electronic timepiece includes a frequency supply for providing a relatively high frequency time base signal, a frequency converter responsive to the time base signal to provide a relatively low frequency time unit signal, timing signals, and a plurality of word pulses indicative of plurality of data words representing time data concerning the current time, and a set of additional data other than the time data. A primary register is arranged to store the time data and the additional data, and display means displays the time data and the additional data. An external control member is adapted to provide an input signal when actuated, and an indexing signal is generated in response to the input signal. A secondary register is arranged to store a plurality of sets of additional data and is operable to transfer each set of additional data to the primary register in a sequential manner as the first mentioned set of additional data in response to the indexing signal, whereupon each of the sets of additional data is sequentially displayed by the display means.

An electronic timepiece of analog type display provided with alarm means and a switch for setting or cancelling said alarm means, and with an indication being given as to whether the timepiece is in the alarm set or alarm cancelled status, by modulating the advancement of the seconds hand

Electronic timepiece or analog type

An electronic timepiece equipped with an alarm system whereby an external control member is actuated a desired number of times or for a desired time duration causing a count to be set into a first counter. Subsequently, when an alarm is generated, an identical count value must be set into a second counter by actuating an external control member for the same number of times or for an appropriate time duration in order to shut off the alarm. Possibility of the user shutting off the alarm signal and then falling asleep again is thus greatly reduced. A snooze switch control function can also be easily incorporated.

An electronic timepiece includes a frequency supply for providing a relatively high frequency time base signal, a frequency converter responsive to the relatively high frequency time base signal to provide a timing signal, a clock signal, and a time unit signal. A timekeeping circuit is responsive to the time unit signal to provide a time information signal, and at least one of the timing signal, clock signal, and time information signal is chopped into periodic bursts to effect transfer of the at least one of the timing signal, clock signal, and time information signal from one part to another part in the timepiece. The time in response to the time information signal is displayed.

An electronic timepiece having an acoustic hour information function in which a photosensitive switch mechanism essentially comprising a photosensitive element is provided to detect a quantity of light below a predetermined value in the surrounding environment where the timepiece is placed and control the acoustic hour information function of the timepiece depending upon the detected result.

Electronic timepiece with hourly strike mechanism

An electronic timepiece equipped with an alarm system in which a single external control member is used as both a snooze switch and an alarm stopping signal. The timepiece has a switching circuit means for generating a snooze signal when the external control member is actuated in a predetermined actuation mode and generating an alarm stopping signal when the external control member is actuated in another predetermined actuation mode. The timepiece includes a snooze control circuit responsive to the snooze signal to temporarily stop an alarm generated by an alarm device, and means for interrupting an alarm enabling signal from being applied to the alarm device to stop the alarm.

Electronic timepiece equipped with alarm system

An electronic timepiece having a reversible stepping motor to actuate time-indicating hands to provide a time display, which comprises a driver circuit to produce driving current pulses composed of compound pulses appearing each time unit. A rotor of the stepping motor rotates a plurality of steps during each time unit to cause one of the time-indicating hands to advance through unequal intervals to provide a modulated display.

An electronic timepiece having a molded casing made of resin for incorporating in one body, timepiece components including a windshield, display means including an electro-optical display element or pointers, timepiece driving means, battery cell case and external switch means.

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Tokorozawa, Japan

Yasushi Nomura