EP0042360A2 - Electronic watch, in particular wrist watch, with digital display and geographic-solar functions - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to provide easily accessible knowledge of the correlations between time, the geographical locale and the solar positions, the watch in question in addition to time-keeping means capable of displaying the current time (8.46A) also provides means capable of storing, processing in a microprocessor mode and displaying in a particular panel mode data of solar elevation and azimuth (h 35.4) as well as date data (11 27), a computer performing correlating operations between these various values. Pushbuttons (BPH', BPM', BPB') allow using this watch in various operational and correction situations, and other pushbuttons (BPH, BPM, BPB) allow more specific commands for correction, for search operations regarding date and place based on the solar data, for storage and call from memory of the various processed data. This watch can easily be implemented as a small wrist watch. It will be advantageously used by those interested in knowing the solar positions, by solar facility engineers, architects, airline pilots, believers in the Moslem faith etc.

Description

selectable geographic latitude.

There are also known digital electronic wristwatches with calculator functions which in fact constitute real small pocket calculators. A major drawback of these watches, however, lies in the difficulty of providing, on the relatively small surface of a wristwatch, the large quantity of push buttons necessary for a pocket calculator. This is how we have provided, on most of the face of the watch, the few tens of push-buttons necessary, but being obliged to give them very small dimensions and a very tight layout, which does not allow them to be manipulated with the finger, but requires a pointed organ, similar to the tip of a pen. Despite everything, these calculating watches could only correspond to an unsophisticated pocket calculator, allowing the four operations and some analogous functions, but not allowing the accomplishment of complicated composite programs, comprising different chain operations, and requiring the storage of a complex program.

It should also be noted that, at the present time, the interest in being able to apprehend, in different circumstances, information relating to the position of the sun has notably increased, in particular for the increasing numbers of people who have to draw up plans of installations relating to the collection of solar energy, as well as for architects and town planners having to deal with questions of shade and direction of shade, as well as for pilots and long-haul aircraft users who are interested in knowing where and from what time they will encounter night, day, dusk, etc. As a category of people interested in

The present invention relates to a watch, in particular a wristwatch, electronic, with digital display, with geographico-solar functions, comprising timepiece means for the current time and date.

Various watches have already been proposed which, in addition to the time and date information (for the most sophisticated with counting of months and years of the four-year cycle), provide information concerning the race. solar, indicating in particular the time of sunrise and sunset, with however the restriction that the solar information was reported to the local time which is only rarely in coincidence with the official time, this being the time in the center of the time zone considered, or even the time in the center of a time zone distant to the east (summer time, double summer time). In addition, the proposed watches only provided correct solar information for a certain area of geographic latitude, or for a certain number of areas of the parameters of the position of the sun, we must also note the followers of the Muslim religion, whose prayer times are governed by the course of the sun. In particular, the sixth hour of prayer, defined as the hour of the fall of the whole night, can be defined physically as the hour when the sun has descended approximately 12 ° below the horizon, and the time when this occurs, relatively to the time of sunset, varies according to latitude and according to the time of the solar year (Muslim months shift gradually from summer to winter and vice versa, in a cycle of approximately 30 years).

From the foregoing considerations, it appears that particularly interesting calculation functions to integrate into a watch are the functions relating to the sun. Furthermore, the existing calculating watches are designed for general use, not particularly directed towards solar calculation operations, of which they would moreover not be able to memorize very complex programs.

The prior art therefore has shortcomings with regard to a calculator watch of the very particular type in question, and which should, given the specialization of its calculation functions, allow control by a small number of push buttons that can be easily manipulated with the finger. and not encumbering the face of the watch, permanent or semi-permanent storage ^- complex calculation programs having to be possible in these circumstances, always because of the above-mentioned specialization.

It should also be noted that, in existing calculating watches, most of the face of the watch is occupied by push buttons so that the surface for the display is small, which requires either n have very few digits displayed or only have extremely display characters small. This drawback should be avoided in the specialized watch previously considered.

The object of the present invention is to provide such an electronic watch with digital display equipped with solar functions, which meets _" : the requirements and interests arising from the considerations set out above and which avoids the disadvantages also mentioned above of calculating wristwatches with known general function. of the prior art.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the characters set out in the attached independent claim.

The dependent claims define particularly advantageous embodiments as regards mainly the convenience of handling the solar calculator watch and its convenience of reading the information supplied, and also as regards the grouping of functions and function commands, being understood that, on a very large number of possible functions with the watch, each user must be able to easily retain a particular group of functions which particularly interest him, without necessarily having to keep in mind the complete user manual of the watch for all other functions that interest him. less. The advantageous embodiments defined by the dependent claims therefore specify, on the one hand, a large number of functions which will advantageously be included in the watch so that it is very universal, and, on the other hand, a rational arrangement of these functions to allow the user, according to what has just been explained, a selective learning of the manipulations necessary for the functions which are particularly useful to him.

• La fig. 1 est une vue frontale d'une montre-bracelet électronique à affichage digital des fonctions géographico-solaires, selon la conception en question, cette fig l'représente la montre en régime de tableau I,
• la fig. 2 montre une série d'aspects C11-C16, C21-C26, C31-36, que l'affichage de la montre peut fournir, dans les différents régimes où elle peut se trouver, dans les différentes situations de non correction, de correction en avant, de correction en arrière et de travail sur tableau, dans différentes hypothèses d'utilisation, cette figure 2 n'étant bien sûr pas exhaustive,
• la fig. 3 montre schématiquement comment se compose, à l'aide des fig. 4, 5, 6 et 7, le schéma électronique et logique général de la montre,
• la fig. 4 est une partie du schéma de la montre selon la fig. lqui présente l'ensemble de circuits servant à l'élaboration et à l'emmagasinement des informations de temps, de date, de lieu, d'heure locale, d'azimut du soleil (AS)et de hauteur du soleil (HS) traitées ou à traiter, et à afficher sélectivement,
• les fig. 5a et 5b représentent le schéma de la partie des circuits de la montre comprenant les circuits de commande liés aux organes de commande d'utilisation, de même qu'un certain nombre de circuits auxiliaires pour différentes fonctions,
• la fig. 6 est un schéma représentant la partie du circuit de la montre constituant la commande générale interne des fonctions de la montre, en particulier la commande des fonctions de la calculatrice, en dépendance des commandes d'utilisation (fig. 5) et des informations générales élaborées (fig. 4), cette fig. 6 représentant également la commande d'affichage et l'affichage en multiplexage des informations principales,
• les fig. 7a, 7b et 7c représentent schématiquement la partie de la montre constituant la calculatrice, réalisée sous forme de microprocesseur, les éléments visibles à la fig. 5 symbolisant principalement des programmes élémentaires de micro-processeurs, les éléments matériels par lesquels le micro-processeur effectue ces programmes, éléments qui sont en grande partie les mêmes pour la plupart des programmes, n'étant pas représentables comme tels,
• la fig. 8 est un schéma plus détaillé d'un des six circuits identiques "d'entrée de commande", ou de "bouton-poussoir", visibles aux fig. 5a et 5b,
• la fig. 9 représente d'une façon détaillée le schéma logique d'un bloc de "LOGIQUE A.M.P." visible à la fig. 7b, et
• la fig 10 représente, d'une façon détaillée, le schéma logique d'un bloc de "LOGIQUE DE PREPARATION" également visible à la fig. 10.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example, an embodiment, presenting numerous possibilities. bed of variants of the subject of the invention. In this drawing:

• Fig. 1 is a front view of an electronic wristwatch with digital display of geographico-solar functions, according to the design in question, this fig represents the watch in table I regime,
• fig. 2 shows a series of aspects C11-C16, C21-C26, C31-36, which the display of the watch can provide, in the different modes where it may be, in the different situations of non-correction, of correction in forward, backward correction and table work, in different usage hypotheses, this figure 2 is of course not exhaustive,
• fig. 3 schematically shows how it is composed, using figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the general electronic and logic diagram of the watch,
• fig. 4 is a part of the diagram of the watch according to FIG. l which presents the set of circuits used for the preparation and storage of the time, date, place, local time, sun azimuth (AS) and sun height (HS) information processed or to process, and to display selectively,
• fig. 5a and 5b show the diagram of the part of the circuits of the watch comprising the control circuits linked to the use control members, as well as a certain number of auxiliary circuits for different functions,
• fig. 6 is a diagram representing the part of the circuit of the watch constituting the general internal control of the functions of the watch, in particular the control of the functions of the calculator, in dependence on the commands of use (fig. 5) and of the general information elaborated (fig. 4), this fig. 6 also showing the display control and the multi display plexing of main information,
• fig. 7a, 7b and 7c schematically represent the part of the watch constituting the calculator, produced in the form of a microprocessor, the elements visible in FIG. 5 mainly symbolizing elementary programs of microprocessors, the hardware elements by which the microprocessor performs these programs, elements which are largely the same for most programs, not being representable as such,
• fig. 8 is a more detailed diagram of one of the six identical "control input" or "push button" circuits, visible in FIGS. 5a and 5b,
• fig. 9 shows in detail the logic diagram of a block of "AMP LOGIC" visible in FIG. 7b, and
• FIG. 10 represents, in a detailed manner, the logic diagram of a block of "PREPARATION LOGIC" also visible in FIG. 10.

We will begin by considering the presentation of the watch and its functions as they appear only for the user (without going into the details of the internal constitution yet, which will be done later in conjunction with Figs. 4 et seq. ).

In general, the watch is likely to be found in three regimes, namely the normal regime RN, the regime of table I RTI and the regime of table II RTII. All of the two RTI and RTII regimes are designated as the RT array regime. Furthermore, the watch can be in four situations for the processing of the information that it displays, namely the situation of non-correction SCN, the situation of correction in front SCAV, the situation of correction in back SCAR and the work situation in STT tables.

In fig. 1, the watch is shown in regime of table I RTI and in working situation in table STT. The 18 examples in fig. 2 C11-C16, C21-C26, C31-C36 (this number indicating the coordinates of the position of each example in fig..2) first represent three examples of the watch in normal RN mode (Cll, C12, C13 ), eleven examples of the watch in table I RTI mode (C14-C16, C21-C26, C31-C32), and finally four examples of the watch in table II RTII mode (C33 - C36).

The example Cll of fig. 2 shows the watch in its usual function, the simplest, in which it displays only the hour and the minute, over twelve hours with in addition the indication A / P. In the example Cll of FIG. 2, the watch indicates Oh 35 in the evening.

As seen in fig. 2, the watch can have up to three superimposed lines of information, the top line, the middle line and the bottom line, and it still has, on the far right, a series of signs indicating speed, situation and other particular circumstances concerning different states in the context of tabular work. Each of the three lines includes four main seven-segment display stations, one auxiliary seven-segment display station. on the far left, and two display points separating the two main posts on the left from the two main posts on the right. Six push-buttons are distributed on the sides of the watch middle, three on the left (BPH ', BPM', BPB ') and three on the right (BPH, BPM, BPB). Insofar as these pushbuttons do not control quite general functions affecting the entire watch, they always control functions relating to the information displayed on that of the lines opposite which the pushbutton is located. For example, in fig. 1, the middle line displays the time, 8:46 a.m. To correct this time information, the middle button on the right BPM will be used, if one is in a correction situation.

At the top left, the display has two almost vertical lines for the speed indication. When none is activated (for example Cl1 to C13, fig. 2), the watch is in normal RN mode. when one is activated (for example C21-C26 fig. 2) one is in IRTI table mode and when two are activated (for example C33-C36 in fig. 2) the watch is in table II, RTII mode.

At the bottom, to the far left, the watch can display an almost vertical line with either an arrowhead up, or an arrowhead down, or two arrowheads up and down. When nothing is displayed at this location, the watch is in a situation of non-correction SNC, when an arrow directed upwards is displayed, the watch is in a situation of correction in front SCAV, when an arrow directed towards the bottom is displayed, the watch is in the SCAR backward correction situation, and when a bidirectional arrow is displayed, the watch is in the _LK STT table working situation. We will see below the meaning of the other symbols displayed on the far left.

To multiply the command possibilities provided only by six buttons, we have, as we will see in connection with figs. 5 and 8, input control circuits which distinguish the case where a push button has been: "briefly pushed then released" (short press), "pressed at least for one second before being released" (long press ) and "pressed, then released then pressed again within one second" (double press). Each of these three types of manipulation provides a separate command, which amounts to the possibility of giving ten-hit different overlaps, with the six pushbuttons. In all plans and in all situations (except if a correction is in progress) a short press on a left push button advances by one step the type of information that we have on the corresponding line. In normal RN mode, the middle line has only one type of information, namely current time information, and a short press on the button in the middle on the left has no influence. ..On the other hand, the upper line can either choose to provide no display (for example Cll, fig. 2) or else provide the display for the day of the week and the second (C13, fig.2). In normal mode, each short press on the upper left button BPH 'shows, then disappears, then appears again, etc., the indications of days of the week and seconds. The same goes for the lower line with regard to the date, in months, calendar, possibly year (0,1,2, 3) of the four-year cycle, in a situation of correction, the date indication appears and disappears in normal mode, each time a short press on the lower left button BPB '.

In table mode, the cycle of the three lines is as follows: upper line: "time difference" EH, "sun height" HS, middle line: "time zone, latitude" FHL, "hours and minutes" HT, and line lower: "date" DT, "azimuth of the sun" AS. This arrangement is the same for the two panel regimes RTI and RTII.

Thus, we see that, in tabular mode, the middle and lower lines present once the same information as in normal mode and once other information, and that only the upper line presents, in tabular mode, -two other information than that which this same line gives in normal regime.

Normal operation is simple, the watch displays either only the current time, or the current time with one of the "date date" information. rante "and" day of the week, seconds ", that is the current time and these two pieces of information. To correct them, if necessary, put the watch in front or back correction situation. Long press on the lower left button BPB 'brings the correction situation forward SCAV, then the next press, the correction situation back SCAR, then the next press the working situation on STT tables, then the next brings back the situation of no SNC correction If the correction situation has been established (for example C13, fig. 2), a short press on the right push-button advances (or goes back) by one step the information of the units, this is i.e. the last main digit to the right of the line in question, a long press advances the digit just one step forward to the left of the two points, and a double press causes, as the case may be, either an advance (or a step back) of one step of the auxiliary information in the auxiliary field on the far right, s oit a step forward of tens, in the second main digit from the right. As will be seen below, to facilitate certain positioning, a long press on a right push button coming, in the same correction process, after a short or double press, advances the digit of the tens, to the right of the two points, instead of the digits located to the left of the two points. Whenever a correction has been made, it must, when it is incomplete, be released by a short press on the left push button of the line considered. As long as the correction is not received, it is considered not to have been completed and it is in particular impossible to switch to a situation other than the command situation in front and the command situation in reverse. It is clear that the short receipt pressure does not cause the line display type to shift, and this is the exception previously mentioned. In addition, as long as we make corrections, we can easily go from correction forward to correction back without going back each time through working situations in STT tables and non-SNC correction. As soon as all the corrections started have been received, the cycle of four positions for controlling the corrections (long press on the lower left push-button, control by the arrows in the lower left), becomes applicable again.

The speed (normal, RN, table I RTI and table II RTH) is selected by long presses on the upper left button BPH '. The succession is: RN, RTI, RTII, RN .... The table sign, imitating the characters I and II, at the top left, appears in correspondence. A particular consequence of the presence of a correction, that is to say a current correction not yet receipted, is that the passage of the regime nor _- evil regime tables, and vice versa, is not possible. If we are in normal mode, we stay there constantly, regardless of any long press on the upper left button, and if we are in table mode, long presses on the upper left button move from table I to the table II, then from Table II to Table I, etc.

It should be noted that the corrections made always concern the information that is displayed.

In C13, fig. 2, there is for example the correction situation backwards. In C12, fig. 2, a small line, which will make if necessary an angle with the line of indication RTI, indicates that the mode table I RTI which one could call will be of a special type, "without automatic alignment", peculiarity which will be discussed below.

After a long press on the upper left button BPH, we switch to table I RTI mode, and the display of a vertical line appears at the top left. When the RTI table mode appears, it is always the first information of the cycle which appears, that is to say that there is on the top line the time difference EH, on the middle line the time zone and latitude FHL, and on the bottom line the date DT. For the hours and the date, we distinguish the date table DT from the date in normal mode DN, and the table time HT from the time in normal mode HN, although they are displayed on the same lines (hands not in the same conditions).

The middle line indicates the time zone, from zero to 24 according to the classic designations. The latitude is indicated in degrees by the two main display stations on the right, and in tenths of a degree by the auxiliary display station on the far right; the upper point of the two points indicates north latitude and the lower point of the two points indicates south latitude.

The time difference (upper line) indicates, directly in hours and minutes, the longitude of the point considered in relation to that of the center of the indicated time zone. When the official time at the point considered is that of its own time zone, the difference. time is at most 30 min, in the center of the time zone the time difference is 00. On the other hand, when a point has the official time in a time zone other than the one in which it is located (for example the Bre- tagne has, in summer, the time of time zone 2 while it is in the West of the center of the time zone O) the time difference can take values exceeding one hour. The advantage of expressing this longitudinal position in this way is that the measurement is independent of the latitude and which is most familiar to users. It also has the advantage that the transition to DST is simply done by increasing the time zone by one row and increasing the time difference by one hour. For searches for geographic positions based on solar surveys, a function which will be examined below, the indication of the time difference is also used; for reasons of convenience, however, the time difference was limited to 6 h 59 min more or less. The regions which can have the official time of a given time zone, according to the possibilities of the watch, therefore extend over six time zones on either side of this time zone, that is to say say about half of a terrestrial circumference. To express the other positions, it will in any case be necessary to refer to the antipode time zone. Thus, one could for example designate all the places of the earth by referring either to the meridian of Greenwich (time zone O), or to the meridian 180 of the Aleutian Islands, (time zone 12). In fact, it is rare that official time deviates more than 3 hours from local time; everywhere you know the time in which time zone you have, and you know how much the effective noon is behind or ahead of the center of this time zone.

The three pieces of information EH, FHL and DT, thus fix the place, in longitude and in latitude, and the date, of the point considered. Going then to the second position of the display cycle, we will obtain (always in table mode) the height of the sun on the upper line, the time on the middle line, and the azimuth of the sun on the lower line. Under these conditions, if the time remaining on the center line is the current time, and if the geographical location of the watch has been set to the point where it is located, the upper and lower lines respectively will indicate automatically the position of the sun, in height and azimuth., at the current time and place. Every minute, the two informed AS, HS azimuth and solar height will be corrected, along with the current minutes information. It is however possible to separate the displayed time from the current time and show, for example on the middle line, another time of the day, by correcting forwards or backwards. As soon as this correction is confirmed (receipted), the calculator part of the watch starts up and automatically realigns the indications AS and HS (azimuth and solar height) according to the new time. Similarly, you can correct the azimuth information AS, or the solar height information HS, the other two pieces of information automatically re-align with that which has just been corrected as soon as the correction is received. This constitutes the completely original feature of the operation of the watch in table I RTI mode. In this regime, one can also show for example the height of the sun on the upper line, the time on the middle line, and the date on the lower line. If the last realignment was done on time, or if there has not been realignment yet, any modification of the date will automatically cause a realignment of the solar height information according to the date, l 'hour kept. At the same time, the solar azimuth information, temporarily not displayed but still present, is also realigned taking into account the new date. We can thus know for example how high the sun will be in a specific place for any day of the year. If the last alignment before the date correction was made for example on the solar height, the realignment according to the date is done with conservation of the solar height and redetermination of the time at which, on the new date, the sun will be at the fixed height (for example 26.4 °, the fourth hour of prayer for Muslims).

In table I RTI regime, a particularly interesting possibility is offered by the "MONOBLOC" corrections. These are specific positions of the HS solar height which are pre-established and which can be displayed as a whole, without the need to correct the HS value step by step. There are three main "monoblock" positions, namely the sunrise, the passage from the sun to the meridian (maximum height) and the sunset. These three particular situations can be brought to the display, the first, sunrise, by a long press on the upper right button BPH the second, midday, by a long press on the button in the middle right BPM, and the third , sunset, by a long press on the lower right button BPB. These three particular positions will interest practically all users. In addition, there are three positions which will be especially important for the followers of the Moslem religion, it is the position "dawn", sun rising still 12 ° below the horizon, the position "decline", sun descending another 26.4 ° above the horizon, and "twilight", sun descending 12 ° below the horizon. These three positions can be called respectively, the first, dawn, by a short press on the upper right button BPH (position close to the lever, same button), the second, decline, by a short press on the middle button 3 BPM (position close to noon, same button), and the third, dusk, by a short press on the lower right button BPB (position close to bedtime, same button). These "monoblock" positions take place in switchboard I mode when working on switchboard STT, and this independently of the displays which appear when the corresponding buttons are pressed. The center line and bottom line displays remain what they are, that is to say that if, by chance, for example the lower display shows the date at this time, the date will remain displayed, but the setting of the solar azimuth position AS will still be done, and the information will appear as soon as the azimuth and not the date are displayed on the lower line. The same goes for the midline. On the other hand, the monoblock corrections obligatorily establish on the upper line the display of the solar height HS, because this display makes it possible to recognize the monoblock positions.

"; cela est montré par exemple en C24 à la fig. 2. Enfin, lorsque dans sa course descendante, le soleil est plus près de la fin du jour que de midi, le "

" s'orne d'une barre supérieure pour devenir "3", comme cela est visible en C25 à la fig. 2. Ensuite, lorsque le soleil passe au minimum sous l'horizon (minuit vrai), le "H" s'orne d'une barre inférieure, ayant l'allure d'un "

" comme on le voit par exemple en C16 à la fig. 2.By the way, it is necessary to indicate how the display of the solar height is determined as to whether the sun is in the ascending part of its course or in the descending part of its course, or even at its peak or at its perigee. On the upper line, if the solar height HS is displayed, the two main display digits on the right indicate the value of the solar height in degrees (maximum 90 ⁰ ) and the auxiliary digit, on the far right, indicates the tenths of a degree. The digit immediately to the left of the position of the two points (which do not appear for this display) is reserved for the sign "-", for heights below the horizon. The last digit to the left displays an "h" when the sun is in the rising part of its course, closer to noon than to midnight, that is to say in the morning. When the sun is in its ascent, but even closer to 00 h than noon, the fi is provided with an upper horizontal bar, as seen for example in C21 in fig. 2. Then, when the sun reaches its maximum position (meridian) the sign becomes an "H" as shown for example in C23 in fig. 2. Then, when the sun goes down, but is even closer to noon than to midnight, the "h" reverses to become "

"; this is shown for example in C24 in fig. 2. Finally, when in its downward course, the sun is closer to the end of the day than noon, the "

"is decorated with an upper bar to become" 3 ", as can be seen in C25 in fig. 2. Then, when the sun passes at least below the horizon (midnight true), the" H "s has a lower bar, looking like a "

"as seen for example in C16 in fig. 2.

It should be noted that for the "H" and "H" positions, it is not necessary to indicate the value of the height, it is simply indicated that it is the maximum or the minimum, the watch charges to calculate the height.

Monoblock corrections simply apply the desired value of the solar parameter HS, with the desired sign, and the calculator does the rest.

(ou

) -12,0":aube, "h" (ou h) 00,0"; lever, "H... (valeur quelconque calculée par la montre)";midi, soleil au méridien "h 26,4"; déclin, h (ou h) 00,0"; coucher et "h (ou h) -12,0"; crépuscule. Ceci correspond aux six positions de la colonne centrale de la fig. 2.The middle column of fig. 2, that is to say positions C21 to C26, illustrates the six successive monoblock positions. These can be recognized by the following HS values: "

(or

) -12.0 ": dawn," h "(or h) 00.0"; sunrise, "H ... (any value calculated by the watch)"; noon, sun at the meridian "h 26.4"; decline, h (or h) 00.0 "; bedtime and" h (or h) -12.0 "; twilight. This corresponds to the six positions of the central column of fig. 2.

In table mode, the time and date can correspond to the current time, or can be out of sync. All to the left, slightly above the middle line (able to display the time) and the lower line (suitable to display date) are signs which are either "p" or "o". The transition from one sign to another is done by adding or deleting the vertical bar. This display only appears in table mode. The "p" indicates that we have the "present time", as the case may be for the hour and / or for the date. The other sign "o" indicates that the time is out of sync, depending on the date or time. It is obvious that, as soon as a time correction is made, or a solar height correction HS which should cause a realignment of the time, or a solar azimuth correction AS which should cause a realignment of the time, or even a correction " monobloc "which should cause the time to be realigned, the time indication, in table I mode, is automatically desynchronized. As for the date, it will desynchronize only if it undergoes a correction (or a memory call, a function which will be examined below). It should be noted that, by double pressing the left middle button and the left lower button respectively, it is possible to desynchronize and resynchronize the time and date respectively, in tabular mode.

For work in table mode, the time and date are supported by work registers separate from the counter registers which establish the current time and date. We can thus modify the position of time and date, for example to know the height of the sun in three months - at 7:30 in the morning, without losing the information of time and current time which will come back automatically if the the date and / or the time are resynchronized and which will reappear in a compulsory manner if one returns to normal RN mode.

With the watch in question, when you switch to table mode from normal mode (and in a situation of non-CNS correction), the time and date information in the table which appears first is not that of the work registers but those of normal time registers. This allows, by a very simple manipulation, to always know the solar positions at the very moment that we live. If an attempt is made to correct a time or date in this situation, this correction does not take place, but in exchange for the time and / or the date, they are out of sync. The next correction will be effective. Then, when the date and time are resynchronized (using a double press on the corresponding left button), the working register aligns with the current hour or date counter, but the information is not taken directly from the current time and date counters. Desynchronization from the aforementioned particular primitive position can also be done by double pressing the corresponding button on the left. The signs "p" or "o" are established on the far left of the watch anyway in correspondence with what has been indicated previously. It should be noted that these questions of synchronization and desynchronization of the time and date information in table mode are resolved in exactly the same way in the table II RTII regime, which will be examined below.

The question of location remains to be seen. In principle, the watch memorizes three different places, each given by a time difference value EH, a time zone value FH and a latitude value L. The watch includes three places memories "LOC A", "LOC B", "LOC C". The information "LOC A" is that of the "home port location, it is (with one exception which will be examined below) always that place which intervenes for the usual time, in normal RN mode. It is true that the place is not displayed in this scheme, but implicitly, it is the place of home port LOC A that counts.

In tabular mode, the maintenance of the LOC A home port takes place at the beginning in the same way as the usual time and the usual date, as mentioned above. Then, as soon as one wants to make a correction of place, or as soon as one tends to make a change of place, it is the work regime of the place which provides the place information. The changes of places are made in a cycle of four or five, by long presses on the left middle button BPPZ '. Their control is given by a group of four points located on the far left in the middle, between the two markings "p". The four points of this group occupy approximately the three vertices and the middle of the base of an isosceles triangle placed on its base (equal oblique sides). In principle, the marking of a point indicates LOC A, the marking of the two points one beside the other indicates LOC B and the marking of three points one beside the other indicates LOC C. The marking three points in a triangle indicates that the workplace is no longer determined by one of the three locations A, LOC B, LOC C. As for the single point which indicates LOC A, if it is at the top (top upper triangle) it means that this LOC A is that of the home port taken for itself at the start of the array regime, while if it is on the far left of the base, it indicates that it is the location work register synchronized to LOC A (as it could also be synchronized to LOC B, or synchronized to LOC C, or even non-synchronized). Apart from the fact that it does not automatically change every minute or every 24 hours, the LOC A home port register plays the same role as the usual time counters for the time and date.

Theoretically, the exact time counting is done in connection with the most late time on the planet, that is to say that of time zone 12. In registers, time zones are counted in such a way that the time zone 12 has the value zero, the time zone 0 Greenwich) has the value 12 and the time zone 11 (Australia, New Zealand) has the value 23. In addition, to take into account the fact that the last time zones could possibly introduce the time d 'summer, or even double summer time, or one hour ahead of three hours, time zones 24, 25, 26 are provided, which, for the display are called 12', 13 ', 14', the '' being displayed in front of the 1 of the number 12, 13 and 14, on the center line, left part, of the watch.

The transformation of the denomination of time zones is simply done on the display, a weighting bit 12 being inverted. When changing the time zone to be considered, the usual time, always calculated for the most late time zone, is increased by a number of units equal to the rank of the time zone (according to the particular series mentioned above). Thus, the information of the home port location, although not provided under normal conditions, is subjacent to the provision of information of the current time and date instead of the home port, that is to say i.e. hourly information provided under normal conditions. We can, however, without departing from the normal regime, have the time given, for a brief instant, by the center line of the display of the watch, no longer at the home port, but at the place present in the workplace register. For this, in normal mode, it suffices to make a long press on the left middle button BPM 'which, in table mode, is used to change place, and which, in this case, just as long as it is pressed beyond the first second, causes, for display, the replacement of the home port by the place contained in the work register. There is an easy possibility to know at all times, without other manipulations of the watch, the time that it is in an important place, for example in New York for a Swiss businessman with interests in New York, or in Cairo for an Egyptian residing in Hong Kong.

We have seen approximately the role of the eighteen commands in the normal RN regime and in the RTI table I regime. However, the role of a double press on the upper left button BPH remains to be seen. Under normal conditions, such a double pressure has the effect of starting the preparation of the special Table I regime, then, if necessary, to trigger it, etc. This is represented by a small bar at the top left, as seen in C12 in fig. 2. In table I regime, such a double pressure can only have the effect of eliminating the special table I regime, in order to return to the normal table I regime. In addition, such a double pressure, in either of the table modes, has the effect, if all the displays are in the second position of the cycle (HS, HT, AS), to bring all the displays back to the first position (EH, F _H L, DT). If all the displays are not in the second position, a first double press on the upper left button brings them all to the second position, then the next double press brings them back to the first, and so on.

We also have not yet seen the role of a double press on one of the right pushbuttons, in switchboard mode and in transfer of STT switchboards. Such a command causes a "memory call" of the information displayed on the line in question. By memory call, we mean the supply to the corresponding work register of information previously stored, the work registers of the time, the date, the azimuth AS and the solar height HS, all having a memory appendix from which the content value can be drawn at any time, if desired. The writing in the appendix-memory of the registers can only be done in table II mode, as will be explained below. The call-memory, on the other hand, intervenes in the two tables regimes, provided that one is in a transfer situation in STT tables (indicated by a double arrow at the bottom right). It will be recalled that the special table I regime (RTIS) is similar to the table I regime, except that the automatic alignments are not made. If therefore, this special regime being engaged, we make for example a monobloc call, the height information so the range will be established in the upper line, but the two time and azimuth information will not be realigned.

We also note that, with the scheme in Table I, it is possible to introduce unacceptable values. For example, as shown in C15 in fig. 2, for a latitude of 6.4 ° south, the azimuth. solar 232.7 (measured from the north going east), may be nonexistent, if it is in summer. Indeed, for such latitude, during the summer months (May, June, July August), the sun remains night and day in the northern hemisphere and its azimuth is never between 90 ° and 270; but always below 90 or beyond 270 °. In the case illustrated in C15 in fig. 2, the watch detects that this is data that cannot be processed and indicates it by flashing the two lower vertical segments located furthest to the left on the upper and lower lines, as indicated by the dotted line in field C15 in fig. 2. Other possibilities of "impossible operation" or "forecasting" exist, and the watch translates them all by such a flashing of these two segments.

In table II RTII mode, the functions of the left buttons remain the same as in table I mode (except that a double press on the upper left button can no longer establish the special mode I, its effect on this point is nonexistent in RTII mode; its gathering effect in position I or II of the line display cycle is however as active in table II RTII as in table I RTI As for the buttons on the right, their functions are different in table II mode. First of all, in this table II regime, there is no automatic readjustment between the three variables "time" (HT), "solar height" (HS) and "solar azimuth" (AS), the date and the place used as parameters, but, in this regime table II, all the values can be entered and corrected at will, without mutual realignment. On the other hand, in table II regime, it is possible to carry out research on the basis of solar readings of the azimuth AS and of the height HS in a given instant, not necessarily but advantageously known. In this table system, three searches are possible, these are RD date search, RL latitude search and RDL date and latitude search. The date search allows, latitude being accepted as known, to calculate the effective date on the basis of a solar reading (AS, HS). It is activated by a short press on the lower right button. The latitude search RL allows, the date being accepted as known and exact, to search the latitude on the basis of a solar survey. It is engaged with a short press on the right middle push button BPM, in table II mode with the work situation in table UKKTT. Finally, the RDL date and latitude search is controlled using a short press on the BPH push button, in RTII mode and in working situation in STT tables, on the basis of two solar readings, the date as the latitude being assumed to be unknown and to be found. For this last search, we first fix, on the upper and lower lines, the first statement "HS, AS", then we store these two values (in a way that will be explained later) and we introduce the HS and AS values of the second reading, on which we operate a short press on the upper right button. If the center line then displays the time zone and latitude, the latitude of the point where the readings were taken will be automatically marked. Otherwise, it will be present and will only wait for the passage on the latitude display to be displayed. The same will apply to the date. Note that, once you have entered the azimuth of the second reading on the lower line, you can display on this line the date display, the azimuth present but not displayed will be used identically for the search.

The formulas used for the different alignments and searches are contained in the calculator which we will study later, in conjunction with the study of the internal circuits of the watch.

In table II RTII mode, when working in RTT tables, a double press on a right button causes a similar memory call.
However, this is the case in Table I mode. A long press on these buttons causes the information displayed on the corresponding line to be stored in memory, provided that it is suitable for being stored. The values of solar height HS, working hour HT, working date DT and solar azimuth AS, can all be stored in an appendix-memory of the corresponding register. The values of time difference EH and time zone latitude FHL, which together form the location information, can be stored in the three location storage means LOC A, LOC B, LOC C, provided that only simultaneously the two information ₁ En on the upper line and FHL on the middle line are present. When this is the case, long presses on the upper right button BPH establish the choice between the place designations to be re-supplied with place information, that is to say between LOC A, LOC B, LOC C and a long press on the right middle button BPM causes the transfer of the location information displayed at this time to this location. One can thus, after having established a certain place, for example by a search of latitude, memorize this place for example in LOC C or LOC A.

Regarding date and / or latitude searches, it must be said that the watch, after having found the date and / or latitude, determines what time The reading in question should have taken place, if it had been made at the longitude corresponding to the EH value contained in the watch, relative to the center of the time zone indicated in the watch. If the watch indicates a time close to the one that could actually be read as the current time when taking the reading, it means that the value EH, and therefore the longitude, is exact. If there are differences, it is because the longitude position is wrong, and we can then restore it by searching for EH. This is done by returning the display of EH to the upper line, and writing on the middle line not the time calculated by the watch, but the time it was during the reading. In the watch, the local time register keeps the time calculated by the watch. A short press on the upper right button BPH causes a time difference search EH, that is to say causes the watch to store a time difference such that, at the local time stored inside the watch (and nowhere displayed ) corresponds to the displayed calendar time, taken at the same time as the height and azimuth of the sun to take stock. It is clear that if we then obtain an EH of approximately 6 hours, this is proof that we do not have the correct time zone on the watch and we will correct this time zone so that the EH is close to 0 h or 1 h.

It is also possible to carry out a search for an EH not following a search or alignment operation but having set up the local time register from the calendar time, which is done automatically when the a calendar hour is stored. In the other conditions, a search for HE is not necessary. Note that if the search for EH were to give a time difference greater than 7 h, this would result in a blinking of proscription, after which it would be necessary to take the time zone of the antipode and repeat the operation. It should also be noted that for date or latitude searches it is possible to introduce into the watch fanciful data which does not correspond to any latitude or date. In this case, the watch itself detects this fanciful data and provides "proscite" information, as shown for example in C36 in FIG. 2. Indeed, an azimuth. greater than 180 ° cannot appear with a rising sun, in this case still in a height position -3 °, and the watch, having considered that one of the information given is morning information while the other is information in the afternoon, refuses to do this impossible search and translates this refusal by the blinking indicated in dotted lines in field C36 in fig. 2.

Concerning the choice of LOC where the registration of the place must be made, it is indicated by a flashing of the points which otherwise indicate which is the place which governs the operation, that is to say by a flashing point if it is LOC A, two flashing dots next to each other if it is LOC B (as shown in C34 in fig. 2) or three flashing dots one next to the other if it is LOC C.

We have just seen, almost completely, what the watch's functions are, as they appear to the user. We will now consider the internal structure of the calculator watch. During these explanations, certain particular external functions, which have not yet been mentioned until now, will appear either in the light of the drawing, or in conjunction with the explanations concerning the drawing. Fig. 3 shows how the different groups of the watch circuit are subdivided, the subdivisions adopted in the drawing being however approximate, the interdependence of the circuits not making it possible to locate them all exactly in one group or the other. In general, provision is made to provide the watch with a double integrated circuit, that is to say an integrated circuit in two parts, one comprising approximately what is shown in FIGS. 4, 5a, 5b and 6, and the other, in the form of a microprocessor, comprising the elements required to carry out the programs symbolized in FIGS. 7a, 7b and 7c. The integrated circuit can either be a large circuit, comprising a part of the "watchmaker LSI" type for components other than the calculator, and a "microprocessor" part for the calculator, ie a two-level integrated circuit, one for one part and the other for the other part, with however the possibility of very numerous interconnections, carried out directly on the double integrated circuit. Alternatively, one could also have two separate integrated circuit wafers, with multiple interconnectors, of the mille-feuille type, which automatically ensure correct interconnections provided that the superposition of the two integrated circuits is fairly accurate.

In fig. 4, we see an oscillator Osc, with crystal crystal, of a type known per se, which feeds a frequency divider. This frequency divider supplies a timing circuit which produces all the pulses useful for the operation of the watch, according to the adequate time relationships. This timing circuit produces in particular second pulses for the operation of the current time counting chain. These second pulses are. successively counted in a seconds counter, a minutes counter, a counter. hours, followed by a binary A / P counter, a date counter comprising a date count, a month count and a year count according to an annual cycle (Ancy) for the leap year cycle. The date counter automatically establishes the date counting on the number of days required according to the month, and according to the year for the month of February. The date counter is followed by a "11 GREG" counter which counts a cycle of -11 years for "Gregorian corrections" affecting the exact time of the spring equinox. We know that, according to the Gregorian calendar which skips three leap years in 400 years, the exact time of the spring equinox, compared to a leap year (an offset of 6.12, 18 h respectively) for the three other years) advance approximately 2 hrs every 11 years. The "11 GREG" counter provides two pulses every 11 years which will be used to keep up to date an adequate memory contained in the calculator part. Finally, the time counting chain includes a day of the week counter, with a cycle of seven, receiving a pulse per day like the date counter. All these counters are visible at the top of fig. 4. In front of each counter stage, there is a stage marked T, which receives the timing pulses, the correction information for the next counter, as well as information signaling a backward correction situation. These stages establish the appropriate time relationships for sending the pulses to all the counters which are of the synchronous type. The timing is based on periods of exactly 1/8 sec and which, due to binary division, encompass 128, periods of approximately 1 ms (exactly 1/1024 sec). These "ms" are themselves divided into "µs", this unit being the operating scale of a calculator. The first of the 128 ms is reserved for setting up the different circuit conditions for the different functions. The following ms include the transmission of normal advance information from the comp chain tage of usual time. Then there are the corrections that the stage T preceding each counter applies to the counter either during the third ms or during the fourth ms, depending on whether it is a forward or backward correction. The counters in the current time counting chain are bidirectional and, in principle, count forward. They receive information (input drawn on the top of the counters in fig. 4) which puts them in a counting backward situation, during the fourth ms, when the normal RN regime is simultaneously (which allows corrections of the current time counting chain) the SCAR backward correction situation and the observation that a correction is in progress (CEC). In this case, the corrections work in the opposite direction, whatever they are. The fact of putting the counters in a counting backward situation only when absolutely necessary, avoids having, in each counter, very many switching operations which would intervene in the vast majority of cases in a completely superfluous manner. Such synchronous counting chains have been sufficiently described and there is no need to go into them further. For the counter "11 GREG", the four weighting bits 1, 2, 4, 8 and the gates which combine them have been drawn so as to obtain a positive pulse for the passages O to 1 and 6 to 7, and, in in case of counting backwards, a negative pulse for the passages from 1 to O and from 7 to 6 (COPEQ pulses).

In fig. 4, it can be seen that the information of the time zone FH '(starting from O_in time zone 12, the most late) is applied to a static adder which receives the information of the hours. The time information, initially established for the most late time zone is therefore advanced to the extent desired to give the time of the considered time zone. We saw that there are was time zones 12 ', 13' ,, 14 ', which, in the counting starting from time zone 12, give respectively 24, 25, and '26 hours in advance. The information FH ′ is on a cycle of twelve, plus one bit _- of weighting 12, plus one bit of weighting 24. The carryovers of the addition can therefore, if necessary, be two and not one. They are applied to incrementing stages which increment the date and day of the week information by one or two. These incrementers, like the adders, are of a known type (formed of three-input adder stages, a weighting output identical to the inputs and a weighting output double that of the inputs), however preparation circuits P are necessary for these incrementers, taking into account the fact that the cycles of dates and days of the week are shortened compared to a power of two. For example, the day of the week counter is an eight (o to 7) counter arranged so that position 1 and not position O automatically follows position 7. When one or two units must be added to the position 7 or when two units must be added at position 6, it is a question of adding a third unit so that the incrementer also jumps to the zero position. Stage P for the day of the week incrementer is therefore a normal "three-input two-output adder", additionally comprising a door which admits the input from position 7 of the counter only when a of the other two inputs (carryover from the adder) controls an increment of one unit. A similar arrangement is established in the preparation stage P of the incrementer for the date; it receives adequate orders from one of the positions 28, 29, 30 or 31, depending on the length of the current month.

The arrangement of establishment of times and dates as just explained, has the advantage that, when the information of the time zone is increased time to be considered, the time information advances automatically, the time therefore always remains adequately preserved.

To the left of fig. 4, we see the memories of the LOC A, LOC B and LOC C information. These memories are supplied via gate circuits allowing the introduction of the location output information under commands respectively mmLA, mmLB and mmLC . In the drawing, the blocks in the middle of which is represented the drawing of a double AND gate (forming a B if the arrangement is vertical) are AND gate circuits which include a plurality (as many as necessary to transmit all the bits necessary) of AND doors, all controlled by the input of the door circuit. The output of the location information is provided by an arrangement of selection gates formed by two AND gate circuits, controlled additionally, then by an OR gate circuit. One of the AND gate circuits going into normal RN mode and, if necessary, at the start of RT mode, transmits the information from LOC A (home port location), while the other of these circuits - doors, passing when the other is not, transmits location information from a workplace counter (CTlieu). We see different door circuits and connection input circuits which allow this place counter to take independent values or to align with one of the three LOCs, or to grasp information coming from the calculator (EH _r , L _r (λ _r , Latt.).

The calculator works with information from the transformed time zone (0 in western Alaska, 12 in Greenwich). On the other hand, the display gives the time zones according to the classic numbering. For this, the information FHaff is obtained by directly transmitting bits 1, 2, 4, 8, 24 of the time zone signal, and by transmitting bit 12 of this signal with an inversion.

In fig. 4, we also see an hour counter for table work (CT HT), and a date counter for table work (CT DT). Here, once again, a system of door circuits similar to that described for the place and which the person skilled in the art will immediately understand upon seeing the diagram in FIG. 4 allows these counters either to have their content synchronized with that of the counter counting the current time, or to have their own value, or taken from their auxiliary memory (commands amHT, amDT), either from corrections, or from alignment with information from the calculator (UHT, UDT commands). Storage is also ensured by suitable control signals acting on doors.

In fig. 4, we still see the counter of solar azimuth values (CT AS), subject to align by memory call, by correction, or by implantation of content coming from the calculator (from two places of this one AS _r1 and AS _r2 ). It is noted that for all the work elements which do not have to ensure the advance of the usual time at the same time as corrections, the information of situation of correction in reverse SCAR is applied not to the control stage T but directly to the counter, to put it in the desired counting position.

Fig. 4 also shows the work counter for the solar height (CTHS). While the azimuth counter counted from 00.0 to 359.9, always in positive value, the solar height counter counts, by tenth of a degree, from 0.0 to +90.0 and -90.0. In addition, this solar height counter is accompanied by a six-cycle SHS counter (HS sign), for the six signs "F ₁ ", "r ₁ ", "H", "r ₁ ", "F ₁ "," H ", which make it possible to recognize the various parts of the solar race. The arrangement of the solar height meter is similar to that of the solar azimuths, it has however this particular that the SHS part (also present in the joint memory) delivers information 0 which distinguishes the group "h", "H", "r ₁ " from the group "r ₁ ", "H "," F ₁ ", it also delivers information A, M, P (from English: Ante Meridian, Meridian, Post Meridian) which delimits the part of the race to the east (r ₁ , h) the two positions to the meridian (H, r ₁ ) and the part of the race to the west (r ₁ , r ₁ ). This six-position SHS circuit can be reset by a large amount of information (SHS _r1,2 ... ⊕ _⊖ and by SHS _r AMP information). Furthermore, resetting ⊕, ⊖, also affects the SHS part of the memory; this case is the only one in the watch where an auxiliary memory receives external commands other than normal storage.

For its alignment, the CT HS solar height meter receives two separate _pieces of information from the calculator, HS _r1 , HS _r2 , and it also receives the six monoblock orders: "Dawn", "rise", "noon", "decline", "sunset", "twilight". Each time, by internal connections to the meter, the desired solar height position (or the SHS = _H position, for the midday position), is established in a way equivalent to what would be obtained by value corrections made step by step, so much more laboriously.

The circuit of fig. 4 also includes a register of local hours REG HL, which only receives data from the calculator and provides it, it should be noted that this register is arranged so as to supply the calculator (and receive it) on one side the information of the hours and minutes in hours and minutes, and on the other side this information transformed into angles (15 ° for one hour, 1/4 ° for one minute). In fig. 4, we still have a flip-flop providing the information (SD ±), which is used to distinguish the two possible date possibilities during a date search. Furthermore, a RS-type flip-flop, formed of two gates, receives information R _d + and R _d - and provides information R _d , this information, supplied by the calculator, used by the latter in certain cases, and displayed together with the time information when it occurs, indicates that the time found is not that of the day in question but that of the solar race of the day in question, in the event that this distinction is required by a significant EH time difference. This case is illustrated in C16 of fig. 2. We sought here the situation of the sun at perigee. By definition, the day begins at perigee, local time 00 h 00 min, and ends just before the next perigee, local time 23 h 59 min. In this case, the sun goes to perigee by 21.0 below the horizon (it is a Nordic country on June 19) and if the offset was zero, we would have the official time 0.0 in correspondence with this passage to the perigee. The place considered being 36 min east of the center of the time zone of which it has the official time, this passage to the perigee takes place at 23 h 24 (11 h 24 P, according to the American designation used here) and it it is 11:24 p.m. on June 18 and not June 19, despite the indication on the bottom line. This distinction is given by the lower vertical segment to the far left of the center line (never used to indicate hours in this way). Its activation is given by the signal Rd which is seen at the bottom of FIG. 4. Note that, for a conventional 24-hour display, the distinctive index in question could appear on the far right, since the A / P indication would not be necessary.

In fig. 5a and 5b, we first see six circuits of input pushbuttons which have the same designations as the pushbuttons in FIG. 1. Internally these circuits all include the layout shown in the diagram in fig. 8. This logic diagram, easily understandable to those skilled in the art, ensures an absolute distinction between the three commands LP (long pressure), CP (short pressure) and DP (double pressure). It also allows, as can be seen, a mutual locking by six lines VM, one conditioned by the circuit and the other five conditioning it, in such a way that, whatever happens, there can never be two input circuits which deliver simultaneously an order. In principle, the first actuated push button has priority; in the event of absolutely simultaneous actuation, a cross lock would exist which, quite simply, would prevent both of the commands from being issued. In fig. 5a and 5b, mutual locking is represented by a line in strong lines connecting the six similar circuits, each supplying one of these six lines and receiving the signal from the other five. At the circuit control input, a flip-flop avoids the possible rebound effects of the mechanical push button. An output FS ₁ "Q" is used for commands, such as that of the time display in another place, previously considered, which requires a long prolonged press of a push button.

The circuit receives a timing at 8 Hz, it discriminates the kind of pulses during eight steps of this timing and delivers the desired command just after one second.

In fig. 5a and 5b, there is shown separately, which is correct, the three control outputs CP, DP, LP, for each of the six push button circuits.

Figs. 5a and 5b using the conventional symbols of the doors and the flip-flops can be understood without difficulty by a person skilled in the art of electronics. Fig. 5b shows the selection of RN, RTI, RTII regimes, as well as the selection of situations of non-correction, correction forwards, correction for backwards and work on tables. Figs. 5a, 5b are again arranged synoptically, by display line, and it can be seen that the left pushbuttons deliver pulses β ₁ , β ₂ , β ₃ which, in a correction situation, suppress the delivery of a signal LBl, 2,3, which indicated that this line was free to correct. In this case, a general signal LB, signifying release, disappears to make way for a general signal CEC (bottom of fig. 5a) indicating "correction in progress". It is easy to understand, from the game of gates and flip-flops, how a short pulse on the line considered puts an end to the correction regime and restores liberation. An identical circuit CIBL 1, 2, 3 performs the receipt of the corrections on each line, the internal arrangement of only one of these circuits has been designed, the two others being identical. In fig. 5a, we also see how the LB function, or its inverse CEC acts to restrict the choice of regimes and to only maintain the SCAV and SCAR correction situations, in accordance with what has been previously indicated. Besides, the circuit functions of fig. 5 consists in supplying the display commands, in accordance with the display cycle previously indicated. An additional command cq, cq is provided, when the push button controlling the change of speed is kept pressed for more than one second. The role of this cq command will be explained later in connection with the operation of the calculator, it is the restoration of the equinox time information. A set of flip-flops and doors at the bottom right of fig. 5a, also works in conjunction with certain circuits of the calculator; it will be explained later in connection with the operation of the latter.

It is easy to understand in FIG. 5a under what circumstances the different orders are given, and we will see, mainly in connection with FIG. 6 and equal in conjunction with FIG. 5b, what are these different orders for?

Fig. 5b represents the distribution of the nine different orders which can be given by the three pushbuttons on the right. The diagram, which mainly includes AND gates, clearly shows how these commands are distributed according to the SC correction situation or the working situation in STT tables, as well as according to the RTI and RTII regimes, as well. although according to the displays which are controlled by the commands from the circuits of FIG. 5a. To the left of fig. 5b, the various commands are designated by their name, they are intended either for the general diagram of FIG. 4, or in the general control diagram of FIG. 6, some commands are also directed to the circuit elements of FIG. 5a.

In fig. 5b, it can also be seen that a certain number of commands are joined by OR gates; the resulting signals are applied mainly at points of the control circuits of FIG. 6, to desynchronize the working time, the working date, the place. The six commands "AUBE", "LEVER", MIDI "," DECLIN "," CREPUSCULE ", are combined into a signal" MONO "which in particular acts on the two flip-flops represented at the top of Fig. 5a to ensure the display of the solar height on the first line.

In connection with the external functioning of the watch, we have seen that, for corrections, a short pulse acted on the first main digit on the right, a long pulse acted on the first main digit on the left (just to the left of the place of the two display points) and that the double pulse acted either on the tens digit (located just to the right of the location of the two points), or on the auxiliary digit, which generally represents tenths. For example for correction of the information "time zone, latitude", a short pulse acts on the digit of the latitude degree units. A double pulse acts on the command of tenths of a degree of latitude and a long pulse acts on the time zone units if it is the first to intervene since corrections are in progress, on the other hand it acts on the digit of tens of degrees , if, beforehand, the units or tenths of degrees have been corrected. To this end, a PDC circuit shown at the bottom of FIG. 5b in detail and which splits the correction command by a long pulse in the above-mentioned manner. The diagram in the PDC frame is easy to understand, an RS type flip-flop formed of two REVERSE gates, (which switches to the working position when sending a short pulse or a double pulse and which returns to the rest position during the release intervening when all the corrections are received) switches the command of the long pulse either to the tens (second main digit from the right) or to the next digit (in the case of azimuths the hundreds degree, in the case of time zone and latitude display on time zone units).

We also see that the RDL command, date and place search, can only take place if, since the watch is in table II mode, a storage of the solar height HS and a storage of the solar azimuth AS both intervened, this being achieved by the set of doors visible at the bottom right of fig. 5b.

In addition, the REH, search - time difference command can only take place if the last setting of the local time register HL was made from the calculator, or if the time was saved local (mmHT) is previously inter come. This is achieved by the set of doors shown in the middle at the bottom of fig. 5b.

We will now consider fig. 6, which represents the general control of the watch and mainly of the calculator, as well as the control of the display. At the very top left, we see a set of three flip-flops and different doors which ensures synchronization and desynchronization of the date, as previously considered. A similar set, located just below, ensures time synchronization and desynchronization (in table mode). This set emits a TPDT signal for the date and a similar TPHT signal for the time, which, at the start of the table system, maintains the time and date coming directly from the time-counting chain to make if necessary, work the calculator (establishment of the solar height and the solar azimuth at the present moment). A similar signal tPDT for the date and tPHT for the time re-establishes the synchronization of the date and time, but this time via the working register of the date and the time. We note that the maintenance of time and date information coming directly from the counting chain at the start of the table system is only ensured if, in the previous normal system, we had the situation of non-correction SNC, so that three flip-flops, designated by the signs 61, 62 and 63 respectively, have entered the working state. If this has not been the case, that is to say if we have changed, for example, from the Table II regime to the Table I regime via the normal regime but in a correction situation, the Table I regime is restored directly with date, time and location information from work registers. We notice that the first desynchronization, calling into play the working registers, is immediate if we do, for example, a memory call of the time or a memory call of the date (amHT, amDT), or if an operation of the calculator tends to cause a particular position to be taken up in the working register of the date or time (UDT or UHT pulses), on the other hand if it is an attempt to correct the date or time which causes this first desynchronization, it has no other effect than the desynchronization itself, but without correction . This is necessary because the first desynchronization modifies the display in question and, to make a correction, it is necessary to know the starting position. For this, the signal tending to switch the flip-flop back to the working register, is applied to the flip-flop switching input, via an OR gate, the other of which receives a Fip signal which intervenes only at the end of the process. At the top left of fig. 6, we also see the door arrangement which, in switchgear mode, causes the display of the sign "p" or the sign "o", indicating that the date or time is synchronized or desynchronized. Towards the middle of fig. 6, on the left, a chain of four flip-flops, controlled by the CML change of location pulse, and incidentally by the Dip pulse which occurs at the start of the process and the Fip pulse which occurs at the end of the process, establishes the commands LA, LTA, LTB, LTC, which control the call of the location information stored in the memories LOC A, LOC B, LOC C. The structure of the doors represented makes it easy to see how this chain of flip-flops works . Below, four AND gates, an INVERSE OR gate and an OR gate establish the excitation of the points u, v, w, x arranged in a triangle, which indicate the situation of the place according to what has been previously indicated. To the right of these doors, a chain of three flip-flops allows the selection of a LOC memory, for the introduction into it of the information of location. This is naturally only possible in table II mode, the three flip-flops being imperatively reset to zero in normal RN mode and in table I RTI mode. The "mmLOC choice" command allows you to choose one of the three flip-flops, and by it one of the three LOC memories, then the "mmLOC act" command transfers the entire location displayed in the selected memory. These same flip-flops, via gates _' OR and AND ensure the flashing of a point, two points or three points, when a storage is possible respectively in LOC A, LOC B, LOC vs.

The main function of the circuit shown in fig. 6 is that for controlling the general and individual programs of the calculator. A number of IPS (single) and IPD (double) circuits, the internal construction of which is shown in fig. 6, form different signals which are then connected by an OR gate and cause realignments in table I mode, provided that there is no correction in progress (signal Lb) and provided that n '' does not have the special table mode (RTS signal). As can be seen, these IPS and IPD circuits give a command which, for IPS begins with the jump, depending on the positive or negative case, of the signal applied to the input of the circuit and ends at the next Fip pulse, and which, for double IPD circuits, starts at the next Fip pulse and ends at the next. By this arrangement, each time that a realignment on the HT table time or on the solar azimuth AS, or on the solar height HS, must take place, a signal appears on one of the three general program control inputs CPG 1 , CPG "where CPG 3 of the program control block. The choice of these three inputs is made by a set of three OR gates and three INVERSE OR gates, visible at the top right of fig. 6, and which points the signal from the large gate OR with fourteen inputs on one of the three previously indicated inputs of the program command, depending on the last correction or call-memory operation that took place, either on the hour or on the solar azimuth, or on the solar height. This constitutes the control of programs in table I mode.

In Table II regime, RL search orders; RD, etc. directly actuate IPS circuits, which as a variant could be skipped and, provided that there is no correction in progress and that one is in Table II mode, pulses of duration approximately 1/7 sec (until the next Fip pulse) is sent to CPG inputs 4-10 of the program control.

Depending on these input commands, the program command sends pulses which activate the various elementary programs of the calculator. The program control also sends pulses, at the end of a general program normally comprising a plurality of individual programs of the calculator, a pulse U (UHT, UDT ... UHS2) which, as we have seen in connection with fig. 4 causes the information produced by the calculation to be written in corresponding work registers of the information production circuits of FIG. 4. The details of these commands will still be considered in connection with the operation of the calculator.

At the bottom of fig. 6, the display has also been shown, which in this case is of the "segment / line" multiplexing type. This type of multiplexing is known, each line comprises 37 segments, including the two points, and each of the three lines, in turn, is capable of receiving an excitation voltage on the selected segments; in this way, the number of connections to the display is significantly reduced. The principle is known, the rear electrodes of two leagues on three receive a zero voltage (see fig. 6 at the bottom right) while the third line receives a S + - voltage. The segments receive, for their part, selectively, either the same voltage S + - and then there is no excitation, or the voltage S- + (see fig. 6 below on the right), and then the corresponding segment s 'excites in the line which does not receive zero voltage. The voltage S + -, instead of the zero voltage, is cyclically swapped rapidly on each of the three lines, at the same time as the MPX Segm multiplexer circuit selects the information for the corresponding line (high, middle, low ). It is clear that many other multiplexing systems would also be usable. Then, multiple doors let pass on each of the lines the information chosen by the circuits of fig. 5a (same designation as the information, but in lower case letters, for example s + js to control the display of the information S + JS). In the watch described below, we have chosen to have a decoder for information, taking into account the fact that the information has a certain disparity in appearance. It is quite clear that one could also provide a single decoder, but relatively more complicated, at the input of the display control by multiplexing.

As we have seen in the explanations concerning the general external operation of the watch, in some cases flashes are necessary. These flashes are applied to the corresponding decoder, as shown in FIG. 6. Note that in normal mode, as in table mode with synchronized hours, the colon flashes between the hour and minute information. However, they are fixed when the time is not synchronized. The instruction of "blinking not blinking of points is provided to the HNHT decoder for the hours, on the middle line, by a signal coming from an OR gate receiving on its inputs the signal RN, the signal TPHT and the signal tPHT.

For the date information, the indication of the year (0,1,2,3) is given only in a situation of correction, or then in a work situation in tables, in the regime table II. This is ensured by an adequate signal applied to the date decoder.

The "Flash 1, 2, 3, 4" signals cause the AS information and, in some cases, the date information, the time difference information and the solar height information, to flash in various ways, as saw it in connection with fig. 2. These signals are properly applied to decoders. A general CLIGN flashing signal from the timing circuit is applied to all decoders which must flash in certain cases.

We will now consider, in conjunction with FIGS. 7a, 7b and 7c, the operation of the calculating part. In general, with the exception of a few OR gates, and two logics (LOG.AMP, LOG.PREP.), The whole operation of the calculator is explained by admitting that it is a microphone -processor. Under these conditions, we have not represented concrete elements performing the operations, but program blocks performing different operations under the control of programs stored in different places of the microprocessor and each time making the same central processing unit work, for the most diverse mathematical and logical operations, processing information. In general, each program block includes a vertical frame which represents the entry of information (entry interface), a frame comprising the indication "PROCESS" and which includes arrows symbolizing the processing of information, one or more elongated lower frames symbolizing the program data for operations (addition, multiplication, ^p -tc comparison) and a certain number of frames, sometimes partially subdivided, at the same level as the "PROCESS" frame, which symbolize the output information after processing, which will be , for the desired duration, i.e. at most one general program, stored in buffer memories that can be used for different uses. A number of individual programs have thus been represented. It should be noted that, in fig. 7b and fig. 7c, several individual programs have been drawn adjoining the same input interface, in order to simplify the drawing if possible. All individual programs have a special designation. With the exception of the specific case of PSEQ 1 and PSEQ 2 programs, all general programs include a plurality of individual programs. Among these a certain number are prerequisite programs, PPR 1 to PPR 6. The choice of the necessary prerequisite programs is carried out directly in the program control (fig. 6), on the other hand, the various general programs then each include their own series of commands, and, for subsequent elementary programs, commands from different general programs are combined using doors, in a symbolized manner in the diagrams in FIG. 7.

Before considering the main calculator programs, it is necessary to talk about the COREQ information establishment program. For the calculation of solar information, the calculator needs to know the dates in particular, not from January 1, but from the moment of the equinox (we chose the spring equinox). However, in addition to the fact that compared to the instant when a leap year occurs, the equinox decreases by 6, 12 and 18 h respectively in the following years, the equinox instant itself related to a year leap tend to go back, approximately 2 hours every 11 years. In addition, it is necessary to enter the e-quinox information "COREQ MEMORY COUNTER REGISTER" in a convenient manner. For this, we created the COREQ elementary program which requires, for the input information, the indication of the year 0,1, 2, 3), the indication of the date where the equinox occurs (20 or currently March 21), and the indication of either the time zone in which the equinox occurs near noon, or GMT time (Greenwich Mean Time) at the precise time of the equinox (minutes may be overlooked). Having entered these data in the watch, you must order the PSEQ1 program, if you have entered the time zone of the equinox at noon (FH ' _eqmid ), i.e. the PSEQ 2 program, if you have entered the GMT equinox time (HGMT _e q). For this, it is necessary to carry out a command to switch from table I mode to table II mode, leaving the upper left push-button BPH 'pressed beyond one second, then, this button being always pressed when the table indication It appears, you still have to press the BPH push-button facing it. This is the purpose of the signal cq (and its inverse cq) which was discussed in fig. 5a. We see in fig. 5b, that a long press on the right button in question, establishes, when the signal cq is present, either the REQF command, or the REQH command, depending on whether the display command is that of the hour or that of the time zone schedule. These commands pass through an IPS circuit in FIG. 6 and this results in the control signals CREQH and CREQF, applied to the two programs which supply the COREQ information with a choice. The program, when it has calculated the COREQ value, sends itself an impulse which causes the recording of its information in the "COREQ MEMORY COUNTER REGISTER". From that moment, this memory register advance one hour every five or six years, specifically two hours every 11 years.

COREQ information is the time information in hours that runs from the time of the leap year equinox to the first hour of March 24 in the latest time zone, and it is good It is clear that this time is always positive, its value increasing as the moment of the equinox recedes. This COREQ value will then be combined with the indication of the time zone then, in a subsequent program, with the information of the year Ancy in order to obtain a date established in quarter-days starting from the instant of the equinox .

The flow of information between the different calculator programs is clearly shown in the drawing in Figs. 7a, 7b and 7c, it is noted that the circulation of multiple information is represented by a line in thick line, while the circulation of information comprising only one bit (a single thread) is represented by a fine line.

In general, the information must first be transformed before it can be processed, and this is the role of the preliminary programs, most of which are shown in fig. 7a. Then come the actual processing operations, to determine for example the solar height and time as a function of the azimuth, at a given date and latitude, or to determine for example the latitude as a function of a solar height and from an azimuth given on a known date. We have, as far as possible, indicated the different information directly on the diagram in fig. 7c, however, the very nature of the programs carried out is the subject of a table which will be given in the following pages.

We note that it is very important to know if solar positions are morning or afternoon positions, that is, east or west positions, or meridian positions. This is established by the AMP logic, for each of the six general programs CPG1-CPG6, which require this AMP discrimination. For research, where the two solar height and solar azimuth information are used as input, the AMP logic must check that the two information are on the same side. If not, it refuses the Rposs information, which indicates that the search is possible. On the other hand, for alignments, the AMP information is taken from the basic information (time, azimuth, height), and it is imposed on the other two parameters.

We note in particular that the P4 program is able to recognize that a solar height, given as being in the morning or in the afternoon, can correspond to the maximum and minimum height; in this case, an impulse is sent to the SHS register to move it to the meridian position. Different individual programs are involved; in particular the programs P3, P3 'calculate the solar height (via its sinus) in the case where the basic information is the non-meridian azimuth. But the basic information "meridian azimuth" can also come from solar height information, with the sign H (maximum) or the sign = (minimum). If one of these two signs is entered, it is not necessary to enter the solar height information, the calculator does this.

It should also be considered that, according to the latitudes, the sun on certain dates passes to the south and to the north, and on certain other dates remains constantly in the south or remains constantly in the north. It follows that one can have, for the same azimuth, two different solar heights. The calculator always first indicates which one is the highest, but the display indicates that there are two heights for the same azimuth by the fact that it makes the upper bar of the A of the azimuth information flash (C3l, fig. 2). In these conditions, the fact of making the azimuth display disappear (to replace it with that of the date), and making it reappear by a cycle advance using a short press on the lower button left, causes a repetition of the alignment but this time by bringing the lower solar height which corresponds to this azimuth, most often a negative solar height. In this case, it is the horizontal middle bar of A indicating "azimuth which flashes. A new similar operation brings up again the higher azimuth, and so on. In the calculator, this determination intervenes in the logic of preparation, under the control of the Clog pulse (fig. 5a) .The preparation logic, which receives the appropriate parameters, determines the cases where two azimuths are possible. It also determines the cases where no azimuth. having the indicated value does not exists, and this logic then emits the signal "PRO" (prohibited). The formula for calculating the solar height includes a coefficient (6 ±) which can have the value +1 or the value -1, in some cases the value zero The preparation logic calculates this coefficient. In the vicinity of the equator and near the equinox, the trajectory of the sun can only be an east-west trajectory. In these conditions, an azimuth other than 90 ° or 180 ° automatically causes the PRO signal. However, a meridian azimuth, 0 or 180 °, does not cause the PRO signal because, when the sun passes at the zenith, it is by definition admitted as being on the meridian. Finally, if the path of the sun is "east-west" and if the azimuth is 90 or 270 °, there is indeterminacy; it's a special proscribed situation that the preparation logic detects by the signal PROSP, and which results in a flashing of the whole A of the display of the azimuth. We must also consider the cases where the sun passes by the zenith (or by the nadir ), borderline case between a trajectory passing north and south and a trajectory remaining either north or south. For the azimuths which are not 00, 90, 180, 270, one prohibits, for the alignment based on the azimuth, the zenithal value to keep only the other value corresponding to the azimuth, if it exists. If it does not exist (sun on the wrong side), we have PRO information. On the other hand, for azimuths 00 and 180, we accept the zenithal value and, on the one hand, we have two possible heights (one 90 ° and the other located between -45 ° and -90 ° and we play the display of the two possible heights, while on the other side, we can only consider the zenithal height. Similarly, for azimuths 90 and 270, we indicate the zenithal value, if the zenithal trajectory is not is -West; there are no other points on these azimuths.

The diagram of the preparation logic is shown in fig. 10, and it will be easy to understand how information 6 ± is prepared, in the general CAS program, that is to say alignment command on the basis of the azimuth ". In general CHS program, ie "control on the basis of the solar height", there are no such complicated problems / there can naturally be proscribed solar heights (for example the sun never rises to 80 ° elevation in Bern) . Before going into the details of the individual programs, it is also necessary to indicate what convention has been made for designating the quantities to be treated in certain particular cases.

, juste avant la fermeture de la parenthèse. Ainsi, la valeur (HS o) désigne la grandeur qui correspond au signe de la hauteur solaire, valant +1 ou O ou -1. Certaines grandeurs, comme par exemple le cosinus de la latitude, ne peuvent avoir que deux de ces trois valeurs, par exemple on aura (cos λ

), valeur possibles +1 ou 0. Il y a encore des cas où deux de ces trois valeurs sont assimilées l'une à l'autre, et l'on aura par exemple (SMSN^0±), cette valeur sera une valeur de signe valant +1 lorsque SMSN sera positif ou nul, et valant -1 lorsque SMSN est négatif. Si l'on avait croisé le zéro et le +, la valeur de signe serait 0 pour des valeurs positives ou nulles de SMSN et -1 pour des valeurs négatives de SMSN.A quantity designated by one or more letters, or one or more numbers, can have all the possible mathematical values. There are however quantities (director bits of certain quantities) which cannot have any value other than +1, O and -1. These are mathematical values of signs. To designate them, or to designate the sign quantity part of a complete quantity, the designation of the quantity followed by the three signs is taken in brackets

, just before the parenthesis closes. Thus, the value (HS o) designates the quantity which corresponds to the sign of the solar height, being worth +1 or O or -1. Certain quantities, such as for example the cosine of latitude, can only have two of these three values, for example we will have (cos λ

), possible values +1 or 0. There are still cases where two of these three values are assimilated to each other, and we will have for example (SMSN ^{0 ±} ), this value will be a value of sign equal to +1 when SMSN is positive or zero, and equal to -1 when SMSN is negative. If we crossed the zero and the +, the sign value would be 0 for positive or zero values of SMSN and -1 for negative values of SMSN.

) peut être représentée par deux grandeurs logiques, à savoir (... ) et (... ). Dans les équations mathématiques, les grandeurs logiques entrent sans difficulté mais elles ne peuvent jamais valoir autre chose que 0 ou +1. Si elles sont précédées du signe - elles sont soustraites, mais il s'agit de " - (+ 1)". Par ailleurs, une grandeur logique surmontée d'une barre est une grandeur logique inverse, qui vaut 0 lorsque la grandeur logique directe vaut 1 et qui vaut 1 lorsque la grandeur logique vaut O, il n'est pas question de valeur -1.In addition, there are logical quantities which by definition can be worth only O or +1. They are designated by a letter having signs only on one level. For example, the value (U +) is a logical quantity equal to 1 when U is positive and O when U is not positive (zero or negative). In addition, the value (U-) is a logical value being worth +1 when U is negative and O when U is not negative. A sign quantity with three values (...

) can be represented by two logical quantities, namely (...) and (...). In mathematical equations, logical quantities enter without difficulty but they can never be worth anything other than 0 or +1. If they are preceded by the sign - they are subtracted, but they are "- (+ 1)". In addition, a logical quantity surmounted by a bar is an inverse logical quantity, which is worth 0 when the direct logical quantity is worth 1 and which is worth 1 when the logical quantity is worth O, there is no question of value -1.

), qui sont décomposées en valeurs logiques. Si le + est immédiatement derrière le cadre, une ligne partant de cet endroit du cadre est censée porter la valeur logique (...+) si la ligne part de l'endroit du cadre où se trouve le signe -, elle est censée porter la valeur logique (...-).In programs, we often have values (..

), which are broken down into logical values. If the + is immediately behind the frame, a line starting from this place of the frame is supposed to carry the logical value (... +) if the line starts from the place of the frame where the sign - is, it is supposed to carry the logical value (...-).

We also note that the information going to the processing is assigned the index d (data) while the information returning from the processing is assigned the index r (result, response), if several pieces of information of the same kind come back from the processing, we will have the indices r1, r2 (for example AS _r1 , AS _r2 for the azimuth information, solar returning respectively from an alignment operation as a function of the solar height and from an alignment operation as a function of l 'hour).

The different partial programs have been drawn up so as to ensure that there is no indeterminacy for certain values. For example, an azimuth. calculated solar, from the hour, only by the sine functions, becomes very imprecise when it is 6 am local time, that is to say when the sun is halfway between its perigee and its apogee. Eight next pages give successively the indications of the individual programs, together with the diagrams of figs. 7a, 7b and 7c; these programs will help you understand how the calculator works. It should be noted that, for the sake of economy, certain programs include variants called 'or even'. Signals applied to program frameworks, places marked with a small square and a 'are not program control signals but program assignment signals, which modify the latter. Thus, "'" programs are often established for meridian conditions, while the base program is established for non-meridian conditions. It is then the information (M ⁺ ) which controls the assignment "'". In some cases, we even have assignments "'", but which never occur simultaneously with an assignment "'".

Note that some programs have been split, for example, into a 5 program and a 5 'program, depending on the latitude, in order to have shorter calculations.

All the logic of the calculator is based on a vision that one would have of the observer by looking at it from due east or due west, the sun turning around the earth, to simplify things. The solar trajectory is a vertical plane if one is at the equator, horizontal if one is at the pole, oblique if one is between two. At the equinox, this trajectory passes through the centered, at the solstice, it is tangent to a circle whose radius is equal to the sine of the inclination of the terrestrial axis. The effective trajectory of the sun is not a plane, giving a straight line seen by the edge, but a helix with very fine pitch. We assimilate it to a plan, with inclination modification at midday and midnight. In spring, in the northern hemisphere, the line representing the solar trajectory under the aforementioned conditions is straightened by Δϕ in the morning, from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. and more by Δϕ in the afternoon, from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. When approaching the solstice, Δϕ decreases, is zero- at the solstice and reverses after it. This is the reason why the values À (latitude) and ϕ (complement to the angle formed by the terrestrial axis and the earth-sun line become λ 'and ϕ', slightly modified in one direction in the morning and slightly changed in the other direction in the afternoon.

The following formula pages show the functions of the individual programs, after which the distribution of the commands of the individual programs in the general programs is shown.

Note that, in order to avoid indeterminacies at the north and south poles, the latitudes can only be established up to a maximum of ^± 89 ⁰ . The latitude registers in LOC memories, as well as the workplace register, include locks preventing counting beyond 89.0 °. However, the calculator can optionally deliver values greater than 890. The entry by the door controlled by the UL pulse on the place counter is however arranged so that any account greater than 89, from 89.1 to 90.0 establishes the value 89, and also toggles a flip-flop which will modify the zero of 89.0 in the display of the latitude, so that we know that the latitude should be even higher. When this value is used as data, it will however simply be 89.0.

In position 89, the counter of course prevents any correction increasing the absolute value of latitude, but it lifts all the interlocks which would oppose a counting decreasing this absolute value. This is the reason why the place counter receives both SCAR and SCAV information. The other counters only receive the SCAR information, because the corrections are only sent in a correction situation and it suffices to distinguish SCAR from SCAV.

The general programs could be composed in a different way as for the individual programs which they bring into play. The results should in any case be those indicated.

Individual programs PSEQ 1

COREQ = (24 - Deq) · 24 - 12 + FH ' _eqmid + (Ancy 0, 1, 2, 3) -6 Deq = date of the spring equinox (date of March) FH' _eqmid = time zone (of work) where the spring equinox is at noon
(Ancy 0,1,2,3) = 0 for ann. leap., = 1 for ann. follow. = 2 for 2nd year after year. leap., = 3 for 3rd year. after ann. leap.

PSEQ 2

COREQ = (24 - Deq) · 24 + 12 - HGMTeq + (Ancy O, 1, 2, 3) -6. HGMTeq = GMT time at the spring equinox. Deq, Ancy 0, 1, 2, 3: see PSEQ 1.

PPR 1

BLOCOR (in quarter days) = (EHd - FH'd + COREQ): 6 (Whole quotient) BLOCOR (in hours) = rest.

PPR 1 '

= as PPR1, but EHd always accepted as being worth 00:00.

PPR 2

HLG = (HTd - EHd) 24 hour mod with pos. (+) and neg. (-)

PPR 3

PPR 3 '

= as PPR3, but (rep.HLG ⁺ ) and (rep.HLG ^- ) always accepted as O.

PPR 4

HLd '= (HLG - ES) 24 hour mod with pos reports. (+) and neg. (-) ES given from D _TRd by DECODER D _TR → ES.

pour PPR5':D_TR' = [D_TRd + 1/6 BLOCOR (heures)] mod 1461 (en 1/4 jour) opérations suivantes identiques pour PPR5 et PPR5', à partir de D_TR'.

PPR 5 and PPR5 '

for PPR5 ': D _TR ' = [D _TRd + 1/6 BLOCOR (hours)] mod 1461 (in 1/4 day) following operations identical for PPR5 and PPR5 ', from D _TR '.

PPR6.6 ', 6 "

PPR6"

seuls existent l'un de Kd, Kd' et l'un de Q, Q'

PPR6'

P1 sinASd = sin(ASd) cosASd = cos(ASd); (bit(cosASd⁺) et bit(cosASd^-)) P1a sinASr1 = sin(ASr1), cos- non calculé P1b sinASd = sin(ASd) cosASd = cos(ASd) ; (double bit non nécessaire) P2

P2' 1+K'² cos AS = 1+ K'd² (cosASd)² 1-Q'²+K'²cosAS = 1 - Q' ^-2 +K'd² + (cosASd)²; (bit (...⁺) et ((K-Q)

): bit (...^-)) pas de calcul, toujours (...⁺) = 1 et (...^-) = O P3

P3'

(σ

) → (σ⁺), (σ^-); ( LOG.PREP.) (voir aussi fig. 10) (σ

) = +1; (σ⁺) = 1; (σ^-) = 0 (σ

) = 0 ; (σ⁺) = 0; (σ^-) = 0 (σ

) = -1; (σ⁺) = 0; (σ^-) = 1 ^* "proscrit"; (σ⁺) = 1; (σ^-) = 1 * = "Fausse manoeuvre", calcul arrêté (p.e. :AS inexistant pour date et latt.) P4

pour rectif."MS" sur SHS (AMP) (A⁺=0,(M⁺)=1,(p⁺) =0: (v^o) = (V'^o) (p+) (U ^- ) (V^-) = (V^,o) (P⁺) (U^-)+(V'^-) sinHSd = sin(HSd) cosHSd = cos(HSd) P4a sinHS non calculé, cos HSr = cos(HSr) , (U^±) , (V

) non calculés P4a' sinHSr=sin (HSr), cosHSr = cos(HSr) " " " " P4b sinHSd = sin(HSd), coshsd = cos (HSd) " P5

P5'

ASr₁: comme en P5 à partir de cos ASr₁ (σ

) = (σ±) pour P5 et P5' (σ⁺) = 1 & (σ^-) = 1 : "proscrit" P6

P7

sinHS non calculé par P7 mais par P4a' P8a,P8b,P8c GA1 = cosHS·sinAS

8a,8b,8c: calculs identiques, provenance ces informations d'entrée différente:

• 8a: cos ASr_l,sinASrl, cosHSd, sinHSd
• 8b: cosASd, sinASd, cosHSr, sinHSr
• 8c: cosASd, sinASd, cosHSd, sinHSd

PPR6 all parameters, PPR6 ', PPR6 "only the parameters marked resp. PPR6', PPR6"

PPR6 "

only one of Kd, Kd 'and one of Q, Q' exist

PPR6 '

P1 sinASd = sin (ASd) cosASd = cos (ASd); (bit (cosASd ⁺ ) and bit (cosASd ^- )) P1a sinASr1 = sin (ASr1), cos- not calculated P1b sinASd = sin (ASd) cosASd = cos (ASd); (double bit not necessary) P2

P2 '1 + K' ² cos AS = 1+ K'd ² (cosASd) ² 1-Q ' ² + K' ² cosAS = 1 - Q ' ^-2 + K'd ² + (cosASd) ² ; (bit (... ⁺ ) and ((KQ)

): bit (... ^- )) no calculation, always (... ⁺ ) = 1 and (... ^- ) = O P3

P3 '

(σ

) → (σ ⁺ ), (σ ^- ); (LOG.PREP.) (See also fig. 10) (σ

) = +1; (σ ⁺ ) = 1; (σ ^- ) = 0 (σ

) = 0; (σ ⁺ ) = 0; (σ ^- ) = 0 (σ

) = -1; (σ ⁺ ) = 0; (σ ^- ) = 1 ^* "prohibited"; (σ ⁺ ) = 1; (σ ^- ) = 1 * = "False maneuver", calculation stopped (eg: AS non-existent for date and date) P4

for correction "MS" on SHS (AMP) (A ⁺ = 0, (M ⁺ ) = 1, (p ⁺ ) = 0: (v ^o ) = (V ' ^o ) (p +) (U ^- ) (V ^- ) = (V ^{, o} ) (P ⁺ ) (U ^- ) + (V ' ^- ) sinHSd = sin (HSd) cosHSd = cos (HSd) P4a sinHS not calculated, cos HSr = cos (HSr), ( U ^± ), (V

) not calculated P4a 'sinHSr = sin (HSr), cosHSr = cos (HSr) """" P4b sinHSd = sin (HSd), coshsd = cos (HSd) "P5

P5 '

ASr ₁ : as in P5 from cos ASr ₁ (σ

) = (σ ±) for P5 and P5 '(σ ⁺ ) = 1 & (σ ^- ) = 1: "prohibited" P6

P7

sinHS not calculated by P7 but by P4a 'P8a, P8b, P8c GA1 = cosHS · sinAS

8a, 8b, 8c: identical calculations, source of this different input information:

• 8a: cos ASr _l , sinASrl, cosHSd, sinHSd
• 8b: cosASd, sinASd, cosHSr, sinHSr
• 8c: cosASd, sinASd, cosHSd, sinHSd

P8a ', P8b', P8c '

P9'

PBa, P8b, P8c programs inhibited (meridian) P9

P9 '

P9 ", P9" sP

P10 sinHSr₂ = sinφ'd'Ksd-cosHLd·cosφ)'d·Kcd HSr₂ = arc sin(sinHSr) val.nat.(-90° -÷ +90°) TRS =

(PAS±) = ((cosHLd·Ksd+tgφ'd·Kcd|-|) sinHLd|)°±) P10'

P11

P11'

P11"

P12

c.à.d. (PRO⁺)=1 si: non"Rposs",ou (y₁2+X₁ ²-Sn²φd)<0, ou (|Y₁|-|sinφld|)≡O avec(x₁

)≠ (sinφ'dO+)

sinφ'rl = sinφ'd valeur transmise, non traitée P13 yl = sinHSd; x_l = cosHSd·cosASd P13M y₂ = sinHSMd; x₂ = cosHSMd·cosASMl P14

P15

P15'

HLR = 90 ° ((SHS ±) 1) (SHS ^±) _r3 = (σ ^±). for P9 ", (σ ±): same rem. as (SHS ^± ) _r3 =" given "for P9" sp for P5, P5 'P10E

P10 sinHSr ₂ = sinφ'd'Ksd-cosHLd · cosφ) 'd · Kcd HSr ₂ = arc sin (sinHSr) natural value (- 90 ° - ÷ + 90 °) TRS =

(PAS ±) = ((cosHLd · Ksd + tgφ'd · Kcd | - |) sinHLd |) ° ±) P10 '

P11

P11 '

P11 "

P12

i.e. (PRO ⁺ ) = 1 if: no "Rposs", or (y ₁ 2 + X ₁ ² -Sn ² φd) <0, or (| Y ₁ | - | sinφld |) ≡O with (x ₁

) ≠ (sinφ'dO +)

sinφ'rl = sinφ'd value transmitted, not processed P13 yl = sinHSd; x _l = cosHSd · cosASd P13M y ₂ = sinHSMd; x ₂ = cosHSMd · cosASMl P14

P15

P15 '

P16a, P16a '

(SHSr4

)= ((YI-sinφ'r2.sinλ'r2)

) (SHSMr

((Y2-sinφ'r2'sinΛλr2)

)PRO = (Rposs ⁺ ) + ((| sinφ'd | -sinφ ' _max of ROM) ⁺ ) the following five calculations only if PRO = 0, i.e. if (PRO ⁺ ) = 0 λ'r2 = arc tg Kr for P16a λ'r2 = arc ctg K'r for Pl6a 'domain λ'r ₂ : (-90 ^o ÷ + 90 ^o ) λ'r ₂ = arc ctg K 'r for P16a' sinφr2 = (xl + yl · tgλ'r2) · cosλ'r2 = (xi + yi'tgλ'r2)

(SHSr4

) = ((YI-sinφ'r2.sinλ'r2)

) (SHSMr

((Y2-sinφ'r2'sinΛλr2)

)

P16, P16`

(Pour a,b,c) RP=1461/2π pour φ'en rad RP=1461/360 pour φ' en ^O sinφr = sin<j)'r₂- (2+ (P⁺) - (P ⁺ ))·Δsinφr (seul.p.a,b) φr = arc sin(sinφr) : aussi arc sin(sinφ'r)-... (seul.p.a,b) .-:(2+(P+)-(P⁺ )Δφr Δφr =(SD±)·Rp·

(seul.p.a,b) τr =( 270°+ (SD±) arc

) mod360° (seul.p.a,b) dom÷359°

P18

P19 Discrimination de DSMj

• DSMj ≥ 306, 1. janv. à fin févr., (gl = 1
• DSMj >306, 2. janv. à fin févr., (gl'⁺ =1
• DSMJ <306 1. août DSMj >152' 2, 1. août au 31. déc.,(g8⁺)= 1
• DSMj ≤ 152, 1. mars au 31. juill., (g3⁺ = 1

as P16a, P16a ', with POLd, Kd, K'd (from PPR6) instead of POLr, Kr, K'r P17 a, b, c, determining only for the origin of the data, the operations on the homologous data are similar if they have the following ten calculations only if (Rposs ⁺ ) = 1 place Δsinφr (= Δsinφ'r) _ (SD ±) (sinφ _max of RCM) .RP

(For a, b, c) RP = 1461 / 2π for φ 'in rad RP = 1461/360 for φ' in ^O sinφr = sin <j) 'r ₂ - (2+ (P ⁺ ) - ( P ⁺ ) ) Δsinφr (sole.pa, b) φr = arc sin (sinφr): also arc sin (sinφ'r) -... (sole.pa, b) .- :( 2+ (P +) - (P ⁺ ) Δφr Δφr = (SD ±) · Rp ·

(only pa, b) τr = (270 ° + (SD ±) arc

) mod360 ° (only pa, b) dom ÷ 359 °

P18

P19 DSMj discrimination

• DSMj ≥ 306, 1. Jan to end of Feb, (gl = 1
• DSMj> 306, 2. Jan. to end of Feb. (gl ' ⁺ = 1
• DSMJ <306 August 1. DSMj> 152 '2, August 1. to Dec. 31, (g8 ⁺ ) = 1
• DSMj ≤ 152, March 1 to July 31, (g3 ⁺ = 1

INCR.DECR

Increments and / or decrements for remaining day shifts and the position of the year in the 4-year cycle (Ancy 1,2,3,4); the remaining day shifts are treated differently in leap years (Ancy = O) and the other three years (Ancy = 1.2, ou3).

Function: according to logic gates indicated fig.7C, provides DSMjr = DSMj rectified.

P20 discrimination DSMjr JG (= day "range") = 306 for (gl ⁺ ), 153 for (g8 ⁺ ), 0 for (g3 ⁺ ) Poseg = DSMjr - (gl ⁺ ) .306 - (g8 ⁺ ) 153 - ( g3 ⁺ ) .0 Poseg division / 61 gives quot. integer + remainder, MOC = short month, MOC = long month (month of 31 days) quot. de Poseg / 61 = [rank of per. (( MOC -MOC) in the "range"] - 1 remainder of Poseg / 61 = [day rank in the period MOC -MOC] -1 remains> 30 → MOC, remains <31 → MOC per. (MOC -MOC), complete or incomplete: "Jan.-Feb.", "March-Apr.", "May-June", "July." (incomplete), "August-Sept.", "Oct-Nov", and "Dec." (incomplete) ranges: "early Jan to late Feb", "early March to late July", "early August to late Dec"

P21 for MOC (long months) calendar for DTr = (Poseg / 61 remainder) +1 month for DTr = 2 (quot. Poseg / 61) + (gl ⁺ ) .1+ (g3 ⁺ ) · 3 + (g8 ⁺ ) _' .8

P21 'for MOC (short months) - quant. for DTr = (Poseg / 61 rest) -30 months for DTr = 1+ 2 (quot.Poseg / 61) + (gl ⁺ ) · 1 + (g3 ⁺ ) .3+ (g8 ⁺ ) · 8

P22 HTr = (HLr '± ES-EHd) mod 24H, (or 2 · 12H); with reports: .. .. (rep ⁺ ) and (rep ^- )

P23 EH '= HTd ∓F5-HLr' (in H and Min) Discrimination of EH '(el ⁺ ) = ((| EH'l-17H00) ^o- ) · ((| EH' | -7HOO) ^{O +)} ; (el ⁺ ) = 1 → PRO (PROscript) (e ₂ +) = ((| EH '| -7H00) ^- ) (e3 +) = ((EH' + 17H00) ^- ) (e3 ⁺ ) = 1 → R⊕ (e4 +) = ((EH ' ^- 17H00) ⁺ ) (e4 ⁺ ) = 1 → R ⊝ _E Hr = EH' + 24H00 · ((e ₃ ⁺ ) - (e4 ⁺ )) AMP LOGIC: see fig. 9 PREPARATION LOGIC: see fig. 10

Ordering programs

The various above-mentioned program commands control the programs in a manner which can be seen in FIGS. 7a, 7b, 7c, the correspondences will however be indicated below.

Durable, or extended, CHL, CAS, CHS, CRL, CRD, CRDL commands control the AMP logic. In addition, CAS and CHS control the preparation logic.

The command CPRl commands the program PPRl the command CPRl 'commands the program PPR1', the command CPR2 commands the program PPR2, the command CPR3 commands the program PPR3, the command CPR3 'commands the program PPR', the command CPR4 commands the program PPR4, the command CPR5 commands the PPR5 program, the command CPR5 'commands the program PPR5', the command CPR6 commands the program PPR6, when you have CRL, it becomes CPR6 'and commands the program PPR6', and when the we have CRD, it becomes CPR6 "and commands the PPR6 program ''.

The CHL1-CHL3 commands respectively control the PlOE, PlOet 10 'programs; Pll, Pll ', P11' '.

The CASl-CAS7 commands respectively control the program P1, the program p2 and 2 ', the program p3, p3', the program p4a, p4a ', the program p8b, p8b', the program p9, p9 ', p9 ", the program p22.

The commands CHS1 and CHS8 successively control the program P4, the program P7, the program P6, the program P4a P4a ', the program Pla, the program P8a, P8a', the program P9, P9 ', P9 ", the program P22.

The CRL1-CRL8 commands successively control the program P13, the program P12, the program P17c, the program P4b, the program Plb, the program P8c, p8c ', the program P9, p9', p9 ", p9" sp, the program P22.

The CRpl-CRDl2 commands successively control the programs P13, P16 and 16 ', P17a, P18, P19, P20, P21, P4b, Plb, P8c P8c ', P9, P9', P9 "Sp and P22 (with the decoder D _TR - ES). Finally the CRDL1 to CRDL 15 commands successively control the programs P13; P13M, P14; P15; P16 ; P17b ', P18; P19; P20; P21; P4b; Plb; P8c P8c'; P9, P9 ', P9 ", P9"sp; and P22, with the D _RT -ES decoder.

The calculator programs include ROM memories, in the drawing, they have only been represented when particular values should be retained, such as for example the transfer values D _TR -τ, or even the memorization of different numbers of days, according to the months, as in the ROM memory for the dates (fig. 7a).

The calculator has specific elementary programs for general research programs to determine the date (via tilt and Iatitude). Once these two data have been established, either the solar height or the azimuth. solar would calculate the effective time of the solar survey. However, these two quantities are applied jointly, at the same level where, for alignments on the solar azimuth or the solar height, the local time is calculated, after having calculated the azimuth as a function of the height or vice versa, it i.e. at program level P8a, P8a 'P8b, P8b', P8c, P8c '.

Note that for quantities that can be negative, forward corrections cause an increase in the absolute value, even in the negative direction. Any correction reaching or exceeding zero causes a change of sign instead of causing a change in value. An exception is however advantageously made for latitude; in fact, all the latitudes are counted as if we had O at the south pole and 180 at the north pole, and that a decoder removed 90 ° from the north side and took the complement at 90 on the south side. This way of doing is moreover quite practicable, the decoding in question should however take place at the level of the output of the latitude information ^L _d (λ _d ).

By studying the diagrams and formulas of the programs in detail, other functional features may also appear, for example program control in the event of a "PRO" signal. In fact, when a signal PRO is applied to the program command (fig. 6), the latter ends the cycle but without commanding any new individual programs, and avoiding sending the recording pulses U .. . during or at the end of the general program. Note that a general program will last a maximum of a hundred ms, each particular program may last a few ms, or may also be restricted to less than 1 ms, or even a few Nanoseconds.

In fig. 4, we also notice the emission of two pulses ImM and Im3, which respectively indicate changes in minutes and changes in days. These pulses arrive on the circuits shown in fig. 6 and, provided that the conditions are met, they cause a realignment of the solar azimuth and the solar height to the local time, derived from the calendar hour HT.

The user can thus, by putting his watch in table I mode and leaving the time and date synchronized, follow minute by minute the developments of the sun or in any case have, at any time, time information available. Of course, the realignment every minute only takes place if the hours in the table are synchronized with the current hours and if the realignment has not been ordered on a factor other than the hour. As the Dip cycle start pulse can still modify, if necessary, the synchronization sation of the hours, the realignment takes place only during the Dip 'pulse, which immediately follows the Dip pulse. It is also noted that the timing circuit transmits, in addition to the pulses Dip and Dip 'and the pulse Fip, a pulse Mip, which must intervene in particular only after the command CHL1, while the logic AMP is already in the correct position. This impulse also occurs in the set of doors and flip-flops du'bas of fig. 5a, where the various kinds of flashes are established, in particular for cases of double azimuth. The operation of this part of FIG. 5a is explained by the very logic diagram which is represented.

For fig. 9 and 10 which respectively represent the AMP logic and the preparation logic, the same configuration of information input has been adopted as far as possible, it will therefore be easy to go from the representation in the form of simple blocks of FIG. 7b to the more detailed representation of FIGS. 9 and 10, respectively.

With regard to commands, we note that there can never be only one command at a time, and that all commands, with the exception of those which come from the counting of current time, can only intervene 'at one second intervals.

Summary of watch functions

A Swiss patent application concerning a similar but not identical subject, namely patent application CH 1636/77, had already been filed by the same applicant initiai. This patent application, not yet published on the date of filing of this, contains drawings and explanations concerning watch circuits, at least some of which can be used in the object of the present invention. The content of this patent application CH 1636/77 is to be considered jointly with the present one as regards the sufficiency of the disclosure for a realization by the man of the profession.

Claims (10)

1. Watch, in particular wristwatch, electronic with digital display with geo-solar function comprising timepiece means for the current time and date, characterized in that it comprises means for: receiving and / or establishing by time counting, memorizing, displaying as data, processing one according to the other, and displaying as calculation results, several pieces of information among the information of time, date, geographical location, solar height with the auxiliary indication "rising sun" / "at meridian" / descending "and azimuth of the sun, so that a plurality of said information is used for the calculated determination of others, digital display means divided into lines and control means, lateral, arranged opposite these lines, being correlated to ensure a simple selection of data and commands for operations to be performed on them, control means having an arrangement whose st ructure stores the calculation channels capable of producing as a result of the calculation each, as desired, the aforementioned information. 2. Watch according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means comprise a plurality of push-buttons located, for example on the sides of the watch, so as not to clutter the face of the watch, each of these pushbuttons allowing different commands distinguished by different button manipulation processes, one of these pushbuttons controlling a regime selection arrangement acting on means which selectively put the watch either in normal mode of conservation and display of the current time, either in one or more array regimes in which several others of the said in formations are displayed, calculating means being arranged to intervene so as to determine some of said information, not known, as a function of others, known, display control means being arranged to display the result of these calculations. 3. Watch according to claim 2, characterized in that said selection arrangement is capable of establishing two different array regimes, one ensuring permanent automatic alignment of two of the variables, solar height, solar azimuth and time, on the third, whatever, of these, each time it undergoes a modification, "the date and the place being in parameter, and the other regime table allowing the search for the place and / or the date, by operations carried out in the watch based on the variables, then given, of solar height and solar azimuth. 4. Watch according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that one of said push-buttons controls an arrangement for controlling a situation of non-correction, in which no correction is possible, a forward correction situation in which corrections of the displayed information are possible forward, a backward correction situation in which corrections of the displayed information are possible backward, a working situation on tables , in which in table mode, searches for date and place are possible as a function of values entered in the watch in correspondence with one or more solar readings of solar height and solar azimuth. 5. Watch according to one of claims 2 to-4, characterized in that said push-buttons control un- arrangement of selection of pre-memorizable geographic places, implying the determination of a time zone, said time-keeping means comprising means to automatically adapt their information hours depending on the time zone chosen. 6. Watch according to claim 5, characterized in that other pushbuttons are arranged so as to allow a correction of place, relative to the premoritized and selected place without destroying any premoritization of particular place. 7. Watch according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that it comprises means arranged to allow, in each said table scheme, the selection either of the current time and date, or of a another time and / or another date, to serve as a basis for the correlative calculation of the hours, solar height and solar azimuth variables, without affecting the counting and conservation of current time. 8. Watch according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that it comprises registers of grandeuisde solar height and solar azimuth which are capable of being brought into position in alignment with the result of calculations carried out by a party calculator receiving for this time data, geographical position and date, these registers also being able to undergo corrections step by step by the manipulation of certain so-called push buttons, the register of solar heights being more apt to be placed in the block position, by special manipulations of push-buttons, so that its content corresponds to predetermined solar height situations and, on this basis, the calculating part calculates the time and the corresponding solar azimuth, counts given the place and the date, so that a display of the time and the azimuth at which these particular solar heights occur can be provided. 9. Watch according to claim 8, characterized in that said particular solar heights include at least the height "00.0, rising sun;" from sunrise, a height determined only as being maximum, from the passage of the sun to the meridian, and the height "00.0 °, falling sun", from sunset. 10. Watch according to claim 9, characterized in that said particular solar heights also include a height "-18.0 to -12.0 °, rising sun of dawn, the height" +26.4 ^D , sun descending "; from the sun declining at a tangent arc angle 1/2, and a height" -12.0 ° to -18.0 °, sun descending ", from twilight.

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