EP0064023A1 - Time correcting means for an electronic clock - Google Patents

Abstract

The watch includes an oscillator (1), a frequency divider (2), a display device (6,7, 8a, 8b) capable of indicating at least the hours and minutes and a correction circuit (3- 5, 11-18) controlled by a rotary time-setting rod capable of taking at least two axial positions, one of rest occupied by the time-setting rod when the watch is operating normally and one for working used to jointly correct the indication of the minutes and that of the hours. The correction circuit (3-5, 11-18) is arranged to correct the time zone in response to a particular movement of rotation of the rod in its rest position. This particular rotational movement may consist, for the rod, of turning at least by a minimum angle in a time interval less than a predetermined period, for example of at least two turns in less than two seconds. The modification of the indication of the minutes and that of the hours as well as the correction of time zone are carried out in the direction of the advance or that of the delay according to the direction of rotation of the time-setting rod.

Description

The present invention relates to electronic watches and more precisely those in which the correction of the time display is done using a rotary manual control member such as a time-setting rod. It applies more especially to watches with analog display in which the indicator members, for example hands, are driven by a stepping motor because it is in this case that it brings the most advantages but it can also be useful in watches with digital or pseudo-analog displays.

In electronic watches comprising at least one hour hand and one minute hand driven by a stepping motor, the correction of the time display is generally carried out mechanically using a setting rod. the hour at two axial positions. Very often, like conventional mechanical watches, the rotation in one direction or the other of the rod in the pulled position makes it possible to jointly correct the minutes and the hours, the pushed position being a rest position in which the rotation of the stem has no effect.

Certain watches of this type are designed to also allow a correction of the time zone, that is to say a modification of the display by whole hours. One solution is to select the information to correct, hours and minutes or time zone, by turning the rod in one direction or the other while keeping it in its pushed position, pull the rod and then turn it again to correct the selected information, the rotation in one direction or the other of the stem then making it possible to advance or delay the watch.

Such correction systems require relatively complicated mechanisms and, most often, high precision and therefore costly. In addition, these mechanisms are bulky.

Furthermore, as the electronic correction of time information by means of push-buttons in watches with digital display had drawbacks, in particular that of requiring complicated and not very intuitive manipulations, it was sought to replace these control members by a time-setting rod to which users were more accustomed. Various solutions using a rotary control rod have been proposed. One of them consists of using, as in electromechanical watches, a control rod with two axial positions and of turning it in one direction or the other, in its pulled position, to correct bidirectionally jointly minutes and hours, the speed of correction being a function of the speed of rotation of the rod. This solution has drawbacks. Indeed, either the time setting operation is done at a rate allowing the indication of the minutes to be monitored, but the correction of the hours is then slow, or it is done at a fast rate but it is then difficult to monitor the units of minutes in order to stop the correction at the desired time. In addition, there is a risk of losing the time when a time zone correction is made.

In other known digital watches, a winding crown allows, when it is pulled, the correction of the hours or minutes in response to a rotation in one direction or the other of this crown. This method has the same drawbacks as the previous solution for different reasons. Correction is slow because it can only be done in one direction. The risk of losing the time is due to the fact that it is difficult for the user to know in which direction the crown is actually turned, especially at the start of handling.

It is also known to modify the indication of the hours or the indication of the minutes by turning the time-setting rod respectively at low speed or at high speed, the display progressing or regressing according to the direction of rotation. Such a solution does not eliminate the risk of losing time.

The object of the invention is to provide a watch in which the correction of the time information is carried out quickly by a simple and intuitive process, eliminating the possibility of losing the hour due to errors or false maneuvers of the user and eliminating, in the case of an analog display watch, the disadvantages of mechanical correction systems.

This goal is achieved thanks to the fact that in the watch according to the invention which comprises a time base for producing a standard frequency signal, a frequency divider circuit coupled to said time base for producing a low frequency time signal, a device for displaying time information capable of indicating to the minus the hours and minutes in response to said time signal and a display correction circuit controlled by a rotary manual control member capable of assuming at least two axial positions, one at rest occupied by the control member manual when the watch operates normally and the other working serving to jointly correct the indication of the minutes and that of the hours, the correction circuit is arranged to carry out a correction of the indication of the hours only in response to a particular predetermined movement of the manual control member in its rest position.

The particular movement of rotation to which the manual control member must be subjected to trigger a correction of the indication of the hours must be such as to make it very improbable an accidental modification of the displayed time. This movement preferably consists, for the manual control member, of turning at least a determined minimum angle in a time interval less than a predetermined period.

The wearer of the watch thus benefits from the possibility of a simple and safe correction of both the time zone and the minutes and hours without the need to call upon a third axial position of the control member. manual, this can be reserved, if provided, for the modification of other time information than the hours and minutes. This is an additional advantage presented by the watch according to the invention since the number of possible positions for a time-setting rod is necessarily very limited.

In a preferred embodiment of the watch, the correction of the indication of the minutes and that of the hours, respectively the correction of the indication of the hours alone, is done in the direction of the advance in response to a rotation of the 'manual control member in one direction and in the direction of the delay in response to a rotation of said manual control member in the opposite direction.

This makes it possible to increase the speed of correction and not to tax serve the user only with the maneuvers to which he was accustomed with conventional mechanical or electromechanical watches.

• La figure 1 est un schéma-bloc d'une montre électronique selon un mode préféré de réalisation de l'invention;
• La figure 2 représente de manière schématique une forme d'exécution d'un dispositif de commutation permettant de traduire les mouvements de l'organe de commande manuelle en signaux électriques;
• La figure 3 est un schéma-bloc d'un mode de réalisation du circuit générateur de signaux de correction utilisé dans le schéma de la figure 1;
• Les figures 4 et 5 sont des diagrammes de signaux illustrant le fonctionnement du circuit de la figure 3;
• La figure 6 est un schéma-bloc d'un mode de réalisation d'un circuit d'entraînement du moteur pas-à-pas de la montre de la figure 1;
• La figure 7 est un diagramme de signaux illustrant le fonctionnement du circuit de la figure 6;
• La figure 8 est un schéma-bloc d'une forme de réalisation d'un circuit temporisateur utilisé dans le schéma de la figure 1;

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment, made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic watch according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 2 schematically represents an embodiment of a switching device making it possible to translate the movements of the manual control member into electrical signals;
• Figure 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the correction signal generator circuit used in the diagram of Figure 1;
• Figures 4 and 5 are signal diagrams illustrating the operation of the circuit of Figure 3;
• Figure 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a drive circuit of the stepping motor of the watch of Figure 1;
• Figure 7 is a signal diagram illustrating the operation of the circuit of Figure 6;
• Figure 8 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a timer circuit used in the diagram of Figure 1;

FIG. 9 is a signal diagram illustrating the operation of the circuit of FIG. 8.

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic watch according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. This watch has an analog display and includes a minute hand normally advancing one step every 20 seconds and an hour hand driven by a reversible stepping motor allowing the correction of time information in both directions, advance and delay.

A time base 1, such as a quartz oscillator, produces a high frequency signal, for example 32 Hz, which is applied to a frequency divider circuit 2, conventionally composed of a series of connected flip-flops in cascade and providing a signal of normal time pulses, the frequency of which is 1/20 Hz. When the watch is operating normally this signal is transmitted via a timer circuit 3 whose function will appear later, and from two NAND gates 4 and 5 to a drive circuit 6 of the motor. This drive circuit 6 is designed to produce, in response to the pulses applied to its input which are either the normal pulses delivered every 20 seconds by the frequency divider 2, or, as will be seen below, pulses of correction, the motor pulses of suitable duration and polarity necessary to drive the reversible stepping motor 7 to which are mechanically coupled a minute hand 8 _b and an hour hand 8. Furthermore, by properly controlling the drive circuit 6, as will be described later, it is possible to rotate the motor 7 in the normal direction, that is to say the direction of advance, or in the sense of delay.

The watch also comprises a rotary manual control rod with two axial positions, one at rest and the other at work, not shown in FIG. 1, which, when it pivots in one or other of its positions, actuates two mechanical switches 9 and 10 which generate two signals each formed by a series of pulses having a frequency proportional to the speed of rotation of the control member, and out of phase with each other, the sign of phase shift depending on the direction of rotation. These two signals are transmitted via anti-rebound circuits 11 and 12 to a circuit generating correction signals 13.

A third switch 14 actuated by the control rod when it is moved axially provides a logic signal representative of the position occupied by this rod. This signal which has the value "0" or the value "1" depending on whether the rod is respectively in its rest position or in its working position, is applied via an anti-rebound circuit 15 to the circuit correction signal generator 13 and to one of the two inputs of a NAND gate 17, the output of which is connected to an input of the NAND gate 5. This signal is also applied, via an inverter 16, at an input of the NAND gate 4 and at one of the two inputs of another NAND gate 18 whose output is connected to a third input of the NAND gate 5.

The correction signal generator circuit 13 is designed to produce, from the signals it receives from switches 9, 10, 14 and from various signals taken from the outputs of intermediate stages of the frequency divider 2, two pulse signals correction HMC and HC and a signal CS for controlling the direction of correction.

The first HMC correction pulse signal, intended to allow a modification of the display of the minutes and, jointly, of the hours is generated regardless of the rotational movement imposed on the control rod and is formed by a sequence of 'pulses whose frequency depends on the speed of rotation of this rod. On the other hand, the second correction pulse signal HC, produced with the aim of allowing correction of the indication of the hours only, is supplied by the circuit generating correction signals 13 only in response to a particular operation of rotation of the control rod; in the embodiment described here, this maneuver consists in rotating, in the same direction, the rod by a certain angle in a time interval less than a predetermined value, more precisely by two turns in less than two seconds. This signal HC consists of a train of pulses whose frequency, determined and chosen equal to 32 Hz in this embodiment, is significantly higher than that of the normal pulses delivered by the frequency divider 2. The number of these correction pulses is equal to the number of steps that the minute hand must take to make a full revolution, i.e. 180, unless the wearer of the watch uses the possibility of transforming the correction of the time zone into a mode of rapid correction of the indication of the minutes in the manner which will be indicated later. When they are produced, the correction signals HMC and HC are applied respectively to the second inputs of the NAND gates 17 and 18.

The correction direction command signal CS makes it possible to control the drive circuit 6 so as to rotate the stepping motor in the direction of advance or that of delay depending on whether the user of the watch turns the control rod in one direction or the other to modify the display time chage. This signal CS remains at logic level "0" except when the rod is pivoted in the direction of the delay; in this case it goes to logic level "1" and remains there for the time that the correction lasts.

The time taken by the minute hand to complete a revolution, during a time zone correction, which is very appreciably 5.6 s, is not negligible and it may happen that the frequency divider 2 delivers, during this period, a normal pulse. Blocking this pulse would result in a loss of time, which is not desirable.

The presence of circuit 3 avoids this drawback. This circuit, an embodiment of which will be described in detail below, has the function of memorizing a possible normal pulse delivered during the period of the correction of the indication of the hours, until the end of this period, and of restoring then this impulse at its exit. For this, it receives from the correction signal generator circuit 13 a counting time signal CPT indicating the instants when the first and last pulses of the signal HC are delivered by the circuit 13.

The operation of the watch shown in FIG. 1 is as follows: In normal operation, the rotary control rod is in the rest position and the signal supplied by the switch 14 is at logic level "0". The NAND gates 4 and 5 are then open to the normal pulses delivered by the frequency divider 2 and transmitted by the timer circuit 3. The signal CS then being at logic level "0" the drive circuit 6 controls the rotation of the motor 7 in the normal direction, and the minute hand 8 _b advances by one step every 20 seconds. Furthermore the NAND gate 17 whose input connected to the switch 14 is at logic level "0" blocks a possible HMC signal which could be produced as a result of an accidental rotation of the control rod. The NAND gate 18, on the other hand, remains unlocked, but the probability that an HC signal for correcting the time indication is produced involuntarily is practically zero.

When the user wishes to correct the indication of the minutes and hours, he first places the control rod in its axial working position which is preferably a drawn position. The logic signal supplied by the switch 14 is then at logic level "1" which has the consequence of blocking the NAND gate 4 which no longer transmits the normal pulses to the drive circuit 6 of the motor. The NAND gate 18 is also blocked while the NAND gate 17 has its input connected to the switch 14 brought to level "1". The user then turns the control rod in either direction depending on whether he wishes to advance or delay his watch. When the rod is pivoted, the switches 9 and 10 open and close periodically and the generator circuit 13 produces the HMC correction signal as long as the user turns the rod. The signal is transmitted by the NAND gates 17 and 5 to the drive circuit 6. If the rod is turned in the advance direction, the signal CS for correcting direction command has the value "0", the the motor rotates in the normal direction and the display progresses at the speed set by the user. If the rod is turned in the opposite direction, the circuit 13 provides a signal CS which is at logic level "1" which has the effect of turning the motor 7 in the opposite direction and of modifying the display in the direction of the delay. .

Note that, if the user makes the correction by turning the rod quickly, there may also appear one or more pulse trains for correcting the time indication, but these signals HC are not transmitted by the gate 18.

To correct a time zone, the user quickly rotates the control rod, two turns in less than two seconds, while keeping it in its rest position. As in normal operation the NAND gates 4, 5 and 18 are able to transmit a signal while the gate 17 is blocked. As soon as it has detected, by means which will be described in detail below, that this particular maneuver of rotation of the rod has been carried out, the correction signal generator circuit 13 begins to release the 180 pulses of 32 Hz required to make a complete revolution of the dial with the minute hand, therefore a step with the hour hand, which are transmitted to the drive circuit 6. Before sending the first correction pulse, the logic signal CPT changes from level thus controlling the blocking by circuit 3 of a possible normal pulse during the time that the correction lasts. At the end of the 180th pulse, the CPT signal again changes logic level and the drive circuit 6 receives from circuit 3 a catch-up pulse in the case where a normal pulse has been delivered by the frequency divider 2 during the correction.

As in minute and hour correction mode, the CS signal controls the advance or delay of the display according to the direction of rotation of the rod.

The user performs the same maneuver as many times as necessary to reach the desired hour indication. However, as will appear below, during the detailed description of the generator circuit 13, a new operation remains ineffective if it takes place and ends before the last correction pulse has been delivered.

It is also possible to quickly correct the indication of the minutes by first performing the same manipulation as for a modification of the hour display and by moving the control rod from its rest position to its working position when the minute hand reaches the desired position, the axial displacement of the rod then interrupting the transmission of the pulse signal HC by the NAND gate 18. If necessary, the correction can be completed at slow speed, in then turning the rod to its working position. Although this is not essential, it is also possible to provide, in addition, a means making it possible to interrupt the sending of the 32 Hz pulses at the input of the door 18 when the position of the rod changes. This means will be indicated below.

FIG. 2 represents a possible arrangement of the switches 9, 10 and 14 of FIG. 1.

The rotary control rod, designated by the reference 121 is axially guided in the case body, not shown, of the watch and is provided at its outer end to this case with an operating crown 122. On the rod 121 is fixed an elastic member 123 having two slots 123a, 123 _b can successively receive a stud 124 fixed in the watch case. This device 123, 124 allows the rod 121 to be placed in two predetermined stable axial positions. The rod 121 carries two cams 125, 126 identical, substantially elliptical in shape and phase shifted one

0 compared to the other by about 45. Each cam 125, 126 cooperates with a respective electrically conductive elastic blade 127, 128, one end of which is fixed to an electrically conductive part 129 electrically connected to the watch case and the other end of which can be successively applied against and separated from one another. fixed contact, respectively 130 and 131, electrically connected to the positive terminal of the watch's power supply source.

Each blade 127, 128 and the fixed contact 130, 131 which is associated with it corresponds to one of the switches 9, 10 shown in FIG. 1. Such a device provides two pulses per revolution of the rod for each contact 130, 131. The phase shift between the pulses produced by the switch 127, 130 and those generated by the switch 128, 131 corresponds to the angle formed by the two cams 125, 126.

The switching device shown in Figure 2 further comprises a third elastic blade 132, electrically conductive, placed at the end of the rod 121 and one end of which is fixed to a part 133 electrically connected to the housing forming mass. When the rod 121 is in the pushed axial position, or the rest position, its end presses on the blade 132 and keeps the free end of the latter applied against a fixed contact 134 electrically connected to the positive terminal of the voltage source d 'power to the watch while the rod is in the pulled position, or working position, the blade 132 remains away from this fixed contact. This blade 132 and the contact 134 constitutes the switch 14 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an embodiment of the circuit for generating correction signals 13 (FIG. 1) intended to be associated with the switching device of FIG. 2. This circuit 13 comprises a circuit 40 which receives on its inputs 40a and 40 _b the phase-shifted signals coming from switches 9 and 10 (FIG. 1) and which produces from them the first HMC correction pulse signal whose frequency is proportional to the speed of rotation of the control rod and which appears at its output 40, a discriminator circuit 50 intended to produce a control signal for correcting the indication of the hours when the rotary rod is turned by two turns in less than two seconds, a counting circuit 60 for delivering, in response to the control signal supplied by the discriminator circuit 50, the 180 pulses necessary for the time zone correction and a circuit 70 to produce the correction direction control signal CS sent to the stepping motor drive circuit.

The circuit 40 whose 40a inputs and 40 _b are respectively connected to the anti-twists circuits 11 and 12 (Fig 1), comprises two flip-flops of D type 19 and 20, the D and D ₂ inputs are connected to 40a inputs respectively and 40 _b and which receive on their clock inputs ø ₁ and ø ₂ the same determined frequency signal, for example 256 Hz, coming from an intermediate output of the frequency divider circuit. Note that, in the case where the anti-rebound circuits are each constituted, in a known manner, by two flip-flops D connected in cascade, the flip-flops 19 and 20 may be the second rockers of these circuits. The output Q _i of the rocker 19 is connected to one of the two inputs of a NOR gate 21, the other input of which is connected, by means of an inverter 25 to the input 40 _a of the circuit. This input is also connected to one of the inputs of a second NOR gate 22, the other input of which is connected to the complementary output Q ₁ of the flip-flop 19.

In the same way, the outputs Q ₂ and Q ₂ of the flip-flop 20 are connected, respectively to the first NOR gate inputs 23 and 24. The second input of the gate 23 is connected, via a inverter 26, at the input 40 _b of the circuit while the second input of the door 24 is connected directly to this same input 40 _b . Circuit 40 also includes eight AND gates 27-34 with two inputs. The inputs of door 27 are connected to the output Q ₁ of the rocker 19 and to the output of the NOR gate 23, those of the door 28 to the output Q ₂ of the flip-flop 20 and to that of the gate NO -OR 22, those of door 29 at the exit Q ₁ of the rocker 19 and that of the door 24 and those of the door 30 at the exit Q ₂ of the flip-flop 20 and at the exit of the door 21. Likewise the inputs of the doors 31, 32, 33, 34 receive respectively the signals coming from the exit Q ₁ and of the door 24, from the exit Q ₂ and gate 22, exit Q ₁ and from gate 23 and exit Q ₂ and from door 21. The outputs of AND gates 27 to 30 are connected to the four inputs of a NOR gate 35 while the outputs of doors 31 to 34 are connected to the four inputs of a NOR gate 36. The outputs of doors 35 and 36 supply the two inputs of a NAND gate 37 at the output of which the HMC correction pulse signal appears.

The operation of circuit 40 is illustrated by the diagram in FIG. 4. On this diagram the signals A, B are those which appear at inputs 40 and 40 _b and which correspond to the switching pulses supplied by switches 9 and 10 (fig 1 ). The signals I and J are those supplied by the outputs Q _I and Q ₂ of the rockers 19 and 20 while the signals AR, AF, BR, BF, U and D are those which appear respectively at the outputs of the gates 21, 22, 23 , 24, 35 and 36.

Assume that initially the inputs 40a and _40b of the circuit are at the logic level "0", it is the same for the outputs Q and Q ₂ of the flip-flops 19 and 20. The outputs of NOR gates 21 to 24 are then at level "0" as well as the outputs of AND gates 27 to 34. The outputs of NOR gates 35 and 36 are therefore at logic level "1". The arrival of a switching pulse at input D changes output Q ₁ to level "1" with a slight delay since output Q ₁ does not change level until the end of the first pulse d 'clock following the change from "0" to "1" of input D ₁ . On the other hand, the passage from "0" to "1" of signal A makes gate 21 pass, which is again blocked when output Q ₁ goes to level "1". The output of gate 21 therefore remains at level "1" only during the flip-flop 19 tilting time. As long as the output of gate 21 is at level "1" AND gate 30 is on, which has the effect of blocking the NOR gate 35. The other AND gate 34, an input of which is connected to the output of the NOR gate 21 remains blocked because the output Q ₂ of the flip-flop 20 remains at level " 0 ". The exit from door 36 therefore remains at level "1". A pulse therefore appears at the output of NAND gate 37.

The same thing occurs when the switching pulse from the anti-rebound device 12 arrives at the input D ₂ of the rocker 20. The doors concerned are this time the door NOR 23 and AND gate 27 which blocks gate 35 for a period equal to the flip-flop 20 tilting time. A second pulse therefore appears at the output of NAND gate 37.

At the end of the switching pulse At output Q ₁ returns from level "1" to level "0" and the complementary output Q1 from level "0" to level "1". This time the NOR gate 22 which is on during the tilting time and which, by means of the AND gate 28, blocks the gate 35 which has the consequence of causing a new pulse to appear at the output. of door 37. In the same way a pulse appears at this same output at the end of the switching pulse coming from the anti-rebound circuit 12 thanks, this time, to doors 24 and 29. One thus obtains, when the rod control unit rotates in one direction, a pulse train at the output of the NAND gate 37 which constitutes the HMC correction signal and which is the inverse of the signal U produced at the output of the NOR gate 35, the exit from door 36 remaining at level "1"

An identical explanation would show that if the rotary rod were turned in the opposite direction, i.e. if signal B was ahead of signal A, the HMC correction pulses would come from the signal supplied by gate 36 , the output of door 35 then remaining at level "1".

The number of correction pulses produced per revolution of the control rod is equal to eight.

The HMC correction pulse signal is transmitted to an input 50 a of the discriminator circuit 50 which comprises two counters 51, 52 each having a capacity of 32. The input of the counter 51 is connected to the output of a gate NON- OR 53, a first input of which is connected to another input _50b of the discriminator circuit 50 to which a reference signal of 8 Hz from the frequency divider is applied.

The output Q ₅ of the counter 51 is connected, on the one hand, to a second input of the NOR gate 53 and, on the other hand, via an inverter 54 to the input R of a RS 55 type flip-flop whose input S is connected, via an inverter 56, to input 50 a of the circuit. The complementary output Q of this flip-flop is connected to the reset inputs R of the counters 51 and 52 as well as to a third input of the NOR gate 53. The output of the inverter 56 also feeds a first input of a NOR gate 57 whose output and the second input are respectively connected to the input and output Q ₅ of counter 52. Finally, circuit 50 includes a NAND gate 58, the two inputs of which are connected respectively to output Q of flip-flop 55 and to output Q ₅ of counter 52, the output of this door constituting that, 50, of the discriminator circuit.

Before the watch wearer, who wishes to modify the time, turns the control rod, the flip-flop 55 is in the rest state. The output of the NAND gate 58 is therefore at level "1". The counters 51 and 52 each having their input R at level "1" are at zero. NOR gate 53 whose third input is in state "1" is blocked while NOR gate 57 is on.

The arrival of the first pulse of the HMC signal resulting from the rotation of the rod, causes the flip-flop 55 to toggle; the passage of the latter's Q output from level "1" to level "0" frees the counters 51, 52 and makes NOR gate 53 pass. The output of gate 58 remains at level "1". The 8 Hz signal and the HMC signal are transmitted to the inputs of the counters 51, respectively 52. Several cases can then arise: if the user causes the control rod to perform two turns in less than two seconds, the output Q ₅ of the counter 52 goes to "1" when the latter has counted sixteen pulses and this before the output Q ₅ of the counter 51 also goes to "1". This has the effect, on the one hand, of blocking the gate 57 therefore of interrupting the application of the HMC signal at the input of the counter 52 and, on the other hand, of passing the output of the gate 58 whose two entries are then at "1", in the state "0". This level is maintained until the output Q ₅ of the counter 51 also changes to "1". At this time the NOR gate 53 is blocked while the input R of the flip-flop 55 goes to "0" and its outputs Q and Q respectively to "0" and "1" which has the effect of making it pass the output of NAND gate 58 at "1". An HCC signal for correcting the indication of the hours therefore appeared at the output 50 _e of the discriminator circuit. The return of the flip-flop 55 to its rest state also causes the counters 51, 52 to be reset to zero. The NOR gate 57 becomes again passable while the gate NOR-OR 53 which sees its second entry go to level "0" but its third entry brought to state "1" remains blocked.

If the user continues to turn the control rod, the next pulse applied to the input 50 a of the circuit will cause the change of state of the flip-flop 55, the release of the counters 51, 52 and of the gate 53. If the rod again performs two turns in less than two seconds, the discriminator circuit 50 will operate in the same way and a new HCC signal will be produced otherwise we will find ourselves in one of the following cases.

If the rod is turned by two turns in more than two seconds the circuit 50 operates, at the beginning, in the same way as that described above, but, in this case, it is the output Q ₅ of the counter 51 which passes at logic level "1" before that of the counter 52, which causes the blocking of the door 53, the flipping of the flip-flop 55 and consequently the resetting of the two counters. The NOR gate 57 remains open but the next pulse of the HMC signal which immediately follows the passage to "1" of the output Q ₅ of the counter 51 causes the flip-flop 55 to return to its working state and the circuit 50 starts again. count the pulses it receives. In this case, the output Q ₅ of the counter 52 remains at "0". Consequently, no HCC signal appears at output 50 _c which remains in state "1".

The discriminator circuit works the same way when the rod does not make two full turns.

Note that it would also be possible, to obtain the same result, to connect the input 50 a of the discriminator circuit directly to the output of one or the other of the anti-rebound circuits 11, 12 (fig 1) and using a 2 Hz reference signal, the counters 51, 52 can then be replaced by counters having a counting capacity of only 8.

The output 50 of the discriminator circuit is connected to the input c 60a of the counting circuit 60 which receives, on another input, 60 _b an inverted 32 Hz signal coming from the frequency divider 2. The circuit 60 comprises a counter 61 whose the capacity is 256 and whose input can receive, via a NOR gate 62, a first input of which is connected to input _60b of the circuit, the 32 Hz signal. The outputs Q _{3 '} Q _5' Q _{6 '} Q ₈ of the counter 61 supply the four inputs of a NAND gate 63 whose output is connected to an input R of a RS-type flip-flop 64; the input S of this flip-flop is connected to the input 60a of the circuit while its output Q is connected, via an inverter 65, on the one hand, to a second input of the gate NON- OR 62 and, on the other hand, at the counter reset input R 61.

As long as the input 60 a of the circuit remains at level "1", the NOR gate 62 remains blocked and the counter 61 is kept at zero, the output Q of the flip-flop then being at "0". When this input changes to "0" the flip-flop 64 switches, releasing the counter 61 and unlocking the gate 62 which transmits, by reversing it, the 32 Hz signal at the output 60 _d of the circuit connected to that of the gate NOR-62. The pulses are counted by the counter 61. At the end of the 180th pulse, the output Q3 goes to level "1", the outputs Q ₅ , _Q6 and Q8 already being there. The change from "1" to "0" of the NAND gate 63 causes the output Q of the flip-flop 64 to pass to "0" and the NOR gate 62 stops transmitting the 32 Hz pulses to the counter and to the output 60 _d of the circuit.

FIG. 5 shows the inverted 32 Hz signal and the HCC correction control signal applied to the counting circuit as well as the HC indication signal for the indication of the hours delivered by the latter. The CPT signal also shown in this figure is that which is applied to the second input of NOR gate 62 and which is also sent to the timer circuit 3 (fig 1).

It should be noted that, if a new HCC correction control signal appears at input 60a of the circuit before the 180 pulses of 32 Hz have been counted, this will have no effect, the flip-flop 64 remaining in the same state. The user of the watch will have to wait until the advance or delay of one hour of the display is finished before turning the rod again two turns in less than two seconds if he wishes to continue the correction or, all at least, complete this maneuver only after the counting circuit has released the last pulse.

The circuit producing the logic signal CS of correction direction comprises a flip-flop of RS 71 type whose inputs are connected to the outputs of the NOR gates 35 and 36 of the circuit 40 and three NAND gates 72, 73, 75. Gate 72, a first and second input of which are connected respectively to the output Q of the flip- flop 71 and, via an inverter 74, at the output of the anti-rebound circuit 15 associated with the switch 14 (fig 1) receives on a third, the signal appearing at the output of the flip-flop 64 of the circuit counting 60 and which is the inverse of the counting signal CPT. The door 73 also has an input connected to the output of the flip-flop 71 and another connected directly to the anti-rebound circuit 15. The outputs of the doors 72 and 73 supply the two inputs of the door 75 at the output of which appears the CS signal. Assuming that the output Q of the flip-flop 71 is at level "0" when the control rod is or was lastly turned in the direction of advance, and at level "1" in the case of a rotation in the opposite direction, the circuit 70 will provide a signal CS which will always have the value "0" except in the case where the control rod is in its working position and is turned in the direction of the delay, and during the time that the time zone correction lasts, possibly the rapid correction of the minutes when this modification is also made in the direction of the delay.

FIG. 3 also shows that the door of the flip-flop 64 of which an input R is connected to the NAND gate 63 has another input R ₂ which is connected by the inverter 74 of the circuit 70 to the output of the anti-circuit twists 15. This link 76 is used to interrupt the sending by the 32 Hz pulse counting circuit to the motor drive circuit when the user makes a rapid correction of the indication of the minutes in the manner which has been set out above.

A possible embodiment for the drive circuit 6 of the stepping motor will now be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The circuit consists of a pulse forming circuit 80, a circuit 90 for controlling the direction of rotation of the motor and of a supply circuit 100.

The forming circuit which has the function of producing, in response to the normal or correction pulses, applied to its input 80, the pulses of determined duration necessary for controlling the drive of the stepping motor, comprises a counter 81 having a counting capacity of 32 and whose input is connected to the output of a NOR gate 82. The NOR gate receives on one of its inputs, connected to an intermediate stage of the frequency divider 2 (fig 1), a periodic signal of 2048 Hz and to its other input connected to the output Q ₅ of the counter 81 whose outputs Q ₁ to Q ₄ supply the four inputs of a binary decoder 83 with sixteen very classic outputs. The pulse-forming circuit also includes two NAND gates 84, 85 with seven inputs. The first seven complementary outputs Q to Q ₇ of the decoder 83 are connected to the inputs of gate 84, while the last seven Q ₁₀ to Q ₁₆ are connected to the inputs of gate 85.

Each pulse appearing at input 80 _a of the circuit connected to input R of the counter ensures its reset, thus causing the opening of NOR gate 82, previously blocked, which then transmits the signal from 2048 Hz to the counter input. When the content thereof reaches the value 16, its output Q ₅ returns to "1", thus blocking the gate 82 until the arrival of a new pulse at the input 80. The time during which the 2048 Hz signal is applied to the input of counter 81 is approximately 7.8 ms, that is to say sixteen times the period of this signal which is substantially equal to 0.5 ms. During this duration of incrementation of the counter the outputs Q ₁ to Q ₁₆ of decoder 83 which, at the start were all in state "1", each pass in turn to state "0" to return to level "1" 0.5 ms later. The signals P ₁ and P ₂ appearing at the outputs of the NAND gates 84 and 85 are therefore each constituted by pulses of the same frequency as the signal applied to the input 80 of the forming circuit and the duration of which is substantially equal to 3 , 4 ms. These two signals which are represented in FIG. 7 at the same time as the signal applied to the input 80, are furthermore phase-shifted by approximately 4.4 ms, the signal P _l being ahead of the signal P ₂ . The circuit 90 for controlling the direction of rotation of the motor has four NAND gates with two inputs 91-94, the first, 91 receiving the signal P and the signal CS for controlling the direction of rotation coming from the correction signal generator circuit. , the second, 92, the signal P ₂ and the signal CS inverted by an inverter 95, the third, 93, the signal P ₁ and the signal CS inverted and the fourth, 94, the signals P ₂ and CS. Circuit 90 also includes two other NAND gates, one, 96, having its inputs connected to the outputs of gates 91 and 92, the other, 97, its inputs being supplied by the exits of doors 93 and 94.

It is not necessary to explain in detail the operation of such a circuit to see that, as shown in the diagram in FIG. 7, the control signals M ₁ and M ₂ appearing at the outputs of gates 96 and 97 will be identical, respectively, to the input signals P ₁ and P ₂ when the signal CS will have logic level "O". On the other hand when this signal has the level "1", the command pulses of 3.4 ms appearing at the output of gate 96 will be 4.4 ms behind those delivered by gate 97. In the first case the stepper motor will receive, via the two inverters 101, 102 forming the supply circuit 100, two successive driving pulses, the first positive, the second negative which will make it take a step, that is to say -to say that its rotor will make a complete revolution, in the direction corresponding to the advance of the needles, while, in the second case, the motor will receive a negative impulse then a positive which will make it turn in the direction of the delay, this for each pulse applied to the input 80 of the forming circuit 80, as shown by the signal M in FIG. 7.

Figure 8 shows a possible embodiment of the timer circuit 3 (fig 1). The circuit comprises an RS 103 flip-flop which receives, on its input S the normal pulse signal of 1/20 Hz supplied by the frequency divider inverted by an inverter 104. The input R of the flip-flop is connected to the output of a NAND gate 105 which receives on its inputs a clock signal of 32 Hz coming from the frequency divider and the counting time signal CPT. The output Q of the flip-flop 103 feeds the input D of a D-type flip-flop 106 whose clock input o receives the 32 Hz signal. The complementary output Q of the flip-flop D is connected to an input of a NOR gate 107 of which the other input receives the signal applied to the input R of the flip-flop 103. The gate output constitutes that of circuit 3.

In normal operating conditions and in the absence of a normal pulse applied to the inverter 104, the input S of the flip-flop 103 is at logic level "1" while its input R receives the inverted 32 Hz signal by the NAND gate 105 whose input which receives the CPT signal remains at "1". The flip-flop 103 remains in its rest state; its Q output is at "0" while the Q output of flip-flop D is at logic level "1" thus blocking NOR gate 107 which does not transmit the inverted 32 Hz signal. The arrival of a normal pulse supplied by the frequency divider passes for a short time to "0" the input S of the flip-flop RS which switches. This has the effect of bringing the input D of the flip-flop 106 to level "1". The rising edge of the 32 Hz pulse immediately following the change to "1" of input D changes the output Q of this flip-flop 106 to "0" and thus frees the NOR gate 107. This same pulse which is transmitted by the NAND gates 105 and NAND OR 107 at the output of the circuit, also has the effect of bringing the flip-flop 103 to its rest state. On the rising edge of the next pulse of the clock signal, the flip-flop D returns to its initial state again blocking the door 107. This operating mode is illustrated by the right part of the diagram of FIG. 9 on which were carried, in order, the 32 Hz clock signal, the CPT counting time signal, the signals applied to the S and R inputs of the flip-flop 103, the output signal Q of the latter, the signal to the output Q of the flip-flop D and the signal N at the output of the NOR gate 107.

When triggering a correction of the hour indication, the CPT logic signal takes the value "0" which causes the blocking of NAND gate 105 which no longer transmits the 32 Hz signal. This has no effect influence on the RS 103 flip-flop which remains in its rest state. In the event that no normal pulse appears at the input of the inverter 104 during the correction period, the CPT signal returns to the value "1" at the end of this period and the clock signal is again transmitted to input R of the flip-flop without anything having happened. On the other hand, if a normal pulse occurs during this duration, this switches the flip-flop RS and the output Q of the flip-flop D 106 goes to "0" on the rising edge of the next pulse of the clock signal. NOR gate 107 is then unlocked but since the output of gate 105 remains at "1", the output of this gate 107 remains at "0". This circuit state is maintained until the end of the hour correction period. At this time the CPT signal returns to the value "1". The 32 Hz signal pulse which immediately follows this change and which is then transmitted by gate 105 brings the flip-flop RS in its initial state. In addition, this pulse appears at the output of the NOR gate 107. On the front flank of the next pulse of the clock signal, the output Q of the flip-flop D returns to "1" and again blocks the gate 107 which will have transmitted only one impulse. This is illustrated by the left part of the diagram in FIG. 9. In the case of the appearance of a normal pulse during the time zone correction time, the motor drive circuit 6 (fig 1) will therefore receive at the following the 180 pulses delivered by the counting circuit 60 (fig 3) a 181st pulse from the circuit 3. Any loss. of the hour is thus avoided.

It should be noted that, in the case where the correction of the indication of the hours is transformed, by an axial displacement of the control rod, into a rapid correction of the indication of the minutes, the circuit 3 also produces a pulse after the return at "1" of the CPT signal but this is not transmitted by the NAND gate 4 which is then blocked.

The invention is naturally not limited to the embodiment which has just been described. For example, the switching device of FIG. 2, making it possible to convert the rotational movements of the control rod into electrical signals, can be replaced by any other system capable of supplying two phase-shifted signals from which the signal can be produced. direction of rotation and a correction signal for the indication of the minutes and hours. The various circuits described can be implemented differently.

The particular maneuver to be carried out to control the hour correction could consist only in turning the control rod by a determined angle, for example two turns, without time limit. This would not significantly increase the risk of losing an hour by accident. The discriminator circuit could then have only one counter and means for resetting it to zero when the direction of rotation of the rod changes and when the rod remains immobilized for a certain period of time.

The invention also applies to watches fitted with unidirectional motors, for example of the Lavet type, which are still most commonly used. Changing the time indications in one direction has the disadvantage of a slower correction, but the advantage of simplifying circuits. The switching device controlled by the rotation of the rod no longer needs to provide two phase-shifted signals and the circuits for detecting the direction of rotation of the rod, supplying a signal for controlling the direction of correction and controlling the direction of rotation of the rod. engine can then be deleted, the other circuits being naturally adapted accordingly.

The watch according to the invention can also have a digital or pseudo-analog display. In this case the counting circuit 60 can be replaced by a circuit, for example a monostable, supplying only a single pulse in response to the correction control signal. The signal for correcting the indication of the minutes and the hours, transmitted by gate 17, and that for correcting the indication of the hours, transmitted by gate 18, can then be sent respectively to a reversible minute counter and to a reversible hour counter and the correction direction control signal, produced by a simplified circuit, be applied to the count direction control inputs of these two counters. The timer circuit 3 is then deleted and the normal pulses produced by the frequency divider will be transmitted via the NAND gate 4 which may remain, no longer to the drive circuit of a motor but either to the counter of minutes, their frequency then being 1/60 Hz, or a seconds counter with a frequency of 1 Hz if the watch is designed to display this information. A unidirectional correction is also possible in this type of watch.

It is also possible to produce a watch provided with both an analog display device and digital display means.

Furthermore, the control rod can be at more than two positions, a third position which can, for example, be reserved for the correction of calendar indications.

Claims (8)

1. Electronic watch comprising a time base for producing a standard frequency signal, a frequency divider circuit coupled to said time base for producing a low frequency time pulse signal, a device for displaying time information capable of indicate at least the hours and minutes in response to said time pulse signal and a display correction circuit controlled by a rotary manual control member capable of assuming at least two axial positions, one of rest occupied by said manual control member when the watch is operating normally and the other working for jointly correcting the indication of the minutes and that of the hours characterized in that said correction circuit (3-5,11-18) is arranged to effect a correction of the hour indication alone in response to a particular predetermined movement of rotation of said manual control member (121,122) in its position rest. 2. Electronic watch according to claim 1 characterized in that the hour indication is changed by one unit in response to said particular movement of said manual control member. 3. Electronic watch according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said particular movement of rotation consists for said manual control member (121,122) of turning at least by a determined minimum angle in a time interval less than a predetermined period . 4. Electronic watch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the correction of the indication of the minutes and that of the hours, respectively the correction of the indication of the hours is done in the direction of advance responding to a rotation of the manual control member (121,122) in one direction and in the direction of the delay in response to a rotation of said manual control member in the opposite direction. 5. Electronic watch according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that said correction circuit (3-5,11-18) comprises means (9-12,40) for producing, in response to a rotation of said control member manual (121,122), a first signal (HMC) of correction intended to allow the modification of the indication of the minutes and that of the hours and formed by pulses whose frequency is a function of the speed of rotation of said manual control member; a discriminator circuit (50) comprising a counter (52) for counting the pulses of said first correction signal and means (51,53-58) for producing an hour indication correction control signal (HCC) when a limit counting level is reached before the end of said predeter mined period; a circuit (60) capable of supplying, in response to said correction control signal, a second correction signal (HC) intended to allow the modification of the indication of the hours and formed of a predetermined number of pulses; means (14,15) responding to the axial positioning of said manual control member in said rest position, respectively in said working position, for producing a position signal whose value depends on the position occupied by said manual control member; and a gate circuit (4,5,16-18) controlled by said position signal and arranged to receive and selectively transmit to said display device (6,7,8a, 8b) said time pulse signal and said first and second correction signals, this arrangement being such that the transmission of said second correction signal is authorized when this signal is produced in response to a rotation of the manual control member in the rest position, the first correction signal then being blocked, and the application to the display device of said first correction signal is permitted when this signal is produced in response to a rotation of the manual control member in its working position, the transmission of said signal time pulses and said second correction signal, when produced, then being blocked. 6. Electronic watch according to claim 5 wherein said display device comprises a stepping motor driving hours and minutes indicating members and a drive circuit adapted to receive said time pulse signal and said first and second correction signals characterized in that the circuit (60) providing said second correction signal (HC) receives from the frequency divider (2) an im signal frequency pulses greater than the frequency of said time pulse signal and is arranged to transmit to said door circuit (4,5,16-18) in response to said hour indication correction control signal (HCC) , a number of pulses of this signal equal to the number of steps that said minute indicator member must take (18b) for the indication of the hours to be changed by one. 7. Electronic watch according to claim 6 characterized in that said door circuit (4,5,16-18) is produced so as to allow the transmission of the pulses of said second correction signal to be interrupted to the drive circuit of the motor by an axial displacement of said control member from its rest position to its working position. 8. Electronic watch according to claim 6 characterized in that the circuit (60) providing said second correction signal (HC) receives said position signal and comprises means (64) responding to this position signal and making it possible to interrupt transmitting to said gate circuit pulses of the signal from the frequency divider by an axial displacement of said control member (121,122) from its rest position to its working position.

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