EP0175961B1 - Electronic time piece having time-setting means - Google Patents

Electronic time piece having time-setting means Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0175961B1
EP0175961B1 EP85111025A EP85111025A EP0175961B1 EP 0175961 B1 EP0175961 B1 EP 0175961B1 EP 85111025 A EP85111025 A EP 85111025A EP 85111025 A EP85111025 A EP 85111025A EP 0175961 B1 EP0175961 B1 EP 0175961B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
correction
output
pulses
down counter
time
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP85111025A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0175961A1 (en
Inventor
René Besson
Pierre-André Meister
Jürg Rudin
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ETA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse SA
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ETA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse SA
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Publication of EP0175961A1 publication Critical patent/EP0175961A1/en
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04C—ELECTROMECHANICAL CLOCKS OR WATCHES
    • G04C9/00—Electrically-actuated devices for setting the time-indicating means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G5/00—Setting, i.e. correcting or changing, the time-indication
    • G04G5/02—Setting, i.e. correcting or changing, the time-indication by temporarily changing the number of pulses per unit time, e.g. quick-feed method
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04G—ELECTRONIC TIME-PIECES
    • G04G9/00—Visual time or date indication means
    • G04G9/0076—Visual time or date indication means in which the time in another time-zone or in another city can be displayed at will

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electronic timepiece comprising at least one hour indicator (7), a minute indicator (6) and a corrector member (A, B, C) which can be activated manually, said member allowing, when it is activated, the correction step by step in one direction or the other of the indication of the minutes in response to a first determined maneuver exerted on the organ and the rapid correction in one direction or the other of said indication by entire time zones in response to a second determined maneuver and different from the first exerted on the organ.
  • a corrector member A, B, C
  • a timepiece corresponding to the above definition is known.
  • the corrective member is in the form of a crown rod reminiscent of that of mechanical watches and to which users are most used. Some of these models are designed to allow time zone correction, that is, modification of the display by whole hours.
  • the document EP-A-0 064 023 (its correspondent CH-A-643 427 G or its correspondent US-A-4 398 831), describes as known a solution which consists in selecting the information to be corrected, hours and minutes or time zone, by rotating the rod in one direction or the other while maintaining it in its non-activated position, then pulling the rod and then turning it again to correct the selected information, rotation in one direction or in the other of the rod allowing then to advance or delay the watch.
  • the cited document also indicates that it is known to modify the indication of the hours (time zone) or the indication of the minutes by turning the time-setting rod respectively at high speed or at low speed, the display progressing or regressing according to the direction of rotation.
  • the cited document proposes to correct the indication of the time zone when the control member is in its neutral rest position, the correction of the minutes being able to be made as for the rod is activated in the correction position.
  • This solution lacks logic because the user must remember that the correction of the time zone can only be done in an axial position of the rod which normally is reserved for the selection of the data to be corrected.
  • the neutral position of the rod is used for the selection of data by slow rotation, the proposed solution will not avoid an untimely correction of the time zone if this rod is rotated quickly when carrying out said selection.
  • the present invention therefore proposes to provide a remedy for preventing the loss of the hour in a watch where the correction of the minutes and the correction of the time zone are carried out in the same activated position of the correction and choosing the maneuver to be applied to said organ.
  • the watch includes means for canceling any corrections to the minutes which would have preceded a correction of the time zone. In this way the time zone will always be corrected with respect to the real time that was running when the correction device was activated. Thus a loss of the hour is completely excluded.
  • the timepiece according to the invention has at least one hour indicator and one minute indicator.
  • these indicators are on the one hand a minute hand and on the other hand an hour hand, the latter being linked mechanically to the former by a mechanical timer.
  • the watch also has a rod crown which can take two axial positions. A first neutral position pressed allows the data to be corrected to be selected, this data being among others the time, a timer function, a chronograph function, etc. The selection is made by rotating the crown. To make visible to the user which data has been selected, it can be displayed on an auxiliary display, for example a digital liquid crystal display.
  • the crown is pulled into a second active position, after selecting the indication of the time. From this position, if you turn the crown slowly, in one direction or the other, you add or subtract minutes to the display of the minute hand. Thus the needle will progress or regress step by step, the user remaining master of the correction to be made. Also from this position if you turn the crown quickly, in one direction or the other, you add or subtract an entire time zone to the hour display, the minute hand then going exactly one revolution dial. These manipulations are known. For this, reference is made to the document cited above as well as to patent CH-A-632,894 (corresponding to document US-A-4,379,642).
  • the present invention proposes the correction of the minutes and the correction of the time zone in the same active position of the crown and this without risking the loss of the hour if a correction of the minutes preceded a correction of the time zone schedule.
  • FIG. 1 A possible diagram achieving the aim is shown in FIG. 1. It includes, as is known from the prior art, a time base 1, such as a quartz oscillator producing a high frequency signal, for example 32 kHz, a frequency divider 2 composed of a series of flip-flops connected in cascade and supplying a seconds counter 3 with a signal of normal time pulses whose frequency is chosen here at 1 Hz.
  • the seconds counter 3 provides its output a minute pulse which, via the OR circuit 4 and the shaping circuit 5, advances the minute hand 6 in steps of one minute.
  • the minute hand is driven by a stepping motor capable of operating in both directions of rotation and the direction of which depends on the signal present on line 8 of the shaping circuit 5. When the watch operates normally, this signal is worth 1 and the minute hand advances clockwise.
  • the watch also has a manual control rod, the rotary with two axial positions, one at rest and the other at work, not shown in FIG. 1, which, when it pivots, actuates two mechanical switches A and B 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 phase shifted with respect to each other, the sign of phase shift depending on the direction of rotation.
  • a third switch C actuated by the control rod when it is moved axially provides a logic signal representative of the position occupied by the rod.
  • the block 9 emits a logic signal 1 on its output MC which is a signal representative of the stepwise correction of the minutes.
  • block 9 When the crown is turned to move the minute hand clockwise, block 9 emits a logic signal 1 (up) on its SC output. When the crown is turned to move the minute hand counterclockwise, block 9 emits a logic signal 0 (down) on its SC output. These signals are sent regardless of the speed at which the needle moves. They are representative of the direction of correction.
  • Block 9 has a stop input. It interrupts the transmission of the high frequency signal to its HMC output when a correction blocking pulse reaches this input.
  • FIG 1 shows that the HMC output (cadence) of block 9 is connected to the watch display via the OR circuit 4 and that the SC output (direction) is connected to said display via the shaping circuit 5 by the line 8.
  • the minute hand will move step by step or at high speed in one direction or the other, depending on the operation exerted on the crown.
  • the timepiece includes means for canceling any corrections to the minutes which would have preceded a correction of the time zone when the corrector member is activated.
  • the timepiece in response to the rapid rotation of the crown, it always causes a correction of an entire time zone with respect to real time which runs from the moment the crown is placed in the active pulled position. In this way an untimely, unwanted correction of a few minutes is not taken into account in the correction of the time zone which remains aligned with the exact time.
  • Figure 1 shows an example of ways to achieve the goal. These essentially consist of an up-down counter 10 and a circuit 11 associated with the up-down counter 10.
  • the up-down counter is loaded by HMC pulses arriving at its input CL. It can be reset to zero if a pulse is applied to its R input. It counts if its U / D input (up / down) is at 1 and counts down if said input is at zero.
  • the up-down counter used here has a capacity limited to 60, that is to say that starting from zero it emits an output pulse 12 of so-called carry (output) when its input CL has received 60 pulses that it acts of a counting (up) or a counting down (down).
  • the down-counter 10 receives on its input cl first pulses in the counting direction (for example 5) then second pulses in the counting direction, the number of said second pulses being greater than the number of said first pulses (by example 10), it will emit an output pulse 12 called borrow when its content goes through zero.
  • This also applies in the reverse direction counting down counting
  • the carry-over and borrowing pulses 12 appear at the output of the up-down counter in the same form and it is not possible to distinguish them from each other except by the fact that the first was obtained without the U / D input changing state while the second only intervenes when there has been a change of state of said U / D input.
  • the circuit 11 associated with the up-down counter essentially comprises two flip-flops of the SR 14 and 15 type. If a reset pulse (set) is sent to the input S 1 , the flip-flop 14 has a logic state 1 at its output 0, and a logic state 0 at its output Q 1 . It is the same for the flip-flop 15. Conversely if a reset pulse is sent to the input S 1 , the flip-flop 14 has a logic state 0 at its output 0 1 and a logic state 1 at its output Q 1 . It is the same for the flip-flop 15. It should be observed that the flip-flops SR chosen here are of the master-slave type (i.e. the reset takes place only on the second side of the control pulse sent to the inputs R, and R 2 . This feature makes it possible, as will be seen below, to distinguish between a carry-over pulse and a borrowing pulse delivered at the output 30 of the up-down counter 10.
  • the outputs of said doors 19 and 20 are connected to the inputs of an OR gate 21 whose output delivers a correction blocking pulse 13 at the stop input of block Q
  • the other inputs of each of the AND gates 19 and 20 receive the signal representative of the direction of correction SC, the signal representative of the rapid correction (time zone) FC and the output pulses 12 emitted by the up-down counter 10.
  • the signal SC is applied to the gate 20 as it appears at the output of the block 9, whereas on the gate 19 this signal is inverted by the inverter circuit 23.
  • the output HMC of block 9 produces pulses at 64 Hz which begin to load the up-down counter 10 in the direction of advance since the signal representative of the direction of correction SC is at level 1.
  • the needle 6 advances at a rate fast since, on the one hand, pulses at 64 Hz reach it via the OR circuit 4 and, on the other hand, the shaping circuit 5 receives an advance order via line 8.
  • AND gates 17 and 18 remain at zero since their input which receives the signal representative of a stepwise correction MC is at zero.
  • the flip-flops 14 and 15 therefore do not change state thus maintaining state 1 on outputs Q 1 and Q 2 .
  • the AND gate 20 sees its two lower inputs pass to 1 since the signals representative of the direction of correction SC and of the time zone FC are at 1.
  • the three lower inputs of the AND gate 20 are at 1 which allows the pulse 12 sent at the end of the count to pass the AND gate 20 and provide at the output of the OR gate 21 a correction blocking pulse 13 which stops the pulses at 64 Hz on the HMC output, the hand 6 will have thus traversed an advance of 60 divisions of one minute thus advancing the hand 7 of the hours of a time zone. It will be noted that during this time setting the AND gate 19 has its input less than zero, the signal SC being inverted by the inverter circuit 23.
  • FIG. 2a is a representation of the running of the minute hand when the stepwise correction of said hand precedes the time zone correction and when said corrections take place in the same direction of travel.
  • the hour 7 and minute 6 hands indicate 4 h 45 min.
  • the minute hand occupies position 6 'and will have advanced 300 in the direction of arrow 40.
  • a time zone correction made in the same direction will , according to the invention, advance the hand by only 55 minutes in the direction of arrow 41.
  • the watch will indicate 5 h 45 min: the minute hand will be in position 6 and that of the hours in position 7 '.
  • block 9 emits an IR reset pulse when the crown is in the correction position.
  • the up-down counter 10 is set to zero and the outputs Q, and Q 2 of flip-flops 14 and 15 are at level 1.
  • the crown is then printed with a slow rotation, this movement advancing the hand by 5 minutes.
  • the up-down counter 10 will have been incremented by 5 pulses and the hand 6 will have advanced from 4:45 to 4:50 (see also fig. 2a).
  • the signal representative of the direction SC is worth 1
  • the signal representative of the stepwise correction MC is also worth 1 while the signal representative of the time zone FC is zero.
  • the output of the AND gate 19 (A,) remains at zero because it receives a zero signal from the inverter 23. This output A, will remain at zero during the correction of the time zone because in the two corrections envisaged here SC is equal to 1 (same direction of advance).
  • the output of the AND gate 18 remains at zero because the output of the inverter 22 is zero.
  • state 1 of output Q2 of flip-flop 15 is preserved.
  • the lower entry of the AND gate 20 is at 1 and also remains at 1 when advancing at a rapid rate.
  • Figure 3a is a signal diagram illustrating the operation of the circuit of Figure 1 when the corrections take place according to the step shown in fig. 2a.
  • the various symbols used in FIG. 1. We see that to the 5 isolated HMC pulses 55 subsequent pulses are added which produces the transfer pulse 12. At this time the coincidence of this pulse with the states 1 points Q 2 , SC and FC allow said pulse to pass through the AND gate 20 (A 2 ) and stop the block 9 (13). It can be seen that if the stepwise correction and the rapid correction of the display take place in the same direction, the blocking signal 13 is sent at the first of the pulses sent (12) by the up-down counter.
  • the watch displays 4 hours 45 minutes when you want to advance its display by one hour. After selecting the double hour-minute function to be corrected, the crown is pulled out to the active position. However, instead of imparting a rapid rotational movement to the crown in the direction which is suitable for rapid advancing of the minute hand, the said crown is actuated too slowly and in a direction such that the watch is delayed by 5 minutes. The watch then indicates 4 h 40 min. Without a device to cancel the erroneous correction, the display will indicate 5 h 40 min instead of the desired 5:45 h.
  • FIG. 2b is a representation of the running of the minute hand when the stepwise correction of said hand precedes the time zone correction and when said corrections take place in opposite directions of travel.
  • your hour 7 and minute 6 hands indicate 4 h 45 min.
  • the minute hand occupies position 6 'and will have moved back 30 ° in the direction of arrow 42.
  • a time zone correction made in the other sense will, according to the invention, advance the hand by 65 minutes in the direction of arrow 43.
  • the watch will then indicate 5 h 45 min: the minute hand will be in position 6 and that of the hours in position 7 ' .
  • block 9 emits a reset pulse on its IR output when the crown is in the correction position.
  • the up-down counter 10 and the flip-flops 14 and 15 are reset to zero, which means that the outputs Q and Q 2 are at logic level 1.
  • the crown is then printed with a slow rotation which causes the hand to move back 5 minutes.
  • the up-down counter 10 will have been loaded with 5 pulses on its CL input in the "down" or down-counting direction.
  • the signal SC is worth 0
  • the signal MC is worth 1
  • the signal FC is worth O.
  • This situation makes the AND gate 18 pass at the first pulse from the HMC output of block 9 and causes the circuit 15 which has then a level 0 on its output Q 2 . Consequently all the inputs of AND gate 20 are at zero.
  • the borrowing pulse 12 which occurs at the upper input of the AND gate 20 is found to be ahead of the passage to 1 of the input of the same door connected to the output Q 2 of the rocker 15. Consequently, this pulse cannot pass the AND gate 20 and in no way stops the block 9 which continues to provide a signal at 64 Hz on its HMC output. From this instant, the up-down counter 10 will charge up to its nominal capacity and, after 60 pulses, will supply an output or transfer pulse 12 to the upper input of the AND gate 20. As all the other inputs are at 1, the transfer pulse passes the AND gate 20 and supplies, at the output of the OR circuit 21, a correction blocking pulse 13 which stops the transmission of the signal at 64 Hz on the HMC output of block 9.
  • Figure 3b is a signal diagram illustrating the operation of the circuit of Figure 1 when the corrections take place according to the step shown in Figure 2b. It is assumed, however, that the slow walk does not go in the negative direction has already been carried out and the left edge of the diagram begins at the moment when the needle is driven in rapid cadence. It can be seen that the first output pulse (12) (borrow) fails to pass the AND gate 20 since the signal Q 2 is still at zero at this time. This is only at the second transmission of a pulse 12 (carry) by the up-down counter that said pulse can pass the AND gate 20 since the points Q 2 , SC and FC are at level 1.

Abstract

A watch comprising at least a minute hand, an hour hand and a knobbed shaft which can occupy an extended axial position known as a correcting position. Minute-by-minute correction or correction by whole time zones is operated with the knobbed shaft in the same extended position by the selection of the speed at which the knob is rotated. Time zone correction always uses as point of reference the real time at the moment of actuation of the knob into the extended position, and the watch includes means operative to cancel any step-by-step correction of the minute hand which may have preceded the time zone correction.

Description

La présente invention est relative à une pièce d'horlogerie électronique comprenant au moins un indicateur d'heures (7), un indicateur de minutes (6) et un organe correcteur (A, B, C) activable manuellement, ledit organe permettant, quand il est activé, la correction pas à pas dans un sens ou dans l'autre de l'indication des minutes en réponse à une première manoeuvre déterminée exercée sur l'organe et la correction rapide dans un sens ou dans l'autre de ladite indication par fuseaux horaires entiers en réponse à une seconde manoeuvre déterminée et différente de la première exercée sur l'organe.The present invention relates to an electronic timepiece comprising at least one hour indicator (7), a minute indicator (6) and a corrector member (A, B, C) which can be activated manually, said member allowing, when it is activated, the correction step by step in one direction or the other of the indication of the minutes in response to a first determined maneuver exerted on the organ and the rapid correction in one direction or the other of said indication by entire time zones in response to a second determined maneuver and different from the first exerted on the organ.

Une pièce d'horlogerie répondant à la définition ci-dessus est connue. Dans les modèles les plus récents de montres électroniques l'organe correcteur se présente sous la forme d'une tige couronne rappelant celle des montres mécaniques et à laquelle les utilisateurs sont les plus habitués. Certains de ces modèles sont conçus pour permettre une correction de fuseau horaire, c'est-à-dire une modification de l'affichage par heures entières. Le document EP-A-0 064 023 (son correspondant CH-A-643 427 G ou son correspondant US-A-4 398 831), décrit comme connue une solution qui consiste à sélectionner l'information à corriger, heures et minutes ou fuseau horaire, en tournant la tige dans un sens ou dans l'autre tout en la maintenant dans sa position non activée, puis à tirer la tige et à la tourner ensuite à nouveau pour corriger l'information sélectionnée, la rotation dans un sens ou dans l'autre de la tige permettant alors d'avancer ou de retarder la montre. Le document cité indique aussi qu'il est connu de modifier l'indication des heures (fuseau horaire) ou l'indication des minutes en tournant la tige de mise à l'heure respectivement à vitesse rapide ou à vitesse lente, l'affichage progressant ou régressant selon le sens de la rotation.A timepiece corresponding to the above definition is known. In the most recent models of electronic watches, the corrective member is in the form of a crown rod reminiscent of that of mechanical watches and to which users are most used. Some of these models are designed to allow time zone correction, that is, modification of the display by whole hours. The document EP-A-0 064 023 (its correspondent CH-A-643 427 G or its correspondent US-A-4 398 831), describes as known a solution which consists in selecting the information to be corrected, hours and minutes or time zone, by rotating the rod in one direction or the other while maintaining it in its non-activated position, then pulling the rod and then turning it again to correct the selected information, rotation in one direction or in the other of the rod allowing then to advance or delay the watch. The cited document also indicates that it is known to modify the indication of the hours (time zone) or the indication of the minutes by turning the time-setting rod respectively at high speed or at low speed, the display progressing or regressing according to the direction of rotation.

Cette dernière proposition est intéressante, car elle simplifie les manipulations de correction qui toutes ont lieu en position activée (ou tirée) de la tige. Le document cité mentionne cependant qu'il y a risque de la perte d'heure. Ceci est en effet aisément compréhensible. Si l'on suppose que pour une telle montre on ait d'abord sélectionné la correction des heures (fuseau horaire) et des minutes en position neutre de la tige, puis qu'on ait tiré la tige en position de correction et que dans cette position on veuille pocéder à une correction du fuseau horaire, il faudra tourner la tige à vitesse rapide. Alors, selon le sens de rotation de la tige, on fera parcourir à l'aiguille des minutes un tour de cadran complet en avant ou en arrière. Cependant, si le mouvement de rotation n'a pas été effectué assez rapidement par suite de mal adresse ou simplement d'inattention, on aura fait une correction de minutes non désirée et l'on aura ainsi perdu l'heure exacte.This last proposition is interesting, because it simplifies the correction manipulations which all take place in the activated (or pulled) position of the rod. The cited document mentions, however, that there is a risk of loss of time. This is indeed easily understandable. If we suppose that for such a watch, we first selected the correction of the hours (time zone) and minutes in the neutral position of the stem, then that we pulled the stem in the correction position and that in this position we want to assign to a time zone correction, it will be necessary to turn the rod at high speed. Then, depending on the direction of rotation of the rod, you will run the full dial clockwise forwards or backwards using the minute hand. However, if the rotation movement has not been carried out quickly enough due to misdirection or simply inattention, we will have made an undesired correction of minutes and we will have lost the exact time.

Pour pallir l'inconvénient qui vient d'être mentionné, le document cité propose de corriger l'indication du fuseau horaire quand l'organe de commande se trouve dans sa position neutre de repos, la correction des minutes pouvant s'effectuer quant la tige est activée en position de correction. Cette solution manque toutefois de logique car l'utillsateur doit se souvenir que la correction du fuseau horaire ne peut se faire que dans une position axiale de la tige qui normalement est réservée à la sélection des données à corriger. De plus si la position neutre de la tige sert à la sélection des données par rotation lente, la solution proposée n'évitera pas une correction intempestive du fuseau horaire si cette tige est tournée rapidement lorsqu'on procède à ladite sélection.To overcome the drawback which has just been mentioned, the cited document proposes to correct the indication of the time zone when the control member is in its neutral rest position, the correction of the minutes being able to be made as for the rod is activated in the correction position. This solution, however, lacks logic because the user must remember that the correction of the time zone can only be done in an axial position of the rod which normally is reserved for the selection of the data to be corrected. In addition if the neutral position of the rod is used for the selection of data by slow rotation, the proposed solution will not avoid an untimely correction of the time zone if this rod is rotated quickly when carrying out said selection.

Aussi la présente invention se propose-t-elle d'apporter un remède pour éviter la perte de l'heure dans une montre où la correction des minutes et la correction du fuseau horaire s'effectuent dans une même position activée de l'organe de correction et en choisissant la manoeuvre à appliquer audit organe. Pour cela la montre comporte des moyens pour annuler toutes corrections des minutes qui auraient précédé une correction du fuseau horaire. De cette façon le fuseau horaire sera toujours corrigé par rapport au temps réel qui courait quand l'organe de correction a été activé. Ainsi une perte de l'heure est totalement exclue.The present invention therefore proposes to provide a remedy for preventing the loss of the hour in a watch where the correction of the minutes and the correction of the time zone are carried out in the same activated position of the correction and choosing the maneuver to be applied to said organ. For this, the watch includes means for canceling any corrections to the minutes which would have preceded a correction of the time zone. In this way the time zone will always be corrected with respect to the real time that was running when the correction device was activated. Thus a loss of the hour is completely excluded.

L'invention sera comprise maintenant à la lumière de la description qui suit et pour l'intelligence de laquelle on se référera, à titre d'exemple au dessin dans lequel:

  • La figure 1 est un schéma d'une organisation possible du circuit électronique permettant la mise à l'heure de la pièce d'horlogerie selon l'invention.
  • La figure 2a est une représentation de la marche de l'aiguille de minutes quand la correction pas à pas de ladite aiguille précède la correction du fuseau horaire et que lesdites corrections ont lieu dans le même sens de marche.
  • La figure 2b est une représentation de la marche de l'aiguille de minutes quand la correction pas à pas de ladite aiguille précède la correction du fuseau horaire et que lesdites corrections ont lieu dans des sens opposés de marche.
  • La figure 3a est un diagramme de signaux illustrant le fonctionnement du circuit de la figure 1 quand les corrections ont lieu selon la marche représentée en figure 2a et;
  • La figure 3b est un diagramme de signaux illustrant le fonctionnement du circuit de la figure 1 quand les corrections ont lieu selon la marche représentée en figure 2b.
The invention will now be understood in the light of the following description and for the understanding of which reference will be made, by way of example to the drawing in which:
  • Figure 1 is a diagram of a possible organization of the electronic circuit for setting the time of the timepiece according to the invention.
  • FIG. 2a is a representation of the running of the minute hand when the stepwise correction of said hand precedes the time zone correction and when said corrections take place in the same direction of travel.
  • FIG. 2b is a representation of the running of the minute hand when the stepwise correction of said hand precedes the time zone correction and when said corrections take place in opposite directions of travel.
  • Figure 3a is a signal diagram illustrating the operation of the circuit of Figure 1 when the corrections take place according to the step shown in Figure 2a and;
  • Figure 3b is a signal diagram illustrating the operation of the circuit of Figure 1 when the corrections take place according to the step shown in Figure 2b.

On l'a dit plus haut, la pièce d'horlogerie selon l'invention possède au moins un indicateur d'heures et un indicateur de minutes. Pour fixer les idées, ces indicateurs sont d'une part une aiguille de minutes et d'autre part une aiguille d'heures, cette dernière étant liée mécaniquement à la première par une minuterie mécanique. La montre comporte aussi une tige-couronne qui peut prendre deux positions axiales. Une première position neutre enfoncée permet de sélectionner les données à corriger, ces données pouvant être entre autres l'heure, une fonction timer, une fonction chronographe, etc. La sélection s'opère par la rotation de la couronne. Pour rendre visible à l'utilisateur laquelle des données a été sélectionnée, on peut faire apparaître celles-ci sur un affichage auxiliaire, par exemple un affichage digital à cristal liquide.As mentioned above, the timepiece according to the invention has at least one hour indicator and one minute indicator. To fix ideas, these indicators are on the one hand a minute hand and on the other hand an hour hand, the latter being linked mechanically to the former by a mechanical timer. The watch also has a rod crown which can take two axial positions. A first neutral position pressed allows the data to be corrected to be selected, this data being among others the time, a timer function, a chronograph function, etc. The selection is made by rotating the crown. To make visible to the user which data has been selected, it can be displayed on an auxiliary display, for example a digital liquid crystal display.

Si l'on désire corriger l'affichage de l'heure qui est l'objet de la présente invention, on tire la couronne dans une seconde position active, après avoir sélectionné l'indication de l'heure. De cette position, si l'on tourne la couronne lentement, dans un sens ou dans l'autre, on ajoute ou retranche des minutes à l'affichage de l'aiguille des minutes. Ainsi l'aiguille progressera ou régressera pas à pas, l'utilisateur restant maître de la correction à apporter. De cette position également si l'on tourne la couronne rapidement, dans un sens ou dans l'autre, on ajoute ou retranche un fuseau horaire entier à l'affichage de l'heure, l'aiguille des minutes parcourant alors exactement un tour de cadran. Ces manipulations sont connues. On se référera pour cela au document cité plus haut de même qu'au brevet CH-A-632 894 (correspondant au document US-A-4 379 642).If it is desired to correct the display of the time which is the object of the present invention, the crown is pulled into a second active position, after selecting the indication of the time. From this position, if you turn the crown slowly, in one direction or the other, you add or subtract minutes to the display of the minute hand. Thus the needle will progress or regress step by step, the user remaining master of the correction to be made. Also from this position if you turn the crown quickly, in one direction or the other, you add or subtract an entire time zone to the hour display, the minute hand then going exactly one revolution dial. These manipulations are known. For this, reference is made to the document cited above as well as to patent CH-A-632,894 (corresponding to document US-A-4,379,642).

On l'a déjà dit, la présente invention propose la correction des minutes et la correction du fuseau horaire dans la même position active de la couronne et cela sans risquer la perte de l'heure si une correction des minutes a précédé une correction du fuseau horaire.As already said, the present invention proposes the correction of the minutes and the correction of the time zone in the same active position of the crown and this without risking the loss of the hour if a correction of the minutes preceded a correction of the time zone schedule.

Un schéma possible réalisant le but visé est montré en figure 1. Il comporte comme cela est connu de l'art antérieur une base de temps 1, telle qu'un oscillateur à quartz produisant un signal à haute fréquence, par exemple 32 kHz, un diviseur de fréquence 2 composé d'une série de flip-flops branchés en cascade et fournissant à un compteur de secondes 3 un signal d'impulsions de temps normales dont la fréquence est choisie ici à 1 Hz. Le compteur de secondes 3 fournit à sa sortie une impulsion de minute qui, via le circuit OU 4 et le circuit de mise en forme 5, fait avancer l'aiguille de minutes 6 par pas de une minute. L'aiguille de minutes est entraînée par un moteur pas à pas capable de marcher dans les deux sens de rotation et dont le sens de marche dépend du signal présent sur la ligne 8 du circuit de mise en forme 5. Quand la montre fonctionne normalement, ce signal vaut 1 et l'aiguille de minute progresse dans le sens horaire.A possible diagram achieving the aim is shown in FIG. 1. It includes, as is known from the prior art, a time base 1, such as a quartz oscillator producing a high frequency signal, for example 32 kHz, a frequency divider 2 composed of a series of flip-flops connected in cascade and supplying a seconds counter 3 with a signal of normal time pulses whose frequency is chosen here at 1 Hz. The seconds counter 3 provides its output a minute pulse which, via the OR circuit 4 and the shaping circuit 5, advances the minute hand 6 in steps of one minute. The minute hand is driven by a stepping motor capable of operating in both directions of rotation and the direction of which depends on the signal present on line 8 of the shaping circuit 5. When the watch operates normally, this signal is worth 1 and the minute hand advances clockwise.

La montre comporte encore une tige de commande manuel le rotative à deux positions axiales l'une de repos et l'autre de travail, non représentée sur la figure 1, qui, lorsqu' elle pivote, actionne deux commutateurs mécaniques A et B qui génèrent deux signaux formés chacun d'une suite d'impulsions ayant une fréquence proportionnelle à la vitesse de rotation de l'organe de commande, et déphasés l'un par rapport à l'autre, le signe de déphasage dépendant du sens de rotation. Un troisième commutateur C actionné par la tige de commande lorsqu'elle est déplacée axialement fournit un signal logique représentatif de la position occupée par la tige. Ces commutateurs décrits en détail dans le document CH-A-643 427 G cité ci-dessus agissent sur un circuit de commande 9 qui ne sera pas décrit dans le détail ici, d'une part parce qu'il ne fait pas partie de la présente invention et d'autre part parce qu'il en est abondamment question dans le document cité.The watch also has a manual control rod, the rotary with two axial positions, one at rest and the other at work, not shown in FIG. 1, which, when it pivots, actuates two mechanical switches A and B 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 phase shifted with respect to each other, the sign of phase shift depending on the direction of rotation. A third switch C actuated by the control rod when it is moved axially provides a logic signal representative of the position occupied by the rod. These switches described in detail in the document CH-A-643 427 G cited above act on a control circuit 9 which will not be described in detail here, on the one hand because it is not part of the present invention and secondly because it is extensively discussed in the cited document.

Pour la compréhension de ce qui va suivre, on résumera ci-après les diverses fonctions du bloc 9 en précisant quels sont les signaux qu'il émet sur ses diverses sorties quand on active le commutateur C et qu'on agit ensuite sur la couronne en faisant jouer les commutateurs A et B.

  • 1. Quand on tire la tige de la position neutre enfoncée à la position active tirée, le bloc 9 émet une impulsion dite de remise à zéro sur sa sortie IR (reset).
  • 2. Quand on exerce une rotation lente sur la tige en position axiale tirée (le jeu des commutateurs A et B produisant par exemple moins de 4 impulsions en 100 msec) des impulsions isolées apparaissent à la sortie HMC du bloc 9.
For the understanding of what follows, we will summarize below the various functions of block 9 by specifying which signals it emits on its various outputs when we activate switch C and then act on the crown in using switches A and B.
  • 1. When the rod is pulled from the pressed neutral position to the active pulled position, block 9 emits a so-called reset pulse on its IR output (reset).
  • 2. When a slow rotation is exerted on the rod in the pulled axial position (the set of switches A and B producing for example less than 4 pulses in 100 msec) isolated pulses appear at the HMC output of block 9.

Pendant cette opération, le bloc 9 émet un signal logique 1 sur sa sortie MC qui est un signal représentatif de la correction pas à pas des minutes.During this operation, the block 9 emits a logic signal 1 on its output MC which is a signal representative of the stepwise correction of the minutes.

3. Quand on exerce une rotation rapide sur la tige en position axiale tirée (le jeu des commutateurs A et 8 produisant par exemple plus de 4 impulsions en 100 msec) un signal à fréquence élevée (par exemple 64 Hz et en provenance du diviseur 2), apparaît à la sortie HMC du bloc 9. Pendant cette opération, le bloc 9 émet un signal logique 1 sur sa sortie FC qui est un signal représentatif de la correction rapide (fuseau horaire).3. When a rapid rotation is exerted on the rod in the pulled axial position (the set of switches A and 8 producing for example more than 4 pulses in 100 msec) a signal at high frequency (for example 64 Hz and coming from the divider 2 ), appears at the HMC output of block 9. During this operation, block 9 emits a logic signal 1 on its FC output which is a signal representative of the rapid correction (time zone).

4. Quand on tourne la couronne pour déplacer l'aiguille de minutes dans le sens horaire, le bloc 9 émet un signal logique 1 (up) sur sa sortie SC. Quand on tourne la couronne pour déplacer l'aiguille de minutes dans le sens antihoraire, le bloc 9 émet un signal logique 0 (down) sur sa sortie SC. Ces signaux sont émis quelle que soit la vitesse à laquelle se déplace l'aiguille. Ils sont représentatifs du sens de correction.4. When the crown is turned to move the minute hand clockwise, block 9 emits a logic signal 1 (up) on its SC output. When the crown is turned to move the minute hand counterclockwise, block 9 emits a logic signal 0 (down) on its SC output. These signals are sent regardless of the speed at which the needle moves. They are representative of the direction of correction.

5. Le bloc 9 est pourvu d'une entrée stop. Il interrompt l'émission du signal à fréquence éltevée sur sa sortie HMC quand une impulsion de blocage de correction parvient à cette entrée.5. Block 9 has a stop input. It interrupts the transmission of the high frequency signal to its HMC output when a correction blocking pulse reaches this input.

La figure 1 montre que la sortie HMC (cadence) du bloc 9 est reliée à l'affichage de la montre via le circuit OU 4 et que la sortie SC (sens) est reliée audit affichage via le circuit de mise en forme 5 par la ligne 8. Ainsi l'aiguille de minute va se déplacer pas par pas ou à grande vitesse dans un sens ou dans l'autre, selon la manoeuvre exercée sur la couronne.Figure 1 shows that the HMC output (cadence) of block 9 is connected to the watch display via the OR circuit 4 and that the SC output (direction) is connected to said display via the shaping circuit 5 by the line 8. Thus the minute hand will move step by step or at high speed in one direction or the other, depending on the operation exerted on the crown.

Selon l'invention la pièce d'horlogerie comporte des moyens pour annuler toutes corrections des minutes qui auraient précédé une correction du fuseau horaire quand l'organe correcteur est activé. De cette façon, en réponse à la manoeuvre de rotation rapide de la couronne, on provoque toujours une correction d'un fuseau horaire entier par rapport au temps réel qui court à partir du moment où la couronne est disposée en position tirée active. De cette façon une correction intempestive, non voulue, de quelques minutes n'est pas prise en compte dans la correction du fuseau horaire qui reste aligné sur l'heure exacte.According to the invention, the timepiece includes means for canceling any corrections to the minutes which would have preceded a correction of the time zone when the corrector member is activated. In this way, in response to the rapid rotation of the crown, it always causes a correction of an entire time zone with respect to real time which runs from the moment the crown is placed in the active pulled position. In this way an untimely, unwanted correction of a few minutes is not taken into account in the correction of the time zone which remains aligned with the exact time.

La figure 1 montre un exemple de moyens permettant d'atteindre le but fixé. Ceux-ci sont constitués essentiellement d'un compteur- décomteur 10 et d'un circuit 11 associé au compteur-décompteur 10.Figure 1 shows an example of ways to achieve the goal. These essentially consist of an up-down counter 10 and a circuit 11 associated with the up-down counter 10.

Le compteur-décompteur 10, par ailleurs bien connu de l'état de la technique, est chargé par des impulsions HMC parvenant à son entrée CL. Il peut être remis à zéro si une impulsion est appliquée à son entrée R. Il compte si son entrée U/D (up/down) est à 1 et décompte si ladite entrée est à zéro. Le compteur-décompteur utilisé ici a une capacité limitée à 60, c'est-à-dire que partant de zéro il émet une impulsion 12 de sortie dite de report (carry) quand son entrée CL aura reçu 60 impulsions qu'il s'agisse d'un comptage (up) ou d'un décomptage (down). Dans le cas particulier où le compteurdécompteur 10 reçoit sur son entrée cl des premières impulsions dans le sens de comptage (par exemple 5) puis des secondes impulsions dans le sens de décomptage, le nombre desdites secondes impulsions étant supérieur au nombre desdites premières impulsions (par exemple 10), il émettra une impulsion 12 de sortie dite d'emprunt (borrow) au moment où son contenu passe par zéro. Ceci vaut également dans le sens inverse décomptagecomptage Les impulsions de report et d'emprunt 12 se présentent à la sortie du compteur-décompteur sous la même forme et il n'est pas possible de les distinguer l'une de l'autre sauf par le fait que la première a été obtenue sans que l'entrée U/D ne change d'état alors que la seconde n'intervient que lorsqu'il y a eu changement d'état de ladite entrée U/D.The up-down counter 10, moreover well known in the state of the art, is loaded by HMC pulses arriving at its input CL. It can be reset to zero if a pulse is applied to its R input. It counts if its U / D input (up / down) is at 1 and counts down if said input is at zero. The up-down counter used here has a capacity limited to 60, that is to say that starting from zero it emits an output pulse 12 of so-called carry (output) when its input CL has received 60 pulses that it acts of a counting (up) or a counting down (down). In the particular case where the down-counter 10 receives on its input cl first pulses in the counting direction (for example 5) then second pulses in the counting direction, the number of said second pulses being greater than the number of said first pulses (by example 10), it will emit an output pulse 12 called borrow when its content goes through zero. This also applies in the reverse direction counting down counting The carry-over and borrowing pulses 12 appear at the output of the up-down counter in the same form and it is not possible to distinguish them from each other except by the fact that the first was obtained without the U / D input changing state while the second only intervenes when there has been a change of state of said U / D input.

Le circuit 11 associé au compteur-décompteur comporte essentiellement deux bascules du type SR 14 et 15. Si une impulsion de remise à l'état (set) est envoyée à l'entrée S1, la bascule 14 présente un état logique 1 à sa sortie 0, et un état logique 0 à sa sortie Q1. Il en est de même pour la bascule 15. Inversement si une impulsion de remise à zéro (reset) est envoyée à l'entrée S1, la bascule 14 présente un état logique 0 à sa sortie 01 et un état logique 1 à sa sortie Q1. Il en est de même pour la bascule 15. Il faut observer que les bascules SR choisies Ici sont du type maître-esclave (master-slave), c'est-à-dire que la remise à zéro n'a lieu que sur le second flanc de l'impulsion de commande envoyée sur les entrées R, et R2. Cette particularité permet, comme on le verra par la suite, de faire la distinction entre une impulsion de report et une impulsion d'emprunt délivrées à la sortie 30 du compteur-décompteur 10.The circuit 11 associated with the up-down counter essentially comprises two flip-flops of the SR 14 and 15 type. If a reset pulse (set) is sent to the input S 1 , the flip-flop 14 has a logic state 1 at its output 0, and a logic state 0 at its output Q 1 . It is the same for the flip-flop 15. Conversely if a reset pulse is sent to the input S 1 , the flip-flop 14 has a logic state 0 at its output 0 1 and a logic state 1 at its output Q 1 . It is the same for the flip-flop 15. It should be observed that the flip-flops SR chosen here are of the master-slave type (i.e. the reset takes place only on the second side of the control pulse sent to the inputs R, and R 2 . This feature makes it possible, as will be seen below, to distinguish between a carry-over pulse and a borrowing pulse delivered at the output 30 of the up-down counter 10.

Sur les entrées de remise à zéro R1 et R2 sont appliquées via une porte OU 16 soit les impulsions 12 se présentant à la sortie 30 du compteur-décompteur 10, soit une impulsion de remise à zéro IR qui prend naissance quand on active l'organe de correction par son commutateur C. Chaque entrée de remise à l'état S, et S2 est commandée par une porte ET référencée respectivement par 17 et 18. Ces portes reçoivent sur leurs entrées les impulsions de correction HMC, le signal représentatif du sens de correction SC et le signal représentatif de la correction pas à pas des minutes MC. On observera que le signal SC est appliqué sur la porte 17 tel qu'il apparaît à la sortie du bloc 9 alors que sur la porte 18 il se trouve inversé par le circuit inverseur 22. A chaque sortie Q, et Q2 des bascules 14 et 15 est connectée une porte ET référencée respectivement par 19 et 20. Les sorties desdites portes 19 et 20 sont connectées aux entrées d'une porte OU 21 dont la sortie délivre une impulsion 13 de blocage de correction à l'entrée stop du bloc Q. Les autres entrées de chacune des portes ET 19 et 20 reçoivent le signal représentatif du sens de correction SC, le signal représentatif de la correction rapide (fuseau horaire) FC et les impulsions de sortie 12 émises par le compteur-décompteur 10. On observera également que le signal SC est appliqué sur la porte 20 tel qu'il apparaît à la sortie du bloc 9, alors que sur la porte 19 ce slgnal se trouve inversé par le circuit inverseur 23.On the reset inputs R 1 and R 2 are applied via an OR gate 16 either the pulses 12 appearing at the output 30 of the up-down counter 10, or a reset pulse IR which starts when one activates the correction unit by its switch C. Each reset input S, and S 2 is controlled by an AND gate referenced respectively by 17 and 18. These doors receive on their inputs the HMC correction pulses, the representative signal of the correction direction SC and the signal representative of the stepwise correction of the minutes MC. It will be observed that the signal SC is applied to the gate 17 as it appears at the output of the block 9 while on the gate 18 it is inverted by the inverter circuit 22. At each output Q, and Q 2 of the flip-flops 14 and 15 is connected an AND gate referenced respectively by 19 and 20. The outputs of said doors 19 and 20 are connected to the inputs of an OR gate 21 whose output delivers a correction blocking pulse 13 at the stop input of block Q The other inputs of each of the AND gates 19 and 20 receive the signal representative of the direction of correction SC, the signal representative of the rapid correction (time zone) FC and the output pulses 12 emitted by the up-down counter 10. We will observe also that the signal SC is applied to the gate 20 as it appears at the output of the block 9, whereas on the gate 19 this signal is inverted by the inverter circuit 23.

On va expliquer maintenant le fonctionnement du schéma de la figure 1 en prenant un exemple pratique de correction du seul fuseau horaire. Lors du passage de l'heure d'hiver à l'heure d'été, il s'agit d'avancer la montre d'une heure ou si l'on veut, faire parcourir à l'aiguille de minutes un tour de cadran de 60 minutes dans le sens de l'avance. Pour cela, après avoir sélectionné la fonction à corriger, on tire la tige-couronne en position axiale sactive. L'impulsion IR qui en résulte met à zéro le compteur-décompteur par son entrée R ainsi que les bascules 14 et 15 par leur entrée R1, R2 A ce moment Q" Q2 sont à 0 et Q1, Q2 sont à 1. On imprime ensuite à la couronne une rotation rapide dans le sens nécessaire à faire avancer l'aiguille de minutes 6 d'un fuseau horaire entier. A la suite de cette opération, qu'on suppose avoir été faite correctement, la sortie HMC du bloc 9 produit des impulsions à 64 Hz qui commencent à charger le compteur-décompteur 10 dans le sens de l'avance puisque le signal représentatif du sens de correction SC est au niveau 1. En même temps l'aiguille 6 avance à cadence rapide puisque d'une part des impulsions à 64 Hz lui parviennent par le circuit OU 4 et que d'autre part le circuit de mise en forme 5 reçoit un ordre d'avance par la ligne 8. Pendant le comptage des impulsions les sortiesWe will now explain the operation of the diagram in FIG. 1 by taking a practical example of correction of the only time zone. When changing from winter time to summer time, you have to advance the watch by one hour or, if you want, run the dial hand around a dial 60 minutes in the forward direction. To do this, after selecting the function to be corrected, the crown stem is pulled to the active axial position. The resulting IR pulse sets the up-down counter to zero by its input R as well as the flip-flops 14 and 15 by their input R 1 , R 2 At this moment Q "Q 2 are at 0 and Q 1 , Q 2 are to 1. The crown is then printed with a rapid rotation in the direction necessary to advance the minute hand 6 by an entire time zone. Following this operation, which is assumed to have been done correctly, the output HMC of block 9 produces pulses at 64 Hz which begin to load the up-down counter 10 in the direction of advance since the signal representative of the direction of correction SC is at level 1. At the same time the needle 6 advances at a rate fast since, on the one hand, pulses at 64 Hz reach it via the OR circuit 4 and, on the other hand, the shaping circuit 5 receives an advance order via line 8. During the counting of the pulses, the outputs

des portes ET 17 et 18 restent à zéro puisque leur entrée qui reçoit le signal représentatif d'une correction pas à pas MC est à zéro. Les bascules 14 et 15 ne changent donc pas d'état maintenant ainsi l'état 1 sur les sorties Q1 et Q2. Toujours pendant ce comptage la porte ET 20 voit ses deux entrées inférieures passer à 1 puisque les signaux représentatifs du sens de correction SC et du fuseau horaire FC sont à 1.AND gates 17 and 18 remain at zero since their input which receives the signal representative of a stepwise correction MC is at zero. The flip-flops 14 and 15 therefore do not change state thus maintaining state 1 on outputs Q 1 and Q 2 . Still during this counting, the AND gate 20 sees its two lower inputs pass to 1 since the signals representative of the direction of correction SC and of the time zone FC are at 1.

Ainsi les trois entrées inférieures de la porte ET 20 sont à 1 ce qui permet à l'impulsion 12 émise en fin de comptage de passer la porte ET 20 et de fournir à la sortie de la porte OU 21 une impulsion de blocage de correction 13 qui stoppe les impulsions à 64 Hz sur la sortie HMC, l'aiguille 6 aura ainsi parcouru une avance de 60 divisions d'une minute avançant ainsi l'aiguille 7 des heures d'un fuseau horaire. On remarquera que pendant cette mise à l'heure la porte ET 19 a son entrée inférieure à zéro, le signal SC étant inversé par te circuit inverseur 23.Thus the three lower inputs of the AND gate 20 are at 1 which allows the pulse 12 sent at the end of the count to pass the AND gate 20 and provide at the output of the OR gate 21 a correction blocking pulse 13 which stops the pulses at 64 Hz on the HMC output, the hand 6 will have thus traversed an advance of 60 divisions of one minute thus advancing the hand 7 of the hours of a time zone. It will be noted that during this time setting the AND gate 19 has its input less than zero, the signal SC being inverted by the inverter circuit 23.

Lors du passage de l'heure d'été à l'heure d'hiver, il s'agit de retarder ta montre d'une heure. Les opérations qui viennent d'être décrites seront les mêmes sauf qu'il faudra imprimer à la couronne un mouvement de rotation dans le sens inverse. A ce moment le signal SC présente un état 0 et c'est ta porte ET 19 qui conduit de par l'arrangement symétrique du circuit associé 11.When changing from summer time to winter time, it is necessary to delay your watch by one hour. The operations which have just been described will be the same except that it will be necessary to impart a rotational movement to the crown in the opposite direction. At this moment the signal SC has a state 0 and it is your AND gate 19 which leads by the symmetrical arrangement of the associated circuit 11.

La raison d'être du circuit associé 11 ne se justifierait pas si la correction n'affectait que le fuseau horaire auquel cas on comprend que l'impulsion de sortie 12 du compteur-décompteur 10 pourrait être directement utilisée à stopper l'avance de l'aiguille de minutes. Cependant comme on s'est fixé pour but de proposer une montre où la mise à l'heure des minutes pas par pas et le changement de fuseau horaire ont lieu dans la même position tirée de la couronne, on comprendra qu'il est nécessaire d'annuler toute correction non voulue de l'aiguille des minutes pas par pas qui aurait précédé une correction de fuseau horaire, voulue celle-là, si l'on ne veut pas perdre l'heure. Cette annulation est justement réalisée au moyen de l'arrangement illustré en figure 1.The reason for the associated circuit 11 would not be justified if the correction only affected the time zone in which case it is understood that the output pulse 12 of the up-down counter 10 could be directly used to stop the advance of the minute hand. However, as we have set ourselves the goal of proposing a watch where the setting of the hour of the minutes step by step and the change of time zone take place in the same position drawn from the crown, it will be understood that it is necessary to '' cancel any unwanted correction of the minute hand step by step that would have preceded a time zone correction, this one required, if you do not want to lose the time. This cancellation is precisely carried out by means of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1.

Deux cas peuvent se présenter suivant que la correction pas par pas à lieu dans le même sens ou dans le sens opposé au sens de correction du fuseau horaire. Ils vont être discutés maintenant à l'aide d'exemples.Two cases can arise depending on whether the correction step by step takes place in the same direction or in the opposite direction to the direction of correction of the time zone. They will now be discussed using examples.

a) Corrections dans le même sensa) Corrections in the same direction

Il est 4 heures 45 minutes quand on désire avancer l'affichage de la montre d'une heure. Après avoir sélectionné la double fonction heure- minute à corriger, on dispose la couronne en position active tirée. Au lieu d'imprimer un mouvement de rotation rapide à la couronne, on l'actionne trop lentement ce qui a pour résultat d'avancer l'aiguille de minutes de 5 minutes. Si la montre n'était pas équipée des moyens de la présente invention, une correction d'un fuseau horaire en avant intervenant après cette avance de 5 minutes amèneraient les aiguilles à indiquer 5 h 50 min au lieu de 5 h 45 min.It is 4 hours 45 minutes when you want to advance the display of the watch by one hour. After selecting the double hour-minute function to be corrected, the crown is placed in the active pulled position. Instead of giving a rapid rotational movement to the crown, it is actuated too slowly, which results in advancing the minute hand by 5 minutes. If the watch was not equipped with the means of the present invention, a correction of a time zone forward occurring after this advance of 5 minutes would cause the hands to indicate 5 h 50 min instead of 5 h 45 min.

La figure 2a est une représentation de la marche de l'aiguille de minutes quand la correction pas à pas de ladite aiguille précède la correction du fuseau horaire et que lesdites corrections ont lieu dans le même sens de marche. Au départ les aiguilles d'heures 7 et de minutes 6 indiquent 4 h 45 min. Après une correction erronée en avant de 5 minutes, l'aiguille de minutes occupe la position 6' et aura avancé de 300 dans la direction de la flèche 40. A partir de cette position, une correction de fuseau horaire effectuée dans le même sens fera, selon l'invention, avancer l'aiguille de 55 minutes seulement dans la direction de la flèche 41. La montre indiquera 5 h 45 min: l'aiguille de minutes se retrouvera en position 6 et celle des heures en position 7'.FIG. 2a is a representation of the running of the minute hand when the stepwise correction of said hand precedes the time zone correction and when said corrections take place in the same direction of travel. At the start, the hour 7 and minute 6 hands indicate 4 h 45 min. After an erroneous correction before 5 minutes, the minute hand occupies position 6 'and will have advanced 300 in the direction of arrow 40. From this position, a time zone correction made in the same direction will , according to the invention, advance the hand by only 55 minutes in the direction of arrow 41. The watch will indicate 5 h 45 min: the minute hand will be in position 6 and that of the hours in position 7 '.

On se reportera maintenant à la figure 1 pour expliquer le comportement du schéma dans le cas considéré. Comme on l'a déjà dit, le bloc 9 émet une impulsion de remise à zéro IR quand on dispose la couronne en position de correction. Le compteur-décompteur 10 est mis à zéro et les sorties Q, et Q2 des bascules 14 et 15 sont au niveau 1.We will now refer to FIG. 1 to explain the behavior of the scheme in the case considered. As already mentioned, block 9 emits an IR reset pulse when the crown is in the correction position. The up-down counter 10 is set to zero and the outputs Q, and Q 2 of flip-flops 14 and 15 are at level 1.

On imprime ensuite à la couronne une rotation lente, ce mouvement faisant avancer l'aiguille de 5 minutes. Le compteur-décompteur 10 aura été incrémenté de 5 impulsions et l'aiguille 6 aura avancé de 4 h 45 à 4 h 50 (voir aussi fig. 2a). Pendant cette opération le signal représentatif du sens SC vaut 1, le signal représentatif de la correction pas à pas MC vaut aussi 1 alors que le signal représentatif du fuseau horaire FC vaut zéro. La sortie de la porte ET 19 (A,) reste à zéro car elle reçoit un signal zéro en provenance de l'inverseur 23. Cette sortie A, restera à zéro lors de la correction du fuseau horaire car dans les deux corrections envisagées ici SC vaut 1 (même sens d'avance). Pendant l'avance pas à pas puis à cadence rapide la sortie de la porte ET 18 reste à zéro car la sortie de l'inverseur 22 vaut zéro. Ainsi l'état 1 de la sortie Q2 de la bascule 15 est conservé. L'entrée inférieure de la porte ET 20 est à 1 et reste à 1 aussi lors de l'avance à cadence rapide.The crown is then printed with a slow rotation, this movement advancing the hand by 5 minutes. The up-down counter 10 will have been incremented by 5 pulses and the hand 6 will have advanced from 4:45 to 4:50 (see also fig. 2a). During this operation, the signal representative of the direction SC is worth 1, the signal representative of the stepwise correction MC is also worth 1 while the signal representative of the time zone FC is zero. The output of the AND gate 19 (A,) remains at zero because it receives a zero signal from the inverter 23. This output A, will remain at zero during the correction of the time zone because in the two corrections envisaged here SC is equal to 1 (same direction of advance). During the step-by-step advance then at a rapid rate, the output of the AND gate 18 remains at zero because the output of the inverter 22 is zero. Thus state 1 of output Q2 of flip-flop 15 is preserved. The lower entry of the AND gate 20 is at 1 and also remains at 1 when advancing at a rapid rate.

Lorsqu'on imprime à la couronne une rotation rapide, on envoie au compteur-décompteur 10 des signaux à 64 Hz qui continuent à charger le compteur jusqu à ce que 55 impulsions ait été introduites. Ces impulsions font aussi avancer l'aiguille 6 de 55 pas. Pendant cette opération, les trois entrées inférieures de la porte ET 20 sont à 1 car le signal représentatif du fuseau horaire FC vaut 1. Cette situation permet à la porte ET 20 de transmettre sur sa sortie A2 l'impulsion 12 caractéristique de la fin du comptage du compteur-décompteur 10, impulsion qui passe la porte OU 21 et fournit au bloc 9 l'impulsion 13 de blocage de correction qui interrompt le signal à 64 hz sur la sortie HMC. L'aiguille 6 aura ainsi parcouru une avance de 60 divisions d'une minute en deux phases, d'abord de 5 minutes puis de 55 minutes. Par rapport à l'heure réelle, les 5 impulsions supplémentaires auront ainsi été annulées et seul le fuseau horaire aura été vraiment effectué. Dans le cas considéré ici, on voit que la première impulsion émise par le compteur-décompteur est celle qui est utilisée comme signal de blocage de correction.When a rapid rotation is printed on the crown, 64 Hz signals are sent to the up-down counter 10 which continue to charge the counter until 55 pulses have been entered. These pulses also advance the needle 6 by 55 steps. During this operation, the three lower inputs of the AND gate 20 are at 1 because the signal representative of the time zone FC is equal to 1. This situation allows the AND gate 20 to transmit on its output A 2 the impulse 12 characteristic of the end the counting of the up-down counter 10, pulse which passes through the OR gate 21 and supplies to block 9 the pulse 13 of correction blocking which interrupts the signal at 64 Hz on the HMC output. Needle 6 will thus have advanced 60 divisions of one minute in two phases, first 5 minutes and then 55 minutes. Compared to the actual time, the 5 additional pulses will have been canceled and only the time zone will have been really carried out. In the case considered here, it can be seen that the first pulse emitted by the up-down counter is that which is used as correction correction signal.

Dans le cas où la correction de 5 minutes et celle du fuseau horaire auraient été faites dans le sens antihoraire, l'impulsion 12 de fin de décomptage aurait passé la porte ET 19 en suivant le même raisonnement que celui qui vient d'être fait et ceci par le fait du niveau 0 présenté à la sortie SC du bloc 9 et de la symétrie de construction du circuit associé 11.In the case where the correction of 5 minutes and that of the time zone would have been made in a counterclockwise direction, the impulse 12 for the end of the countdown would have passed the gate ET 19 following the same reasoning as that which has just been made and this is due to the level 0 presented at the output SC of block 9 and the construction symmetry of the associated circuit 11.

La figure 3a est un diagramme de signaux illustrant le fonctionnement du circuit de la figure 1 quand les corrections ont lieu selon la marche représentée en fig. 2a. Dans la marge sont reportés les divers symboles utilisés en figure 1. On voit qu'aux 5 impulsions isolées HMC s'ajoutent 55 impulsions subséquentes ce qui produit l'impulsion de report 12. A ce moment la coïncidence de cette impulsion avec les états 1 des points Q2, SC et FC permet à ladite impulsion de passer la porte ET 20 (A2) et de stopper le bloc 9 (13). On s'aperçoit que si la correction pas à pas et la correction rapide de l'affichage ont lieu dans le même sens, le signal de blocage 13 est émis à la première des impulsions émise (12) par le compteur-décompteur.Figure 3a is a signal diagram illustrating the operation of the circuit of Figure 1 when the corrections take place according to the step shown in fig. 2a. In the margin are indicated the various symbols used in FIG. 1. We see that to the 5 isolated HMC pulses 55 subsequent pulses are added which produces the transfer pulse 12. At this time the coincidence of this pulse with the states 1 points Q 2 , SC and FC allow said pulse to pass through the AND gate 20 (A 2 ) and stop the block 9 (13). It can be seen that if the stepwise correction and the rapid correction of the display take place in the same direction, the blocking signal 13 is sent at the first of the pulses sent (12) by the up-down counter.

b) Corrections dans des sens opposésb) Corrections in opposite directions

La montre affiche 4 heures 45 minutes quand on désire avancer son affichage d'une heure. Après avoir sélectionné la double fonction heure- minute à corriger, on tire la couronne en position active. Cependant, au lieu d'imprimer un mouvement de rotation rapide à la couronne dans le sens qui convient à une avance rapide de l'aigullle de minutes, on actionne trop lentement ladite couronne et dans un sens tel qu'on retarde la montre de 5 minutes. La montre indique alors 4 h 40 min. Sans dispositif pour annuler la correction erronée, l'affichage va indiquer 5 h 40 min au lieu des 5 h 45 désirées.The watch displays 4 hours 45 minutes when you want to advance its display by one hour. After selecting the double hour-minute function to be corrected, the crown is pulled out to the active position. However, instead of imparting a rapid rotational movement to the crown in the direction which is suitable for rapid advancing of the minute hand, the said crown is actuated too slowly and in a direction such that the watch is delayed by 5 minutes. The watch then indicates 4 h 40 min. Without a device to cancel the erroneous correction, the display will indicate 5 h 40 min instead of the desired 5:45 h.

La figure 2b est une représentation de la marche de l'aiguille de minutes quand la correction pas à pas de ladite aiguille précède la correction du fuseau horaire et que lesdites corrections ont lieu dans des sens de marche opposés. Au départ, tes aiguilles d'heures 7 et de minutes 6 indiquent 4 h 45 min. Après une correction erronée en arrière de 5 minutes, l'aiguille de minutes occupe la position 6' et aura reculé de 30° dans la direction de la flèche 42. A partir de cette position, une correction du fuseau horaire effectuée dans l'autre sens fera, selon l'invention, avancer l'aiguille de 65 minutes dans la direction de la flèche 43. La montre indiquera alors 5 h 45 min: l'aiguille de minutes se retrouvera en position 6 et celle des heures en position 7'.FIG. 2b is a representation of the running of the minute hand when the stepwise correction of said hand precedes the time zone correction and when said corrections take place in opposite directions of travel. At the start, your hour 7 and minute 6 hands indicate 4 h 45 min. After an incorrect correction back 5 minutes, the minute hand occupies position 6 'and will have moved back 30 ° in the direction of arrow 42. From this position, a time zone correction made in the other sense will, according to the invention, advance the hand by 65 minutes in the direction of arrow 43. The watch will then indicate 5 h 45 min: the minute hand will be in position 6 and that of the hours in position 7 ' .

On se reportera à nouveau à la figure 1 pour expliquer comment on réalise les opérations indiquées. Comme dans le cas considéré ci-dessus, le bloc 9 émet une impulsion de remise à zéro sur sa sortie IR quand on dispose la couronne en position de correction. Ainsi le compteur-décompteur 10 et les bascules 14 et 15 sont remis à zéro ce qui signifie que les sorties Q, et Q2 sont au niveau logique 1.We will again refer to FIG. 1 to explain how the indicated operations are carried out. As in the case considered above, block 9 emits a reset pulse on its IR output when the crown is in the correction position. Thus the up-down counter 10 and the flip-flops 14 and 15 are reset to zero, which means that the outputs Q and Q 2 are at logic level 1.

On imprime ensuite à la couronne une rotation lente ce qui fait reculer l'aiguille de 5 minutes. Le compteur-décompteur 10 aura été chargé de 5 impulsions sur son entrée CL dans le sens "down" ou de décomptage. Pendant cette opération le signal SC vaut 0, le signal MC vaut 1 et le signal FC vaut O. Cette situation rend la porte ET 18 passante à la première impulsion en provenance de la sortie HMC du bloc 9 et fait basculer le circuit 15 qui présente alors un niveau 0 sur sa sortie Q2. En conséquence toutes les entrées de la porte ET 20 sont à zéro.The crown is then printed with a slow rotation which causes the hand to move back 5 minutes. The up-down counter 10 will have been loaded with 5 pulses on its CL input in the "down" or down-counting direction. During this operation the signal SC is worth 0, the signal MC is worth 1 and the signal FC is worth O. This situation makes the AND gate 18 pass at the first pulse from the HMC output of block 9 and causes the circuit 15 which has then a level 0 on its output Q 2 . Consequently all the inputs of AND gate 20 are at zero.

Lorsqu'on imprime à la couronne une rotation rapide dans le sens de comptage, on envoie au compteur-décompteur des impulsions à 64 Hz qui, au bout de 5 impulsions, vont faire émettre au compteur-décompteur une impulsion 12 de passage à zéro ou d'emprunt (borrow) qui se répercute à l'entrée supérieure de la porte ET 20. Avant l'arrivée de cette impulsion d'emprunt, les deux entrées inférieures de ladite porte ET 20 auront passé à 1 (FC = 1, SC = 1). L'impulsion d'emprunt, via le circuit OU 16 remet à zéro la bascule 15 par son entrée R2. La sortie Q2 passe à 1, mais seulement (et c'est une particularité des bascules 14 et 15) sur le deuxième flanc de ladite impulsion d'emprunt. Ainsi l'impulsion d'emprunt 12 qui se présente à l'entrée supérieure de la porte ET 20 se trouve être en avance sur le passage à 1 de l'entrée de la même porte reliée à la sortie Q2 de la bascule 15. En conséquence cette impulsion ne peut pas passer la porte ET 20 et ne stoppe en rien le bloc 9 qui continue à fournir un signal à 64 Hz sur sa sortie HMC. Dès cet instant le compteur-décompteur 10 va se charger jusqu'à sa capacité nominale et, après 60 impulsions, fournira une impulsion 12 de sortie ou de report sur l'entrée supérieure de la porte ET 20. Comme toutes les autres entrées sont à 1, l'impulsion de report passe la porte ET 20 et fournit, à la sortie du circuit OU 21 une impulsion 13 de blocage de correction qui stoppe l'émission du signal à 64 Hz sur la sortie HMC du bloc 9.When the crown is rotated rapidly in the counting direction, 64 Hz pulses are sent to the up-down counter which, after 5 pulses, will cause a down-crossing pulse 12 to be transmitted to the up-down counter or borrow which is reflected at the upper entrance of the AND gate 20. Before the arrival of this borrowing impulse, the two lower entrances of said AND gate 20 will have passed to 1 (FC = 1, SC = 1). The borrowing pulse, via the OR circuit 16, resets flip-flop 15 by its input R 2 . The output Q 2 goes to 1, but only (and this is a peculiarity of flip-flops 14 and 15) on the second flank of said borrowing pulse. Thus, the borrowing pulse 12 which occurs at the upper input of the AND gate 20 is found to be ahead of the passage to 1 of the input of the same door connected to the output Q 2 of the rocker 15. Consequently, this pulse cannot pass the AND gate 20 and in no way stops the block 9 which continues to provide a signal at 64 Hz on its HMC output. From this instant, the up-down counter 10 will charge up to its nominal capacity and, after 60 pulses, will supply an output or transfer pulse 12 to the upper input of the AND gate 20. As all the other inputs are at 1, the transfer pulse passes the AND gate 20 and supplies, at the output of the OR circuit 21, a correction blocking pulse 13 which stops the transmission of the signal at 64 Hz on the HMC output of block 9.

Pendant les opérations mentionnées ci-dessus, la porte ET 19 reste bloquée en permanence car elle reçoit sur son entrée inférieure un signal 0 en provenance de l'inverseur 23 (SC=1).During the operations mentioned above, the AND gate 19 remains permanently blocked because it receives on its lower input a signal 0 from the inverter 23 (SC = 1).

Dans le cas où la correction de 5 minutes aurait été faite dans le sens horaire et celle du fuseau dans le sens antihoraire, ce serait la porte ET 19 qui serait passante et la porte ET 20 qui serait bloquée.In the case where the correction of 5 minutes would have been made clockwise and that of the time zone counterclockwise, it would be the AND gate 19 which would be passing and the AND gate 20 which would be blocked.

La figure 3b est un diagramme de signaux illustrant le fonctionnement du circuit de la figure 1 quand les corrections ont lieu selon la marche représentée en figure 2b. On suppose cependant que la marche lente pas pas dans le sens négatif a déjà été effectuée et le bord gauche du diagramme commence au moment où l'on entraîne l'aiguille en cadence rapide. On s'aperçoit que la première impulsion (12) de sortie (borrow) ne parvient pas à passer la porte ET 20 puisque le signal Q2 se trouve encore à zéro à ce moment. Cela n'est qu'à la seconde émission d'une impulsion 12 (carry) par le compteur- décompteur que ladite impulsion peut passer la porte ET 20 puisque les points Q2, SC et FC sont au niveau 1.Figure 3b is a signal diagram illustrating the operation of the circuit of Figure 1 when the corrections take place according to the step shown in Figure 2b. It is assumed, however, that the slow walk does not go in the negative direction has already been carried out and the left edge of the diagram begins at the moment when the needle is driven in rapid cadence. It can be seen that the first output pulse (12) (borrow) fails to pass the AND gate 20 since the signal Q 2 is still at zero at this time. This is only at the second transmission of a pulse 12 (carry) by the up-down counter that said pulse can pass the AND gate 20 since the points Q 2 , SC and FC are at level 1.

On dira, pour compléter les explications qui viennent d'être données, qu'après la correction du fuseau horaire, on repousse la tige en position neutre. Si une correction des minutes est réellement désirée, on procédera à cette correction sans la faire suivre d'une correction de fuseau. Après avoir repoussé la tige en position neutre, cette correction des minutes aura réellement été confirmée comme telle. Il faut noter également que pendant les manoeuvres de correction, la montre continue à montrer le temps réel, puisque la base de temps continue également à fournir des impulsions minutes d'avance à l'affichage 6 via le circuit OU 4.It will be said, to complete the explanations which have just been given, that after the correction of the time zone, the rod is pushed back to the neutral position. If a correction of the minutes is really desired, this correction will be carried out without followed by a time zone correction. After pushing the rod back to the neutral position, this correction of the minutes will really have been confirmed as such. It should also be noted that during the correction maneuvers, the watch continues to show the real time, since the time base also continues to supply pulses minutes in advance to the display 6 via the OR circuit 4.

Claims (5)

1. An electronic time piece comprising at least an hour indicator (7), a minute indicator (6), a manually actuable correction device (A, B, C) which, when actuated, effects step-by-step correction in either direction of the minute indicator in response to a first given operation carried out on the device and rapid correction in either direction of the minute indicator by whole time zones in response to a second given operation, different from the first, carried out on the device, characterized by the fact that said time piece comprises means (10, 11) to cancel, when the correction device is actuated, any correction of said minute indicator which may precede a time zone correction, whereby said second operation always effects a correction of a whole time zone in relation to the real time at the moment said correction device is actuated.
2. A time piece according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the first and second operations generate correction pulses (HMC) to correct the minute indicator display and that said means comprise an up/down counter (10) having a capacity which corresponds to the number of steps necessary for making a whole time zone alteration of the display, said up/down counter storing said correction pulses and emitting an output pulse (12) each time it overflows or underflows, and a circuit (11) arranged to receive said output pulses and to supply, in response to said first and second operations, a correction blocking signal (13) to the first output pulse emitted by the up/down counter if the step-by-step correction and the rapid correction of the display are carried out in the same direction and to the second output pulse emitted by said up/down counter if the said corrections are carried out one in a first direction and the other in a second direction.
3. A time piece according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the capacity of the up/down counter (10) is 60, each correction pulse corresponding to one display minute.
4. A time piece according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the up/down counter (10) has a reset input (A) which receives a control pulse (IR) when said correction device is actuated.
5. A time piece according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that said circuit (11) comprises two bistable devices SR (14, 15) each having.
- a reset input (R1, R2) to which are applied via an OR gate (16) either the output pulses (12) from the up/down counter, or a reset pulse (IR) produced in response to the actuation of the correction device, the resetting of the bistable device being controlled by the second edge of said pulses,
- a set input (S1, S2) controlled for each bistable device by a distinct AND gate (17, 18) which combines the correction pulses (HMC), a signal representing the direction of correction (SC) and a signal representing step-by-step correction (MC), and
- an output (Q1, Q2) connected for each bistable device to an input of a distinct AND gate (19, 20) which produces to its output (A1, A2), via an OR gate (21) the correction blocking signal (13), the other inputs of said AND gate receiving said output pulses (12) of the up/down counter, said signal representing the direction of correction (SC) and a signal representing the rapid correction (FC).
EP85111025A 1984-09-05 1985-09-02 Electronic time piece having time-setting means Expired EP0175961B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH4251/84 1984-09-05
CH425184A CH657010GA3 (en) 1984-09-06 1984-09-06

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EP0175961A1 EP0175961A1 (en) 1986-04-02
EP0175961B1 true EP0175961B1 (en) 1988-08-10

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US (1) US4620797A (en)
EP (1) EP0175961B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS6166983A (en)
CH (1) CH657010GA3 (en)
DE (1) DE3564352D1 (en)
HK (1) HK83193A (en)

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EP0407165B1 (en) * 1989-07-07 1994-12-21 Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. Analog world watch
CH682969B5 (en) * 1992-05-14 1994-06-30 Ebauchesfabrik Eta Ag Timepiece capable of receiving of broadcast messages.
CH683484B5 (en) * 1992-08-03 1994-09-30 Ebauchesfabrik Eta Ag Timepiece capable of receiving radio messages provided with a ball controller.
CH684044B5 (en) * 1992-09-25 1995-01-13 Ebauchesfabrik Eta Ag analog timepiece that can display additional information.
CH684143B5 (en) * 1992-10-08 1995-01-31 Ebauchesfabrik Eta Ag Timepiece capable of receiving broadcast messages displayed by its needles.
US5479378A (en) * 1993-12-17 1995-12-26 Seiko Telecommunication Systems Inc. Analog wristwatch paging receiver
CH688498B5 (en) 1994-11-03 1998-04-30 Asulab Sa Timepiece with horometric information by not sound vibrations.
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JPH10213687A (en) * 1997-01-28 1998-08-11 Nec Shizuoka Ltd Information indication and selection device and a digital device thereof
JP5626199B2 (en) * 2011-12-27 2014-11-19 カシオ計算機株式会社 Electronic timepiece and method for detecting operation of electronic timepiece

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US4620797A (en) 1986-11-04
JPH039433B2 (en) 1991-02-08
JPS6166983A (en) 1986-04-05
CH657010GA3 (en) 1986-08-15
DE3564352D1 (en) 1988-09-15
HK83193A (en) 1993-08-20
EP0175961A1 (en) 1986-04-02

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