GB2028548A - Electronic timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic timepiece gives upon demand, an audible tactile or optical indication of current "strokes" corresponding to the strokes of a mechanical clock, e.g. each hour stroke may comprise dual tones. Time information is also given by strokes when setting the timekeeping counters 20 to give the correct time, and when pre-setting a desired alarm time into alarm counters 30. Outputs from counters 20 are fed to a decoding circuit 23 which supplies stroke signals to a signal generator 25 connected to a signalling device 27. The signalling device may also be used to give the alarm in response to an output from coincidence detector 37. The timepiece may additionally incorporate a conventional analogue or digital time display. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electronic timepiece The invention relates to an electronic timepiece which may be operated at night or by a blind person.

Mechanical clocks exist already in which the time output occurs in form of strokes. On a so called repeater, one can listen to the time in form of audible strokes after pushing of a push-piece. The so-called five-minute-repeater strikes the hours, quarters and the additional five-minute periods. A disadvantage of this clock is that it cannot be set blindly.

Electronic watches also exist which can be set by pushing of buttons. Input of an alarm time occurs by repeated pushing of buttons, With this kind of setting, the setting of actual time, or of the alarm time is very complicated and cannot be effected blindly, from a practical point of view. For example, the setting of 59 minutes requires the pushing of a minute button 59 times.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an electronic timepiece which permits a blind person to use and operate the clock without difficulties.

According to the invention there is provided an electronic timepiece wherein upon actuation of one-or more actuating members by the user to enable the time and/or the date to be stored in the timepiece, optically, acoustically or tactually recognizable strokes are generated and values corresponding to the values of said strokes are entered into corresponding counters, and to enable the time and/or the date told by the timepiece to be transmitted to the user, the values contained in the counters are indicated to the user by optically, acoustically or tactually recognizable strokes.

Preferably, the timepiece includes a signal generator such that it furnishes, for a predetermined number, x, of stroke pulses, a group of signals closely spaced in time and introduces a relatively large space between these groups and between the last group and a possible group of less than x stroke signals. This substantially simplifies listening, because a group of e.g. three strokes is immediately recognized as a group of three. This makes it possible to keep the output of time very short.However, it is also possible to design the signal generator in such a way that it furnishes, for a predetermined number x of stroke pulses, a single signal corresponding to said group of stroke pulses and being different from the signals generated for single stroke pulses, If e.g. on the output of hours for each a group of three hours a corresponding special signal is formed, three such signals and the usual hour signal will indicate ten o'clock. In this case it is not necessary to count ten signals. The human brain is capable without conscious counting to recognize immediately that the three special signals and the hour signals represent the time indication for ten o'clock.

Preferably, the actual time counter or the alarm time counter comprises a five-minute counter. A group of three five-minute strokes is easily recognized as a quarter of an hour. Without conscious counting, it is also possible to recognize immediately that three groups of five-minute strokes correspond to the time of 45 minutes. An embodiment of the invention shall now be described with reference to the drawings, given by way of Example, wherein Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of the electronic circuit employed in the timepiece Fig. 2 shows the output of signals for indicating time.

AsthecircuitofFigure 1 shows, the watch contains a conventional quartz oscillator 11 with a frequency of 32,768 hertz. In a frequency divider 1 3 this frequency is divided down to 1 hertz. The output of the frequency divider is connected to a minute counter 15, which every minute furnishes an impulse to a five-minute counter 17. The fiveminute counter 17 furnishes every five minutes an impulse to an hour counter 19, which again serves to control a date counter 21. The output of the counters 15,17,19 and 21 are connected to a decoding circuit 23, which furnishes stroke signals to a signal generator 25. The signal generator 25 is connected to a signalling device 27. The signalling device receives the stroke signals from the signal generator 25 only when the signal generator 25 has been activated by a signal from a selector 29.In addition to the counters 15,17 and 19 forming the time counter 20 also an alarm counter 30 is provided comprising a minute counter 31, a five-minute counter 33 and an hour counter 35. The time counter 20 and the alarm counter 30 are connected to a comparator 37, which furnishes a signal when the data from both counters 20, 30 correspond. This signal is fed through an alarm switch 39 to the signal generator 25 to cause the signalling device 27 to provide an alarm signal. The signal generator 27 generally generates an acoustic signal. In place of the signalling device 27 or in addition to said device an optical or a tactile signalling device may be provided.

Switches 41 , 43,47-and 49 49 are connected to the selector 29 and serve for time output, time input, selection of the kind of time input (setting the watch or setting the-alarm) and for date output. The conception of the watch is such that it can be used by a normal person in the dark without aid to vision or by a blind person.

On closing of the switch 41 time is indicated by different sounds or by tactile signals. An example for the sequence of signals for the time 7.39 a.m, is shown in Figure 2. First hours are indicated in form of dual-tones. On each hour stroke the first tone is immediately followed by a second tone. If there is no second tone, this will indicate p.m.

The hour strokes occur in groups of three tones spaced approximately 0, 1 seconds. The different groups will be spaced by larger spacing, a, of about 0,3 seconds.

The hour strokes are followed by five-minute strokes, which preferably differ from the hour strokes by the tone-frequency. Again three fiveminute strokes (that is a quarter of an hour) are combined in a group. For less than five minutes, minute strokes are provided. They have another tone frequency which maybe the same as for the hour strokes.

On the example shown there are four minute strokes.

If the watch has to be set, switch 43 is actuated, which causes the selector 29 to give a reset signal on the reset line 51. This causes the time counter 20 to reset to 00.00.

If now switch 41 is closed this provides that a seconds signal fed over theline 53 to the selector 29 is fed over the line 55 to the hour counter 19 and the signal generator 25. The hour counter is stepped by one step with each impulse and the signal generator generates for each impulse an hour stroke. The user counts these hour strokes and stops on the desired stroke to close the switch 41. In corresponding manner impulses are fed to the five-minute counter 1 7 and the signal generator 25 over the line 57. Finally, in the same way impulses are fed over the line 59 to the minute counter 15 and the signal generator 25.

The watch is now set. By closing the switch 41 the set time maybe checked. The time output takes place as previously described with reference to Figure 2.

In a similar way as the setting of the watch, the alarm time can be inserted into the alarm counter 30. For this purpose the switch 47 is closed, which causes the selector 29 to reset the counters 31,33 and 35. Later, on closing of the switch 41 impulses from the frequency divider 13 are fed over the rine 53, the selector 29 and the line 61 to the hour counter 35 and the signal generator 25.

Similarly, the five-minute counter 33 maybe set over the line 63 and the minute counter 31 over the line 65. After setting the alarm counter 30 in similar way as the time counter 20, it is possible to check the alarm time by closing of the switch 49. The output of the alarm time occurs in the same way as the time output described with reference to Figure 2.

Different modifications of the described circuit are possible. For example, it is possible, but not necessary, also to provide an analog or digital time display.

Claims (8)

1. An electronic timepiece wherein, upon actuation of one or more actuating members by the user to enable the time and/or the date to be stored in the timepiece, optically, acoustically or tactually recognizable strokes are generated and values corresponding to the values of said strokes are entered into corresponding counters, and to enable the time and/or the date told by the timepiece to be transmitted to the user, the values contained in the counters are indicated to the user by optically, acoustically or tactually recognizable strokes.

2. A timepiece according to claim 1, comprising a time counter and a setting device with a first actuating member for setting the timepiece and/or supplying an alarm time to an alarm time counter, said device comprising a selector circuit which, when a second actuating member is operated, feeds clock pulses to a time counter or to an alarm time counter, and to a signal generator to which an optical and/or acoustical and/or tactile signalling device is connected for generation of signals corresponding to the strokes.

3. A timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the signal generator is such that it furnishes, for each predetermined numberx stroke pulses, a group of signals closely spaced in time and introduces a relatively iarge interval between these groups and between the last group and a possible group of less than x stroke signals.

4. A timepiece according to claim 2, wherein the signal generators such that it furnishes for a predetermined numberxstroke pulses a single signal different from the signals generated for single stroke pulses.

5. A timepiece according to claim 3 wherein a group comprises three stroke signals for hours.

6. A timepiece according to any one of claim 1 to 5, wherein the time counter and/or alarm rime counter comprises a five-minute counter.

7. An electronic timepiece substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of storing the time and/or date in an electronic timepiece -- and/or for enabling the time and/or date stored by said timepiece to be transmitted to the user, wherein upon actuation of one or more actuating members by the user to enable the time and/or date to be stored by the timepiece, optically acoustically, or tactually recognizable strokes are generated and values corresponding to the values of the strokes are entered into corresponding counters, and to enable the time and/or date held by the timepiece to be transmitted to the user, the values contained in said counters are indicated to the user by optically, acoustically, or tactually recognizable strokes.