GB2066523A - Electronic timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

A timepiece (10) comprises twelve hours denotive light sources (14) and sixty minutes denotive light sources (11), the light sources (11, 14) comprising for example light emitting diodes. Control circuitry for selectively energizing the light sources (11, 14) comprises a one second counter (17), a divide-by-sixty circuit (18) providing minutes pulses to a minutes counter (13), an hours counter (16) driven from the minutes counter (13), and a calendar drive circuit (22) driven from the hours counter (16) for operating a calendar display (21). The twelve hours denotive light sources (14) are driven by hours counter (16), and the sixty minutes denotive light sources are driven by minutes counter (13). The seconds counter (17) drives an individual light source (19) to show that the timepiece is operating. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Timepiece This invention relates to timepieces and has for its object the provision of an advantageous form of display for timepieces employing electronic timekeeping circuitry.

A timepiece embodying the invention comprises as display means for minutes and hours, selectively energized light sources, one for each minute and one for each hour. These light sources are most advantageously arranged after the manner of a conventional clock dial, with the light sources for denoting minutes arranged in a circle or larger diameter and those for indicating hours in a circle of smaller diameter. Additionally, a single light source may be arranged to flash at each second counted by the timekeeping circuitry, thereby denoting that the timepiece is correctly in operation. If desired a calendar display and appropriate control circuitry may be provided, An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

The timepiece 10 shown in the drawing comprises a circular array of 60 minutes-denotive lamps 11, each provided with an individual connecting lead which passes by way of a wiring harness 12 or an equivalent printed circuit to a minutes counter circuit 13 which is arranged to energise each lead in turn for the period of one minute. The timepiece further comprises an array of twelve hour-denotive lamps 14 individually connected by a wiring harness or printed circuitry 1 5 to an hours counter 16 which is arranged to energize each lamp in turn for the period of one hour.

It will be understood that the term "lamp" is used above to denote any electrically energizable light source suitable to be controlled by an electronic timekeeping counter, either directly or by way of suitable driver circuitry known in the art.

Light-emissive diodes are considered to be especially suitable for the purpose.

Timekeeping counter 1 3 is driven by a known source 17 of second pulses by way of a divideby 60 counter 1 8. At the end of each counting cycle the minutes counter 1 3 provides a drive pulse to step hours counter 1 6. Source 1 6 may also provide a pulse every second to a further light source 19, so as to provide a continuing indication that the timepiece is operating. In addition, the timekeeping frequency source 17 may be provided with a control means 20 by which the rate of pulses applied to seconds-counter 1 8 may be temporarily increased when the time shown by the timepiece is to be changed.

If desired, a calendar display 21 may be provided and controlled by known circuitry 22 driven from an output provided every 12 hours by hours counter 1 6.

1. A timepiece comprising a plurality of selectively energizable light sources, one for each minute and one for each hour, arranged after the manner of a clock dial so as to enable the time indication of the timepiece to be read in accordance with which of the light sources are lit and which are unlit at the time in question, and control circuitry for correspondingly energizing selected ones of said light sources for selected time periods.

2. A timepiece as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light sources representative of hours are arranged in a separate rank from the light sources representative of minutes.

3. A timepiece as claimed in claim 2 wherein the light sources representing hours are arranged in a first circle, and the light sources representing minutes are arranged in a second circle, said first and second circles having different diameters.

4. A timepiece as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the light sources representing hours are of different character to the light sources representing minutes.

5. A timepiece as claimed in claim 4 wherein the light sources of different character are of different sizes.

6. A timepiece as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the light sources are light emissive diodes.

7. A timepiece as claimed any of the preceding claims wherein said control circuitry comprises a source of one second pulses, a divide-by-sixty circuit for developing one minute pulses from said one second pulses, means for energizing said light sources representative of minutes successively from said minute pulses, an hours counter driven by said minutes pulses, and means for energizing said light sources representative of hours successively from the output of said hours counter.

8. A timepiece as claimed in claim 7 and further including a light source energized from said seconds counter so as to provide an indication of the operation of the timepiece.

9. A timepiece as claimed in any of the preceding claims, including a calendar display controlled from said control circuitry.

10. A timepiece substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Timepiece This invention relates to timepieces and has for its object the provision of an advantageous form of display for timepieces employing electronic timekeeping circuitry. A timepiece embodying the invention comprises as display means for minutes and hours, selectively energized light sources, one for each minute and one for each hour. These light sources are most advantageously arranged after the manner of a conventional clock dial, with the light sources for denoting minutes arranged in a circle or larger diameter and those for indicating hours in a circle of smaller diameter. Additionally, a single light source may be arranged to flash at each second counted by the timekeeping circuitry, thereby denoting that the timepiece is correctly in operation. If desired a calendar display and appropriate control circuitry may be provided, An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing. The timepiece 10 shown in the drawing comprises a circular array of 60 minutes-denotive lamps 11, each provided with an individual connecting lead which passes by way of a wiring harness 12 or an equivalent printed circuit to a minutes counter circuit 13 which is arranged to energise each lead in turn for the period of one minute. The timepiece further comprises an array of twelve hour-denotive lamps 14 individually connected by a wiring harness or printed circuitry 1 5 to an hours counter 16 which is arranged to energize each lamp in turn for the period of one hour. It will be understood that the term "lamp" is used above to denote any electrically energizable light source suitable to be controlled by an electronic timekeeping counter, either directly or by way of suitable driver circuitry known in the art. Light-emissive diodes are considered to be especially suitable for the purpose. Timekeeping counter 1 3 is driven by a known source 17 of second pulses by way of a divideby 60 counter 1 8. At the end of each counting cycle the minutes counter 1 3 provides a drive pulse to step hours counter 1 6. Source 1 6 may also provide a pulse every second to a further light source 19, so as to provide a continuing indication that the timepiece is operating. In addition, the timekeeping frequency source 17 may be provided with a control means 20 by which the rate of pulses applied to seconds-counter 1 8 may be temporarily increased when the time shown by the timepiece is to be changed. If desired, a calendar display 21 may be provided and controlled by known circuitry 22 driven from an output provided every 12 hours by hours counter 1 6. CLAIMS

1. A timepiece comprising a plurality of selectively energizable light sources, one for each minute and one for each hour, arranged after the manner of a clock dial so as to enable the time indication of the timepiece to be read in accordance with which of the light sources are lit and which are unlit at the time in question, and control circuitry for correspondingly energizing selected ones of said light sources for selected time periods.

2. A timepiece as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light sources representative of hours are arranged in a separate rank from the light sources representative of minutes.

3. A timepiece as claimed in claim 2 wherein the light sources representing hours are arranged in a first circle, and the light sources representing minutes are arranged in a second circle, said first and second circles having different diameters.

4. A timepiece as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the light sources representing hours are of different character to the light sources representing minutes.

5. A timepiece as claimed in claim 4 wherein the light sources of different character are of different sizes.

6. A timepiece as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the light sources are light emissive diodes.

7. A timepiece as claimed any of the preceding claims wherein said control circuitry comprises a source of one second pulses, a divide-by-sixty circuit for developing one minute pulses from said one second pulses, means for energizing said light sources representative of minutes successively from said minute pulses, an hours counter driven by said minutes pulses, and means for energizing said light sources representative of hours successively from the output of said hours counter.

8. A timepiece as claimed in claim 7 and further including a light source energized from said seconds counter so as to provide an indication of the operation of the timepiece.

9. A timepiece as claimed in any of the preceding claims, including a calendar display controlled from said control circuitry.

10. A timepiece substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.