GB2083938A - Quasi-analogue Display - Google Patents

Abstract

In a quasi-analogue display, e.g. a watch face, with hands displayed electro-optically in time-division- multiplex, the display area is divided into sector arcs of radially separated rings on the rear counter electrode, while the front electrode is divided into spokes, of which not all are of the same geometry. Thick spokes used for hour and minute hands may alternate with thin spokes used for seconds. The connecting leads on the front plate between corresponding spokes in neighbouring groups matching the rear electrode segments are meandered, alternately lying in the inner and outer peripheral areas. Corresponding spokes count from clockwise and anticlockwise edges in alternate groups, the drive circuit compensating for this. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Quasi-analogue Indicating Device The invention relates to quasi-analogue indicating devices of the kind having hands representations, actuated electrically in time multiplex operation, of different geometry for different physical quantities or units, in which respect a flat display region is split up into as many spoke regions as different discrete hand display positions can occur, which regions are occupied respectively with flat display elements of particular widths and/or lengths and are selectively actuable, individually and/or in combination, by way of their electrode connection-pole pairs, by a control circuit, which devices are hereinafter referred to as being "of the kind described".

An indicating device is known from United States Patent No. 4 077 032. The indication is effected by groupwise actuation, stepped-on according to measured value changes, of spokeshaped flat display elements, which give rise to the impression of pointers or hands moving relative to a stationary scale. In this respect it can be a matter of a linear scale, for example linear scale of a technical measuring instrument having parallel-displacement pointer movement, or an angular or circular-ring-shaped scale such as a circular-ring-shaped timepiece dial having concentric rotary motion of the hands.In the case of the spoke-shaped flat display elements for electro-optical pointer representations, there may be used electrically-actuable optical components or component groupings, for instance in the form of electroluminescence diodes, electrochromatic indicators, or liquid crystal cells between a transparent front electrode and a rearward counterelectrode.For the representation of pointers of different geometry for different physical quantities or units respectively, in the case of a time indication particularly for the quasicontinuous seconds, minutes and hours indication as well as possibly for additional information, in the known indicating device the formation of each spoke region consists of a radial and azimuthal grouping of partially mutually-different flat display elements; each individual one of the elements is individually actuable by way of its front electrode, because the entirety of all the counterelectrodes is connected together onto a single common connection pole.By way of a control circuit there is effected the selection of the individual frontelectrode connection poles according to the pointer geometries and positions, to be represented momentarily, in the time-multiplex operation, in other words successively in rapid alternation, whereby the azimuthal indication stepping-on of the individual pointer representations can be brought about by way of shift registers.

What is especially disadvantageous about this previously-known quasi-analogue indicating device is the extremely great productiontechnique expenditure for the formation of the flat display region together with expensive circuitry for the actuation of the display to give the pointer representation. Furthermore, the large number of the flat display elements, to be actuated individually in each case, requires an equally large number of individual connection poles and individual input lines, and these together with the lines from the poles to the associated front electrodes, can be accommodated only in, for example, very large-area indicating instruments, and can not be practically accommodated in indicating devices of the size of wristwatch dials.

A wristwach having a quasi-analogue indicating device similar to a device of the kind described is on the market (Texas Instruments) in which, for the different pointer representations for the hours and for the minutes indication, the hours hand is represented by actuating two radially-short, azimuthally-narrow and angularlyoffset display segments, whilst the minutes hand is represented by actuating an individual, but longer and broader spoke-shaped display segment. The continuous seconds indication is effected by moving a mark along the outer periphery of the dial. This time representation proves, however, to be not very obvious or clear, and the split hours hand gives rise to irritation when trying to read off the time quickly.

Furthermore such a seconds mark position is harder to perceive than a spoke-shaped hand representation.

Known from German Offenlegungsschrift No.

19 37 868 are time measuring devices having quasi-analogue displays which have, for the continuous hours, minutes and seconds displays, either dots which revolve concentrically on different radii or else rotating spokes (with a winking seconds spoke to differentiate from the identically-designed minutes spoke); and in the latter case, the hours spokes are not utilised for the other hand representations, but are formed separately and are disposed only at half-hourly intervals, which necessitates irritating hour-hand jumps at half hour intervals in addition to the irritation which arises from the fact that the mjnutes and seconds hands are represented by identical spokes and differ from one another only by the winking of the seconds indication.

Known from B.P.A. (British Patent Specification) No.2011 143A is an indicating device, similar to the kind described, for a timepiece, in which the number of the connecting poles to be connected by way of lines of their own to associated display elements is reduced by a time-multiplex actuation also of the counterelectrodes in other words by a voltage multiplex operation of the flat display elements. The flat display region is sub-divided into a number of annular ring sectors which are azimuthally adjacent to one another and have identical numbers of individual spokes. The annular ring sectors are subdivided into two ring arcs, respectively provided with groups of counterelectrodes, there being line connections, extending in a partially meandering manner, between the display element electrodes.For the representation of the minute hand, the radially aligned parts of an individual spoke extending over both ring arcs are activated successively, whereas for the representation of the hour hand only the part, extending over the inner ring are, of the respective individual spoke is activated. If the minute hand and the hour hand assume the same angular position upon the time display, in other words overlap one another, provision is made for widening the hour hand in both azimuthal directions by actuating also the parts, falling to the inner ring arc, of the individual spokes which are azimuthally adjacent both sides of the minute hand. However, this time display is not very distinct, because the so widened hour-hand representation makes the reading-off more difficult, and furthermore the jerkily changing width of the hour indication is irritating.Moreover, there is the practically important lack of any continuous seconds display, which display is not realisable with the arrangement shown, Known from B.P.A. No. 2029610A is an indicating mechanism, similar to the kind described, in which the flat display region is similarly subdivided into annular ring sectors each comprising two concentric ring arcs. Associated with each ring sector are as many individual spokes as different discrete hand display positions can occur, in which respect again the radially internal spoke part represents the hours hand and the entire spoke length represents the minutes hand. Serving as seconds hand is the portion, falling only to the outer annular arc, of the respective spoke.A comparatively low capital expenditure is required for the stepping on switching system for the stepping on the three pointer or hand images or representations by reason of the adoption of time multiplex actuation, controlled by forwards, backwards counter combinations, for the actuation of both the front and counter electrodes, the individual spoke shape flat display elements being connected by group-wise opposed meander series connections. Certainly here too the hands geometry, more especially on account of the seconds hand which lengthens the hours hand to represent the minutes hand, still does not have the desirable distinctiveness which is desirable particularly for a quasi-analogue time display.

It was previously known from B.PS. No.

1463824 to associate front-electrode groups with ring-sector counter-electrodes to provide meandering wiring between the front electrodes of individual groups and to provide time-multiplex actuation of the front electrodes and of the counter-electrodes to give an accumulative arc display of a form which does not correspond to the conventional time display and is therefore not utilisable for the customary time representation, also for many technical analogue displays, because the arc representation precludes any angularly-staggered individual hand representation.

In contrast thereto, the problem underlying the invention is to further develop indicating devices, of the kind described, to the effect that more conspicuous and easily differentiated pointers or hands representations are displayed to indicate the different quantities or variables that are to be displayed; and, more especially in the case of the conventional time presentation, to ensure that the number of connection poles necessary for this representation can be provided even in the spatially-confined display area of, for instance, wristwatch dials, whilst making the actuation of the display possible with a comparatively simple control circuit using surveyable voltage courses or patterns for the voltage multiplex operation of the display elements.

In accordance with the invention, this underlying problem may be substantially solved, for the instance of realisation of simpler standard hands geometry, by providing a quasi-analogue indicating device of the kind described which is characterised in that the flat display region is subdivided into n mutually azimuthally adjacent annular ring sectors (Ni) and these are each subdivided into q mutually radially adjacent ring arcs (Q13 provided with counter-electrodes, and associated with each of the ring sectors (uni) are m spoke regions in the form of spoke groups (Mi) consisting of p individual spokes (Pi) some of which individual spokes are at least partly geometrically different from other individual spokes; and in that the individual spokes have front electrodes whereby there is provided, for each individual one of the individual spokes (Pfl of each ring sector (Ni), a series connection with the individual spokes (Pfl situated in the same direction in azimuthal sequence of the respectively next-but-one ring sectors (No+2) and with the individual spokes (Pp+ 1-i') situated in the opposite direction in azimuthal sequence of the respectively next-adjacent ring sectors (Ni+l) by way of conductive lines extending in crossingfree manner meandering alternately along the inner periphery and along the outer periphery of the ring sectors (Ni).

This solution is based more especially on the recognition that for the requirements of practice, e.g. in the case of quasi-analogue time indication, it is often fully adquate to ensure that the optical superimposition of a seconds hand does not lead to irritation with respect to the minutes and/or hours hand presentation. Therefore, in the case of the spoke-region detail arrangement recourse is made to the voltage-multiplex display-element actuation which is known in principle, with subdivision of the flat display region into annular ring sectors which are, for their part, subdivided into ring arcs, with meandering element series connection between the individual spoke regions: as has already been mentioned, the terms "annular ring" and "ring arcs" need not in this context be indicative of geometrical shapes having a finite radius of curvature.

The meandering wiring gives series connections from one angular ring sector to the next; which connections jump in the azimuthal direction in alternately oppositely directed manner with respect to the mutually adjacent or relative positions of the individual spokes in each sector, and which connections are not restricted to connecting any specific individual spoke of any one group with the positionally corresponding individual spoke in each of the other groups of spokes; so that the wiring permits rapid access to the individual spokes by means of a relatively inexpensive actuating system employing an easily functionally manipulated forwards/backwards counting technique.

This groupwise connecting together of the individual spokes thus opens the way to a form of the time-multiplex actuation which is particularly simple to construct and to check functionally, for both the front electrodes and of the counter-electrodes, in which form the frontelectrode connection poles of one of the ring sectors (Ni) are connected by way of a spoke gate circuit to a spoke step-oscillation generator as well as to a spoke stepping-on mechanism which actuates the spoke groups (Mt') of this ring sector (Ni) in alternating sequence and which successively covers or scans the individual spokes (Pi) thereof; and the counter-electrode connection poles are connected, depending on the hand position and hand length to be-represented momentarily, by way of a counter-electrode gate circuit to a counter-electrode step-oscillation generator as well as to a counter-electrode stepping-on mechanism which is actuated as required for the spoke groups (Mi) per ring sector (Ni), whereby, by way of the gate circuits, step oscillations having a voltage difference (SPIV SOi) which is sufficient for the optical activation of the flat display elements are connected only between those connection poles which are associated with the momentary displayed representations of hands.This form of actuation is based on the spoke counting direction reversal upon the stepping-on from one ring sector to the next-following one, and enables a quite considerable additional reduction in expenditure to be achieved. In this form of actuation initially only one of the individual spokes of each spoke group of one sector is individually actuated, and then, after the first counting-direction reversal the adjacent and hitherto jumped over spokes of this sector are individually actuated in the opposite direction, and, by virtue of the meandering series connection, at the same time the individual spokes, corresponding to the previous individual spokes in the first-mentioned sector, in the nextadjacent ring sector are swept or covered, to the extent maintained by azimuthal directional stepping-on, as in the previously swept ring sector, and so forth, until all the individual spokes per spoke group and over all the ring sectors are covered or swept, this being done with the counting-direction changing after each sector traverse whilst maintaining the azimuthal stepping-on direction of switching, so that this actuation sequence can begin again from the front.

In relatively simple circuitry for effecting this form of actuation the stepping on mechanism consist of as many spoke register circuits as there are different hands forms that are to be represented, and in that the counter-electrode register circuits, associated with the individual hands forms that are to be represented, can be stepped-on in a hand-specific manner by the spoke register circuits, according to the individual spokes (Pi) that are individually actuatable per spoke group (Mi).In this circuitry there is per hand representation and per flat-display-element electrode connection, a stepping-on mechanism or register circuit respectively working on a counting basis (preferably as a ring counter) which, according to the pattern of the meander wiring of the individual spokes utilised for the hand geometries to be represented, are scanned partially in a mutually oppositely-directed counting direction.The indexing of the counterelectrode register circuits is obtainable either directly from the associated counting positions, or derived from the counting-impulse actuation respectively upon the transition from one individual spoke to the next per spoke group, from the spoke stepping-on mechanism, so that malfunctions by virtue of synchronisation problems with respect to the time-multiplex actuation of individual-spoke front electrodes and geometrically-associated sector counterelectrodes do not have to be feared.

The indicating device in accordance with the invention can be realised in a particularly simple manner if each of the spoke groups (Mi) consists of one wide and one narrow individual spoke (Pb, Ps) which are mutually azimuthally closely adjacent, and in that each of the ring sectors (Ni) is subdivided into a radially-long centrally-internal and a radially-short, concentrically-thereto external ring arc (Qz, Qa); and if the individualspoke actuation is designed such that, by way of the spoke stepping-on mechanism, in each ring sector (N/) initially the front-electrode connection spokes of the narrow individual spokes (Ps) are actuable consecutively in a sequential direction, and subsequently the front-electrode connection poles of the wide individual spokes (Pb) are actuable consecutively in the opposite sequential direction, whereby, by way of the counterelectrode stepping-on mechanism, upon each transition from the actuation of narrow spokes to the actuation of wide individual spokes, and vice versa, a stepping-on can be effected to the counter-electrode connection poles of the ring sector (Ni+ 1) which is next-adjacent in the hand movement direction.Thus a strikingly narrow hands representation for the continuous seconds display can be achieved without great expenditure on individual flat display elements per spoke group, and with particularly slight expenditure for the multiplex actuation. The slight angular offset between the seconds hand and the hours- or minutes-hand positions becomes discernable in practice only in the event of coinciding hands angular position-but even then not disturbingly.

The preferred developments set out in claims 5 to 7 foster the striking or contrast-rich hands representation, without incurring increased circuitry expenditure or giving rise to problems concerning the space, available inside or beside the analogue scale, for the individual electrode connection poles.

The indicating device in accordance with the invention can utilise a part of a hand falling to the outer ring arc, more especially the radiallyexternal part, falling to the outer ring of the seconds-hand spokes, for displaying additional information. such a manually preset waking time or calender information, opposite corresponding marks along the analogue scale.

A modified solution of the aforementioned underlying problem in accordance with the invention provides an indicating device of the kind described characterised in that the flat display region is subdivided into n mutually azimuthally adjacent annular ring sectors (N/5 and these are subdivided into mutually radially adjacent ring arcs (Ql) which are provided with counterelectrodes, and associated with each of the ring sectors (Ni) are m spoke regions in the form of spoke groups (Mi) consisting of p individual spokes (Pi) some of which spokes are at least partly geometrically different from other individual spokes, which spokes have front electrodes; wherein in each spoke group (Mi) two of the individual spokes (Pn, which lie symmetrically to the central longitudinal axis or centre line of this spoke group (Mi), are connected in series as a pair by a frame line at one end of the pair; and whereon each individual spoke (Pi) of each pair is connected in series by an arc line with a proximal one of the spokes of one like spoke pair of the spoke group (Mi) which is correspondingly located in the azimuthally or arcuately adjacent ring sector either (Ni+1) or (Ni1).

The features set out in claims 10 or 12 are suitable for simplified versions.

The modified solution is distinguished by a high freedom of design of the hands representations to effect exact anglewise correspondence of the individual hands representations, at a cost of some increase in expenditure with respect to the electrode lines leading to individual electrode connection poles and a corresponding increase in actuation expenditure.

Despite the great number of individual spokes per spoke group, the pairwise combining of mutually-associated individual spokes precisely on both sides of the narrow individual spoke situated centrally in the group makes it possible to employ a preferred control circuit the cost of which does not increase to the same extent as the increase in the number of individual spokes per group of spokes.In the preferred control circuit there is provided per hand representation a respective m-stage or m-step spoke register circuit (131, 132 or 133), to which a spoke gate circuit is connected and which respectively after m counting steps step on an associated n-step counter-electrode register circuit (134, 135 or 136), to which a counter-electrode gate circuit is connected, wherein the gate circuits (125, 128) provide switching to direct multiplex-actuation step oscillations (SPi, SQi) from a step generator to the electrode connection poles according to the hand type and hand positions to be activated optically.In the case of only three individual spokes per group of spokes, the expenditure for the counter-electrode register circuits is reduced to simple bistable trigger circuits, since the individual spokes situated on both sides of the hands axis of symmetry are connected together into the envelope to be actuated as a single individual spoke.

Also in this case of a spoke group, symmetrical to the axis of symmetry, in accordance with claim 9, 10, 1 1, 12, 13 or 14 it again applies that for the flat display elements recourse can be had to any desired electro-optical components which are controllabie in the time and voltage multiplex, and that the circular or ring scale's radius of curvature does not have to be finite, in other words also a realisation having spoke groups aligned partially or mutually parallel to one another lies within the framework of the invention.

More especially in accordance with claim 14 the modified solution claimed in accordance with claim 9, 10, 11 or 12 opens up the possibility for unrestricted hands geometry, for instance for the formation of curved hands shapes for stylish e.g.

period, timepieces. In this respect, the central spoke pair or the central individual spoke of each spoke group can be actuated at the same time as the adjacent spokes upon the representation of the minutes and hours hand, but it may possibly be more expedient to leave here a narrow nondisturbing gap between the adjacent spokes which gap is only filled up when the seconds hand precisely coincides with a minutes or hours hand.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments, shown in simplified manner in the drawings with a restriction to that which is essential, with regard to the solutions in accordance with the invention, as applied to a closed annular ring-shaped analogue scale in the form of a timepiece dial to indicate the time by means of quasi-continuously revolving hours, minutes and seconds hands: : Figure 1 shows a dial for displaying a geometrically-simple hands representation having a seconds hand which is slightly angularly offset relative to the hours and minutes hands, and shows diagrammatically the individual spoke division and the grouping of the flat display elements, together with their front-electrode interconnections, for the particular instance wherein the analogue scale is subdivided into ten annular ring sectors each having six spoke groups which groups each consist of two individual spokes; Figure 2 shows the counter-electrode arrangement for the flat display region subdivision shown in Figure 1, which counter electrodes are arranged to provide two ring arcs for each ring sector of the front electrodes;; Figure 3 shows a modification of the geometry of the front- and counter-electrodes shown in Figures 1 and 2, to provide a more striking and contrast-rich hands representation; Figure 4 shows a quasi-analogue time display based on the individual spoke geometry shown in Figure 3, together with an additional item of information displayed by means of the radiallyexternal end portion of the individual secondshand spokes; Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an actuation circuit for the electrode arrangement shown in Figure 1 and 2; Figure 6 shows examples of step oscillation courses for the voltage multiplex actuation of flat display elements by time multiplex actuation both of their front electrodes and their counterelectrodes shown in Figures 1 and 2;; Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing individual spoke grouping of a dial of a second or modified embodiment of the invention, with modified front-electrode interconnections; Figure 8 shows the counter-electrode arrangement appertaining to the individual spoke grouping shown in Figure 7, for the modified embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is a detail view, similar to Figure 3, showing a form of hands geometry which is a further development of the basic form of hands shown in Figure 7; Figure 10 shows a time representation similar to Figure 4 but with an individual spoke grouping and hands geometry in accordance with Figure 9; Figure 11 shows a modified form of the control circuit shown in Figure 5 for the multiplex actuation of the front- and counter-electrodes in the arrangement shown in Figure 7/Figure 8; and Figure 12 shows, in tabular form, the switching and sequence of step oscillations applied to the electrode connection poles of the modified embodiment shown in Figures 7 and 8, to produce a hands representation in two-step multiplex actuation for simultaneous representation of hours and minutes hands.

Figure 1 shows, in basic representation relative to an analogue scale 101 bearing the numbers 1 to 12, a flat display region 103 which is composed of a large number of spoke regions 102. The outer periphery 104 thereof corresponds to the geometry of the analogue scale 101, and the individual spoke regions 102 are orientated according to hands positions with regard to the analogue scale 101. As many spoke regions 102 are provided side-by-side as different discrete hand positions are required to be displayed in relation to the analogue scale 101 in this quasi-analogue indicating device.In the exemplary instance shown, the annular ringshaped analogue scale 101 forms a timepiece dial 105, for example for wristwatches; and in order to be able to display 60 minutes- or seconds-hands positions in the course of one "hand" revolution, 60 such spoke regions 102, mutually azimuthally adjacent, are distributed uniformly on a radiallywide ring.

For the hand-shaped display, each spoke region 102 is occupied by flat display elements 106 of at least partially mutually-different width and/or length, which are optically activatable by electrical actuation, e.g. liquid crystal devices, which elements are peripherallv shaped to give the required spoke geometry, and are disposed between a transparent front electrode 107 and a counter-electrode 108 which is remote from the direction of viewing of the analogue scale 101, in other words a rearward counter-electrode (see Figure 2). However, also other materials which are optically activatable by electrical acutation can be used to form the individual flat display elements 106, in which respect the electrode design is then modified in adaptation to these.For the electrical actuation from a control circuit 140 (see Figure 5), the electrodes 107 and 108 are connected by way of lines 105, 113 (see Figure 2) to connection poles 110 and 111 which are formed in a remote edge or corner region outside the analogue scale 101 on the supporting material for the flat display region 103.

For simplicity of presentation in Figure 1, all the flat display elements 106 are shown mutually in the same way, although at all times only some of them are optically activated according to the momentary hands position as shown, for example, in Figure 4, so that only some of them are visible opposite the dial marks of the analogue scale 1 01. The front-electrode lines 109 are invisible for the observer and are situated radially outside the analogue scale 101, or, to save space, under it.

To enable a distinct display to be achieved at relatively low cost and to minimise the space requirement for the front-electrode lines 109 for the different hands of the quasi-analogue display adjacent the analogue scale 101, the flat display region 103 is subdivided into n mutually azimuthally adjacent annular ring sectors Ni, in the depicted instance of example with n=10 and individually indicated in Figures 1 and 2 by the reference characters N1, N2 .... to N1 0. Each of these ring sectors Ni is subdivided uniformly into m spoke regions 102 in the form of spoke groups Mi, in the depicted exemplary instance with m=6.

Each spoke group Mi consists of p-at all events partly mutually geometrically different individual spokes Pi which are formed by flat display elements 106, in the depicted exemplary instance with p=2 consisting of an azimuthally wide individual spoke Pb and a narrow individual spoke Ps which is azimuthally closely adjacent to the spoke Pb.Each individual one of the individual spokes Pi of a ring sector Ni is connected in series with respectively one and only one individual spoke Pi of each of the further ring sectors Ni by means of the front-electrode lines 1 09, so that for the entirety of all of the flat display elements 106 as many front-electrode connection poles 110 are to be provided as there are individual spokes Pi provided per ring sector Ni, in the depicted exemplary instance thus mxp=l 2 front-electrode connection poles 110. This is made possible by a meandering conducting of the front-electrode lines 109 from ring sector Nito ring sector Ni+1 alternately arcuately at the inner periphery 114 and along the outer periphery 1 04 of the ringshaped flat display region 103; namely in such a way that the front electrode 107 of the first individual spoke P 1 of the first spoke group M1 of the first sector Ni is connected to that of the last individual spoke P2 of the last spoke group M6 of the next-following ring sector N2 and by way of this to the front electrode 107 of the first individual spoke P 1 of the first spoke group M1 of the next-following ring sector N3, and so forth also for all the other individual spokes Pi of the ring sector Ní. Thus there is afforded, for each individual spoke Pi, a series connection with the individual spokes Pi, situated in the same direction in the azimuthal sequence (row sequence), of the respectively next-but-one ring sectors Ni+2 and the individual spokes Pp+ 1-!, situated in the opposite direction in the azimuthal sequence, of the respectively next-adjacent ring sectors Ni+ 1, in an intersection free-meandering manner.

In this way there exists, with regard to the individual spoke groups Mi, an oppositelydirected connection together of the individual spokes Piforthe respectively adjacent ring sectors Uni+ 1 and a connection in the same direction with regard to the individual spokes Pi of the respectively next-but-one ring sectors Ni+2.

In the present example, of the grouping of one wide and one narrow individual spoke Pb, Ps per spoke group Mi, the connection of each frontelectrode connection pole 110 from one ring sector Nito the next sector Ni+1 is by way of peripherally internal and alternately peripheraily external parts of the lines 109 so that always alternately one narrow spoke Ps and on wide individual spoke Pb is connected electrically in series Ps-Pb-Ps... at one spoke/sector in such a manner that, with respect to the sequential orientation of the spokes in each of the spoke groups and each of the individual ring sectors Ni, the connections progress in one instance in the clockwise direction and in the next instance in the anti-clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1, to which here, to supplement the construction and circuit description, reference is expressly made.

As shown in Figure 2, where, to simplify orientation with regard to the representation of Figure 1, some marks of the analogue scale 101 are entered, each ring sector Ni of the flat display region 103 (which sector is subdivided azimuthally into m spoke groups Mias shown in Figure 1), is further divided radially into q ring arcs Qi, in the depicted preferred exemplary instance with q=2, namely one radially-wide centrally internal ring arc Or and one radially-short external ring arc Qa, radially adjacent thereto, per ring sector Ni. For the region of each ring arc 0!, the counter-electrodes 108 associated with the individual flat display elements 106 (see Figure 1) are combined and conducted by way of counterelectrode lines 113 to counter-electrode connection poles 111.In the simplified embodiment shown in Figure 2 each ring arc Qi comprises a counter-electrode 108 of relatively large area which extends azimuthally and radially below the corresponding part of the flat display region 103 (see Figure 1) so as to be common to the spokes in the particular sector Ni. The counter-electrode connection poles 111 are again displaced peripherally inwardly or outwardly from the flat-display indication region 103, in order not to make their appearance in an optically disturbing manner.In this respect, what applies to the sector-shaped geometry of the lateral edging of the individual ring arcs Qi is the fact that this is to be selected, in the actual instance of realisation, in accordance with the position and geometry of the individual single spokes Pi (Figure 1) according to the geometry of the analogue scale 101 and the hand orientation related to this; and in particular the "ring arcs" Qi do not have to have either a uniform radius of curvature or a finite radius of curvature.

The material, electrically actuable for the optical activation, of the individual flat display elements 106 is to be selected in such a way that it is actuable in multiplex operation; that is to say the material has a defined response threshold voltage, so that the individual spoke-shaped flat display element 106 makes an appearance optically for the hand formation only when and only where, inside the flat display region, the potential difference between the counterelectrode 108 of the actuated ring arc Oi of a ring sector Ni and its individual spoke-shaped front electrode 108 exceeds the response threshold voltage of the flat display element 106.If, thus, momentarily only ring arcs Qiof an individual ring sector Ni are actuated for the optical activation of flat display elements 106 by way of their counterelectrode connection poles 111, and at the same time there is actuated one of the front-electrode connection poles 110, then there follows an optical response only of this flat display element 106 in the affected ring sector Ni, and even though the front electrodes 107 of other flat display elements 106 connected in series so as to be actuable by way of the same front-electrode connection pole 110, these other elements 106 do not respond optically because they do not lie in the particular sector Ni in which the counter electrode ring arcs Qi are actuated; see Figure 5.

For the, taking into account customary hand geometries, more striking hand representation in the case of the quasi-analogue display, it can be expedient to provide, contrary to the geometry selected in the basic representation in accordance with Figures 1 and 2, an electrode edging boundary in accordance with Figure 3. Here each wide individual spoke Pb is subdivided into a radially centrally-internal individual spoke Pbz and an outer wide individual spoke Pba which connects radially outwardly thereto.The outer ends of the spokes Pba and Pbz taper to an arrow shape, and the inner end of the spoke Pba has a V-shaped recess so as to leave an arrow head shaped groove-and-tongue transition 11 5 between the spokes which transition 1 5 is bridged electrically by means of a short radial conductor 11 6. Furthermore the adjacent narrow individual spoke Ps extends radially outwards only as far as the start of the taper of the outer tapering end 11 7 of the spoke Pba.To increase the contrast, the counter-electrodes 108 (shown in broken lines in Figure 3) preferably also have corresponding boundary edging to provide groove-and-tongue transitions 11 5 and outer end tapers 1 17, and the electrodes 108 are preferably azim uthally subdivided into correspondingly segment-shaped counter-electrodes 1 08a/1 08z which each provide for azimuthal backing for spokes of a respective spoke group Mi, the counter-electrodes 108 respectively of each of the individual ring arcs Qi being connected together electrically by azimuthal conductors 11 8a or 11 8z respectively, which conductors are connected by way of the counter-electrode lines 1 13 to the counter-electrode connection poles 111.

A hands geometry in accordance with Figure 3 in conjunction with the flat display region division in accordance with Figure 1 and Figure 2 results in the hand time indications, for, for example, "25 seconds after three o'clock" as shown in Figure 4, in which indications the hours hand 11 9 consists of the centrally-internal part Pbz of a wide individual spoke (see Figure 3), and the minutes hand 1 20 consists of the combination of the radially-internal and -external parts of an individual spoke, which parts are superimposed in arrow-shaped manner but without substantial angular widening, of the wide individual spoke.As can be seen in more detail from the representation in Figure 3, as a result of the nonradially-orientated but parallel longitudinal side boundaries 112 of this radially-external part Pba of each wide individual spoke, it is ensured that the minutes hand 120 requires as a whole no substantially more voluminous, more massive appearance than the hours hand 1 19, which facilitates the error-free reading-off of the quasianalogue time display.

It is not disturbing that (as can be seen from Figure 3) in the case of this minutes-hand development the seconds hand 121 does not fit snugly, over its entire length, in a uniformlyparallel manner against the adjacent boundary of the minutes hand 120, since, as can be seen from Figure 1, the seconds hand 121 (in the form of the narrow individual spoke Ps) has a slight azimuthal displacement relative to the minutes hand 120 of the same information-display position. Likewise, a short interruption of the seconds hand 121 in the region of the transition 1 15 between inner and outer ring arc Or/Qa is not disturbing, since the seconds hand 121 rapidly steps on.

The length of the seconds hands 121 can, as shown in Figure 4, be restricted to the radial extent of the centrally-internal ring arc Quiz, and the remaining radially-external part of the narrow individual spokes Pba can be actuated separately, in order to offer additional information (such as, for example, a predetermined signalling instant or calender information).

The multiplex actuation of the front electrodes connected meanderingly in series and the counter electrodes of spoke-shaped flat display elements, by selective combined application of mutually out-of-phase step oscillations, in order to bring about in a cyclically recurring manner, only across those flat display elements which are to be activated optically, a potential difference which exceeds the response threshold activation voltage, is basically known, for example, from B.P.S. No. 2029610A, from B.P.S. No.

2011 143A or from B.P.S. No. 1463824. Despite the expenditure in the interests of making the hands presentations distinct and to enable individual flat display elements to be actuated separately in a deliberate manner to give a meaningful display, the present invention enables the actuation to be effected in a comparatively not very expensive and functionally-simple multiplex manner. A preferred example of such a multiplex control circuit is shown in Figure 5.

The front-electrode connection poles 110i, of which for the entire flat display region 103 as many are present as individual spokes Pi are afforded per ring sector Ni-in other words mxp--can be acted upon individually by way of the outputs of a spoke gate circuit 125 with one or two mutually out-of-phase trinary frontelectrode step oscillations Spi, namely either the oscillations SP1 or the oscillations SP2 (see Figure 6), which oscillations Spi are supplied by a spoke step-oscillation generator 126, which generator is known as such in the display multiplex technique. A spoke stepping-on mechanism 127 determines in this respect, by actuation of the spoke gate circuit 125, which of the spoke step oscillations SPi is switched through successively to which of the frontelectrode connection poles 110i.

In the same way, the counter-electrode connection poles 111 i are actuated by way of a counter-electrode gate circuit 1 28 alternatingly with binary counter-electrode step oscillations SQ1, SQ2 (see Figure 6) from a counter-electrode step-oscillation generator 129, in which respect the ring-sector stepping-on is effected by way of a counter-electrode stepping-on mechanism 1 30.

The selection of front- and counter-electrode connection poles 110wand 11 land acting upon with step oscillations Spi, SQi is effected in such a way that only in the selected ring sector Ni are those individual spokes Pi subjected in rapid succession to the necessary potential difference for optical activation in order to produce a quasistationary optical impression of a hand representation, the length and the radial positioning of the hand being determined by way of the actuation of the ring arcs Oi in the selected ring sector Ni.

In accordance with the front electrode series connection jumping in meandering alternately oppositely directed manner, as explained at the beginning, a stepping-on from one ring sector Ni to the next-adjacent one Ni+1 is always effected when all of the spokes of one particular kind of spoke in one particular ring sector Ni have been traversed in an azimuthal direction by the oscillations Spy and a change-over is effected to the neighbouring different kind of individual spokes Piin the same ring sector Ni, along with reversal of the azimuthal stepping-on direction of the oscillations SPito the spokes.When the change over is effected, a stepping on signal is sent from one of three spoke register circuits 131, 132, 133 (each of which is associated with a respective one of the individual different forms of hand representations) to a respective one of three counter-electrode register circuits 134, 135 or 136 (each of which is associated with one of the different forms of hands) of the counter-electrode stepping-on mechanism 1 30.

In the example shown in the drawing, m=6 and p=2 to require twelve of the poles 110 which are arranged in a numbered sequence in Figure 1 so that the poles numbered 1 to 6 are in azimuthal sequence and the poles 7 to 12 are in sequence in the opposite direction. When the front-electrode connection poles 11 10 I m=6sequence for the narrow individual spokes Ps have been consecutively actuated from the register circuit 131, by way of the gate circuit 125, a steppingon impulse is triggered, which impulse steps-on the counter-electrode register circuit 134 for the actuation of the next-following ring sector Ni+ 1.

Upon the stepping-on of the spoke register circuit 131 through the counting positions M+ 1 .

2m=12, there occurs, it is true, in the first ring sector Ni=N1 the actuation of the front-electrode connection poles 110 sequentially numbered 7 to 12 for the wide individual spokes Pb. However, because the counter-electrodes of the second ring sectorNi+1 and not the N1 counter electrodes are now actuated, it is not these wide individual spokes Pb of the first ring sector N1 which are optically activated, but the narrow individual spokes Ps of the next ring sector N2 which are azimuthally consecutively energisable by the stepping-on of the oscillations SPi.In the depicted examplary instance for two individual spokes Pb+Ps per spoke group Mi, a feedback on line 137 at the end of said 12 pole sequence brings about for each odd-numbered ring sector N2i--1 a rebeginning of this counting cycle with m=1 in the circuit 131 in unison with the transmission to the associated counter-electrode register circuit 134 of a new stepping-on impulse via a stepping-on gate 138, progressively. Thus there results a directionally uniform stepping-on of the control voltages, for opticaily activating narrow individual spokes Ps, progressively from one ring sector Nito the next.

In the same way there is effected a steppingon of the wide individual spokes Pb in a uniform stepping-on direction through the succession of the ring sectors Ni by the decoupling or emission of a stepping-on impulse from the minutes- or the hours- spoke register circuits 1 32 or 1 33 respectively to the associated counter-electrode register circuits 1 35 or 1 36 respectively upon each azimuthal direction reversal in the actuation sequence of the front-electrode connection poles 110.In this respect now, as is indicated by the recorded pole numbering sequence in Figure 1 and the corresponding sequence numbering in the circuits 132 and 133 in Figure 5, it is to be taken into account that for the optical activation of the wide kind of individual spokes Pb the sequence is to be started in the reverse counting direction as compared with the consecutive activation of the narrow individual spokes Ps. This is necessary in order to optically activate the wide individual spokes Pb, by way of the meandering series connections, in a directionally uniform steppingon manner from the beginning of the first ring sector N1 as far as the end of the last ring sector Nn=N 10.

As is shown in broken lines in Figure 5, an mdivider 1 39 may be used in conjunction with the seconds-spoke register circuit 131 and the counter-electrode register circuit 134, to replace the stepping-on gate 138 actuated after respectively m stepping-on counting cycles. The m-divider 1 39 is connected parallel to the actuation of the spoke register circuit 131 (or the circuit 1 32 and/or 1 33), and is connected prior to the input side of the counter-electrode register circuit 134 (or to the respective circuit 135 and/or 136) for replacement of gate 138.

For the constant, quasi-analogue time display in accordance with Figure 4, this control circuit (consisting of register and gate circuits for the sequence- and position correct activation of individual spokes P/) is connected to the output of a time-keeping oscillating circuit 141, for instance a quartz-stabilised oscillator, by way of a divider circuit 142, as is known from the technology of electronic timepieces. In a manner which is also known as such, a timing frequency is derived from an intermediate tap of the divider circuit 142, for the control of the step generator 143 which supplies the step oscillations SPi, SO! shown in Figure 6. The divider circuit 142 supplies, to the input of the control circuit 140, an impulse sequence having a frequency of 1 Hz, with which the seconds spoke register circuit 1 31 is timed for the stepwise stepping-on of the narrow individual spokes Ps which represent the seconds hand 121 shown in Figure 4. When the seconds counterelectrode register circuit 134, further-timed therefrom, has fully counted respectively to i=n, and is reset by way of its back-coupling 144 into the initial state, the seconds-hand representation has completed one revolution.The output from the seconds counter-electrode register circuit 1 34 provides one impulse per minute to actuate the minutes spoke register circuit 132 which circuit controls, by way of the gate circuits 125 and 128, the minutewise stepping actuation of the wide individual spokes Pb to shift the entire length the wide spokes Pb extending over both ring arcs Oz+Oa in the same manner as the seconds-hands are stepped on, but with a reduced stepping-on frequency of one minute per step.

From the actuation of the minutes spoke register circuit 132, by way of a separate divider 145, there is obtained an impulse every 12 minutes and which serves for the actuation of an hours-hand representation to move this representation in 12-minute steps. This divider 1 45 then actuates a register circuit arrangement 133-138-136 which is arranged as hereinbefore described for the circuits controlling the minuteshand representation except in that now, by way of the counter-electrode gate circuit 128, the arrangement effects only the actuation of the radially-wide centrally-internal ring arcs Qz.

For a particular function initial position, setting inputs 146 are provided for the registers 131 to 136, in order to ensure that for the point in time 0:00:00 the seconds-hand representation begins with the first step and the hours- and the minutes-hand representation begin with the last counting step of the counting sequence for the arrangement of front-electrode connection poles 110 shown in Figure 1 in which, at this point in time, the respective spoke-shaped handrepresentations point to the number "12" of the analogue scale 101. In the same way, setting inputs for a setting of the registers to other counting positions can be provided, or else impulse transmitters (not shown in the drawings) can be connected to the register inputs, in order, for the setting of the display, to preset these registers to any desired hand positions.

The control circuit 140 does not have to be constructed from discrete operating components to the form in accordance with the example described and shown in Figure 5; the circuit can alternatively be made comprising a single module of higher integration density or can preferably be a functionally equivalent microprocessor to provide equivalent signal processing for actuation of hands representations at the front of the analogue scale 101, which microprocessor also takes over other functions of signal acquisition and processing, particularly the obtaining of measured values to be indicated in a quasianalogue manner.

For the selective time multiplex optical activation of the flat display elements 106, which have a pronounced response-threshold characteristic, it is sufficient, in the case of the described function of the control circuit 140, if the step generator 143 supplies two trinary step oscillations SP1, SP2 which are mutually identical but are mutually out-of-phase by a quarter of a period; and it is sufficient to provide, for the counter-electrode actuation, two simple binary step oscillations SQ1, SQ2 which are oppositely directed with regard to the mutual offset of the trinary step oscillations and are outof-phase by a quarter of a period.As is shown in Figure 6, the first binary step oscillation SQ1 lies timewise with regard to the first trinary step oscillation SP 1 in such a way that, during that half-oscillation when the binary step oscillation SQ1 conducts a signal, in the case of the trinary step oscillation SP 1 precisely the two quarter periods elapse in which the signal state changes over from full signal amplitude to half signal amplitude (U . . . U/2).

As is shown in Figure 6, there arises, between the two first step oscillations SP 1 and SQ1, a square-wave alternating voltage with the amplitude U/2, which is not sufficient for the activation of flat display elements 106 (Figure 1) when the response threshold voltage thereof lies between U/2 and U. On the other hand, the potential difference between the two second step oscillations SP2 and SQ2 results in a step alternating voltage, unsymmetrical with regard to the time course, with the amplitude U, which is consequently sufficient for the optical activation of the flat display elements 106. As is necessary in the interests of achieving a long useful life of liquid crystal cells, the alternating signals not leading to the optical activation have a voltage mean value of nil, i.e. no direct-current component, during the actuation of flat display elements 106.

According to the hand or each hand to be represented (controlled by the seconds registers 131 and 134, by the minutes registers 132 and 135 or by the hours registers 133 and 136) and according to the hands position actually to be represented (controlled by one of the spoke register circuits 131 to 1 33 and one of the counter-electrode register circuits 134 to 136, the gate 125 and 128 are controlled so that only one of the connection-poles 110 and one of the poles 111, which serve the particular flat display element 106 which is to be activated, are connected to the SP2-SQ2 outputs of the step oscillation generators 126 and 129, whilst the connection-pole pairs 110 and 111 of all the other flat display elements 106, momentarily not to be activated optically, are connected by way of these gate circuits 125 and 128 to the SP1 SQ1-outputs of the step oscillation generators 126 and 129 until, with further timing steps of the spoke register circuits 138, 132 and/or 133, a stepping-on to a further flat display element 106, to be activated optically instead of said particular element 106, if effected.

For the quasi-analogue hand display in front of a timepiece dial 105 with clear differentiation between the hours hand 119, the minutes hand 120 and particularly the seconds hand 121, in the case of the exemplary embodiment of Figure 1 to Figure 6 having the described meandering conduction of the front-electrode lines 109 and two geometrically-different individual spokes Pi per spoke group Mi and six spoke groups Mi per ring sector Ni, there are required only 32 electrode connection-poles 110 and 111, of which only 20 are required for the radial division of the ring sectors Ni into two ring arcs Qi.

In the case of the modified exemplary embodiment of Figure 7 et sequ., there takes place a different ring-sector division and displayelement layout, for the electrical actuation of which 64 electrode connection poles 110, 111 are needed. In the case of this solution in compensation for the greater number of poles required, in the central region 1 50 within the inner periphery 114 of the flat display region 103 there are now very few front-electrode lines 109, so that this central region 1 50 is available for occupancy by further display elements (not shown in the drawings) for additional display tasks.Above all, however, the spoke-group formation shown in Figure 7 to Figure 9 makes possible a considerably greater design freedom, compared with the design of the spoke groups Mi in accordance with Figure 1 to Figure 3.

For the instance of use of a timepiece dial 105, the flat display region 103 is now subdivided into 30 mutually azimuthally adjacent ring sectors Ni, in which the individual spokes Pi lying symmetrically to the longitudinal axes or centre lines thereof (which axes or lines bisect the angles made by the sectors) are connected in pairs in oppositely-directed U-shaped manner, and mutually-associated pairs are connected in series in meandering alternation to those of the respectively adjacent ring sectors Ni.

The exemplary embodiment shown has 30 of the ring sectors Ni each having only two spoke groups Mi. Each spoke group can be considered as four spokes of which two central individual spokes are united to constitute effectively a single narrow individual spoke Ps=P2 which serves to represent the seconds hand 1 21 (Figure 10). This thus no longer lies displaced anglewise with respect to the centre of the respective spoke group Mi, but extends radially along the central line or longitudinal axis of the group. Azimuthally on both sides of this narrow individual spoke P2 there now lie only one first spoke P1 and one third individual spoke P3,which spokes P1 and P3 are designed as wide individual spokes Pb.In the case of all of the spoke groups Mi, a frame line connection 151 is provided about one end 152 of the centrally-arranged narrow individual spokes Ps, by way of which the two wide individual spokes Pb1 and Pb3, which are closely adjacent to and frame this narrow individual spoke Ps are connected electrically in series as a spoke pair.In this respect, this frame line 151 can be considered as extending azimuthally from one spoke or group to the next spoke or group progressively alternately about the radiallyexternal end 1 52a and about the centrallyinternal end 1 52z of the narrow individual spokes Ps; in such a way that the combined mutually azimuthaily adjacent spokes forming each narrow individual spoke Ps are given a U-shaped sheathing envelope or boundary consisting of two wide individual spokes Pb and the frame line 1 51 thereof, which envelopes or boundaries alternately open towards the outer periphery 104 and to the inner periphery 114 of the ring-shaped flat display region 1 03, as is evident from the general representation in Figure 7 and from the detail representation in Figure 9.Each outer, wide individual spoke Pb of each group Miis connected in electrically conductive manner to the adjacent individual spoke Pb of the next-but-one (or lastbut-one) spoke groups Mi+2 (or Mi-2 respectively), namely by means of a radiallyexternal arc line 1 53a about the radially-external frame line 151 a of the spoke group Mi+ 1 (or Mi-1 respectively) lying therebetween and by means of a centrally-internal arc line 1 53z about the centrally-internal frame line 1 51z of the respective spoke group Mi.Alternate ones of the narrow individual spokes Ps, whose U-shaped sheathing (consisting of the wide individual spokes Pb adjacent on both sides and the interconnecting frame line 151) opens towards the outer periphery 104, are connected in parallel to an outer common connection line 1 55a by radially-extending outer spoke lines 1 54a disposed between the mutually peripherally adjacent radially-external arc lines 153a, and the other alternate ones of the narrow individual spokes Ps (having a U-shaped sheathing opening towards the inner periphery) are connected in parallel by radially inwardly extending central spoke lines 1 54z disposed between the mutually adjacent centrally-internal arc lines 1 53z to an inner common pole connection line 1 55z as is shown in solid lines in detail in Figure 9, because (particularly by reason of the integration of the two hypothetical central individual spokes to form each central narrow individual spoke Ps) here there is no need for any other opening in the Ushaped sheathing for the passage of further connection lines into the interior of the spoke group Mi.From this there results a need for two front-electrode connection poles 110 for the external lines 151 a, 1 53a, 1 54a and 1 55a and two poles 1 10 for the internal lines 151z, 153z, 1 54z and 1 55z, for the electrical actuation of the spoke-shaped flat-display element frontelectrodes 107. Thus there are the same number of poles 110 as there are frontal series connections between one sector Ni and the adjacent sectors Ni--l and Ni+ 1.

The counter-electrodes 108 shown in Figure 8 and in broken lines in Figure 9, are also subdivided in this embodiment into two ring arcs Qz, Qa. To increase the optical contrast of the hands representations as explained in connection with Figure 3, these ring arcs can also be subdivided in sector-shaped manner, according to the occupancy of the ring segments Ni by individual spoke groups Mi, or can at least, as shown in Figure 8, be bordered along their outer periphery 104 in accordance with the radiallyexternal ends of the mutually peripherally adjacent spoke groups Mi. As in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 3, each individual counter-electrode 108 leads by way of a respective one of the lines 11 3 to a respective one of the connection poles 111.

The representation shown in Figure 10 demonstrates by way of example that, with a single-spoke grouping and flat display element configuration in accordance with, for example, Figure 9, a particularly striking and mutually welldifferentiatable hands representation is made possible. In particular this grouping and configuration enables the ornamental hands shape requirements of period and stylish timepieces to be accommodated in a comprehensive manner. The flat display element configuration in accordance with Figure 9 gives rise to a time display in accordance with Figure 10 if in each representation of the hours and minutes hands 119, 120 the centrally-lying narrow individual spoke Ps lying inside the hands 119 or 120 is not simultaneously actuated.The slight gap left in the hours and minutes hands is insignificant because there is displayed by virtue of the large-area-geometrically shaped representation on both sides of this narrow gap on the central longitudinal axis of the hand, which representation provides visualiy easily absorbable closed hand impression giving clear and striking differences between the hours display and the minutes display. The seconds hand 121 is now no longer offset anglewise relative to the formation of the hours and minutes hands 119 and 120 (as in the case of Figure 4), but coincides, in the case of coinciding display actuation arrangements, geometrically exactly with the axis of the hours and minutes hands, so that any possible readingoff difficulty in this respect can be obviated.

To give hand representation which rotates in quasi-analogue manner with the elapse of time, the front-electrode connection poles 110 are actuated in the sequence indicted by the individual numbering of the poles 110 entered in Figure 7, in which respect the two wise individual spokes Pb, situated on both sides of a narrow individual spoke Ps, can, by virtue of their electrical series connection per spoke group Mi, be considered as an individual spoke Pi that is to be actuated, which correspondingly reduces the requirement of the number connection poles 110.

In the preferred example shown in Figure 7, the seconds-hand representation is effected by actuating successively the narrow individual spokes Ps of one of the ring sectors Ni alternately via the radially-external pole connection line 1 55a and via, in alternation therewith, the centrallyinternal pole connection line 155z, (in other words according to the opening direction of the U-shaped sheathing provided by the pairs of the wide individual spokes Pb together with frame lines 151 connecting these pairs in series). After actuation has reached the last narrow individual spoke Pbs, stepping on of the counter-electrode actuation is effected from said one of the ring sectors Ni onto the azimuthally next-adjacent one Ni+ 1.For the depicted instance of realisation of only two spoke groups Mi per ring sector Ni, the control circuit 140 needs, within the spoke stepping-on mechanism 127, to be equipped only with spoke register circuits 131, 132, 133 in the form of bistable trigger stages (as is shown in Figure 11), because only two stepping-on states occur for the hand "movement" (m=2) per ring sector Ni. With the first seconds impulse to the input of the second spoke register circuit 131, following the switching-in state at the point in time "zero", a stepping-on impulse is transmitted to the second counter-electrode register circuit 134, which thus steps on respectively every m=2 ssconds by one step (onto the counter-electrodes 108 of the next-following ring sector Ni+ 1).Thus the circuit 134 supplies in the example shown after 2n seconds-i.e. every minutes steppingon impulse onto the minutes spoke register circuit 132, which works together with the subsequently-connected minutes counterelectrode register circuit 1 35 in the two-minute rhythm similarly to the previously-mentioned seconds stepping-on function.The adapting divider 145 is acted upon in the case of the depicted exemplary embodiment in the twominute rhythm, and supplies, for bringing about a creeping hours hand movement in which the hours-hand jumps from one minutes division to the next-following one every 12 minutes, an output signal with which, by way of the hands spoke register circuit 1 33 and the hours counterelectrode register circuit 136 connected subsequent to it, the same functional cycle is brought about as previously described with respect to the minutes rhythm but at one twelfth of the rate.

The spoke gate circuit 125 and the counterelectrode gate circuit 128 (for example in the form of the so-called PLA's programmable logical arrangements) are also in this embodiment provided with logical linkages designed in such a way that step oscillations SPi, SO! (having the potential difference necessary for the optical activation) are supplied by the step generator 143 and are applied, according to the gate-circuit actuation from the spoke stepping on mechanism 1 27 and counter-electrode stepping-on mechanism 130, only to the flat display elements 106, needed for the actual hands representation, as described in detail above in connection with Figures 5 and 6 for the first embodiment.

For the individual acting-upon of the electrodes 107, 108 with step-oscillation voltage momentary values for the time multiplex actuation, the same spoke step-oscillation generator 126, as used in the first embodiment shown in Figure 6, can be utilised; whilst the counter-electrode step-oscillation generator 129' is similar to the generator 129 but has to supply additionally two further binary step oscillations SQ3, SQ4 mutually out-of-phase respectively additionally by a quarter period, as is additionally shown in the lower portion of Figure 6. The provision of these step oscillations SPi, SQi makes possible the operationally simple form of flat display element actuation shown in Figure 11, for three-step multiplex representation of the hands, namely, as described, successively the representation of the seconds hand 121, the minutes hand 120 and the hours hand 119.For the seconds-hand representation the narrow individual spoke Ps, according to the position of hand representation, receives, by way of its frontelectrode connection pole 110, the step oscillation SP1, and the remaining front-electrode connection poles 110 receive the step oscillation SP2; and those counter-electrode connection poles 111 which are associated with the ring sector Ni corresponding to the hand position to be represented receive via by the gate circuit 128 a selected one of the steps oscillations SQi, for example SQ4, whilst all the other counterelectrode connection poles 111 receive another oscillation, i.e. the step oscillation SQ1.Although, as a result of the sectorwise connecting together, in each ring sector Nione of the narrow individual spokes Ps receives the step oscillation SPi ,there is effected an optical activation only the or those spokes Ps whose counter-eiectrode or electrodes 108 receive the step oscillation SQ4.The trinary front-electrode step oscillation SP 1 is switched to and fro between the two front-electrode connection poles 110 in the seconds rhythm, and the binary step oscillation S04 is stepped on in the two-seconds rhythm from one to the nextfollowing ring sector No... Ni+1. Each of the other counter-electrode connection poles 111 receive, meanwhile, one of those binary step oscillations SQ1 or 2 which is selected so that in combination the trinary step oscillation SP1 or 2 applied to the front-electrode connection poles 110, does not at any time give rise to a potential difference across an element 106 which is sufficient for the optical activation of the flat display element 106.

In continuation of the above concerted actuation, each flat display element 106, to be activated optically to represent a minutes hand, receives the trinary step oscillation Spy, by way of its front-electrode connection pole 110 whilst the other front-electrode connection poles 110 receive the oscillation SP2; and simultaneously therewith the counter-electrode connection poles 111 for the anglewise pertinent minutes-hand representation receive the binary step oscillation SQ4 whilst the remaining counter-electrode connection poles 111 receive the oscillation SQ1.

For the hours-hand representation accordingly also the step oscillation pairing SPl-SQ4 can be used to actuate the flat-display-element display, whilst the pairing SP2-SQ1 can be used not to activate a display.

However, the hands representation can be - realised in a two-step multiplex operation utilising the two trinary and four bindary step oscillations SPi, SQi in known manner, so that in one step only the seconds hand 121 is represented, and then in the second step both the hours hand the minutes hand 11 9, 120 are represented.The combinatory circuit expenditure within the gate circuits 125,128 is then, however, somewhat greater, because from step to step a differentiation has to be made as to whether hours and minutes hands 119, 120 are momentarily to be represented in the same ring sector Ni or in different ring sectors Ni, Ni'. Upon use of the step oscillations SPi, Soy shown in Figure 6, (and subject to the front electrode 107 of a flat display element 106 to be activated being arranged to conductively receive the trinary step oscillation SP1) the gate function of the gate circuits 125, 128 is to be arranged to ensure that oscillation combinations, which correspond to the example shown in the Table in Figure 12, are such as to ensure that the individual displays are actuated by two-step multiplex operation.

The upper portion of the tabular compilation shown in Figure 12 records the actuation conditions for the case wherein hours hand 11 9 is to be represented momentarily in the same ring sector Ni as the minutes hand 120. In this case all the counter-electrode connection poles 111 of those ring arcs Qi' by way of which no hands representation is to be effected receive, from the step oscillation generator 129, the voltage course S01 which in combination with any of the frontelectrode step oscillations SPi does not result in the necessary potential difference for the electrooptical activation of flat display elements 106.

The front-electrode connection poles 110 are actuated in the case of the one spoke group M1 from the step oscillation generator 126 with SP1; the other spoke group M2 is actuated with SP2. If the hours hand 11 9 is to lie in the first spoke group Ml, the external pertinent ring arc Qia is to be acted upon with a so selected step oscillation SQithat no electro-optical activation takes place, in the case of the front-electrode step oscillation SP 1 in other words with the counter-electrode step oscillation SQ2. In the second line at the top right of Figure 12 it is indicated by the unfilled symbol that over the outer part of this spoke group Ml a thus no hands representation is effected.Where a hands representation is to be effected, for the counter-electrode ring arcs Qialz respectively a step oscillation SOi is to be selected which results in the potential difference, necessary for the activation, with regard to the step oscillations SPi at the locally-associated front-electrode connection poles 110, as is entered at the top in Figure 12. In a second multiplex step, this actuation, entered in Figure 12, for the simultaneous representations of hours and minutes hands 119, 120 is switched off and instead the previously-described actuation for the representation of a seconds hand 121 is switched on.

If, in the aforementioned first multiplex step for two-step multiplex operation, hours and minutes hands 119, 120 are to be represented in different ring sectors Ni, by appropriate pairing of the step oscillations Spi, SOi--as shown in the lower portion of Figure 12 for one exemplary instance it is to be ensured that only the desired spoke group Miin the desired ring sector Niis effected electro-optically over the necessary radial length z or z+a respectively.

Basically also step oscillation groups of forms other than those explained above with reference to Figure 6 can be used for the selectively-pairwise electrode actuation, more especially those forms which are suitabie for a higher multiplex degree form of actuating flat display elements 106 which are actuable, by virtue of their physical properties, in a correspondingly higher-frequency manner and which require lesser potential difference for optical activation.

(In general an element can be optically actuated by being subjected to the oscillation combination SP2 and SQ2, the combination SP 1 and SQ4 or the combination S03 with either SP1 or SP2; and can not be optically activated by the combination of SQ1 with either SP1 or SP2.).

List of Reference Symbols Counting index: 1, 3...

z centrally-internal a radially-external b wide S narrow Ni annular ring sectors: i=1,..., n Mi spoke groups (per Ni); i=1 . rn Pi individual spokes (per Mi); i=l . p; in the event of p=2: P=Pb+Ps Qi ring arcs (per Ni); i=1,...,q; in the event of q=2: Q=Qz+Qa SPi trinary front-electrode oscillation for the actuation of Pi SQi binary counter-electrode step oscillation for the actuation of Qi 101 analogue scale (subdivided into Ni) 102 spoke region (occupied with Mi) 103 flat display region (for the representation of 101) 104 outer periphery (of 103) 105 timepiece dial (as special case of 101) 106 flat display elements (for the realisation of Pi) 107 (nxmxp) front electrodes (of 106) 108 (nxq) counter-electrodes (of 106) 109 front-electrode lines 110 (mxp) front-electrode connection poles 111 (nx 1) counter-electrode connection poles 112 parallel longitudinal side edging (in the case of Pba) 113 counter-electrode lines 114 inner periphery (of 103) 115 tongue-and-groove transition (in the case of Pb) 116 radial conductor (via 115) 117 outer arrow tapering (at Pba) 118 azimuthal conductor (within 108) 119 hours hand (Pbz) 120 minutes hand (Pbz+Pba) 121 seconds hand (Ps) 122 123 124 125 spoke gate-circuit (for the actuation of Pi) 126 spoke step-oscillation generator (for SPi) 127 spoke stepping-on mechanism 128 counter-electrode gate-circuit (for the actuation of Q/1 129 counter-electrode step-oscillation generator (for Sqi) 130 counter-electrode stepping-on mechanism 131 seconds spoke register circuit 132 minutes spoke register circuit 133 hours spoke register circuit 134 seconds counter-electrode register circuit 135 minutes counter-electrode register circuit 136 hours counter electrode register circuit 137 spoke register circuit back-coupling 138 stepping-on gate (from 131 to 133 onto 134 to 136) 139 m-divider (as replacement of 138) 140 control circuit (125 to 139) 141 timekeeping oscillatory circuit 142 divider circuit (behind 141) 143 step generator(126+129) 144 counter-electrode register back-coupling 145 divider (for creeping hours hand movement) 146 setting inputs (at 131 to 136) 147 148 149 150 central region (within 103) 151 frame line 152 front end (of Ps) 153 arc line 154 spoke line 155 pole connection line

Claims (14)

Claims

1. A quasi analogue indicating device having hands representations, actuated electrically in time multiplex operation, of different geometry for different physical quantities or units, in which respect a flat display region is split up into as many spoke regions as different discrete hand display positions can occur, which regions are occupied respectively with flat display elements of particular widths and/or lengths and are selectively actuable, individually and/or in combination, by way of their electrode connection-pole pairs, by a control circuit, characterised in that the flat display region is subdivided into n mutually azimuthally adjacent annular ring sectors (Ni) and these are each subdivided into q mutually radially adjacent ring arcs (Qi) provided with counter-electrodes, and associated with each of the ring sectors (Ni) are m spoke regions in the form of spoke groups (Mi) consisting of p individual spokes (P/) some of which individual spokes are at least partly geometrically different from other individual spokes; and in that the individual spokes have front electrodes whereby there is provided, for each individual one of the individual spokes (Pi) of each ring sector (Ni), a series connection with the individual spokes (P/O situated in the same direction in azimuthal sequence of the respectively next-but-one ring sectors (Ni+2) and with the individual spokes (Pp+l-!) situated in the opposite direction in azimuthal sequence of the respectively next-adjacent ring sectors (Ni+l) by way of conductive lines extending in crossingfree manner meanderingly alternately along the inner periphery and along the outer periphery of the ring sectors (Ni).

2. An indicating device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the front-electrode connection poles of one of the ring sectors (N13 are connected by way of a spoke gate circuit to a spoke step-oscillation generator as well as to a spoke stepping-on mechanism which actuates the spoke groups (Mi) of this ring sector (Ni) in alternating sequence and which successively covers or scans the individual spokes (P13 thereof, and in that the counter-electrode connection poles are connected, depending on the hand position and hand length to be represented momentarily, by way of a counter-electrode gate circuit to a counter-electrode step-oscillation generator as well as to a counter-electrode stepping-on mechanism which is actuated as required for the spoke groups (Mi) per ring sector (N13, whereby way of the gate circuits, step oscillations (SPi; SO!) having a voltage difference (SPi-SOt') which is sufficient for the optical activation of the flat display elements are connected only between those connection poles which are associated with the momentary displayed representations of hands.

3. An indicating device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the stepping-on mechanisms consist of as many spoke register circuits as there are different hand forms that are to be represented, and in that the counter-electrode register circuits, associated with the individual hands forms that are to be represented, can be stepped-on in a hand-specific manner by the spoke register circuits according to the individual spokes (P13 that are individually actuable per spoke group (my).

4. An indicating device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each of the spoke groups (Mi) consists of one wide and one narrow individual spoke (Pb, Ps) which are mutually azimuthally closely adjacent, and in that each of the ring sectors (Ni) is subdivided into a radially-long centrally-internal and a radiallyshort, concentrically-thereto external ring arc (Or, Qa).

5. An indicating device as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the wide individual spokes (Pb) are, in the region of the radial transition between the sector ring arcs (Or-Qa), mutually delimited into portions separated by an arrowshaped tongue-and-groove edged space, which portions are electrically connected together.

6. An indicating device as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that associated with the ring arcs (Q/) are counter-electrodes (108) each of which has a shape corresponding to the shape of a wide individual spoke (Pb) together with the associated adjacent narrow individual spoke (Ps), the counter-electrodes being connected electrically together in each ring arc (013, and being connected to the counter-electrode connection pole (111) which is associated with the respective ring arc (Qfl.

7. An indicating device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that a portion, associated with the radial-external ring arcs (Qa), of each wide individual spoke (Pb) has side edgings which extend parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis or longitudinal direction of the spoke.

8. An indicating device as claimed in one of claims 4 to 7, and in claim 3, characterised in that, by way of the spoke stepping-on mechanism, in each ring sector (Ni) initially the front-electrode connection poles of the narrow individual spokes (Ps) are actuable consecutively in a sequential direction, and subsequently the front-electrode connection poles of the wide individual spokes (Pb) are actuable consecutively in the opposite sequential direction, whereby, by way of the counter-electrode stepping-on mechanism, upon each transition from the actuation of narrow spokes to the actuation of wide individual spokes, and vice versa, a stepping-on can be effected to the counterelectrode connection poles of the ring sector (Ni+l) which is next-adjacent in the hand movement direction.

9. A quasi-analogue indicating device having hand representations, electrically actuated in time multiplex operation, of different geometry for different physical quantities or units respectively, in which respect a flat display region is split up into as many spoke regions as there are different discrete hand display positions which can occur, which are occupied respectively with flat display elements of particular widths and/or lengths, and, individually and/or in combination, are selectively actuable, by way of their electrode connectionpole pairs, by a control circuit, characterised in that the flat display region is subdivided into n mutually azimuthally adjacent annular ring sectors (Ni) and these are each subdivided into q mutually radially adjacent ring arcs (01') which are provided with counter-electrodes, and associated with each of the ring sectors (Ni) are m spoke regions in the form of spoke groups (Mi) consisting of p individual spokes (Pfl some of which spokes are at least partly geometrically different from other individual spokes, which spokes have front electrodes; wherein in each spoke group (Mi) two of the individual spokes (Pi), which lie symmetrically to the central longitudinal axis or centre line of this spoke group (Mi), are connected in series as a pair by a frame line at one end of the pair; and wherein each individual spoke (Pfl of each pair is connected in series by an arc line with a proximal one of the spokes of one like spoke pair of the spoke group (Mi) which is correspondingly located in the azimuthaily or arcuately adjacent ring sector (either Ni+l or Ni1).

10. An indicating device as claimed in claim 9, wherein together with connection of the arc lines, connections are afforded by counter-electrode lines to as many counter-electrode connection poles (111) as exist groupwise series connections of individual spoke pairs per ring sector (Ni).

11. An indicating device as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, characterised in that between the spokes of each pair there is a narrow individual spoke (Ps) situated on the spoke-group central longitudinal centre line axis, which narrow individual spokes are connected by spoke line to front electrode connection poles, which spoke lines extend between the arc lines from the end of the spoke groups remote from the frame lines.

12. An indicating mechanism as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that each ring sector (Ni) comprises two spoke groups (Mi) each consisting of one narrow individual spoke (Ps) diposed between one pair of two wide individual spokes (Pb) which are connected together by way of the frame line; and wherein some of the narrow individual spokes (Ps) of all of the ring sectors (Ni) are connected by way of their spoke lines (1 54) to a common pole connection line (1 55a) extending along the outer periphery of the flat display region and the others of the narrow individual spokes (Ps) are connected by way of their spoke lines to a common pole connection line which extends along the inner periphery of the flat display region.

13. An indicating device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that provided in the control circuit per hand representation there is a respective m-stage or m-step spoke register circuit (131, 132 or 133), to which a spoke gate circuit is connected and which respectively after m counting steps step on an associated n-step counter-electrode register circuit (134, 135 or 136), to which a counterelectrode gate circuit is connected, wherein the gate circuits (125, 128) provide switching to direct multiplex-actuation step oscillations (SPi, SO!) from a step generator to the electrodeconnection poles according to the hand type and hand position to be activated optically.

14. An indicating device as claimed in one of claims 9 to 13, characterised in that the outer individual spokes (P1, Pp) of each spoke group (Mi) have, at least partially in a direction towards the adjacent spoke groups (Mi--l, Mi+ 1), an edging or boundary which extends, at least partially, in a non-rectilinear manner.

1 5. An indicating device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 to 6 or Figure 7 to 12; or a display dial substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figures 1 to 4, Figures 7 to 8, or Figures 7 to 10; or a control circuit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 5, Figures 5 and 6, Figure 11, Figures 11 and 6, or Figures 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.