JPH01221696A - Binary timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To manufacture the timepiece which displays a binary time by providing display areas for displaying hours, minutes, and seconds, and providing segments for representing bits of each display area binary display. CONSTITUTION:This timepiece is equipped with the three areas I, II, and III for displaying hours of 0-12 and minutes and seconds of 0-59, and the respec tive areas have segments 1. Each segment 1 has three display elements such as light emitting diodes 2 and 3, the small diode 3 is positioned in the center of the segment 1, and the diode 2 is at the end of the segment 1; and each segment represents one bit. Six parts of the area II and III correspond to 2<0>-2<5> and the diode 3 become brighter as the number of displays increases. The diode 2 indicates 1 when its belonging segment 1 illuminates or 0 in other cases, so the area III displays 28sec because 0X2<0>+0X2<1>+1X2<2>+1X2<3>+ 1X2<4>+0X2<5>=28 from the left of the segment 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a binary timepiece, and particularly to a binary timepiece equipped with electronic time measuring means.

[Prior Art] Electronic clocks and time display devices are well known, but in these clocks the time is displayed in a digital manner or in an analog manner using hands controlled by a step motor.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide a clock with a binary time display.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] In order to solve this problem, the binary timepiece of the present invention includes an electronic time measurement means and at least one binary time display means controlled by the electronic time measurement means. .

The binary time display means includes display areas for displaying different time parameters such as hours, minutes, and seconds.

Each said display area comprises a segment representing a bit of a binary representation, each said segment having a display element representing the value "0" or "l" and the weight 2'1 of each segment.

The display element is an electromechanical type 1 light emitting diode (LED).
type, liquid crystal diode (LCD) type.

They are neon type, vacuum fluorescent type, laser type, cathode ray tube type, and incandescent type.

The display element is a light emitting diode and comprises optical means for emitting light in the size of the segment.

The electronic time measuring means comprises a crystal oscillator, a frequency divider, a switch for reversing the order of bit frequencies to be displayed, and a logic circuit for controlling the activation of the elements of the display.

Furthermore, at least one digital or analog time display is provided, either integrally with the binary display or separately.

The digital or analog display is selectable.

The binary display also displays AM/PM.

This binary clock is applied to time display devices such as pocket watches, wristwatches, and alarm clocks.

That is, the clock is designed to be used, for example, as a wall clock in schools or other educational institutions, such as universities, to teach binary numbers to students.

As a variation of the invention, the bit frequency order of the powers of two, which are weights and attributes, may be reversed in order to fully train the reading of binary frequencies.

Furthermore, in order to facilitate and shorten the training, this watch can also be used in digital format (Arabic numeral display) or analog format (display with Arabic numerals).
It is also possible to display the time using a hand display.

[Example] A binary clock of this example will be described in detail according to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows times from “0” to “12” and “0” respectively.
three areas I for displaying minutes and seconds from to "59";
This is an example of a display including II and m. Of course, hours from "0" to "24" can be displayed if necessary.

Each region comprises a segment 1, each segment 1 having three display elements, e.g. light emitting diodes (LEDs) 2 and 3. Small diode 3 in each segment 1
large diode 2 is located in the center of each segment 1
It is located at the edge of As is well known, in a binary number system, a number consists of a string of bits with the value "0" or "l", each bit associated with a power of two.

Generally, the smallest bit 2° is located at the right end of the number and the largest bit 2'' is located at the left end.

In the display shown in Figure 1, each segment 1 means 1 bit, and the six areas ■ and ■ are each 2 bits from right to left.
° 2+, 2*, 2s.

It means 24.26. These powers of 2 and weights are determined when the display number is between “0” and “12” or between “0” and “59”.
” is displayed by a light emitting diode 3 that becomes brighter as it increases between ” and ”.

For example, in the example shown in FIG. Area m indicates the number "28" calculated using the following binary number base.

Taking segment 1 from right to left, 0×2°+ox 2'+lX 2"+l X 2'÷I
X 2'+OX 2'=0+O+4+8+16+0=2
8 Therefore, area ■ is displaying 28 seconds.

Number 3 counting from the right. 4th. Only the diode 2 of the fifth segment is emitting light. The leftmost last segment (sixth segment) of region (2) corresponds to the bit with weight 2' = 32, and due to the fact that this number has not yet been reached, none of the diodes are emitting light.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a binary display using light emitting diodes.
and a plastic plate 6 which supports the diodes 2 and 3 and forms a base. A channel 7 is provided in the plastic glass S for transmitting the light from the central diode 3 on the underside of the glass plate 4.

A spherical cavity 8 is provided in the plastic glass 5 and is sized to cover the diode 2. If the plastic glass 5 is opalescent, i.e. not completely transparent, the above arrangement allows the light from the diode 2 to diverge through the plastic glass 5 and spread vertically to form segment 1 in FIG. Become. Therefore, each segment 1 is visually perceived as a shot of light when the diode 2 it contains emits light.

The arrangement of the display shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is not limited in any way, but the invention includes any other arrangement which allows the display of binary numbers. Furthermore, the display may be provided by many different display technologies such as electromechanical, LED, LDC, neon, CRT, laser, incandescent or vacuum fluorescent.

FIG. 3 shows a very simple block diagram of the electronic system of the watch. It comprises a quartz oscillator 9 controlling a frequency divider 10.

The decoding circuit 11 transmits the necessary signals to the digital time display 12. This digital display 12 is provided to give meaning to the binary degree, and can be activated or stopped by a switch 13, and is integrated with the binary display.
Or it is designed to be installed separately. Similarly,
An analog display 14 with a needle and a stepper motor controlled by a control circuit 15 through a switch 16 may be integrated with the binary display or may be mounted separately. Analog display 14 is provided for the same purpose as digital display 12.

The compound switch 17 is provided, as described above, to invert the bit frequency order of the binary representation. The switch 17 shown in FIG. 3 makes it possible to invert the order of the bits in area (2). In the position shown, the minimum bit 2
° is delivered to the rightmost human power f of the logic circuit 1, and the maximum bit 2s is delivered to the leftmost human power a of the logic circuit 18. In this case, the displayed number "28" can be read with bit weights increasing from right to left between 2 degrees and 25.

2'2'232"2' 2° Weight 01
1100 display bits and the display number "28" is obtained by the following calculation (from right to left):

0×2°+OX 2'+lx 2"+I X 23+I
X 2'+OX 2'=040+4+8+16+0=
28 This example corresponds to the display of the number "28" shown in FIG. Bits 2° and 21 of inputs f and e of logic circuit 18 have values "O", and diode 2 of the corresponding segment is off. Input d.

Bits 2", 2', 2' of c and b have the value "1" and diode 2 of the corresponding segment is bright. Finally, bit 2s has the value "0" and has not yet reached this number. Therefore, diodes 2 and 3 at the leftmost portion are off, indicating that the displayed number (28 in this example) is smaller than 2'' = 32.

When switch 17 is moved to the other side, the bit frequency order is reversed and the smallest bit is transmitted to input a of logic circuit 18,
The largest bit is transmitted to input f of logic circuit 18. In this case, the display number "28" is read with bit weights increasing from left to right between 2° and 25.

2° 21 22 23 24 28 Weight 0011
10 display bitsThe display number “28” is then obtained (from left to right) by the following calculation.

OX2°+OX 2'+1x 2"+1x 2'+IX
2'+Ox 2''=04044+8+16+0=28 As mentioned above, the purpose of proposing this reversal of the bit frequency order is to complete the training and expand the idea of binary frequencies.The logic circuit 18 controls the binary representation. and provides different functions such as controlling the diode 3 which indicates the bit to be considered.

The present invention includes any other combination of display elements for displaying weights and bit values "0" and "1" during display. Furthermore, the electronic means shown in FIG. 3 can also be used to control a plurality of binary displays 19 and digital displays 12 or analog displays 14 if desired.

FIG. 4 shows a more detailed block diagram of an example in which the bit frequency order is not reversed. The circuit 20 is a generating circuit that also generates rectangular pulses that are synchronized with the main frequency. The pulse signal is transmitted to a frequency divider 21, which divides the frequency by 50 or 60 depending on whether the main frequency is 50 Hz or 60 Hz.

The frequency divider 21 transmits a signal with a frequency of IHz to a circuit 22 which controls a segment of the binary display 19 (region 2 in FIG. 1) for displaying seconds. The circuit 22 transmits minute pulses to a circuit 23 which controls the minute display segment (area 2 in FIG. 1).

The circuit 23 is connected to a circuit 24 which controls the hour display segment (region section in FIG. 1), and the circuit 24 is connected to a circuit 25 which controls the AM/PM display.

For digital display, the information controlling the minutes and hours of the binary display 19 is transmitted to a digit multiplexer 26 controlled by a digit selector 27, which is controlled by a timebase generator 28. The signal of 0 generator 28 is the clock pulse for digit selector 27. Multiplexer 26 is informed of the selected digit and the time (minutes and hours) to be displayed. These two items of information are necessary to determine the digits to display and are transmitted to the encoding circuit 29 for accurate control of the segments of the digital display 30. A new digit is formed on each clock pulse, and the period is fast enough to eliminate any jumps in the display 30.

The binary clock of this embodiment can be applied not only to a clock, but also to any time display device such as a pocket watch, wristwatch, or alarm clock.

[Effect of the invention] According to the present invention, a clock with a binary time display can be provided.

This binary clock is applied to time display devices such as pocket watches, wristwatches, and alarm clocks. This clock is designed to be used, for example, as a wall clock in schools or other educational institutions, such as universities, to teach binary numbers to students.

As a modification of the present invention, the order of the bit frequencies of powers of two, which are weights and attributes, may be reversed in order to fully train the reading of binary frequencies.

Furthermore, in order to facilitate and shorten the training, this watch can simultaneously display digital (Arabic numerals) and analog (
It is also possible to display the time using a hand display.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the display arrangement of the binary clock of this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the principle of construction of the display section of the binary clock of this embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the display arrangement of the binary clock of this embodiment. A very simple block diagram of the electronic system of a binary clock, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an alternative embodiment without reversal of the order of degrees. In the figure, ■... Hour display area, II... Minute display area, ■
...second display area, 1...segment, 2.3...
Light emitting diode, 9... Quartz oscillator, 10... Frequency divider, 11... Decoding circuit, 12... Digital time display, 13... Switch, 14... Analog display, 15 ...control circuit, 16...switch,
17...Composite switch, 1 B-...Logic circuit, 19
-...Binary display, 20...Pulse generation circuit, 2
1... Frequency divider, 22... Second control circuit, 23.
...Minute control circuit, 24...Hour control circuit, 25.-AM
/PM control circuit, 26... multiplexer, 27...
・Digit selector, 28-... time base generator,
29... Encoding circuit, 30... Digital display. Figure 1j Figure 2

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) A binary timepiece comprising: electronic time measurement means; and at least one binary time display means controlled by the electronic time measurement means. (2) The binary timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the binary time display means includes display areas for respectively displaying different time parameters of hours, minutes, and seconds. (3) Each of the display areas has a segment representing a bit in binary representation, and each of the segments has a display element that displays a value of "0" or "1" and a weight 2^n of each segment. The binary clock according to claim 2. (4) The display element is an electromechanical type, a light emitting diode (L
4. The binary timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the binary timepiece is of an ED type, a liquid crystal diode (LCD) type, a neon type, a vacuum fluorescent type, a laser type, a cathode ray tube type, or an incandescent type. (5) A binary timepiece according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said display element is a light emitting diode and comprises optical means for emitting light to the size of said segment. (6) The electronic time measuring means is characterized by comprising a crystal oscillator, a frequency divider, a switch for reversing the order of displayed bit frequencies, and a logic circuit for controlling activation of display elements. The binary clock according to claim 1. (7) The binary timepiece according to claim 1, further comprising at least one digital or analog time display, either integrally or separately from the binary display. (8) The binary timepiece according to claim 7, wherein the digital or analog display is selectable. (9) The binary clock according to claim 1, wherein the binary display also displays AM/PM. (10) The binary timepiece according to claim 1, which is applied to a time display device such as a pocket watch, wristwatch, or alarm clock.