Patents Examined by L. W. Pojunas, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4217751
    Abstract: In an electronic timepiece having a stepping motor, a drive pulse is produced for normally driving the motor, a detecting pulse is generated for detecting whether the motor has rotated in response to the last drive pulse and a correction pulse is produced for driving the motor when non-rotation has been detected. A current limiting resistor is disposed in series with the motor for limiting the current thereto and a switching transistor is connected across the current limiting resistor to short circuit same to effect an increase in the current to the motor. During the detecting pulse, the voltage across the current limiting resistor is compared to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1980
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Daini Seikosha
    Inventors: Akira Torisawa, Makoto Ueda, Kazuhiro Asano, Katsuhiko Satoh, Masaaki Mandai, Masaharu Shida
  • Patent number: 4215617
    Abstract: Disclosed is a musical instrument and method for generating musical sound. Digital circuits produce a sequence of numbers which are converted to analog electrical signals which are periodically sampled to drive a conventional speaker. The digital circuits operate in accordance with a method of forming each sample by evaluation of a closed-form expression including a first function of time, either periodic or non-periodic, transformed by a second function of time where the second function is non-linear, non-sinusoidal and differs from the first function. The frequency spectra of the resulting musical sound can be finite and the amplitudes of frequency components do not have unwanted limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1980
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventor: James A. Moorer
  • Patent number: 4212157
    Abstract: A solid state clock for an automobile or the like, which includes display means in the form of a vacuum fluorescent display. Current is supplied from the automobile battery to the display through an integrated circuit or "chip". The voltage from the battery is doubled by an inductor coil coupled between the battery and the integrated circuit. An electrical switching means in the form of a transistor is coupled between the integrated circuit and the inductor coil for supplying converted frequency thereto. A second switching transistor and a Zener diode is provided to regulate the duty cycle of the first transistor to maintain the voltage to the display substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1980
    Assignee: Borg Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: LaVerne L. Frey
  • Patent number: 4209968
    Abstract: In a clock having a synchronous motor and a chime that is struck once evey half hour by a biased hammer assembly that is prevented from striking the chime except when a tab on the hammer falls into a notch on a wheel driven by the minute shaft, a chime shutoff is mounted on the back cover of the clock for movement between a chime "on" and a chime "off" position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: Sunbeam Corporation
    Inventors: Dionizas V. Remys, Donald R. Scott
  • Patent number: 4208869
    Abstract: An illumination device for an electronic timepiece equipped with an electro-optical display device and a battery as a power source, which comprises: an electro-luminescent sheet disposed at the lower surface of said electro-optical display device; a booster circuit for converting the battery voltage to an AC voltage; and an illumination switch for operating said booster circuit in response to the manipulation of an external control member; whereby said electro-optical display means is illuminated when said electro-luminescent sheet is rendered light emissive in response to manipulation of said illumination switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 4206675
    Abstract: A cybernetic music system is provided that comprises digitized music-information input capable of transmitting in real time the required music information over a narrow bandwidth channel. The system includes a peripheral music synthesizer and audio output means and is capable of reproducing the music information aurally in at least four voices. The peripheral music synthesizer comprises control circuitry, voice logic circuitry, and volume control circuitry. The system is particularly useful for individualized student instruction in and composition of music.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Inventor: Sherwin J. Gooch
  • Patent number: 4205521
    Abstract: A lighted clock comprising an annular chamber defining frame, a septum separating the frame into a forward and rearward chamber portion, a clock arranged in the rearward portion and extending through the septum with the hands arranged in the forward chamber portion for rotation on the shaft of the clock, and said septum comprising a mirror in the forward chamber and said forward chamber being spanned in spaced relation from the mirror by a reflective glass, and an annular ring of lights between the mirror and the reflective glass and arranged about the clock hands to create an elusion of depth by light rays being reflected by the reflective glass and the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Victoria Torres
    Inventor: Virgilio F. Cazanas