Abstract: Some at least of the control signals usually produced by manual control members and applied to the control circuit of the watch to control the performance of the different functions thereof are produced directly from words pronounced by the user, belonging to a pre-determined vocabulary, by an assembly for producing control signals by means of speech, which comprises electro-acoustic means for converting a pronounced word into an analog signal representing that word, means for transforming the analog signal into an item of logic control information and means for transforming the logic information into a control signal which can be directly applied to a control circuit for controlling performance of the function corresponding to the word pronounced.

Abstract: The micro-resonator comprises, cut from the same quartz crystal, a bar and a suspension frame means. The bar is cut in a substantially Z cut mode. The excitation electrodes are disposed on the sides of the bar. The length of the bar is substantially parallel to the Y axis.This produces a resonator which vibrates in a main mode of extension-compression, at from 0.5 MHz to 4 MHz.

Abstract: In a speech recognition and control apparatus, the speech signal is filtered into sub-bands, each sub-band signal sampled and binary quantized to form a digital string which is simplified (data reduced or compressed) by further encoding based on detecting in the string an isolated sample having one binary value surrounded by two samples having the other binary value.

Abstract: To compensate for frequency variation in the quartz oscillator 4, 6 due to temperature variation, a second quartz oscillator 12, 14 forming a thermal sensor is employed. The beat frequency fB (circuit 16) which is counted in the counter 26 for a period of time T.sub.1 gives a measurement corresponding to temperature. The number which is thus counted is raised to its square and by means of the comparator 30 taken away from the pulses counted by the divider 8 with a periodicity T.sub.T. The system may be used to provide temperature compensation for a time keeping quartz time base.

Abstract: The case 1 of the watch comprises elements consisting of ribbed zones 3, 4 and 5 of different structures which can supply mechanical vibrations when they are rubbed by the user of the watch.A transducer transforms these acoustic vibrations into an electric signal. An electronic circuit comprising generator means, a pulse shaper, counters, a register and a comparator allows the vibration message generated by the activation of one or the other of the ribbed zones 3, 4 and 5 to be decoded and one or the other of the functions appearing on the display 2 of the watch to be controlled.

Abstract: A quartz thermometer which emits a signal, the frequency of which is a substantially linear function of temperature. The thermometer comprises a quartz resonator provided with electrodes disposed on the margins of the upper and lower main surfaces, parallel to the length direction. The electrodes are supplied with electric current so as to cause the resonator to vibrate torsionally. The length of the resonator is substantially parallel to the X axis of the quartz crystal. An electronic circuit is responsive to the signal emitted by the resonator for producing an output representative of temperature.

Abstract: The timepiece comprises a first motor (8) driving the seconds hand (s) independently from the other hands indicating the minutes and the hours which are driven by a second motor (4). A logic circuit (5) is capable of controlling the first motor (8) in response to the actuation of control elements (C,S1, S2) external to the electronic circuit of the timepiece or by means (6) internal to this electronic circuit and in response to time base signals delivered by a frequency divider (2) so that the seconds hand indicates informations which are different from the ones for the display of which it is normally provided.

Abstract: Piezoelectric microresonators with suspension arms, oscillating according to a vibration resulting from the superposition of a principal extensional mode of oscillation, of a first shear coupled mode of oscillation and of a second extensional coupled mode of oscillation. The suspension arms are attached to the active part of the resonator in a place which is the intersection of a nodal plane of the vibration resulting of the superposition of the principal mode and of the first coupled mode of oscillation. The other end of the arms is fixed on a stiff support in a location which coincide with a node of their vibration.