Abstract: A head for an impact type of dot line printer comprising an array of printer wires mounted on leaf springs for forming dots on a printing paper, selectively controlled for impact on the paper by signals applied to corresponding magnetic flux circuit paths comprising coils formed on coil cores and permanent magnets, and having an improved form of construction whereby each printer wire is controlled by an independent magnetic flux circuit path and with pairs of coil cores being mounted on separate magnetic flux path members. The configuration enables a high density of printer wires to be achieved, with elimination of magnetic interference between adjacent magnetic flux circuit paths leading to uniform printing density.

Abstract: A structure of a watch case, which comprises a watchglass, a case band member composed of a cemented carbide alloy and having a flange formed at an upper portion thereof and an annular surface formed at a lower portion of the flange, a watchglass supporting ring brazed to the case band member and having an upper surface for supporting a bottom surface of the watchglass, a packing for providing a waterproof and a back cover secured to the case band member. The packing is provided between the outer periphery of the watchglass and an annular groove. The annular groove is formed by the flange and annular surface of the case band member and the upper surface of the watchglass supporting ring.

Abstract: An electro-acoustic transducer drive circuit for driving a device such as a miniature piezoelectric buzzer to emit musical notes, the notes having a damped waveform envelope whose shape is controlled by digital signals. The notes are formed by mutually independent circuit means and can be combined to produce musical chords. The circuit incorporates relatively few elements, and is suitable for implementation within a MOS IC.

Abstract: An illumination level/musical tone converter is described which is suitable for incorporation into a miniature electronic device such as an electronic wristwatch, whereby the pitch of musical notes emitted by an acoustic output device can be varied as desired by the user varying the amount of illumination reaching a light sensor, e.g. by partially shading the sensor using a finger. Melodies can be composed in this way, and means can be provided for memorizing such melodies, which can be subsequently reproduced, e.g. to provide an audible alarm indication.

Abstract: An analog-type electronic wristwatch structure comprising a main plate having a central area and first to third areas surrounding the central area. A wheel train mechanism is disposed in the central area, and a time correction mechanism is disposed in the first area. An electronic circuit block is disposed in the second area, and an electromechanical transducer is disposed in the third area. A flat battery is disposed over the wheel train mechanism, the time correction mechanism, the electronic circuit block and the electromechanical transducer.

Abstract: A data input device for inputting data in the form of patterns to an electronic device such as an electronic timepiece is disclosed. Data input is performed by tracing out patterns, each representing a character, numeral or symbol, such as to successively actuate a plurality of sensor elements, which can comprise touch-sensitive electrodes arrayed over a display device, and pattern recognition is performed by interpreting pairs of successive sensor element actuations as lines of an input pattern, rather than separately interpreting individual sensor element actuations as point inputs.

Abstract: An analog-type electronic wristwatch structure, in which a main plate is made of an insulating material and has one side including a first area formed with a cutout, and second and third areas. A wheel train bridge is secured to one side of said main plate above said cutout to form therein a space, and a wheel train mechanism is disposed in said space. A flexible circuit board is disposed in the second area of said main plate and has its lower surface facing said main plate, said lower surface being provided with a printed circuit pattern. The flexible circuit board carries electronic components composed of at least a time base vibrator and an IC chip. An electromechanical transducer drive coil is disposed in the third area of said main plate. The main plate has recesses for accommodating at least portions of said electronic components.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece is provided with a temperature compensation system which combines precise control of the timebase oscillator circuit frequency over a narrow temperature range with control of the frequency divider circuit operation to provide relatively large step changes in compensation, thereby providing accurate temperature compensation over a very wide temperature range. Data for control of this compensation is produced by computing the square of a data value which varies proportionally with temperature, with the resultant data being adjusted to provided compensation control which exactly matches the temperature characteristic of the timebase oscillator circuit.

Abstract: A miniature digital electronic timepiece is disclosed which destroys time information in a continuously laterally shifting manner upon a matrix type display, such that more than one digit and less than two digits are visible at any particular instant. The category of information currently displayed, e.g. minutes or hours, is indicated by an identification mark, and the currently displayed digits can be halted and made completely visible, through size reduction, by actuation of a correction switch. Correction of the now stationary digits can then be accomplished by further switch actuation, so that time information correction is simple and rapid, even if only a single external operating member is utilized.

Abstract: In an analog type of electronic timepiece provided with an alarm function, means are provided whereby the timepiece hands are rapidly rotated into positions indicating a preset alarm time, when changeover from a normal operating mode to an alarm time mode is designated, and are rapidly rotated back to indicate current time when return to the normal operating mode is designated. Signals for controlling these rapid rotations of the hands are generated using only two counter circuits, for measuring and storing the difference between the alarm time and current time, and the system differs from prior art arrangements in that no errors are introduced into the time information during the intervals in which changeover between current time display and alarm time display takes place.

Abstract: A system for driving elements of an ECD cell, whereby each of at least two different color density states can be selectively designated for each element so that two different functions can be indicated by a single element. The selective designation is accomplished by comparing a command signal indicating the required current display state of an element with the contents of a memory circuit which stores the previous display state, the memory being capable of storing data representing at least two different display states. Any required change in the display state is thereby detected, and a predetermined amount of charge is accordingly supplied to or taken from the display element such as to produce the desired change in density state.

Abstract: A method of cyclically driving an electro-optical display device having a matrix array of a plurality of row electrodes and a plurality of column electrodes, wherein said column electrodes intersect with said row electrodes to provide a plurality of display elements at intersections between said row and column electrodes, comprising the steps of: applying row drive signals to said row electrodes, respectively; and applying one of first, second and third column drive signals to each of said column electrodes, with said first column drive signal inducing a non-display state at all of the display elements along each column electrode, said second column drive signal inducing a non-display state at a single display element along said each column electrode and inducing a display state at the other two display elements along said each column electrode, and said third column drive signal inducing a display state at all of the display elements along said each column electrode; wherein each of said row drive signals ta

Abstract: A thermometer is disclosed which utilizes a thermistor as a temperature sensor, controlling the frequency of oscillation of an oscillator circuit. The output pulses from that circuit are frequency-divided during a fixed time interval by a variable frequency divider circuit, with the division ratio being successively varied during that interval in accordance with the cumulative number of pulses output from the variable frequency divider circuit, counted by a counter circuit, with the variations of the frequency division ratio being such as to accurately compensate for the non-linear temperature/resistance characteristic of the thermistor. The cumulative count of pulses output from the variable frequency divider circuit at the end of the fixed time interval is proportional to temperature, and is displayed as temperature by a digital display. The thermometer is suited to mass-production low-cost manufacture, yet can be miniaturized, lightweight and accurate.

Abstract: A watch case structure comprising a watchglass member, a bezel member, a case band member and a back cover member interconnected to define said watch case structure. One of said members includes an inclined surface and a substantially vertical wall. An annular groove means is formed in another one of said members and includes an inclined surface. A synthetic resin gasket is disposed in said annular groove means of said another one of said members and includes an inclined guiding surface and an inclined engaging surface engaging with the inclined surface of said annular groove means.

Abstract: A timepiece display component such as hands and dial plates, which component comprises a first electroformed metal layer having an internal compressive stress, and a second electroformed metal layer formed over said first electroformed metal layer and including an internal tensile stress, such that the internal stresses of the first and second metal layers cancel each other out to reduce the amount of warping distortion in the display component.

Abstract: A movement structure for an analog display type electronic watch powered by a coin-shaped lithium cell. The movement structure comprises a base plate of a synthetic resin. The base plate has an integral lug portion which engages with and support the battery cell in a fixed place.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having a quartz crystal oscillator circuit as a timebase signal source is provided with a temperature compensation system to compensate timebase signal frequency deviations with temperature, all components of the system being incorporated in the timepiece IC chip. The system is based on a temperature-sensitive voltage stabilizer circuit whose output voltage is current-converted to control the frequency of a temperature-insensitive oscillator circuit. Date generated on the basis of the latter oscillator frequency is applied to compensate the timebase signal frequency, by a capacitor switching technique.

Abstract: A DC-to-DC voltage converter is disclosed for converting the voltage from a battery to provide a power supply voltage whose value can be equal to the battery voltage multiplied by or divided by a non-integral factor, e.g. 2/3. The converter operates on the principle of capacitor charge switching, and high conversion efficiency is achieved in operation at very low levels of supply current, such as are utilized in an electronic timepiece.

Abstract: A temperature sensing device is disclosed which utilizes a temperature sensing circuit which generates a voltage whose level varies linearly in accordance with temperature, this voltage being produced using a pair of MOS field effect transistors which have different values of the ratio Id/K, where Id is drain current and K is the channel pattern ratio of channel width to channel length.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece is provided with a timebase signal source comprising a relatively low frequency quartz crystal oscillator circuit and with means for compensating the timebase signal frequency for the effects of temperature changes on the low frequency oscillator circuit, and further with means for comparing the timebase signal frequency with the frequency of a relatively high frequency quartz crystal oscillator circuit having high stability against aging changes, to thereby compensate for changes in the timebase frequency caused by aging of the low frequency quartz crystal vibrator, this comparison being carried out only within a specific narrow range of operating temperatures.