Abstract: A multistage counter 3, 5, 7, 10 normally counts seconds pulses from a frequency divider 2. Counters 5 and 7 are units and tens minutes counters and are set by shifting a counter 21 by button B to provide a "1" on output 21d. When a button A is then held down the seconds pulses pass through gates 17 and 22 and count the units counter 5 up to the numeral 0. A flip-flop 19, 26 is then set to disable gate 22 and enable gate 23 so that the units counter stays at the numeral 0 and the tens counter advances to the desired value, when button A is released, which resets the flip-flop. Button A is pressed again to count the units counter from the numeral 0 to the desired value. The invention in one embodiment simplifies the setting of a digital watch and reduces the time (number of pulses) needed to preset the units and tens of minutes counters. The invention can be extended to more than two counters and used for counters other than in clocks and watches.

Abstract: A composition for use in an electro-optical device, particularly a display device, contains anthraquinone pleochroic dye of formula (I): ##STR1## where R.sub.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted amino group or a hydroxy group; R.sub.2 is a hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted amino, a hydroxy or a cyano group; each of R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which are identical or different, is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a hydroxy, a nitro or a cyano group; R is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a hydroxy, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy group; n is 1, 2, 3 or 4, the Rs being identical or different when n is 2, 3 or 4; and X is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a hydroxy or mercapto group, a straight, branched or cyclic C.sub.1-16 alkyl radical, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a group of formula OR', OAr, SR', SAr, COOR', COOAr, COO--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --R', OOCR', OOCAr, OOC--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --R', CONHR', CONHAr, NHR', NHAr, NHCOR', NHCOAr, OCOOR', OCOOAr, CH.dbd.N--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --R', N.dbd.

Abstract: The watch comprises an oscillator, a frequency divider, display means capable of displaying at least hours and minutes, and a correction circuit controlled by a rotary time setting stem which is capable of assuming at least two axial positions, one being a rest position which is occupied by the stem when the watch is functioning normally and an operative position for jointly correcting the minutes display and the hours display. The correction circuit is so arranged as to provide for correction of hours display alone in response to a particular rotary movement of the stem in its rest position.This particular rotary movement may comprise, in regard to the stem, rotating at least through a minimum angle in a time interval which is less than a predetermined period, for example at least two revolutions in less than two seconds. The minutes and hours displays are changed and the hours display is corrected in the forward direction or the backward direction depending on the direction of rotation of the stem.

Abstract: A composition for use in an electro-optical device, particularly a display device, contains anthraquinone pleochroic dye of formula (I): ##STR1## where R.sub.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted amino group or a hydroxy group; each of R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which are identical or different, is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted amino group, a hydroxy group or a nitro group; R is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a hydroxy, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy group; n is 1, 2, 3 or 4, the Rs being identical or different when n is 2, 3 or 4; X is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a hydroxy or mercapto group, a straight, branched or cyclic C.sub.1-16 alkyl radical, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a group of formula ##STR2## where R' is a hydrogen atom or a straight, branched or cyclic C.sub.

Abstract: An electromagnetic stepping motor has a stator with an armature having the shape of an isosceles trapezoid the base of which is interrupted by a central gap and which is provided with three pole faces. The rotor comprises a permanent magnet. The stator comprises two coils one of which is located between a pole face opposite said gap and one of the other two pole faces. The other coil is located between the pole face opposite said gap and the other of said other two pole faces. When a current passes through the coils, the rotor is subjected to magnetic fields having directions which are oblique to each other and which are symmetrical with respect to a diameter of the rotor. The sense of the coil currents determines the sense of the fields. The arrangement is such that one can create in the zone of the rotor a resultant magnetic field which can extend in any one of four different directions dependent on the sense of the currents passing through the coils.

Abstract: Driving device especially for a timepiece, constituted by a stepping motor the stator of which comprises a coil having a single winding and the rotor of which is constituted of a permanent magnet and of a control electronic circuit able to deliver pulses of current to the motor. The motor includes precise positioning magnets for its rotor which are active in the absence of the pulses. The electronic control circuit is arranged in such a way that the pulses are delivered in pairs, with opposed polarities in each pair, the order of succession of the polarities in a pair determining the sense of rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: Extra-flat electromechanical watch, in which the dial is situated substantially at mid-height of the watch. The elements of the movement are situated, in a radial direction, beyond the space of the passage of the hands (26) and, in elevation, partially at the level of the passage of the hands. This arrangement permits the realization of a watch the thickness of which is about 2 mm, for example.

Abstract: An electromagnetic stepping motor has a stator with an armature having the shape of an isosceles trapezoid the base of which is interrupted by a central gap and which is provided with three pole faces. The rotor comprises a permanent magnet. The stator comprises two coils one of which is located between a pole face opposite said gap and one of the other two pole faces. The other coil is located between the pole face opposite said gap and the other of said other two pole faces. When a current passes through the coils, the rotor is subjected to magnetic fields having directions which are oblique to each other and which are symmetrical with respect to a diameter of the rotor. The sense of the coil currents determines the sense of the fields. The arrangement is such that one can create in the zone of the rotor a resultant magnetic field which can extend in any one of four different directions dependent on the sense of the currents passing through the coils.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece comprising means to appreciably increase the number of distinctive information which can be introduced and, if necessary memorized, for a given number of terminals intended for that purpose, information needed for the adjustment of the frequency. The integrated circuit of the timepiece is provided with a first group of m terminals and it comprises an introduction circuit having inputs reserved to introduce the desired information, these inputs being connected to a second group of n terminals of the integrated circuit. The introduction circuit has also control inputs and each of the n terminals of the second group is capable to be connected, by a connection external to the integrated circuit, with one of the m terminals of the first group. The introduction circuit is arranged in such a way as to deliver to its outputs, at least periodically, one distinctive information for each of the m.sup.n possible combinations of the mentioned connections.

Abstract: The invention, which may be used in particular as a frequency standard, seeks to avoid disturbance in the control action in respect of the cavity 10 by a powerful parasite signal due to the line of stimulated emission. Control of the cavity and control of the oscillator 1 on the line of stimulated emission control in a shared-time mode. A control circuit 40 acts on the carrier by way of a programmable synthesizer 43, the carrier than assuming the successive values .omega..sub.+, .omega..sub.H, .omega..sub.-, .omega..sub.H, .omega..sub.+, etc. in stages. .omega..sub.H is centered on the line of stimulated emission; .omega..sub.+ and .omega..sub.- which are symmetrically shifted interrogate the flanks of the emission line. By means of a signal INH, the control circuit 40 periodically suppresses the output of an active filter 42 and thus interrupts the detection action used for controlling the cavity, during the periods in which .omega..sub.Q is equal to .omega..sub.+ or .omega..sub.-.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing the substrate of an electrochromic display cell as a result of which the ionic conductor of the cell cannot come into contact with the transparent conductive elements which form part of this substrate. A transparent conductive layer, a layer of an electrochromic material and a layer of photosensitive material having a positive action are deposited in turn on a transparent plate. A network of conductive elements is formed by etching away the electrochromic layer and the conductive layer through a mask constituted by the photosensitive material which is selectively exposed and developed. The electrochromic material is then etched away through a second mask formed by the same photosensitive material selectively exposed and developed a second time. This second mask is also used for the deposition of a layer of dielectric material. The conductive elements are thus covered with a continuous layer of dielectric material and of electrochromic material.

Abstract: The shift register has a very low power consumption. Each cell of the shift register has two stages, each comprising an MOS structure (T.sub.1 -T'.sub.1) which has two principal electrodes (Z.sub.00, Z.sub.1) respectively forming the input (Z.sub.oo) and the output (Z.sub.1) of the stage, and two control electrodes (k.sub.1, k'.sub.1) one of which (k.sub.1) can be connected to a bias source (P) and the other of which (k'.sub.1) is connected to the output electrode (Z.sub.1), and a capacitor (C.sub.1), one plate (Z.sub.1) of which is connected to the said output electrode (Z.sub.1) and the other plate (C.sub.1) of which receives one of two periodic signals .phi..sub.1 (t) and .phi..sub.2 (t) in phase opposition. The register is especially useful in a frequency divider circuit.

Abstract: This invention relates to a polymeric electrolyte for an electro-optical device including an electrode provided with an electrochromic layer and a counter electrode which comprises a mixture of a protonic polymer and water in which the product of the water content and the gram equivalent weight of polymer is equal to or less than the product of the molecular weight of water and the number n of water molecules bonded per anion group of each monomer of the polymer, the number n being 6 in the case of a sulphonic polymer.The electrolyte, which may be used, e.g. in a display cell including an electrode provided with an electrochromic layer, for example WO.sub.3, and a counter electrode, is inert relative to the electrochromic layer.

Abstract: An electro-optic passive display cell including two glass plates positioned spaced from each other with the edges thereof sealed and having an active constituent disposed between said plates. The plates are maintained in spaced and sealed relationship by a frame-shaped distance-piece adhered to the plates by a layer of glass paste solidified by sintering. The cell is formed by applying a high frequency induction current to fuse the frame-shaped piece to at least one plate.

Abstract: To prepare a masking agent resistant to temperature, one adds silica powder to a photoresist. The mixture thus obtained is used to produce selective deposition of a layer of material on a substrate. The mixture of photoresist and silica powder serves as a photo-sensitive protective material which is then eliminated partially by selective exposure to light and use of a photographic developer. The temperatures involved in the deposition of the layer of desired material, for instance tin oxide, are about 500.degree. C. (deposition in the vapor phase), and the photo-sensitive material would be liable to destruction if it did not contain silica powder. It is then necessary, once the deposition of the desired material has been effected, to increase the temperature of the workpiece up to about 540.degree. C. to destroy and, hence, to eliminate the protective material.

Abstract: A fabrication procedure for crystal resonators in which belted component holders are used, each accomodating the constituent elements of a resonator. When the above-mentioned elements are assembled, the component holders serve the purpose of assembly fixtures. The assembled resonators are retained in the component holders which thus also provide a packaging function for the final products. The component holders have elastically deformable clamps which accomodate the constituent elements of the resonators to be assembled and have support sections which receive the crystal element of each resonator.

Abstract: In preparing an electrolyte comprising a mixture of poly[2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfphonic acid] and water in which a pigment is distributed substantially homogeneously, monomer of the formula CH.sub.2 .dbd.CH--CO--NH--C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --SO.sub.3 H is first dissolved in water with a pigment suspended in it. A polymerization initiator, such as 2,2'-azo-bisisobutyronitrile, is added to the mixture and the polymerization reaction is carried out with agitation, at a temperature in the range from room temperature to 60.degree. C. Finally, part of the water is evaporated from the viscous mass obtained, to give the desired mix. The pigmented electrolyte may be used in electro-optical devices such as electrochromic display cells.

Abstract: The frequency divider allows division of the frequency of two signals in phase opposition .phi..sub.1 (t) and .phi..sub.2 (t). A shift register 10 comprises an assembly of transistors and capacitors which form a plurality of cells connected one after the other, each cell being comprised of two identical stages which are connected in series and are supplied respectively by the periodic signals. Means for detecting particular stages of the register comprise the MOS transistors T.sub.8, T.sub.9, and T.sub.10. Means for producing a signal with a frequency which is a sub-multiple of that of the said periodic signals comprise the transistors T.sub.11 and T.sub.12, the transistor T.sub.13, the capacitor C.sub.7 and the capacitor C.sub.9. The divider is especially suitable for use in quartz oscillator watches.

Abstract: An electronic measuring apparatus for measuring the rate of an analog-display electronic watch which comprises a quartz oscillator, a frequency divider with an adjustable division factor, a stepping motor and a circuit which, when the stem of the watch is pulled, produces a measuring signal emitted by the stray field of the coil of the stepping motor and comprising trains of pulses whose period and content are respectively representative of the frequency of the oscillator and the division factor. The measuring apparatus comprises a pick-up means for detecting said measuring signal, circuits for computing the rate of the watch and means for displaying said rate.