Abstract: In a method for identifying the rotation of a stepper motor which includes a rotor provided with a motor coil driving at least one hand of a timepiece, wherein a drive voltage pulse and a first detection voltage pulse are delivered to the motor coil, and wherein the position of the rotor is determined with the aid of a first pulse response to the first detection voltage pulse. The method includes delivering to the motor coil a second detection voltage pulse having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the first detection voltage pulse, and determining the position of the rotor in accordance with a second pulse response to the second detection pulse. Optionally, there may be delivered to the motor coil a stabilization voltage pulse having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the first drive voltage pulse.

Abstract: An emergency call transmitter includes a housing formed by a substantially hollow cylindrical center piece which defines first and second opposite sides. A flange part is arranged on the first side, and a base part is arranged on the second side. At least one antenna wire passage is formed which leads out of an interior of the center piece. Disposed in the housing are an electric circuit element and a power supply device. An antenna wire is disposed in the housing and is arranged to be pulled out of the housing through the antenna wire passage. The antenna wire is formed of a memory material which aligns itself to a linear state once pulled from the housing.

Abstract: A radio timepiece is disclosed which receives and decodes a time information signal from a remote transmitter and displays a time information. The timepiece includes a manual time zone switching circuitry deigned to permit use of the timepiece in time zones adjacent to the one in which the transmitter is located, while providing a user-friendly selection and display of the time information. The timepiece includes an electro-optical display providing a cartographical representation of the transmitter time zone and several adjacent time zones. A summing register is provided to manually offset the received time information and actuate a graphic display indicative of the time zone to which the offset time display corresponds. The summing register may be cyclically incremented by a single switch, or incremented, decremented or zeroed by appropriate actuation of two switches.

Abstract: A autonomous radio timepiece (11), in particular in the form of a small travel clock or a wristwatch, is designed to operate for an extended period of time with a small battery, and to provide a reliable time display when traveling outside the reception range of a transmitter of coded time telegrams set for a certain geographical time zone. The timepiece casing (20) is equipped with a multifuncton switching device (21) and an associated decoder (23), which evaluates the combination of the momentary actuation of push buttons (22). It is thus possible by means of the switching device (21) to switch into a power saving storage state if the timepiece is not in use, and to return to normal operations.

Abstract: An autonomous radio timepiece (1), in particular small, portable timepiece such as a travel alarm clock or a wrist watch includes a display (25) of the prevailing radio field intensity. The display (25) is capable of simultaneously signaling the actuation of a receiver (14) for the decoding of absolute time information and is conveniently combined, in the form of a bar graph, with day indicator flags adjacent a day-of-the-week display (26). When operating outside the time zone for which the transmitter emits the coded absolute time information, the time piece may be manually switched to the instantaneously prevailing time zone. The number of time zone changes may be entered and displayed, or the prevailing hour (H) of the time zone involved is entered, from which an electro-mechanical time display (18) then continues to advance.

Abstract: An autonomous radio controlled timepiece having a display for displaying information relative to receiving conditions to provide the consumer with increased assurance regarding the accuracy of the instantaneous time display. For this purpose, an analog or digital, optionally multidigit display element is provided, which displays supplemental information concerning the quality of reception, expressed as an indication of the period of time elapsed since the most recent monitoring and possible correction of the time display, the correction based on the information received by radio and decoded. The display element offers the lowest possible display value if the radio reception conditions are good enough that each actuation of the receiver leads to the acquisition of usable time information.

Abstract: An autonomous radio timepiece having a time equalizing processor to control and potentially correct the instantaneous time indication on the basis of the prevailing time information received by radio transmission, is equipped with an improved device for temporarily interrupting operation of the time indication. Such a device is provided for the purpose of interrupting the display function of the radio timepiece without deactivating the other auxiliary and operating functions of the radio timepiece, so that following termination of the interruption, normal operation continues without any interference. The display may be interrupted indirectly or directly. In the first case the reset inlet of the time equalizing processor is actuated to trigger the synchronizing process, which otherwise takes place upon the actuation of the radio timepiece.