Abstract: A manually operated control mechanism for permitting a high frequency detection signal to be selectively produced is provided. A selection circuit is coupled to a divider circuit for receiving therefrom a low frequency timekeeping signal and a higher frequency detection signal. The selection circuit is normally disposed in a first mode and transmits the low frequency timekeeping signal applied thereto and is adapted to be disposed into a second mode to thereby transmit the higher frequency detection signal applied thereto. A manually operative member is adapted to be coordinately displaced between a first non-engaging position and a second position wherein the manually operative member engages said selection circuit to thereby dispose same in a second mode in order to effect the transmission thereby of the higher frequency detection signal.

Abstract: A device for correcting the contents of a display, which is used in electronic timepieces equipped with a display for indicating day, date, hour and minute, including a stem which has a crown at a tip portion thereof and is capable of being moved between three stable positions. In the first position, the stem is in its most axially inserted position. At a second position, in which the stem is withdrawn by one step from the most inserted first position, the stem is allowed to turn in both the right and left directions by a suitable angle. At a third position in which the stem is further pulled by one step from the second position, it may also be turned, by an appropriate angle, in both directions. The movement of the stem in the axial direction is detected by a first switch means, and the rotation of the stem at the second and third positions is detected by a second switch means, whereby any one of the four display items is corrected depending upon the state of the two switch means.

Abstract: An analog quartz timepiece having a manually operated external control member, and a correction signal generation circuit controlled by the external control member to generate low speed and high speed correction signals when the external control member is actuated for a short period of time and for a predetermined time interval, respectively, by which a stepping motor is driven at a selected speed to perform time correction. The timepiece also includes a click mechanism operative to shift an hours hand step-wise from any optional position without affecting a minutes hand and a seconds hand. The timepiece further includes a seconds zero-reset mechanism operative to reset the seconds hand to zero.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having both time indicating hands and an electro-optical time display, wherein individual digits of the electro-optical display can be selected for correction and wherein correction of a digit causes the time indicating hands to advance by a precisely corresponding amount.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having a pair of touch-sensitive electrostatic capacitance switches which must be actuated in a predetermined sequence to enable setting of time, etc. to be performed. Setting and selection of quantity to be set are thereafter conducted by actuating said switches.

Abstract: A system for correcting the accuracy of a reference signal in an electronic timepiece comprises an electronic timepiece including a reference signal frequency correction means for increasing or decreasing the reference signal frequency in a digital fashion with the use of a low frequency signal, and a quartz tester arrangement for measuring the accuracy of the reference signal frequency. The quartz tester arrangement indicates the displacement of the reference signal frequency from the standard signal frequency with the use of five lamps, each of which is selected to be enabled in accordance with the detected value of the displacement. The reference signal frequency correction means in the electronic timepiece includes five manually operable switches corresponding to said five lamps and functions to increase or decrease the reference signal frequency in a digital fashion in response to the closing of the switches corresponding to the enabled lamps.

Abstract: A time resetting operation in an electronic timepiece requires blocking of the stepping motor 1, and block of the mechanical type is avoided by the invention. A STOP switch 10 actuated by a time resetting stem of the timepiece sets to state "1" a flip-flop 11 which blocks gates 12 and 13 for controlling the passage of the pulses which drive the motor 1 through a feed circuit 2. The circuit 2 then passes a continuous current in the same direction as the last drive pulse. Thus, triggering of the continuous current leaves the position of the rotor unchanged. A counter 14 counts 1-second pulses and then resets the flip-flop 11, which causes the motor to resume normal operation. This avoids excessive discharging of the battery of the electronic timepiece if the user forgets to return the stem to its initial position after a time resetting operation.

Abstract: An actuating element for the manual adjustment of a clock comprises a rotating collar face which is arranged around the time indicating device of the clock. In a mechanical or electromechanical clock, the rotating movement of the rotating collar face is transmitted through gearing to the dial train of the clock. In an electronic clock pulse-producing elements are arranged on the collar and pulse-receiving elements are fixed in the clock to produce individual pulses or pulse trains which can be counted in according to the backward counting input of the time storage which is in operative connection with the indicating element of the clock.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic timepiece in which an input terminal of the integrated circuit is used as an output terminal. During the manufacturing of the timepiece it is important to check the running of the frequency of the oscillator and the operation of at least part of the frequency divider chain. However, in a timepiece, the places available for obtaining measurements could be very limited, and the timepiece does not generally have an output terminal adapted to connect the signal to be measured to an external counter. The purpose of the invention is to utilize an already existing input terminal as an output terminal for permitting a precise and rapid checking of the frequency of the oscillator by measuring, on that terminal, a signal of intermediate frequency delivered by the frequency divider chain.

Abstract: A portable electronic device equipped with timekeeping circuit means for providing at least units of seconds and tens of seconds of time information, and display means for displaying said time information in digital form, which comprises first external control member for inputting numeric data signals, a control circuit for selecting at least said tens of seconds of said time data for correction, second external control member for inputting control signals to actuate said control circuit, first gate means for applying said numeric data signals to said timekeeping circuit means to effect correction of at least said tens of seconds of time information, second gate means for automatically resetting said units of seconds of time information to zero in response to correction of said tens of seconds of time information.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes frequency-dividing circuit means for generating a first signal of at least 1 Hz from a signal of a predetermined frequency. This first signal is counted by a time counter. The frequency-dividing circuit and the time counter are reset in response to the closing of a first input switch. Circuitry is provided for releasing the frequency-dividing circuit from its reset condition to generate a second signal of at least 1 Hz as a quick advance signal for time setting in response to the closing of a second input switch.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having both an electro-optical time display and time indicating hands, and means for setting both the electro-optical display and the hands to display an identical initial time value and to be thereafter advanced in synchronism with each other.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having improved means for rapid setting of time, date or alarm time, whereby the number of setting pulses generated for each actuation of an external actuating member is varied depending upon the time intervals between successive actuations.

Abstract: Electronic timepiece having an electro-optic passive display cell comprising an oscillator used as a time base and an electronic control circuit of its several functions. The electronic circuit is operable by means of a stationary key or switch, having a capacitive action, carried by the glass or crystal of the timepiece. The stationary key is fed by the oscillator through a fixed or non-variable condenser. A conductive element is interposed between the stationary key and the display cell, the conductive element constituting one of the electrodes of the fixed condenser. The purpose of this arrangement is to eliminate the influence of a parasitic condenser constituted by the electrodes of the display cell and the electrode of the stationary key.

Abstract: In an electronic wristwatch having a digital type of photo-electric display and powered by a battery, a battery life warning system is provided whereby the battery voltage is checked at periodic intervals and the photoelectric display is caused to flash on and off repetitively to indicate the approach of the end of the battery life. The timing of sampling pulses applied to a voltage detection circuit is controlled such that a temporary drop in battery voltage does not cause a display warning signal to be generated.

Abstract: A watch/calculator is disclosed which employs a hold circuit to hold clock incrementing pulses when data from the clock is transferred to calculator circuitry or an arithmetic operation is performed on the data. When the time data is returned from the calculator circuitry to the clock circuitry or the arithmetic operation is completed, the hold circuit releases any held incrementing signal so that an increment signal is not lost, even when the time data is momentarily out of the clock circuitry in the calculator circuitry or other operations are being performed on the time data. Thus, when the time data is returned to the clock circuitry or the operation is completed, the data is incremented or updated as it would have been normally.

Abstract: A dual display timepiece employs a stepping motor capable of rotation in sense for driving hour and minute hands in an analogue display and an electronic digital display for displaying other information (second, date, chronograph, etc.). In order to facilitate hour hand corrections a logic circuit is provided which permits the user to enter the nature (positive or negative) and the amount of correction desired into the digital display. Following such entry the hour hand is corrected automatically by application of N.times.Y higher than normal frequency signals to the analogue display, where N corresponds to the number of signals required to effect a one hour or half hour correction and Y corresponds to the correction entered by the user.

Abstract: A rotate switch mechanism for actuating time correction displayed by an electronic timepiece comprising a rotatable crown and stem, a toothed wheel rotatably connected to the stem and a switch assembly. The switch assembly contains a switch blade precisely positioned within the periphery of the teeth of the toothed wheel and deflected thereby, with rotation of the crown, to make contact with either of two switch contacts.Circuitry responsive to each switch closure is provided for incrementally effecting time correction, forward and backward, with clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the crown, respectively.

Abstract: A touch sensitive device for controlling a function of a timepiece is formed with a condenser having a capacity independent of the area of the device touched. A conductive stem is fixed in a timepiece case and is electrically insulated from the case by a mounting member. A head is fixed on an end of the stem adjacent the outside of the timepiece to form one of the condenser electrodes. A thin layer of insulating material covers the outside of the head and forms the condenser dielectric. A layer of conductive material is fixed on a side of the dielectric material opposite the head and forms the second condenser electrode. When the second electrode is energized by the touch of the user, the entire second electrode is energized independent of the area touched by the user, giving the condenser a capacity independent of the area of the second electrode touched.

Abstract: A digital electronic timepiece comprises oscillator means for generating reference clock-pulse signals, a plurality of counter means of successive stages for successively counting the reference clock-pulse signals and respectively producing output signals for displaying numerals at respective digit positions for seconds, tens of seconds, minutes, tens of minutes, hours, and tens of hours, means for digitally displaying time in response to signals for output display of the counter means, and means for supplying a time correction reset signal to the counter means for producing as output signals for display at the digit positions respectively for seconds, tens of seconds, minutes, and tens of minutes. The time correction reset signal resets the counter means for seconds, tens of seconds, minutes, and tens of minutes so that the output signal thereof becomes a signal for "O" display.

Abstract: A pulse generating means is adapted to be rotated in either direction by a manual operation and to produce a plurality of trains of pulse signals the frequencies of which are varied in accordance with the speed of rotation. The pulse trains have different phase differentials which are inverted when the direction of the rotation of the pulse generating means is reversed. Either the up counting mode or the down counting mode of an up-and-down counter is selected in accordance with the output from the pulse generating means, so as to correct the contents of the counter by an addition or a subtraction.

Abstract: An electronic watch is set to the proper time by correction of the content of counters of the watch through the actuation of one or both of two switches. The actuation of the first one of the switches selects whether the content of the counters is to be incremented or decremented at a first speed. The subsequent actuation of the other switch performs the correction at a second higher speed in the sense selected by actuation of the first switch.

Abstract: A portable electronic device equipped with a timepiece circuitry, which electronic device comprises a plurality of numeric keys adapted to provide numeric values correponding to 0 through 9 when actuated. The numeric keys are utilized to correct a selected digit and once the numeric keys are actuated to complete a correction of the selected digit a shift will be made from the selected digit to another digit for a correction. The digit to be corrected is identified by a decimal point display segment which is automatically and cyclically shifted.