Abstract: A high accuracy atomic frequency standard and clock which utilizes a micrmputer. The microcomputer compensates for aging and temperature variations in the atomic standard and its slave crystal oscillator and generates an error signal which is used to either correct the frequency of the slave crystal oscillator or to adjust the number of clock pulses per unit time interval. No C-field adjustment is employed.

Abstract: A sensor signal processing apparatus for measuring a physical quantity through the use of a sensor. A data processor automatically provides an operation equation by applying two known physical quantities, at two points, to the sensor and storing the data at these two points in a pair of memories. The quantities in the memories are then converted in accordance with a sensor characteristics equation and displayed on a display unit. In addition, a battery is used to supply the data processor with power. If that battery's voltage level falls below a certain point an alarm is sounded, indicating that the battery should be replaced.

Abstract: A rate displaying oscillator circuit for converting and displaying a rate is provided separately from an oscillator which generates a reference signal so that, even when the period of a logical regulator is extended in order to improve the resolving power of the logical regulation, the average rate of the logical regulator can be measured with a commercially available measuring device.

Abstract: An electronic timekeeping apparatus includes a temperature value generating circuit for generating a temperature value, a temperature value converting circuit including a slope adjusting circuit which provides a slope corrected output in accordance with a frequency versus temperature characteristic of the apparatus in response to the temperature value, a pace compensation data circuit for producing pace compensation data corresponding to the slope corrected output, and a pace compensating circuit for compensating pace of the apparatus in accordance with the pace compensation data. An offset adjustment circuit may operate on said temperature value or said slope corrected output.

Abstract: Rate change in a quartz crystal timepiece due, for example, to aging of a capacitance used for correcting the frequency-temperature characteristic of the crystal oscillator of the timepiece, is corrected by dividing the oscillator output signal to provide a minimum rate adjustment unit signal and a rate adjustment timing signal. A rate adjustment step width signal consisting of a number of minumum rate adjustment unit signals is predetermined for all of the timepieces in a production run. The number controls the repeated counting of unit signals to produce a series of step width signals. The rate adjustment required for correct timekeeping is determined as an integral number of step width signals. The latter number is set into a second counter in the timepiece to generate a rate adjustment signal. The rate adjustment signal controls the duty cycle of a switch which adds reactance to the crystal oscillator circuit to effect the rate change.

Abstract: A radio controlled timepiece includes a radio receiver for demodulating a transmitted signal on which time and date information has been encoded. A pulse sequence is derived from the transmitted radio signal which is used to drive the stepping motor which advances the hands of a standard display timepiece. If unfavorable reception conditions exist, then the stepping motor will not be driven smoothly and the poor reception will be readily apparent from the irregular movement of the clock hand. A switch is provided to allow the stepping motor to be normally driven by a pulse sequence output of a standard time keeping circuit. A comparator compares the time displayed on the face of the timepiece with the time information encoded on the radio signal and, if the displayed time deviates from the actual time, the frequency of the pulse sequence from the time keeping circuit is adjusted to correct the displayed time.

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: Circuits are provided for avoiding misdetection of a non-rotated condition after driving the timepiece stepping motor. Voltages induced in the rotor coil by external high frequency magnetic fields, and current produced in the coil by lower frequency AC magnetic fields are detected. When a high frequency or AC magnetic field of sufficient intensity to cause a false indication of motor rotation is detected, the motor is next driven with a pulse having greater width than the normal driving pulse so as to assure operation of the motor. A period is provided, before the normal driving pulse would be applied, to detect AC magnetic fields and a period preceding the period for detection of AC magnetic fields is provided for detection of high frequency magnetic fields. A comparator or inverter is used to determine whether the levels of external magnetic fields are sufficient to cause misdetection of rotor position.

Abstract: A closed loop frequency source includes a controllable oscillator that provides a first frequency source, a reference oscillator that provides a second signal, and a comparator that compares the two frequencies to provide an error signal that represents the difference between the frequencies. The error signal is used by an error signal generator to generate a compensation signal which offsets the carrier frequency that drives an output device such as a time-of-day clock so that the output device automatically gains or loses the previously accumulated time error without the necessity of being periodically updated.

Abstract: Time sharing of a processor in a timepiece allows for performance without interference of a plurality of functions including timekeeping and supplemental functions. An electronic timepiece includes an oscillator for producing a time-standard high frequency signal, temperature detecting means, the processing unit, a display means and at least one dedicated memory for compensating for the effect of temperature on the frequency of the oscillator. In addition, memories are provided for compensating for the aging characteristics of the oscillator and the temperature-detecting means. Manually-actuatable input switches provide for carrying out changes in the temperature-compensating data as the oscillator and the temperature-detecting means age. These switches also make it possible to use the circuitry for calculation. Preferably, the frequency generated by the oscillator is an integer multiple of 10 Hz and dividers are provided for dividing the frequency down to 0.

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: In an electronic timepiece provided with an electrochromic display device, temperature monitor circuit means are provided for periodically sampling the ambient operating temperature of the timepiece, to detect if that temperature is above an upper limit temperature. If that is detected, then a control circuit causes the display drive circuit of the timepiece to be inhibited from applying new write drive signals to the electrochromic display device, i.e. signals for setting display elements into the colored state. As a result, reduction of the operating lifetime of the electrochromic display device due to write-in operations being performed thereon under high temperature conditions is prevented.

Abstract: A circuit for compensation of timekeeping inaccuracies induced by ambient temperature variations. A bridge circuit having a temperature sensitive resistive element in one branch and a resistance of programmed variation in the other branch outputs a changing unbalanced voltage to drive a comparator. A change in polarity of the comparator output detects the ambient temperature and causes a counter controlling the programmed resistance to output signals to a timekeeping regulation circuit whereby timekeeping is made accurate. Initial corrections are made in the programmed resistance branch to adjust for off-design performance of the vibrator in the timepiece oscillator.

Abstract: A linearizer circuit comprises a frequency mixer which mixes a first frequency varying in accordance with a change in a parameter and a second frequency from a reference oscillator which has no dependence upon any parameter at a given proportion, and a derivation circuit for producing an output pulse corresponding to the average period of an output from the mixer, thus providing a linearized output for the parameter. The linearizer circuit may be assembled into a watch as means to detect the environmental temperature of the watch. By detecting temperature information with this means, a temperature compensation of a clock signal may be achieved in accordance with a temperature offset from a reference temperature.

Abstract: The timepiece includes a low frequency oscillator serving as time base and rranged to feed a first chain of frequency dividers having an adjustable division rate in order to display the time and a high frequency oscillator feeding a second chain of frequency dividers. During an imprecise period established by the first chain (3) reference pulses from the second chain (7) are counted thereby to establish a binary value (HF-DF) representing the amount of imprecision of the first chain in respect of the reference. This value is transferred into a memory in order to correct directly or indirectly the division rate of the first divider chain. There is thus obtained an oscillator having the stability of a high frequency oscillator but with energy consumption only slightly exceeding that of a low frequency oscillator.

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: An electronic time-of-day clock having a low-power time source and compensation circuits selectively operable responsive to pulses output from the low-power time source when system primary power is off or disabled, and responsive to a relatively highly accurate time-pulse generator when primary power is enabled. The time-of-day clock compensates continuously in real-time for errors in the output of the low-power time source caused by variations in the ambient temperature of the device; when primary power is enabled, the output of the low-power time source is further compensated by comparing the output thereof with the output of the high-accuracy frequency standard and storing accumulated error.

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.

Abstract: A time measuring method is combined with an automatic rate correction process in a digital or quasianalog clock; a clock rate deviation is repeatedly measured, in a predetermined lock-in-range, derived from the clock oscillator frequency, by means of a time mark received from a transmitter; the deviation data are stored and used for correcting the clock rate and the oscillator frequency whereby the stored data are maintained until the arrival of the next time mark.

Abstract: A quartz oscillation-type electronic timepiece which consumes less electric power, in which electronic circuits operate on a small constant voltage obtained by a constant-voltage circuit except the portions requiring a relatively high voltage such as display device unit.

Abstract: An electronic watch having an improved arrangement for securing and electrically contacting a battery. The battery is held in the plate of the watch by a clamp bar 10 which is fixed by screws 12a, b at its ends. Interposed between the non-earthy terminal of the battery and the clamp bar 10 is an insulating plate member 16 which comprises a conductor 18 in contact with the terminal. The plate member 16 is connected to the printed circuit 20 by a flexible tongue 16a with a conductor track 18a connecting the conductor 18 to the track 22 of the printed circuit 20.

Abstract: The present invention comprises measuring, upon application of a drive pulse to the actuating coil 5 of the stepping motor, the variation in the magnetic induction flux in the stator of the motor, and interrupting the drive pulse when the variation in flux reaches a predetermined value. Measurement of the variation in flux may be effected, for example, by detecting the current in the actuating coil and integrating the difference between the supply voltage of the actuating coil and the product of the current by the d.c. resistance of the coil, or by providing an auxiliary detection coil 71 and integrating the voltage induced therein in an integrator 73, 74. When the integrator outputs exceeds the magnitude of either a positive or negative reference voltage, a comparator circuit 78, 79, 81 provides the signal to a circuit 13 to terminate the drive pulse.

Abstract: A timekeeping signal source for an electronic timepiece produces a highly accurate timekeeping signal which is stable in frequency with respect to both temperature variations and long-term drift. The timekeeping signal is produced by phase lock control using a high frequency reference signal from a crystal-controlled high-frequency oscillator. Phase lock control can be performed continuously or on an intermittent basis, in order to reduce power consumption. In addition, the timekeeping rate can be adjusted with a resolution within one period of the high frequency reference signal, by variation of a numeric value stored in digital memory means.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece comprising a rate correction circuit for modifying the number of time base pulses received by the frequency divider during a predetermined period of time by a predetermined number of correction pulses. The rate correction circuit is arranged to divide said period of time into a given number of sub-periods and to distribute correction pulses substantially and equally over these sub-periods.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece in which an operating state of a timepiece circuit is controlled by a control circuit composed of a counter responsive to clock pulses from the timepiece circuit, a digital/analog converter for converting a digital output signal from the counter to an analog output signal, a potentiometer adapted to generate an analog input signal, and a comparator for comparing the analog output signal and the analog input signal to generate an output signal which is applied to the counter to control the same by which a control signal is generated to control the operating state of the timepiece.

Abstract: Temperature compensating circuit for an electronic timepiece having two piezo electric resonators having different frequency-temperature characteristics.Two piezo electric resonators are a major resonator having smaller frequency variation rate in temperature variation and a subsidiary resonator having larger frequency variation rate in temperature variation.And also the temperature compensating circuit includes a variable counter for counting the output signal of the major oscillator having the major resonator, a gate time setting circuit controlled by both the outputs of subsidiary and the variable counter, and a counter for counting the output signal of the major oscillator.As a result, the temperature compensating circuit is able to improve the accuracy of the timepiece.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a stepping motor having a stator, a drive coil and a rotor which is driven in one of at least two different states. The state of the driving motor is changed in response to a change in the load of the motor or in response to the locating of the motor in an external magnetic field.

Abstract: A quartz crystal wristwatch is temperature compensated by applying additional pulses to the divider circuit. The number and frequency of application of the additional pulses is stored in memory and based upon mean temperature data for the worn wristwatch on an hourly or monthly basis. The oscillator itself uses little or no temperature compensation.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece has a stepping motor comprised of a stator, rotor and driving coil. A wave shaping circuit produces normal driving pulses and correction driving pulses having a longer pulse width than the normal driving pulses. A rotor rotation detection device detects rotation and non-rotation of the rotor after normal driving pulses are applied to the driving coil and in response to detection of a non-rotation condition, a correction driving pulse is applied to the driving coil. A magnetic field detection device detects the presence and absence of an external alternating magnetic field and in response to detection of a magnetic field, a driving pulse of longer pulse width than the correction driving pulses is applied to the driving coil to effect rotor rotation.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece equipped with a switch means to produce switching pulses in response to actuation of an external operation member, and means for detecting the time intervals between pairs of the switching pulses and producing first control signals indicative of duration of the time intervals. A counter circuit is responsive to the first control signals to provide a second control signal, in response to which a correction signal generation means produces correction signals, the number of which depends on the second control signal.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece having voltage regulation, temperature detection and battery voltage detection means provided on the same integrated circuit as is used for timekeeping circuitry, and having external terminals for stepwise weighted adjustment of timekeeping gain/loss.

Abstract: A semiconductor temperature compensation circuit for an electronic timepiece is provided. The temperature compensation circuit is characterized by a temperature detection circuit comprised of MOS transistors, at least two of which have distinct conductive coefficients for producing signals representative of variations in ambient temperature and a temperature signal converting means including MOS transistors for converting the temperature dependent signal into a temperature compensation value for effecting timing rate adjustment in an electronic timepiece. The temperature detection circuit and the temperature signal converter circuit are both formed of elements that can be monolithically integrated into the same substrate.

Abstract: A calendar mechanism of a motor driven analog timepiece is automatically adjusted, at the end of a 30-day month to the first day of the next month. A month detecting circuit distinguishes between 30-day months and 31-day months, and at the end of the 30th day of a 30-day month it controls the timepiece motor to run backward and then forward at a relatively high speed to change the calendar to the first day of the month. Circuitry is also provided to distinguish between 28 and 29-day months, and to correct the date displayed at the end of February in a similar manner.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece displaying both the time and the temperature. A tsducer which may take two positions is provided to reach this result: the first position incorporates the transducer within the timepiece and allowing the correction of the frequency drift of the time base which determines the time the second position projecting the transducer out of the timepiece case in order to measure, for example, the temperature of the ambient air. There is also provided an automatic switching system which adapts the transducer to the frequency correction or to the temperature measurement depending on the position of said transducer.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece reduces power consumption by normally driving the stepping motor with a short pulse and driving the motor with a wide pulse under heavy load conditions by sensing the rotor position. A detection circuit senses the voltage drop across a detection element in series with the motor coil for driving a first detection pulse and senses again for driving a second detection pulse. If the second voltage drop is larger, then the rotor is not rotating whereupon the wide pulse is used to drive the motor.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece which includes a time .[.reference.]. .Iadd.base .Iaddend.signal generator, which generates a signal which is used to count time, and is compensated in its frequency in order to have the predetermined frequency value regardless of variations in ambient temperature.