Electronic clock having time indicating light display

• US 4,041,692 A
• Filed: 01/08/1976
• Issued: 08/16/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amelect Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Amelect Incorporated
• Inventors: Marshino, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US05/647,382
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 58/23 R, 58/50 R, 58/126 R, 58/127 R, 58/128, 58/129
• US Class Current: 368/82
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 5/02 by temporarily changing the number of pulses per unit time, e.g. quick-feed method
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/042 using multiplexing techniques

Abstract

An electronic clock is disclosed having a time indicating light display on the clock face with the light display being provided by a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned to form three spaced concentric rings for separately indicating time in seconds, minutes and hours. An input signal having a frequency of 60 hertz is frequency divided to provide a signal having a frequency of one hertz that is coupled to a seconds decoder connected to a first 6×10 LED matrix. One pulse per minute is provided from the seconds decoder to a minutes decoder that is connected to a second 6×10 LED matrix, and one pulse per hour is provided from the minutes decoder to an hours decoder that is connected with a 1×12 LED matrix. Each of the outer and middle concentric rings at the clock face includes 60 LEDs while the inner ring includes 12 LEDs with energization of an LED in the inner ring indicating the hour, energization of an LED in the middle ring indicating the minute, and energization of an LED in the outer ring indicating the second. The decoders utilize multistage Johnson counters which enable the use of the needed LED matrix, and circuitry is also provided for holding the second indication while advancing the minute and hour indications for setting the clock. A light simulated pendulum is provided for the electronic clock by successive energization of a plurality of LEDs positioned in an arc. For pendulum simulation, a multiplexer receiving the outputs from a counter is connected with a 1×10 LED matrix.

Claims

1. An electronic clock having a time indicating light display, said electronic clock comprising:

pulse generating means for producing output pulses at predetermined times;

decoding means connected with said pulse generating means to recieve said output pulses therefrom, said decoding means including a plurality of frequency dividers providing separate outputs indicative of time in hours, minutes and seconds; and

matrix means including a plurality of matrixes two of which are 6×

10 matrixes and the other of which is a 1×

12 matrix, each of which matrixes is connected with a different one of said plurality of frequency dividers of said decoding means to receive therefrom said indications of time in hours, minutes and seconds, said matrix means including light means positioned in three separate segments each of which segments surrounds a point common to all of said segments, said light means being connected with said timing means for selective energization of a portion of each segment of said light means to thereby produce three separate light displays the energized portion of one such segment indicating time in hours, the energized portion of a second of which segments indicates time in minutes, and the energized portion of the third of which segments indicates time in seconds.

2. The electronic clock of claim 1 wherein said pulse generating means includes a divide-by-60 frequency divider adapted to receive an input signal from a conventional power supply providing an output signal having a frequency of 60 hertz to provide said output pulses at said predetermined times.

3. The electronic clock of claim 1 wherein said plurality of frequency dividers includes three dividers two of which are divide-by-60 dividers and the other which is a divide-by-12 divider.

5. The electronic clock of claim 1 wherein said clock includes means for fast setting of said clock.

6. The electronic clock of claim 5 wherein said means to provide fast setting of said clock includes first means for resetting the indication of seconds to zero and second and third means for selectively causing fast setting of the time indications of the minute and hour.

7. The electronic clock of claim 1 wherein said clock is a solid state clock.

8. The electronic clock of claim 1 wherein said clock includes means for simulating a pendulum.

9. The electronic clock of claim 8 wherein said means for simulating a pendulum includes counter means connected with said pulse generating means, decoding means, and a light matrix to visually simulate a swinging pendulum.

4. The electronic clock of cliam 1 wherein said light means includes a plurality of light emitting diodes with said segments positioned into three concentric rings to indicate time in hours, minutes and seconds.

10. An electonic clock having a time indicating light display, said electronic clock comprising:

pulse generating means for providing output pulses at predetermined times;

decoding means including three frequency dividers connected with said pulse generating means and controlled by said output pulses therefrom, the first of said frequency dividers including a pair of Johnson counters and providing an output indication of time in seconds, the second of said frequency dividers including a pair of Johnson counters and providing an output indication of time in minutes, and the third of said frequency dividers including a Johnson counter and providing an output indication of time in hours;

first and second light matrix means connected with said first and secondary dividers, said first and second matrix means being 6×

10 matrixes including light emitting diodes to visually indicate time in minutes and seconds; and

third matrix means connected with said third frequency divider, said third matrix means being a 1×

12 matrix with light emitting diodes to visually indicate time in hours.

11. the electronic clock of claim 10 wherein said output pulses from said pulse generator is an output signal having a frequency of one hertz, wherein said first and second frequency dividers of said decoding means include a divide-by-60 divider, and wherein said third frequency divider of said timing means includes a divide-by-12 divider.

12. The electonic clock of claim 10 wherein said first, second and third matrixes are positioned into three separate substantially concentric rings with the outer ring indicating seconds, the middle indicating minutes and the inner ring indicating hours.

13. An electronic clock having a light display indicating time and a simulated pendulum, said electronic clock comprising:

pulse generating means for providing output pulses at predetermined times;

first decoding means connected with said pulse generating means to receive said output pulses therefrom, said first decoding means including a plurality of frequency dividers providing separate outputs including pulses at different frequencies with said pulses being indicative of time in hours, minutes and seconds.

a first light matrix connected with said first decoding means and responsive to said pulses at different frequencies therefrom indicating time in hours, minutes and seconds;

second decoding means connected with said pulse generating means to receive said output pulses therefrom, said second decoding means including a frequency divider for providing a preselected output that includes pulses at a predetermined lower frequency than are said pulses produced by said pulse generation means; and

a second light matrix connected with said second decoding means and responsive to said pulses therefrom to visually indicate a simulated swinging pendulum.

14. The electronic clock of claim 13 wherein said second decoding means includes a multiplexer and wherein said second light matrix is a 1×

10 light matrix connected with said multiplexer.

15. The electronic clock of claim 13 wherein said first and second matrixes include light emitting diodes.

16. The electronic clock of claim 13 wherein said second light matrix is positioned in an arc and wherein the lights of said second light matrix are successively energized to simulate said swinging pendulum.