Wristwatch calculator with interface chip

• US 4,101,963 A
• Filed: 05/25/1977
• Issued: 07/18/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Time Computer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Time Computer Incorporated
• Inventors: Reese, Robert O., Garrison, Donald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US05/800,158
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 235/152, 235/156, 58/50 R, 58/152 R, 340/335, 340/336, 315/149, 315/158, 364/705
• US Class Current: 708/111
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0017 in which the light emitting display elements may be activated at will or are controlled in accordance with the ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/007 combined with a calculator or computing means
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/107 provided with means for displaying at will a time indication or a date or a part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0208 for combination with other devices having a different main function, e.g. watches, pens

Abstract

An improved wristwatch calculator has all of the active circuit elements contained on three chips mounted on the same substrate member in the watch case. A watch chip and a calculator chip each have their outputs connected to a single interface chip consisting of CMOS or I² L active elements which multiplex the watch and calculator chip outputs and select the appropriate display as a function of watch mode selection by pushbutton or inertia time demand switches or calculator mode selection by activation of the appropriate calculator keyboard switch on the watch face. The interface chip outputs are connected to six electro-optical display stations.

Claims

1. A wristwatch having a case in which are mounted a clock chip, a calculator chip, a plurality of electro-optical display stations, a manually operated time display mode switch connected to said clock chip for coupling said clock chip to said display stations, a plurality of manually operated keyboard switches, including a calculator display mode switch, mounted in said case and connected to said calculator chip for alternatively coupling said calculator chip to said display stations, an interface chip having inputs connected to outputs of the clock and calculator chips and outputs connected to the display stations, said interface chip containing substantially all of the circuits necessary to multiplex the clock and calculator outputs to display the desired output as commanded by the time display mode and calculator mode switches, and an inertia switch in said case and connected to said interface chip, said interface chip having means for detecting a predetermined pattern of movement of said inertia switch and for generating a time demand signal upon detection of said predetermined pattern of movement to select the watch display mode, whereby time is displayed at said display stations.

2. The wristwatch according to claim 1, said interface chip having:

calculator power control means for energizing said calculator chip when the calculator mode is selected by said calculator mode display switch and means for overriding the calculator mode and restoring the time display mode upon activation of the time display mode switch, said override means deenergizing said calculator chip when the time display mode is selected by said time display mode switch.

3. The wristwatch according to claim 2, said interface chip having inertia switch inhibit means coupled between said power control means and said inertia switch movement detecting means for inhibiting the operation of said detecting and time demand signal generated means during the calculator mode.

4. The wristwatch according to claim 3, said interface chip having means for providing a time setting signal to said clock chip, and means coupled to said power control means for inhibiting said setting signal during the calculator display mode and permitting transmission of said setting signal to said clock chip at other times.

5. The wristwatch according to claim 4, said interface chip having a plurality of watch segment display inputs coupled to watch segment display outputs of said watch chip;

a plurality of calculator segment display inputs coupled to calculator segment display outputs of said calculator chip;

a plurality of segment display outputs coupled to segment display inputs of said display stations;

said interface chip having means for selectively passing watch segment display information from said watch chip and calculator segment display information from said calculator chip to said display stations under the control of said time display and calculator display mode switches, respectively.

6. The wristwatch according to claim 5, said interface chip having a plurality of watch digit display inputs coupled to watch digit display outputs of said clock chip;

a plurality of calculator digit display inputs coupled to calculator digit display outputs of said calculator chip;

a plurality of digit display outputs coupled to digit display inputs of said display stations; and

means for selectively passing watch digit display information from said watch chip and calculator digit display information from said calculator chip to said display stations under the control of said time display and calculator display mode switches, respectively.

7. The wristwatch according to claim 6, said interface chip having:

segment driver devices for generating sufficient power to drive the segments of said display stations, digit driver devices for generating sufficient power to drive the digits of said display stations, means coupled to said segment drivers for selectively gating watch segment information and calculator segment information to said segment drivers under the control of said time display and calculator display mode switches, and means coupled to said digit drivers for selectively gating watch digit information and calculator digit information to said digit drivers under the control of said time display and calculator display mode switches, respectively.

8. The wristwatch according to claim 7, wherein said calculator power control means, inertia switch inhibit means, override means, setting signal inhibit means, segment drivers, digit drivers, and gating means comprise CMOS devices.

9. The wristwatch according to claim 7, wherein said calculator power control means, inertia switch inhibit means, override means, setting signal inhibit means, segment drivers, digit drivers, and gating means comprises I² L devices.