Electronic watch with an automatic time indication modifier
First Claim
1. An electronic watch including a watch circuit and a display, the watch circuit including a clock generator, a frequency divider coupled to said clock generator, and means coupling said display to said frequency divider, the watch being provided with an automatic time indication modifier which comprises:
- a microphone for picking up a correct time announcement sound from a radio, television, telephone headset or the like;
an amplifier for amplifying the signal picked up by the microphone;
a filter which passes only that component of the signal from the amplifier which has the same frequency as a time announcement signal;
a pulse height discriminator for converting an output signal from the filter into a bi-level signal in accordance with the magnitude of the signal above a threshold level;
a time announcement pattern discrimination circuit means responsive to the bi-level signal and to a reference signal provided by said frequency divider for determining the presence of a time announcement pattern on the basis of the duration of and the time interval between the bi-level signals in comparison with the period of said reference signal; and
a "second" indication modifying and control circuit responsive to an output signal from the discrimination circuit to effect a modification of the "seconds" indication of the electronic watch.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic watch including a watch circuit and display is provided which additionally includes an automatic time indication modifier. The modifier comprises a receiver, a filter for passing only that component of the signal from the receiver which has the same frequency as a time announcement signal, a pulse height discriminator for converting an output signal of the filter into a bi-level signal in accordance with the magnitude of the output signal above a threshold level, a time announcement pattern discrimination circuit responsive to the bi-level signal from the discriminator to determine the presence of a time announcement pattern on the basis of the duration of and the time interval between the bi-level signals, and a "seconds" indication modifying and control circuit for modifying a "seconds" indication of the watch in response to an output signal from the discrimination circuit.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An electronic watch including a watch circuit and a display, the watch circuit including a clock generator, a frequency divider coupled to said clock generator, and means coupling said display to said frequency divider, the watch being provided with an automatic time indication modifier which comprises:
- a microphone for picking up a correct time announcement sound from a radio, television, telephone headset or the like;
an amplifier for amplifying the signal picked up by the microphone;
a filter which passes only that component of the signal from the amplifier which has the same frequency as a time announcement signal;
a pulse height discriminator for converting an output signal from the filter into a bi-level signal in accordance with the magnitude of the signal above a threshold level;
a time announcement pattern discrimination circuit means responsive to the bi-level signal and to a reference signal provided by said frequency divider for determining the presence of a time announcement pattern on the basis of the duration of and the time interval between the bi-level signals in comparison with the period of said reference signal; and
a "second" indication modifying and control circuit responsive to an output signal from the discrimination circuit to effect a modification of the "seconds" indication of the electronic watch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13)
- a microphone for picking up a correct time announcement sound from a radio, television, telephone headset or the like;
-
11. An electronic watch comprising:
-
a clock generator; a frequency divider coupled to said clock generator; a display device for displaying the current time in hours, minutes and seconds; a control and display drive circuit for controlling the time displayed at said display device in response to said frequency divider and to an externally received time announcement signal, said control and display drive circuit including; (a) discriminating means for comparing said time announcement signal against a reference signal, said discriminating means generating an enabling signal whenever said time announcement signal bears a predetermined relationship to said reference signal; and (b) means responsive to said enabling signal for correcting the time displayed at said display device by selectively advancing or retarding the time displayed thereat in response to said enabling signal leading or lagging, respectively, a predetermined time indication of said display device.
-
-
14. An electronic watch comprising:
-
(a) a clock generator; (b) a frequency divider coupled to said clock generator; (c) a display device; (d) a control and display drive circuit for controlling the time displayed at said display device in response to said frequency divider and to an externally received time announcement signal, said control and display drive circuit including; (i) discriminating means for comparing said time announcement signal against a reference signal, said discriminating means generating an enabling signal whenever said time announcement signal bears a predetermined relationship to said reference signal; and (ii) means responsive to said enabling signal for correcting the time displayed at said display device; and (e) a pulse generator means responsive to said reference signal for generating reference pulses of a fixed period which is equal to or greater than the period of the time announcement signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of correcting the time displayed by an electronic timepiece, said timepiece having a clock generator, a frequency divider coupled to said clock generator, a display device for displaying the time being kept by the timepiece, and a control and display drive circuit for controlling the time displayed at said display device in response to said frequency divider and to an externally received time announcement signal, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) receiving said time announcement signal; (b) comparing the received time announcement signal against a reference signal and generating an enabling signal whenever the time announcement signal bears a predetermined relationship to the reference signal; and (c) correcting the time displayed at said display device in response to the generation of said enabling signal by selectively advancing or retarding the time display device depending upon whether the occurrence of the enabling signal leads or lags a predetermined time indication of said display device.
-
Specification