Electronic device designed to permit detachable attachment of an external memory device thereto

• US 5,355,352 A
• Filed: 12/17/1992
• Issued: 10/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Kita, Kazunori, Suzuki, Satomi, Kobayashi, Tuneo
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US07/955,751
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/281, 368/282, 368/223-239, 368/41
• US Class Current: 368/281
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0064 in which functions not related to time can be displayed digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14

Abstract

A wrist watch (1) is provided with a cover member (3) attached to a wrist watch case (2) by a coupling portion (3) in a openable/closable manner. A liquid crystal display device (4) to display time is incorporated in the cover member (3). A retaining section (7) for retaining a disk-like data memory is provided on the upper surface of the wrist watch case (2). The data memory in the retaining section (7) is securely held with the cover member (3) closed. Data in the disk memory (9) is read and processed by the electronic circuitry (2b) of a watch, and is sent to the liquid crystal display device (4) via a flexible circuit board (2e). The data is then converted into a time which is in turn displayed. The data memory can therefore be very easily attached or detached, and is securely held. The wrist watch itself can be made compact. Replacing the data memory with another one can provide advantages such as displaying various types of data.

Claims

1. An electronic wrist watch device having means for permitting detachable installation of an external data storage medium, said electronic wrist watch having electronic circuitry means including a time-measuring section for measuring time and a display section for displaying the measured time, the electronic wrist watch further comprising:

a substantially disk-shaped external data storage medium for storing data, said external data storage medium having output terminals for outputting said stored data;

a wrist watch case having a substantially columnar retaining section formed at an upper portion of said wrist watch case for accommodating said external data storage medium therein;

a cover member attached to said wrist watch case for opening and closing said retaining section, and for holding said external data storage medium retained in said retaining section when said cover member is in a closed position to close said retaining section, said cover member comprising an optical display device at an upper surface of said cover member such that said optical display device is viewable by a user when said cover member is in said closed position;

said electronic circuitry means further including means, for measuring a current time and for outputting a first display signal for displaying the current time, and means for receiving data stored in said external data storage medium and for supplying a second display signal based on the received data; and

signal transfer means for supplying said first and second display signals output from said electronic circuitry means to said optical display device.

2. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, wherein said output terminals of said external data storage medium are arranged in a concentric shape.

3. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, further comprising connector terminals in said substantially columnar retaining section of said wrist watch case and which are arranged to be coupled to said output terminals of said external data storage medium when said external data storage medium is received in said columnar retaining section of said wrist watch case.

4. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, further comprising a position restricting means for positioning said external data storage medium is formed in a center portion of said columnar retaining section of said wrist watch case.

5. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 4, wherein said position restricting means section includes a columnar projection.

6. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, wherein said wrist watch case further comprises a control switch operable for supplying data stored in said external data storage medium to said electronic circuitry means.

7. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, wherein said cover member further comprises a control switch operable for supplying data stored in said external data storage medium to said electronic circuitry means.

8. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, further comprising display switching means for selectively displaying the content of said first display signal and the content of said second display signal on said optical display device.

9. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, wherein:

said external data storage medium comprises a plurality of data storage means for storing a plurality of different pieces of data;

said output terminals comprise a plurality of groups of output terminals for respectively supplying data stored in said plurality of data storage means; and

said retaining section of said wrist watch case comprises connector terminals adapted to be electrically connected to one of said plurality of groups of output terminals.

10. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 9, wherein said connector terminals of said retaining section are electrically connected to another group of said plurality of groups of output terminals by changing an installation position of said external data storage medium.

11. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 9, wherein said output terminals each comprise a plurality of concentrically arranged arc-shaped electrodes.

12. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, wherein said external data storage medium comprises an EEPEOM for storing said data.

13. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, wherein said data stored in said external data storage medium includes program data.

14. An electronic wrist watch device according to claim 1, wherein said output terminals of said external storage medium are arranged in a concentric arc shape.