US4014164A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic timepiece including battery monitoring arrangement
Assignee: Suwa Seikosha KK
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Filing: 1975-03-27
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Granted: 1977-03-29
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Expires: 1995-03-27
Abstract
Abstract An electronic timepiece including a battery monitoring arrangement wherein the irregular movement of the second hand is utilized to monitor the effective voltage of a battery utilized to energize same is provided. The timepiece includes oscillator circuitry producing a high frequency time standard signal and divider circuitry including a plurality of divider stages adapted to produce low frequency signals in response to the high frequency signal, and batteries coupled to the oscillator circuitry and divider circuitry for energizing same. A step motor includes a rotor adapted to be rotated in response to each driving pulse applied thereto. The display includes a second hand rotated in response to each rotation of the rotor. The battery monitoring circuit is characterized by a voltage detection circuit coupled to the battery for detecting the effective voltage thereof, and producing a signal in response to a drop in the effective voltage below a predetermined level. A monitoring circuit is coupled to the detection circuit and the divider circuit for receiving the slow frequency signals and in response thereto applying periodic drive pulses to the step motor to effect a first periodic rotation of the rotor, the monitoring circuit being further adapted to apply different periodic drive pulses to the step motor in response to the signal applied from the detecting circuit to effect a second and different periodic rotation of the rotor.
Inventors
- 👤 Kinji Fujita
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:09
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04C; G04C10/00; G04C10/04; G04C3/00; G04C3/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
In an electronic timepiece having a battery monitoring arrangement and including oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal, divider means including a plurality of series-connected divider stages adapted to produce low frequency signals in response to said high frequency signal applied thereto, a battery coupled to said oscillator means and said divider means for energizing same, a stepping motor including a rotor adapted to be rotated in response to each driving pulse applied to the step motor, and a display means including at least one hand adapted to be rotated in response to each rotation of said rotor, the improvement comprising detection means coupled to said battery for detecting the potential thereof, said detecting means producing a signal in response to detecting a potential below a predetermined level, and monitoring circuit means coupled to said detection means and to said divider means for receiving said low frequency signals and in response thereto, applying periodic drive pulses to said step motor to effect a first periodic rotation of said rotor and thereby effect a first periodic advancing of said hand, said monitoring circuit means being further adapted to apply different periodic drive pulses to said step motor in response to a signal applied from said detection means to effect a second and different periodic rotation of said rotor and thereby effect a second and different advancing of said hand to indicate said battery potential being below a predetermined level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
In an electronic timepiece having a battery monitoring arrangement and including oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal, divider means including a plurality of series-connected divider stages adapted to produce low frequency signals in response to said high frequency signal applied thereto, a battery coupled to said oscillator means and said divider means for energizing same, a stepping motor including a rotor adapted to be rotated in response to each driving pulse applied to the step motor, and a display means including at least one hand adapted to be rotated in response to each rotation of said rotor, the improvement comprising detection means coupled to said battery for detecting the potential thereof, said detecting means producing a signal in response to detecting a potential below a predetermined level, and monitoring circuit means coupled to said detection means and to said divider means for receiving said low frequency signals and in response thereto, applying periodic drive pulses to said step motor to effect a first periodic rotation of said rotor and thereby effect a first periodic advancing of said hand, said monitoring circuit means being further adapted to apply different periodic drive pulses to said step motor in response to a signal applied from said detection means to effect a second and different periodic rotation of said rotor and thereby effect a second and different advancing of said hand to indicate said battery potential being below a predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detection means includes a fixed reference voltage means for determining said predetermined potential level, and in response thereto produce said detection signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 2, wherein said low frequency signals produced by said divider means are a low frequency time keeping signal produced by one of the series-connected divider stages and an intermediate frequency signal produced by an intermediate divider stage, said monitoring circuit means including differentiation means for producing the first mentioned and further periodic drive pulses having a pulse width equal to the pulse width of said intermediate frequency signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
100 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 3, wherein said differentiation circuit means includes first and second series-connected circuit means adapted to receive said intermediate frequency signal and said low frequency time keeping signal, and in response thereto respectively produce a first differentiation signal having the same period as said low frequency time keeping signal and delayed by a period equal to said intermediate frequency signal, and a second differentiation signal having the same period as said time keeping signal and first differentiation signal but delayed from said first differentiation signal by a period equal to said intermediate frequency signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
201 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 4, wherein said differentiation means further includes first logic gating means adapted to receive said time keeping signal and said first differentiation signal and in response thereto produce a drive pulse having a period equal to said time keeping signal and a pulse width equal to said intermediate frequency signal, and second logic gating means coupled to said detection circuit means, and adapted to receive said time keeping signal and said first and second differentiation signals, and in response to the absence of a detection signal applied thereto effects a comparison of said time keeping signal and said first differentiation signal to produce drive pulses having a pulse width equal to said intermediate frequency signal and a period equal to said time keeping signal but delayed by one-half the period of said drive pulses produced by said first logic gating means, and in response to said detecting signal compare said first and second differentiation signals and produced drive pulses having a pulse width equal to said intermediate frequency signal and a period equal to said time keeping signal immediately upon termination of each of said drive pulses produced by said first logic gating means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 5, wherein said step motor includes a drive coil wrapped around a stator and coupled at a first end to said first logic gating means and at a second end to said second logic gating means for effecting a stepping of the rotor in response to the application of said drive pulses applied thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 6, wherein said fixed reference voltages means includes a voltage limiting element coupled to said battery, and transistor switch means having a control electrode coupled to said voltage limiting means for providing said detection signal when the voltage of said battery drops below the fixed voltage of said voltage limiting element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 7, wherein said voltage limiting element is a Zener diode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first and second series connected circuit means producing said first and second differentiation signals are D-type flip-flops.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first logic circuit means includes OR GATE means adapted to receive as a first input said low frequency time keeping signal and as a second input said first differentiation signal, and in response thereto produce said first logic gate means drive pulses.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
146 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second logic gate means includes first and second AND GATE means adapted to respectively receive as first inputs said detection signal, and an inverted detection signal, said first and second AND GATE means respectively having as the other input said time keeping signal and said second differentiation signal, and OR GATE means adapted to produce one of said time keeping signal in response to the absence of a detection signal produced by said detection circuit means and said second differentiation signal in response to said detection signal produced by said detection circuit means, and an AND GATE means adapted to receive as a first input said first differentiation signal, and as the other input the output of said OR GATE means to thereby produce said aforedescribed second logic gating means drive pulses to said drive coil.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display hand is a second hand, and said first mentioned periodic pulse effects a periodic rotation of said rotor once each second and a likewise stepwise rotation of said second hand once each second, and said different periodic drive pulses produced in response to said detection signal effects two immediate successive rotations of said rotor once every two seconds, and hence a rotation of said second hand in like manner.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3962859A
Cited
US3898790A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-03-28 | 1980-09-27 | 1981-03-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-03-28 | 1984-09-27 | 1985-03-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-03-28 | 1988-09-27 | 1989-03-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |