Electronic timepiece

An electronic timepiece which comprises a time-counter for counting a number of reference clock pulses issued from a reference oscillator; a control circuit for controlling the selection of various functions; a display device for displaying count values corresponding to the various functions; and at least two independently provided manually operative switching devices. The condition in which the at least two switching devices are jointly operated is detected by an AND circuit. The period of time during which the AND circuit continues to send forth an output signal indicating the joint operation of the two switching devices is measured and a function-designating circuit specifies that one of the various functions instructed by the control circuit which corresponds to the measured period of time of joint operation of the two switching devices. Any function specified by the function-designating circuit is carried out by one of the at least two switching devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an electronic timepiece provided with improved 
means for selecting not only time display but also many other functions 
for which said electronic timepiece is designed. 
An electronic timepiece counts time by clock pulses issued from a reference 
oscillator, for example, a quartz oscillator having a stable oscillation 
frequency characteristic. The electronic timepiece tends to be more widely 
accepted due to high precision of time counting. Most of the electronic 
timepieces developed to date are of the digital display type admitting of 
a correct and easy reading of time indication. 
The digital display timepiece is fundamentally so arranged as to cause time 
units such as "hours", "minutes" and "seconds" to be indicated by clock 
pulses sent forth from a reference oscillator. A digital display device 
displays under electronic control the number of clock pulses counted by a 
time-counting section which denotes the respective time units. 
The above-mentioned digital display type electronic timepiece, indicates 
not only the above-mentioned time units but also the calendar months and 
days and the days of the week easily by counting means with time 
indication on the digital display section changed over to information on 
the date. 
With the digital display type electronic timepiece which is fundamentally 
designed to count clock pulses issued and display a counted number of said 
clock pulses on a digital display section, it is easy to incorporate not 
only the basic timepiece function of indicating the aforesaid time units 
and the calendar dates, but also, for example, a stopwatch function and a 
function of a special counter designed to count, for example, a number of 
commodities, instead of time. Therefore, it is contemplated to render the 
electronic timepiece as a multifunction device. 
While it is important to allow an electronic timepiece to have many 
functions as described above, it is absolutely necessary for a timepiece 
to carry out a time-setting operation in order to correct time indication. 
Namely, an electronic timepiece should be provided with means for issuing 
various instructions to select the functions not only for the 
above-mentioned multifunctions but also for control or correction of 
actual time indication. Where, however, an electronic timepiece is limited 
in size to serve as a wrist watch, it is practically difficult to fit the 
electronic timepiece with a large number of instruction-issuing means such 
as a push button. Though it is theoretically possible in terms of a 
circuit arrangement to incorporate many functions in an electronic 
timepiece, yet considerable difficulties arise in forming an electronic 
wrist watch into a multifunction type. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention has been accomplished in view of the above-mentioned 
circumstances and is intended to provide an electronic timepiece admitting 
of the issue of various instructions for controlling display, correcting 
time indication and selecting a desired one from among the previously 
described multifunctions. 
According to an aspect of this invention, there is provided an electronic 
timepiece having a counting circuit for counting reference clock pulses 
issued from a reference oscillator, a function control circuit and a 
display device, the improvement being that said electronic timepiece 
further comprises detecting means for detecting the condition in which at 
least two independent manually operative switching devices are jointly 
operated; function setting means for determining a period of time during 
which the detecting means continues to send forth an output signal 
indicating the joint operation of the at least two switching devices and 
for designating one of the various functions of the electronic timepiece 
which corresponds to the period of the joint operation of the at least two 
switching devices; and means for carrying out the designated function upon 
operation of at least one of the at least two switching devices. 
The electronic timepiece of this invention arranged as described above has 
the characteristics that the manner in which at least two switching 
devices incorporated in the electronic timepiece are jointly operated 
selects a specified one from many various functions; at least one of the 
at least two switching devices carries out the selected function; and a 
smallest possible number of switching devices can select a specified one 
from among a far larger number of functions, thereby prominently elevating 
the various functions of the electronic timepiece and simplifying its 
operation control.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
There will now be described by reference to the appended drawings an 
electronic timepiece embodying this invention. FIGS. 1A and 1B jointly 
show the arrangement of the electronic timepiece. A region 11 enclosed in 
broken lines denotes the body of the electronic timepiece. 
This electronic timepiece body 11 comprises a reference oscillator 12 
formed of, for example, a quartz oscillator. Clock pulses issued from the 
reference oscillator 12 are converted into clock pulses sent forth at the 
rate of, for example, one pulse per second, after being conducted through 
a frequency divider 13. These converted clock pulses cause a time counter 
14 to count the corresponding time units of "second", "minutes" and 
"hours". Time-counting clock pulses are supplied through a display control 
circuit 16 to a digital display device 22 on which current time is 
indicated. 
The time counter 14 generates one pulse signal per day, namely, for every 
24 hours. This pulse signal is conducted to a date counter 15 which counts 
numerals corresponding to the days of the week, and the calendar months 
and days. Information on a date counted by the date counter 15 is 
delivered to the display control circuit 16, which in turn causes the date 
information to be digitally displaced on the display device 22. 
In the normal condition in which the particular instruction, for example, 
on the display of a date is received, the display control circuit 16 is 
supplied with output signals from the inverters 17, 18 and causes ordinary 
time counts made by the time counter 14 to be indicated on the display 
device 22 through the AND circuit 19, OR circuit 20 and decoder 21. Any 
other instruction than on the display of time is given to the display 
control circuit 16 upon receipt of an output signal from a control circuit 
23. A clock pulse delivered from the frequency divider 13 is conducted to 
the gate of an AND circuit 25 included in a function-counting circuit 24 
which counts time when the subject electronic timepiece is used, for 
example, as a stopwatch. The function-counting circuit 24 comprises the 
AND circuit 25, OR circuit 26 and counter 27. When the other gate of the 
AND circuit 25 receives an instruction from the control circuit 23, then a 
clock pulse issued from the frequency divider 13 is conducted through the 
OR circuit 26 to be counted by the counter 27, thereby enabling the 
subject electronic timepiece to act as a stopwatch. Where, however, need 
arises, the function-counting circuit 24 may be made simply to count 
output signals issued from the control circuit 23 in order to serve as an 
enumerator for counting, for example, commodities one by one. In this 
case, count signals are supplied to the gate of an AND circuit 28 included 
in the display control circuit 16 as are the count signals for a stopwatch 
function. The above-mentioned count signals issued from the 
function-counting circuit 24 used as an enumerator are displayed on the 
display device 22. The control circuit 23 comprises OR circuits 29, 30. 
According to an instruction given by a function-selecting circuit 32 
formed of, for example, a matrix circuit, the control circuit 23 supplies 
the time counter 14 with a time count-clearing instruction, thereby 
effecting, for example, time correction. The control circuit 23 further 
comprises a binary counter 31. When a switching device is continuously 
thrown in, the function-selecting circuit 32 issues a function-specifying 
signal. Depending on said function-specifying signal, the binary code of 
an output signal from the binary counter 31 is reversed to cause the 
counter 27 to carry out, for example, a stopwatch function. 
One gate of the AND circuit 28 included in the display control circuit 16 
is supplied with an output count signal from the counter 27. The other 
gate of said AND circuit 28 receives an output signal from an AND circuit 
33. One of the gates of said AND circuit 33 receives an output signal from 
the control circuit 23 through an inverter 35. The other gate of said AND 
circuit 33 is supplied through an OR circuit 34 with an output signal from 
the control circuit 23 or an output signal from the function-selecting 
circuit 32. An output signal from said AND circuit 33 is transmitted to 
the inverter 18. 
The control circuit 23 for issuing instructions for various functions is 
operated by first and/or second switches 36, 37 actuated, for example, by 
operation of a push button. When thrown in, the switches 36, 37 issue a 
binary coded signal "1" due to the presence of a power source voltage V. 
An operation signal sent forth from the switch 36 is conducted to AND 
circuits 38, 39 and OR circuit 40. An operation signal issued from the 
switch 37 is transmitted to AND circuits 38, 41 and OR circuit 40. An 
output signal from the OR circuit 40 is delivered to an AND circuit 42 and 
a delay circuit 43. An output signal from the delay circuit 43 is supplied 
to the AND circuit 42. When one of the switches 36, 37 is operated for a 
period of time specified by the delay circuit 43, then the AND circuit 42 
generates an output signal, which in turn is transmitted to the gates of 
the AND circuits 38, 39, 41. When the first and second switches 36, 37 are 
operated jointly, then the AND circuit 38 sends forth an output signal. 
When the switch 36 or 37 is operated alone, the AND circuit 39 or 41 
generates an output signal. Since the delay circuit 43 is provided, it is 
possible to prevent an erroneous function-selecting instruction from being 
given due to the switch 36 or 37 being wrongly operated during a very 
short period of time. An output signal from the AND circuit 38 is 
forwarded to an AND circuit 44, together with an output signal from the 
frequency divider 13. An output signal from the AND circuit 44 is 
transmitted to a ring counter 45. Where the switches 36, 37 are jointly 
operated, then said ring counter 45 counts output signals from the 
frequency divider 13. The ring counter 45 repeats counting by circulation, 
and issues a carry signal each time a specified number of signals are 
counted. Namely, each time the joint operation of the switches 36, 37 
continues for a unit length of time, for example, 5 seconds, the ring 
counter 45 produces an output signal. An output signal from the ring 
counter 45 is carried to an AND circuit 46, together with an output signal 
from the AND circuit 38. An output signal from the AND circuit 46 causes a 
count made by an n-scale counter to be advanced. With this embodiment, 
count output lines of 0 to 3 of a 4-scale counter 47 are connected to a 
function-selecting circuits 32 formed of, for example, a matrix circuit. 
According to a count output signal from the function-selecting circuit 32, 
the control circuit 23 is supplied with an instruction conforming to a 
program set in the matrix circuit. The function-selecting circuit 32 
supplies the display control circuit 22 with a display-selecting 
instruction. Where the 4-scale counter 47 counts zero, the control circuit 
23 receives an instruction for display to be changed over and an 
instruction for setting a stopwatch function. An output signal from the 
control circuit 23 renders the display control circuit 16 ready for the 
switching of display, and causes the function-counting circuit 24 to be 
set for a stopwatch function. The function-selecting circuit 32 is further 
supplied with output signals from the AND circuits 39, 41. An output 
signal from the AND circuit 39 acts as an instruction for the switching of 
display with respect to, for example, the control circuit 23. This 
display-shifting instruction is supplied to the display control circuit 16 
through the control circuit 23. The AND circuit 58 included in the display 
control circuit 16 selects count signals issued from the date counter 15 
to specify a given date. Said specified date is conducted through the OR 
circuit 20 and decoder 21 to be indicated on the display device 22. An 
output signal from the AND circuit 41 acts as an instruction for the 
setting of a stopwatch function with respect to the control circuit 23. 
This stopwatch function-setting instruction renders the function-counting 
circuit 24 ready for a stopwatch function. Since, in this case, an output 
signal from the AND circuit 39 is not selected by the function-selecting 
circuit 32. The AND circuit 28 included in the display control circuit 16 
selects an output signal from the function-counting circuit 24 upon 
receipt of an instruction issued from the control circuit 23. As the 
result, a time count made by the subject electronic timepiece serving as a 
stopwatch is indicated on the display device 22. An output signal from the 
AND circuit 38 is supplied to a one-shot circuit which is formed of a 
delay circuit 48, inverter 49 and AND circuit 50 and is designed to detect 
the fall of said output signal from the AND circuit 38 resulting from the 
release of the joint depression of the two switches 36, 37. Said output 
signal from the AND circuit 38 controls the operation of another one shot 
circuit, which is formed of a delay circuit 51, inverter 52 and AND 
circuit 53 and is designed to detect the fall of an output signal from the 
first mentioned one shot circuit. When the joint operation of the switches 
36, 37 is released, then the AND circuit 50 produces a one-shot output 
signal. The AND circuit 53 also sends forth a one-shot output signal 
slightly later than the former one-shot output signal. A one-shot output 
signal from the AND circuit 53 is supplied as a reset instruction to a 
flip-flop circuit 54 which is set by an output signal from the ring 
counter 45. A reset output signal from the flip-flop circuit 54 is 
conducted to an AND circuit 55 together with an output signal from the AND 
circuit 50. An output signal from the AND circuit 55 resets the n-scale 
(4-scale in this embodiment) counter 47. 
Where an electronic timepiece arranged as described above counts time as an 
ordinary timepiece, then the 4-scale counter 47 remains reset, and 
indicates a count of "0". Under this condition, the display device 22 
indicates current time, for example, 12 hours: 58 minutes: 30-second order 
as shown in FIG. 2A. Where, under the above-mentioned "0" count condition, 
the first switch 36 is throwing, then the AND circuit 39 generates an 
output signal. The control circuit 23 gives an instruction to the display 
control circuit 16 through the function-selecting circuit 32. As the 
result, the time display (FIG. 2A) based on a time count signal delivered 
from the time counter 14 can be replaced by a date display of, for 
example, 8 (months): 30 (days), Friday, as shown in FIG. 2B by supplying 
date counting signals from the date counter 15 to the display device 22 
through the AND circuit 58. 
Where the second switch 37 is operated while the 4-scale counter 47 remain 
reset, that is, is kept in a "0" count condition to cause the subject 
electronic timepiece to commence a stopwatch function, then the AND 
circuit 41 issues an output signal and the function-selecting circuit 32 
supplies a control signal to the binary counter 31 of the control circuit 
23 from the matrix function-selecting circuit 32. An output signal from 
the binary counter 31 is transmitted to the AND circuit 25 and counter 27 
both included in the function-counting circuit 24. Each time the second 
switch 37 is operated on and off, the function-counting circuit 24 causes 
counting of clock pulses supplied from the frequency divider 13 to be 
continued and stopped accordingly, thereby realizing a stopwatch function. 
While the subject electronic timepiece is operated as a stopwatch 
function, the contents of the function counter 27 are supplied to the 
display device 22 through the AND circuit 28 included in the display 
control circuit 16, thereby indicating a counted time, for example, 3 
minutes: 25 seconds, as shown in FIG. 2C, as the result of the stopwatch 
function. 
The foregoing description refers to the case where the first or second 
switch 36 or 37 alone was operated while the function counter 47 was reset 
at a "0" count. Selection of other functions is effected by the 
undermentioned processes. Where the first and second switches 36, 37 are 
jointly operated, then the AND circuit 38 issues an output signal. A 
period of time during which the AND circuit 38 continues to produce an 
output signal is measured by the ring counter 45 which counts output 
signals supplied from the frequency divider 13 through the AND circuit 44. 
Each time the joint operation of the two switches 36, 37 continues, for 
example, 5 seconds, an output signal from said ring counter 45 is supplied 
to the 4-scale counter 47 through the AND circuit 46 to cause counts made 
by said counter 47 to be successively advanced. Accordingly, the counts 
thus advanced, the function-selecting circuit 32 is set to given an 
instruction for a prescribed function. Table 1 shows the kinds of function 
corresponding to the counts made by the 4-scale counter 47, and the 
contents of the respective functions effected by operation of the switch 
36, or 37 alone. The functions are selected by the function-selecting 
circuit 32. 
Table 1 
______________________________________ 
Counts 
made Period of 
by joint 
the 4- 
operation 
scale of 
coun- switches Form of Kind of 
Function of 
ter 36 and 37 
display function 
switches 36 and 37 
______________________________________ 
0 Change 36--convert time to and 
over of 
from date 
display 
Stop- 37--convert time count- 
watch ing to and from 
function 
stoppage 
1 5 to 10 Inter- Designa- 
36--clear seconds to 
seconds mittent tion of 
adjust minutes 
display adjust- 
37--clear seconds and 
of ment minutes to adjust 
colons hours 
2 10 to 15 Display Designa- 
36--increase hours by 1 
seconds of tion of 
37--decrease hours by 1 
hours increase 
alone or 
decrease 
of hours 
indi- 
cated 
3 15 to 20 Display Designa- 
36--increase an enumer- 
seconds of tion of 
ated number succes- 
enumer- enumer- 
sively by 1 
ation ator 37--convert of time 
digits function 
counting to end 
from enumeration 
______________________________________ 
There will now be described Table 1 above. Where the first and second 
switches 36, 37 are jointly operated for 5 to 10 seconds, then a carry 
signal issued from the ring counter 45 causes a count made by the 4-scale 
counter 47 to be advanced from zero to 1. At this time, colons 56 shown in 
FIG. 2D are flickered on the display device 22. Flickering of the colons 
56 is effected by selecting out 2 Hz output signals from the time counter 
14 by an AND circuit 60 included in the display control circuit 16. Where 
the joint operation of the first and second switches 36, 37 is terminated 
upon the appearance of said flickering of the colons 56, then the 4-scale 
counter 47 is stopped at a count of 1. Where the first switch 36 is 
operated under this condition, then an output signal from the AND circuit 
39 is supplied to the function-selecting circuit 32, which in turn gives 
an adjustment-instructing signal to the gate of the OR circuit 30 included 
in the control circuit 23. An output signal from the OR circuit 30 clears 
a count made by a second counter included in the time counter 14. The 
adjustment-instructing signal issued from the function-selecting circuit 
32 adjusts a count of minutes made by the minute counter included in the 
time counter 14 by increasing said count by 1. When the second switch 37 
alone is operated while the 4-scale counter 47 is kept at a count of 1, 
then an output signal from the AND circuit 41 is conducted to the 
function-selecting circuit 32, which in turn sends forth an 
adjustment-instructing signal to the OR circuits 29, 30 included in the 
control circuit 23. An output signal from the OR circuit 30 clears counts 
made by the "second" counter included in the time counter 14. The 
adjustment-instructing signal clears counts made by the "minute" counter 
included in the time counter 14. An output signal from the OR circuit 29 
adjusts a count of hours made by the "hour" counter included in the time 
counter 14 by increasing said count by 1. Where prescribed functions are 
executed by the independent operation of the first and second switches 36, 
37, then both switches 36, 37 are jointly operated for a short period of 
time (less than 5 seconds in this case) during which the ring counter 45 
does not generate an output signal. Said joint operation is immediately 
released. As the result, an output signal from the AND circuit 50 is 
transmitted to one of the gates of the AND circuit 55. Where a count being 
made by the 4-scale counter 47 is defined by the joint operation of the 
first and second switches 36, 37 for designation of a function, then the 
reset terminal R of the flip-flop circuit 54 is supplied with that output 
signal from the AND circuit 53 included in a one-shot circuit which 
originates from an output signal from the AND circuit 38. Accordingly, a 
reset output signal from the flip-flop circuit 54 is conducted to the 
other gate of the AND circuit 55. An output signal this AND circuit 55 
resets a count made by the 4-scale counter 47, which in turn is restored 
to the normal condition in which a count of zero is made. 
There will now be described a process of selecting any other desired 
function of the subject electronic timepiece by jointly operating the 
first and second switches 36, 37 for 10 to 15 seconds and causing the 
4-scale counter 47 to count 2 upon receipt of a carry signal from the ring 
counter 45. Where, under this condition, the first switch 36 alone is 
operated, then as many output signals as a number of times said first 
switch 36 is operated are supplied from the AND circuit 39 to the 
function-selecting circuit 32. An adjustment-instructing signal 
corresponding to a count of 2 made by the 4-scale counter 47 is delivered 
to the gate of the OR circuit 29 included in the control circuit 23. An 
output signal from the OR circuit 29 increases by 1 a count made by the 
hour counter included in the time counter 14. At this time, an output 
signal from the 4-scale counter 47 which corresponds to a count of 2 
prevents the inverter 59 from producing an output signal through, 
therefore, a time count sent forth from the AND circuit 19 is not 
displayed, yet a count of hours alone made by the time counter 14 is 
indicated on the display device 22 through the AND circuit 57, OR circuit 
20 and decoder 21 as shown in FIG. 2E. At this time, a count of hours is 
corrected by being increased by 1 due to a +1 upcounting signal being 
supplied to the hour counter included in the time counter 14. Thus, a 
count of 8 (FIG. 2E) indicated on the display device 22 is successively 
increased by 1, each time the first switch 36 is operated. Where the 
second switch 37 alone is actuated while the 4-scale counter 47 is kept at 
a count of 2, then an output signal from the AND circuit 41 is sent forth 
to the function-selecting circuit 32 to decrease by 1 a count of hours 
made by the "hour" counter included in the time counter 14. 
There will now be described a process of selecting any other desired 
function of the subject electronic timepiece by jointly operating the 
first and second switches 36, 37 for 15 to 20 seconds and causing the 
4-scale counter to make a count of 3. At this time, output signals from 
the time counter 14 which correspond to "seconds", "minutes" and "hours" 
are stopped at the AND circuit 19 by the inverter 18 included in the 
display control circuit 16. As the result, the display device 22 makes a 
display such as "0 0 0" (FIG. 2F). Where, under this condition, the first 
switch 36 alone is operated, then the AND circuit 39 produces an output 
signal, which in turn is conducted through the function-selecting circuit 
32 to the OR circuit 26 of the function counter 24. At this time, the 
function counter 27 counts a number of times the first switch 36 is 
operated. A count output signal from the function counter 27 is indicated 
on the display device 22 through the AND circuit 28, OR circuit 20 and 
decoder 21 in turn. Where, under the above-mentioned condition, the second 
switch 37 is alone operated, then an output signal from the 
function-selecting circuit 32 is supplied to the inverter 35 upon receipt 
of an output signal from the AND circuit 41. Since the AND circuit 33 is 
prevented from issuing an output signal, counts of "seconds", "minutes" 
and "hours" made by the time counter 14 are displayed on the display 
device 22 through the inverter 18 and AND circuit 19. Namely, where, under 
the above-mentioned condition, the second switch 37 alone is operated, 
then the display of enumeration digits "0 0 0" on the display device 22 is 
changed over to that of counts of "seconds", "minutes" and "hours". 
The foregoing embodiment included a ring counter 27 for measurement of 
time. However, it is obviously possible to omit said ring counter 27 by 
utilizing a function counter used as a timer counter. 
Further, the embodiment refers to the case where two switches were 
provided. Of course, the switches may be provided in any other number, for 
example, 3. Where a larger number of switches than 3 are used, an 
instruction for a specified function can be given by joint operation of a 
plurality of switches. The kinds of function are not limited to those 
describe in connection with the illustrated embodiment, but it may be 
contemplated to cause the subject electronic timepiece to undertake other 
functions, for example, that of a global timepiece with addition of 
arrangements conforming to said other functions. 
This invention is not limited to uses described herein, but may obviously 
be adapted for many other applications with proper modifications without 
changing the object and scope of the invention.