Method and apparatus for correcting time in an electronic wristwatch

Abstract

An electronic timepiece having a pulse generator producing a high frequency time standard signal, a divider circuit formed from a plurality of series-connected divider stages for producing low frequency timing signals in response to said time standard signal and a device for displaying time in response to said timing signals, is provided with a correction circuit disposed in said divider circuit. The correction circuit enables the use of a new method and apparatus for providing a correction signal to the divider stages counting seconds to reset the divider stages to zero seconds during use of the watch, to thereby correct the accuracy of the second display.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic timepiece comprising oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal, divider means for producing low frequency timing signals from said high frequency time standard signals including a plurality of series-connected divider stages, certain of said divider stages corresponding to seconds display, means for the digital display of time in response to said timing signals, said digital display means displaying at least seconds and minutes, said seconds divider stages providing a substantially squarewave output signal having a period of 1 minute to the next divider stage, and correction means for applying a reset signal to said certain divider stages which correspond to the incorrect time displayed, said correction means being adapted to set the second digital display to zero without affecting the minute digital display when said reset signal is applied to said certain dividers during the first half cycle of said output signal when the seconds digital display means is 30 or less and to set the second digital display to zero and increase the minute digital display by one when said reset signal is applied to said certain dividers during the second half cycle of said output signal when said seconds digital display read more than 30. 
     
     
       2. An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said certain divider stages are a 1/6 divider stage corresponding to a 1-second display and 1/3 and 1/2 divider stages corresponding to a 10-second display. 
     
     
       3. An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 2, wherein said correction means includes a wave shaping means for supplying said reset signal to said certain divider stages in the form of a pulse. 
     
     
       4. An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 3, wherein said correction means includes a manually operated switch means coupled to said wave shaping means, for selectively causing the application of said pulse reset signal to said certain divider stages. 
     
     
       5. An electronic timepiece as claimed in claim 4, wherein a second manually operated switch means is coupled to said next divider stage to effect correction of the minutes display. 
     
     
       6. A method for correcting errors of minus 30 seconds or less in an electronic timepiece having oscillator means for producing a high frequency time standard signal, divider means for producing low frequency timing signals from said high frequency time standard signal including a plurality of series-connected divider stages, certain of said divider stages .Iadd.including seconds divider stages .Iaddend.producing a square wave timing signal to the next divider stage and means for the digital display of time including at least .[.a seconds and.]. a minutes display in response to said timing signals, the method comprising the steps of, at the nearest correct minute indication, in response to the second half cycle of the square wave timing signals.Iadd., .Iaddend.resetting the .Iadd.seconds .Iaddend.divider stages producing the .Iadd.seconds .Iaddend.timing signals .[.associated with the digital display of seconds.]. to zero and increasing the count of the next divider stages producing timing signals associated with the digital display of minutes by one.