CA1150382A - Interface device for the entry of data into an instrument of small volume - Google Patents

Abstract

INTERFACE DEVICE FOR THE ENTRY OF DATA
INTO AN INSTRUMENT OF SMALL VOLUME

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The invention concerns an interface device for the entry of data into an instrument of small volume such as a timepiece and comprises a static touch responsive sensor formed by a plurality of juxtaposed electrodes. An elec-tronic logic circuit on the one hand receives signals emitted by the sensor representing the position of a fin-ger on the sensor and on the other hand provides output clock pulses to a first and a second counter. Switching means in the electronic logic circuit enable the switching of the clock pulses to the first counter if the finger is moved over the sensor at a speed v1 less than a threshold speed v2 or to the second counter if the finger is moved over the sensor at a speed V3 greater than the threshold speed v2. The invention may be employed in small time-pieces for time setting for example.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
. _ This invention comprises an interface device for the entry of data into an instrument of small volume such as a timepiece comprising a static touch responsive sensor ar-ranged to be manually actuable with each position of a finger corresponding to at least one symbol which may take the form of a number, letter or special sign, the sensor being formed by the ~uxtaposition of N electrodes adapted to provide at least N - 1 coded information items repre-sentative of the position of the finger on the sensor.

The ~nvention relates to US Patent No. 4,242,676, Piguet et al and which concerns an interface device for data entry for small volume instrumentsand for which it comprises a par-ticularly interesting improvement above all in view of its application to timepieces. The above cited application starts with the idea of a data entry device capable of being manually actuated and furnishing information repre-sentative of the position of a finger on a sensor, (resis-tive or capacitive), such information being independent of the width of the finger. To arrive at such a result use has been made of a sensor formed by the ~uxtaposition of a plurality of identical electrodes providing at their out-put information according to a binary code representing the position of the finger on the sensor.
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` The cited system may already provide an important improvement in the case where it is employed for the cor-rection of a timepiece having an electro-optic display.
Ta~ing as an example a situation where the timepiece in-cludes in addition to the main display of the normal time-keeping operation which appears permanently, a secondary display which may sequentially display a count-down timer, an alarm timer, a diary, a time zone, a date, etc.. All ~15~382 these several functional modes may be indicated by perma-nent signs engraved or transfered onto the interior sur-face of the glass. The touch sensitive key described in the above cited application may initially be employed to select the functional mode or programme. By moving the finger on said key a symbol is also moved which for ins-tance may frame one of the permanently fixed signs and thus one may select the programme chosen when the finger is removed from the key. Should one then actuate a push-button the display corresponding to the programme as cho-sen will be transfered into the correction mode, this be-ing indicated by blinking of the display. The correction may again be made by the touch sensitive key. If the dis-play chosen includes a digit or a group of two digits for instance such may be augmented by moving from left to right the finger over the sensor, or diminished by the same movement but from right to left. If the number to be corrected is that of the minutes of a main display for instance, il will be appreciated that relative to known systems of correction by means of a pushbutton the cited device may enable attainment much more rapidly of the re-quired correction, in the case where the timepice has ad-vanced several minutes since it will be sufficient to move the finger from right to left over a short distance in or-der to diminish the number and thus to bring it,to the va-lue of the timing signal.

The time indications displayed by a timepiece general-ly include not one but ra~her two groups of associated di-gits. The principal display of normal time of day compri-ses at least the indication of minutes and hours. On the auxiliary display there may appear an alarm time or a time zone of which the first digit group may indicate the hour and the second groupthe minute.Also theremay appearon this display a diary for which the first group may indicate the month and the second the date. In a different mode or pro-gramme the same basis is provided for display of the day ~150382 of the week and of the date which may appear simultaneous-ly. If the watch is provided with a count-down timer, the latter may indicate a lapse of time comprising associated indications of hours and minutes which it must count-down.
For each of the timin~ indications mentioned above it is wo necessary to foresee 4Y~correction modes, the first ac-ting for instance on the group of numbers or digits to the left and the second on the group to the right. In known watches the changing of a correction mode from one timing to another and from one group to the other for each timing indication is accomplished by means of a pushbutton as has been mentioned in the preceding paragraph, this requiring thus a multiplicity of actuations of the pushbutton and thereby a succession of tedious operations.

The present invention proposes to overcome the above mentioned difficulties through correcting as a group each timing indication and the digit groups of which it is composed without the necessity of changing the correction mode for each of the groups one after the other. It takes advantage of the fact that the finger may be displaced at different speeds on the sensor and that means may be em-ployed in order that by slow motion one group may be cor-rected and that through a rapid motion another group may be corrected.

The device of this invention and the means employed for the realisation thereof are defined in the claims here-to attached.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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.' Figure 1is a top view of a timepiece in a first -functional mode according to the inven-tion.

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' Figure 2 is a top view of the display of the same timepiece operating in a second mode.

Figure 3 provides a block diagram of the principleof the electronic circuit associated with the timepiece as shown in figures 1 and 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are timing diagrams explaining the functioning of the electronics as repre-sented in figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a top view of the timepiece in a first functional mode according to the invention. It comprises a case 1 in which are mounted an electronic module for which one will note the display 2, a plurality 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of pushbuttons and a sensor 100 formed from four electrodes 101 which are identical and juxtaposed side by side. The display 2, which may be formed from liquid crystal means comprises in addition to the permanent dis-play 8 of the normal time of day comprising three groups of two digits displaying hours 9, minutes 10 and seconds 11, an auxiliary display 12 which may display for instance the day of the week 13, the month 14 and the date 15.
Signs 16 permanently fixed for instance by transfer under the watch glass may signal the functional modes which are possible, and to which one may switch the secondary dis-play. For instance the sign A G 1 signifies diary 1 and the sign D the date. A frame 17 formed from liquid crystals may signal in which mode the arrangement is operating. It will now be described how the time setting is effected for the main display, how the functional mode is selected and how new data may be introduced into the secondary display.

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)382 Time settinq The time may be corrected if for one reason or an-other the main display 8 has advanced or is running slow relative to the standard time signal and also at the time of changing of the energy source of the watch. With the point of a ball-point pen a short duration pressure will be applied to pushbutton 7. This actuation causes the seconds indicating group of digits 11 to blink, thus si-gnalling that the correction mode has been entered for this group. At this moment a single application of the finger to any portion of the sensor 100 will reset the seconds to 0. Such application should coincide with the re-turn to O of the seconds of the time signal. Following thereafter the pushbutton 6 will be actuated which has as its effect initially to stop the blinking of the group 11 then to cause the groups 9 and 10 (hours and minutes res-pectively) to blink together. These two groups will then be found in the correction mode.
i In order to correct the group 10 alone and in accor-dance with the invention, the finger will be moved over the sensor 100 at a first speed vl less than a threshold speed v2. It is necessary to observe that from the moment that the finger comes in contact with the senso~ the dis-play will cease blinking thus facilitating the correction to be effected. The digits will be augmented if the finger is moved from left to right over the sensor and diminished if the finger is moved in the reverse sense. Since the sensor has a limited number N of electrodes (four in the example) it will not be possible to add or to remove in a single motion of the finger over the sensor more than

2 N - 1 units form the displayed number ~seven in the example). As may be seen from the cited patent appliaation if it is necessary to modify the displayed number by more than 2 N - 1 units it will be sufficient to lift the fin-ger when it attains the end of the sensor and to repeat :` ~15~)382 ~ - 7 .
the operation starting from the other end and so on. As soon as the desired number has been attained the finger : will be removed from the sensor, this having as consequen-~ ce to freeze the last digit attained.
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invention one will move the finger over the sensor 100 as a speed V3 greater than the threshold speed v2. As in the case of the preceding group the figures will be augmented if the finger is moved from left to right and diminished if the opposite sense is employed. Although it is theore-tically possible at speed V3 as in the case of speed vl as previously examined to modify the number displayed by 2 N - l digits through running over the entire sensor, nu-merous trials have shown that a discrimination based en-tirely on the difference in speed was not sufficiently certain and that it was necessary to take into account differencesin speed which occur along the route while the finger is moving over the sensor. For this reason in order to correct group 9 and in accordance with the preferred variant of the invention it is necessary not only to tra-verse the sensor at speed V3 but initially to touch the first electrode and to leave the last at a speed substan-tially equal to said speed V3 in order to add or subtract a single unit.from the number of the hours.

The means employed in the electronic module to cor-rect the one or the other group are explained further on with reference to figure 3.
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' As soon as the main display has been locked on the time signal by means of the measures which have just been ` explained, the correction mode will be terminated by . ~i ~ . pressing again on pushbutton 6.

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Selection of the functional mode Field 16 of figure 1 shows on two superposed lines the various functions possible and which may be adjusted in the timepiece. In the timepiece considered as example will be found in the upper line and from left to right symbols indicating successively the following functions :
chronograph, count-down timer, alarm 1 and alarm 2; in the lower line and from left to right are to be found an acous-tic time signal, diaries 1 and 2, the time zone and the date. Figure 1 illustrates the watch presently in date mo-de and the sign D is surrounded by a frame 17. On the auxiliary display appear the day of the week at 13 (FR =
Friday), the month at 14 (1 = January) and the date at 15 (the 25th). Should one wish to have appear on the auxilia-ry display another function, for example that of diary 1 shown in figure 2, the finger will be moved at speed v from right to left over the sensor 100 until frame 17 surrounds the sign A G 1. At this instant upon removing the finger from the sensor the frame will begin to blink.
During the blinking time which might be set to be between

3 and 4 seconds for example, one may actuate pushbutton 6 which- will cause the desired function to appear on the auxiliary or secondary display. It is to be noted that if pushbutton 6 is not actuated during the above-mentioned time lapse the frame will return to its original position (to that shown in figure 1). Set to its new function the display indicates at 20 the sign A 1 signifying "diary 1", at 21 "month" and at 22 the "date". In the watch consider-ed as an example this diary indication will automatically appear on the auxiliary or secondary display whatever may be the date otherwise displayed by this display, during twenty-four hours, at the moment when the calendar date coincides with the diary date. It should be remembered here that the choice of the functional mode is obtained by moving the finger at the speed vl over the sensor, the rapid speed V3 having no influence on such choice.

~ iV382 g . . , Correction of_the auxili ry disPlay To enter the correction mode for the auxiliary or se-condary display, actuation of pushbutton 6 is required.

In the case as shown in figure 1 and following a first actuation of pushbutton 6, groups 14 and 15 blink together. The timepiece is then set to the date (group 15) by moving the finger at speed vl over the sensor and to the month (group 14) by moving at speed V3 as has been ex-plained in the case of correction of hours and minutes. A
second actuation of pushbutton 6 causes the group 13 re-presenting the day of the week to blink which may then be changed by moving the finger at speed vl over the sensor.
A third actuation of pushbutton 6 will remove the entire display 12 from the correction mode and it will even erase the month indication 14 which is no longer desired.

In the case of figure 2 one may act in the same man-ner on sensor 100 and on pushbutton 6 in order to correct groups 21 (month) and 22 (date) of the diary. Actuation of pushbutton 6 will bring the diary function into the cor-rection mode, this effecting blinking of groups 21 and 22 together, while a further actuation will remove the dis-play from this correction mode.
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The various manipulations necessary to correct the `
indications given by the timepiece have been explained a-bove. The means employed according to the invention to correct one group of data rather than another based on the different speeds of movement of the finger over the sensor are now to be described having reference to figures 3, 4 and 5.

'j Figure 3 shows the basic block diagram of the elec-`` tronic circuit associated with the timepiece shown in fi-gures 1 and 2.
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~5~382 According to the patent application-cited hereinabove, this circuit comprises a digital sensor 100 provided with N juxtaposed electrodes 101. Outputs 103 are associated with each of electrodes 101. The electrodes 101 of sensor 100 provide binary coded information to the outputs 103 representing the position of the finger on the sensor. The N electrodes 101 of such a sensor permit defining of 2 N - 1 positions of the finger, i.e. 2 N - 1 coded output information items, independently of the width of the fin-ger. There are thus N positions corresponding to the N
electrodes to which may be added N - 1 positions taken respectively between each two adjacent electrodes. The 2 N - 1 coded information items, provided by N bits may be transformed to M bits with M < N in order to simplify the electronic circuit associated therewith and to elimi-nate the effect of the finger width. A transformation circuit is represented at 104 and receives at its input 103 the N bits provided by the sensor and provides at its output a code reduced to three bits 107.
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In accordance with the invention the outputs 107 of the transformation circuit (transcoder) are coupled to the input of a logic circuit 113, certain elements of which are arranged according to the cited patent ~pplicatio~ and which furnishes at its output clock pulses 124a, 125a res-pectively to the input of a first (115a) or to a second (115b) counter according to the speed of movement of the finger, and a control signal lO9a controlling the counting sense of said counters. Outputs 116a and 116b of each of the counters feed utilization circuits llla, lllb and the displays llOa, llOb relating thereto respectively.
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The logic circuit 113 includes as in the case of the previously cited patent application a comparator circuit 109 which may be of the type 74 C 181 for example, to the , inputs A entry of which are directly coupled outputs 107 of the transcoder 104 and to the inputs B entry of which . . , ~ ' .

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~5~382 via three D flip-flops 108 are coupled delayed outputs 107.
The three outputs lO9a, lO9b and lO9c of the comparator assume the logic state 1 when the conditions at the input are respectively A ~B, A ~ O and A ~s. It is noted that the input A of circuit 109 represents the actual position of the finger on the sensor and the input B the immediate-ly preceding position of the finger on the sensor. From this fact :
a) when condition A ~0 is obtained the finger is in contact with the sensor, b) when the condition A ~ B is obtained the finger has been displaced towards the left. When not obtained it has been displaced towards the right or not changed posi-tion. This therefore defines the sense of counting of the reversible counters 115a and 115b, c) when condition A 7~ B is obtained there has been a movement of the finger over the sensor.

The logic circuit 113 furthermore and according to the invention comprises three delay timing circuits 120, 121 and 122 having respective delays f ~ 3 and ~2;
AND gate 124which is enabled if signals to the two inhibit inputs are at the 0 state with the direct input at the 1 state; A~D gate 125 which is enabled if its three inputs are at the 1 state and a D flip-flop of the type D 123.
All these elements are arranged according to the invention as shown in the block diagram of figure 3. It should be noted that the AND gates are well-known from the state of the art and that the timing circuits may be formed for instance each one by two integrated circuits of the type 555 coupled in series.

To consolidate the ideas already presented it will be supposed that the timepiece which has been earlier des-cribed above shows on its auxiliary display, the function diary 1 for which the month and the date are to be entered (see figure 2). To the grQup 21 (month) corresponds rever-sible counter 115a and to the group 22 (date) corresponds the reversible counter 115b. The month is displayed at llOa and stored at llla; the date is displayed at llOb and stored at lllb. Two cases may occur :

1. Date correction According to the invention the finger should be moved at a speed vl less than the threshold speed v2 over the sensor in order to correct the group of digits representing the date (display llOb).

When the finger enters into contact with one of the electrodes 101 of sensor 100 it will introduce at the in-put of comparator 109 a new coded value. As long as the D
flip-flop 108 has not received the clock pulse it will maintain at outputs Q, corresponding to the coded value B
at the second input of the comparator 109 the present va-lue of A present before the contact of the finger on the sensor. The instant of contact is shown by t~ on figure 4 which represents the operation of the arrangement during movement at slow speed vl. At this moment A has changed its value which is arbitrarily symbolised in the timing diagram by a line passing from a low state to a high state.
At this same moment ta the condition A ~ B is realised and the output lO9c goes from the 0 state to the 1 state.
From this moment on the timing circuits 120, 121 and 122 may generate a short pulse (for instance 2 ms) at the end of each of their respective delays ~ 3 and ~2~ A
short pulse is emitted by the timing circuit 122 following a time ~2~ which is fixed for instance at 30 ms. This pulse via line 122a is conducted to the clock inputs of D
flip-flop 108 thereby bringing the Q outputs of said flip-flop to the same state as that at its inputs D, and since the value of A has not changedit will be found that A = B
and that the output lO9c goes to 0. This switching is shown by arrow 130 on figure 4. It is necessary to note "' .

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`` ~15~382 here that in the cited patent _~}.~R the clock pulses for flip-flop 108 were supplied by an exterior generator at 100 Hz. The system according to this invention presents an interesting improvement through the fact that the clock is internal to the system shown by circuit 113 thereby achieving complete self-synchronisation. The timing cir-cuit 121 is of the type known as retriggerable. It exhi-bits the particularity of not providing an output so long as its input is at the 1 state. However if its input goes to the 0 state it may provide an output pulse at the end of its delay ~3, for instance 25 ms, and which begins to be counted at the moment of the changeover to the 0 state.
Such situation is shown on the timing diagram of figure 4 where it will be noted that a short pulse is emitted on line 121a following a delay ~3, which runs from the mo-ment when the line 109c has changed to the 0 state. On line 121a of the diagram small crosses are used to symbo-lize the fact that the timing circuit 121 may not furnish a pulse so long as line 109c is in the state 1. A short pulse emitted on line 121a by the timing circuit 121 is transmitted to the clock input of the D flip-flop 123. The input D of this flip-flop is connected to the output 109b (A ~ B) of comparator 109. Since the finger is in contact with the sensor the condition A ~ O is realised and the output 109b is in the state 1. This same state 1 will be found at the Q output ofthe D flip-flop 123 as soon as the leading edge of the short pulse emitted by the timing cir-cuit 121 has appeared. This ~ -is shown by the ar-row 131 on figure 4.
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It is also seen that to output A ~ B is connected a timing circuit 120 which emits at its output 120a a short pulse at the end of its delay ~1~ which may for instance be of 25 ms. It may equally be seen that during the period separating ta from time tb, i.e. as sGon as the finger has touched the sensor and rests stationary thereon, gate 125 is never enabled since there is never a coincidence of 1 .
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states on the three inputs via lines lO9b, 120a and 123a as shown by the timing diagram of figure 4. Line ]25a re-mains at the 0 state : no clock signal arrives at counter 115b and thus no new value appears on the corresponding display. This arrangement is desirable in practice since it enables avoiding untimely changes which are difficult to control.

As has been mentioned above and finding in the cited patent application if the sensor is provided with N elec-trodes it will be possible to obtain a maximum of 2 N - 1 coded information items at the output of the transcoder 104 if the finger is moved from one end to the other of the sensor. As has just been explained in the preceding paragraph, it is desired that the first contact of the finger on the sensor will not result in the output of in-formation. From the preferred arrangement according to this invention there will thus only be a maximum of 2 N - 2 information items available at the input of count-er 115b. For instance if the sensor is comprised of four electrodes a movement of the finger from one end to the other thereof will result only in the output of six infor-mation items. It is also possible to foresee an arrange-ment based on like principles whereby information is pro-vided only by the transition between adjacent electrodes, in which case the maximum information items available will be limited to N - 1.

If now the finger starts to move on the sensor the moment will arrive when the value of A is about to change state. This moment is indicated on figure 4 by the time tb.
From this moment the fact that A is different from B will result in a state 1 on line lO9c. As the lines lO9b (the condition A 7~B is still present) and 123a are at the sta-te 1 gate 125 will be enabled as soon as its input to which is connected line 120a goes to state 1. This arrives after the delay ~1 This situation is illustrated on fi-~'~. ''' ' .~ .
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gure 4 at time tx. The pulse appearing on line 125a may then add or subtract a single unit from the date counter 115b (according to whether A ~ B or that A c B). Several other clock pulses may thus arrive at counter 115b if the finger continues to move over the sensor.

At the moment when the desired symbol appears on the display, such symbol possibly being a digit, a letter or any special sign, the finger must leave the sensor in or-der that the data be definitely fixed either in the utili-, . .
zation circuit lllb or in the corresponding display llOb.This instant is indicated by time tc on the timing diagram of figure 4. Since the finger is no longer in contact with the sensor the condition A ~ O is no longer realised and line lO9b passes to the state 0. The short pulse appearing on line 120a at the end of delay ~1 cannot traverse gate 125 since input lO9b is at the state 0. A short pulse ap-pearing on line 121a places the Q output (123a) of D flip-flop 123 in the same state as its D input i.e. at the sta-te 0 since once again the condition A ~ O is no longer realised (arrow 132). Thus in lifting the finger from the sensor new information is neither added nor subtracted in the counter115bwhich is an advantage evidently desirable in practice.
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' The timing diagram of figure 4 shows also that count-, er 115a to which corresponds the display of months never receives clock pulses. In order thatthe contrary should happen it would be necessary that at a certain moment line 120a would be at state 1 while at the same time lines 123a and lO9b were at the state 0. This situation however never ' arrives in the slow cycle which has just been described ` and as shown by the timing diagram.

2. Month correction According to the invention the finger must move at a ,~
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speed V3 greater than the threshold speed v2 over the sen-sor in order to correct the group of digits representing the month (display llOa).

Reference should be made-to the timing diagram of fi-gure 5 in order to understand the operation of the arran-qement. At time ta the finger comes in contact with the sensor, this bringing about as in the case of date correc-tion, change to state 1 also of line 109b ~A~ 0) and of line lO9c ~A ~ B). As before, short pulses issued from the timing circuits 120 and 122 appear on lines 120a and 122a.
It was seen above that the short pulse coming from timing c rcuit 121 appears on line 121a at the end of its delay ~ 3 if line lO9c is at the state 0. In the case with which we are now concerned, the speed of movement of the finger over the sensor is so high that when the end of delay ~3 arrives line lO9c is already at the state 1. No pulse ap-pears thus on line 121a. When the finger leaves the sensor at the moment td the condition A ~ O is no longer satis-fied and line lO9b passes to state 0. The short pulse gi-ven by the timing circuit 120 appears normally at the end of its delay ~1 Line 123a is at state 0 since no pulse has been applied thereto by 121 via the D flip-flop 123.
Thus all the conditions are present to enable gate 124 which emits via line 124a a pulse to the month counter 115a. This arrangement is shown on figure 5 at time ty.

It will be understood that counter 115b to which the date display corresponds does not receive a clock pulse in the case under consideration. Effectively in order that this should be the case it would be necessary that at a certain moment lines 120a, 123a and lO9b be at the state 1 which is not the case as is illustrated by the timing diagram of figure 5.
~' It may also be seen through examination of figure 5 that at high speed there can be only one clock signal :

~5~)382 124a for one passage of the finger over the sensor since the signal appears only when the finger leaves the sensor and provided that it has maintained its high speed. This is a requirement imposed by practice for if, as in the correction mode at slow speed,- one could at high speed and with a single movement introduce several corrections the arrangement would be totally lacking in precision and lengthy operations would be necessary in order to stop at the desired value. If during its movement the speed of the finger should descend below the threshold speed v2, the situation again will be as explained with reference to fi-gure 4. It will be also noted that in order to enter the correction mode for counter 115a (month) it is necessary to contact the sensor at high speed. If such were not the case (low speed or O) the timing circuit 121 will emit a pulse at the end of its delay ~3, this having as conse-!~ quence the enabling of counter 115b (date) as has been ex-plained with reference to figure 4. Next, if the speed of the finger were to increase above the threshold speed v2 during the same movement the situation of the timing dia-gram of figure 5 will never arrive since line 123a will be at the state 1, this preventing the enabling of gate 124.
This constitutes an advantage since it prevents differen-ces in speed during a single traverse sometimes to act on ;~ one counter and sometimes on the other.

; 3. Considerations common to both corrections ' The choice of corrections between one group of digits and another depends, as one has seen, on the speed with ; which the finger is moved over the sensor. If it is moved slowly one group of digits will be corrected and with as many as six corrections for a single traverse. If it is moved rapidly another group of digits will be corrected and with a single correction for each traverse.

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.~ 382 The threshold speed v2 which is between the slow speed vl and the high speed V3 is determined by the longi-tudinal dimension of the sensor. It has been seen that the presence or absence of the short pulse from the timing and delay circuit 121 at the end of its delay ~3 conditions the correction of one group to the exclusion of the other or vice versa. The delay ~3, starting at the end of delay ~2~ the time to be taken into consideration for the threshold speed is thus ~2 + ~3~ In a practical example of the invention the distance separating two coded infor-mation items on the sensor is 2.25 mm. In the same manner it has already been mentioned that the delays ~2 and ~3 are chosen respectively to be 30 and 25 ms, this giving for ~2 + ~3 a period of 55 ms. Under these conditions the threshold speed V2 is on the order of 4 cm/sec.

It must also be recalled that in both cases counters llSa and llSb may be augmented or diminished by line lO9a (A ~ B or A C B) in accordance with the sense of movement of the finger from left to right or from right to left.

In conclusion it may be mentioned that the reversible counters llSa and llSb may be obtained through the use of standard circuits known from the state of the art such as the type 4029. More generally these could also be in a micro-processor for which the soft-ware is arranged to provide an equivalent to what is normally expected from a standard counter.
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Claims (14)

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1. An interface device for the entry of data into an instrument of small volume such as a timepiece comprising a static touch responsive sensor arranged to be manually actuable with each position of a finger corresponding to at least one symbol which may take the form of a number, letter or special sign, said sensor being formed by the juxtaposition of N electrodes adapted to provide at least N - 1 coded information items representative of the posi-tion of the finger on the sensor and wherein are provided a sense/speed detecting means, coupled to the sensor for receiving signals therefrom and interpreting the signals to detect the sense and the speed of movement of the finger over the sensor, generating means for generating signals representing data to be selected or modified coupled to a display means for displaying symbols representative of the data on a composite display device comprising at least a first and a second displays, said generating means be-ing coupled to said sense/speed detecting means for re-ceiving signals therefrom for modifying the data control-ling symbols appearing on said first display if the finger is moved over said sensor at a speed less than a predetermined speed and on aid second display if the finger is moved over said sensor at a speed greater than the predetermined speed.

2. An interface device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an electronic logic circuit including switching means arranged to switch the information items to a first counter corresponding to a first display if the finger is moved over the sensor at a speed v1 less than a threshold speed v2, or to a second counter corresponding to a second display if the finger is moved over the sensor at a speed V3 greater than the threshold speed v2 whereby the first or second displays are brought to display the symbols corresponding to the information items.

3. An interface device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the composite display device provides first and second juxtaposed symbols, the first being modified when the finger is moved at the speed v1 and the second modifi-ed when the finger is moved at the speed V3.

4. An interface device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the composite display device provides four juxta-posed symbols arranged in first and second groups of two, the first group being modified when the finger is moved at the speed v1 and the second group modified when the finger is moved at the speed V3.

5. An interface device as set forth in claim 4 wherein the first group is adapted to display hours and the second group to display minutes, the movement of the finger thereby effecting time setting of the main display in a timepiece.

6. An interface device as set forth in claim 4 wherein the first group is adapted to display the month and the second group to display the date, the movement of the finger thereby effecting month and date setting of a secondary display in a timepiece.

7. An interface device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the electronic logic circuit includes an input ar-ranged to receive output signals from the sensor and an output providing first clock pulses to the input of the first counter or second clock pulses to the input of the second counter in accordance with the speed of finger mo-vement and a control signal to determine up or down count-ing in accordance with the sense of finger movement over the sensor.

8. An interface device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said switching means are arranged to effect symbol display on the first display corresponding to the finger position if the finger moves over the sensor at said speed v1 and to effect display on the second display of a single new symbol if the finger moves over the sensor at said speed V3, the first and last electrodes of said sensor be-ing respectively accosted and departed at a speed substan-tially equal to said speed V3.

9. An interface device as set forth in claim 7 wherein the electronic logic circuit includes a comparator of at least M bits capacity having first inputs arranged to receive coded signals directly from the sensor and se-cond inputs arranged to receive said coded signals from the sensor via a delay creating circuit, said comparator providing one of three possible output signals in accor-dance with the comparison between the signals received at the first and second inputs, a first output signal re-presenting the sense of finger movement over the sensor and constituting the control signal determinative of up or down counting, a second output signal being indicative of finger contact with the sensor and a third output signal indicative of finger movement over the sensor, the second and third outputs signals being combined in gates so as to form the clock pulses directed to the first or second counter as determined by the speed of movement of the fin-ger over the sensor being respectively less or greater than the threshold speed v2.

10. An interface device as set forth in claim 9 wherein the delay creating circuit comprises a D type flip-flop arranged to receive the third output signal of the comparator at its clock input said third output signal being delayed by a first delaytiming element.

11. An interface device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the clock input of the first counter is obtained from the output of a first AND gate having three inputs, the first of which is coupled to the third output signal of the comparator via a second delaytiming element, the second of which is coupled to the Q output of a D flip-flop controlled at its clock input by said comparator third output signal transmitted via a third delay timing element, and the third of which is coupled to the second output signal of the comparator the latter being further coupled to the D input of said D flip-flop.

12. An interface device as set forth in claim 11 wherein the clock input of the second counter is obtained from the output of a second AND gate having three inputs, the first of which is coupled to the output of the second delay timing element, the second of which receives the inverted Q output signal of said D flip-flop and the third of which receives the inverted second output signal of the comparator.

13. An interface device as set forth in claim 11 wherein the third delay timing element comprises a re-triggerable monostable element the time constant ?3 of which runs from the moment at which a signal appears at the output of the first delay timing element.

14. An interface device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the instrument comprises a wrist-watch.