Electronic watch and drive method therefor

• US 20010043512A1
• Filed: 06/13/2001
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Noritoshi, Murakami, Akiyoshi, Igarashi, Kiyotaka, Shimoda, Kenji, Sakuyama, Masao
• Granted Patent: US 6,483,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/204
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 17/00 Indicating the time optically by electric means G04C19/00 takes precedence; by mechanical means G04B19/00, G04B19/20
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/146 incorporating two or more stepping motors or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 19/10 Arrangements for supplying back-up power
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 19/12 Arrangements for reducing power consumption during storage

Abstract

A multifunction electronic watch 10 having a large variety of added functions, and providing an electronic watch and drive method therefor that have a high value as a product and a configuration enabling separate use of an energy-saving mode and a function information operating mode, this electronic watch having 10 having a reference signal generation means 1, a time information generation means 2, which generates time information TJ based on a reference signal S3R from the reference signal generation means 1, a function information generation means for generating function information FJ, a display drive means 4, which outputs drive signals DRT and DRF for the purpose of displaying the function information FJ and the time information TJ on an appropriate display means, and a display means 5, which displays the function information FJ and the time information TJ based on the drive signals DRT and DRF from the display drive means 4, this electronic watch having an energy-saving operating condition with a power consumption that is less than an normal operating condition, wherein the function operating condition of the function information generation means is given priority over the energy-saving operating condition.

Claims

1. An electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an energy-saving operating condition in which power consumption is less than in a normal operating condition, and being configured so that a function operating condition of said function information generation means is given higher priority than an energy-saving operating condition.

4. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 3

, wherein there is partial overlap between a prescribed means stopped when said energy-saving operating condition occurs and a prescribed means operating when a function operating condition occurs in said function information generation means.

5. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 4

, wherein when all prescribed means stopped when said energy-saving operating condition occurs are cancelled from said energy-saving operating condition when a function operating condition occurs in said function information generation means.

6. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 4

, wherein, part of prescribed means stopped when said energy-saving operating condition occurs is maintained in said energy-saving operating condition even if said function information generation means goes into a function operating condition.

10. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 9

, wherein at least part of said display means is formed by a digital display mechanism or an analog display mechanism.

11. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 10

, wherein a power supply driving each means of said electronic watch is one type selected from a primary cell or an electrical generation means such as a solar cell, a manual wound electrical generator, a self-winding electrical generator, a temperature-difference electrical generator, or a combination of an electrical storage means such as a secondary cell or storage cell and an electrical generation means.

12. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 11

, further comprising a pressure sensor, said electronic watch being configured so that, based on sensing information from said pressure sensor, function information of said function information generation means can be used to measure either altimeter function information or water depth gauge function information.

13. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 11

, further comprising a temperature sensor, said electronic watch being configured so that, based on sensing information from said temperature sensor, function information of said function information generation means can be used to measure either temperature function information or water temperature function information.

14. An electronic watch according to

claim 12

or

claim 13

, wherein a condition for canceling said energy-saving operating condition is that a water-sensing switch is detected on.

15. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 14

, further comprising a delay means for the purpose, which, after a condition for entering said energy-saving operating condition is satisfied, after a prescribed delay time is counted, causes transition from said normal operating condition to said energy-saving operating condition.

16. An electronic watch according to

claim 15

, wherein in a case in which said function information generation means has gone into an operating condition, the counting operation of a delay time in said delay means is stopped by a reset control or the like.

17. An electronic watch according to

claim 15

or

claim 16

, wherein during an operating condition of said function information generation means, a reset condition of said delay means is maintained.

18. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 17

, wherein said energy-saving operating condition stops part of a circuit means among an integrated circuits driving said electronic watch is stopped.

19. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 17

, wherein said energy-saving operating condition stops part of said display means.

20. An electronic watch according to

claim 19

, wherein said part of said display means is a second hand.

21. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 20

, wherein said energy-saving operating condition detection means is formed by either a mechanism that automatically detects an electrical generation condition of said electrical generation means, an output voltage or an output current of a primary or second cell, or the amount of light illumination on said electronic watch, or a setting mechanism for manual operation.

22. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 21

, wherein said electronic watch is configured so that in said energy-saving operating condition, when the operating condition of said function information generation means once being in a function operating condition ends, in a case in which a condition for entering said energy-saving operating condition is maintained from before, return is immediately made to said energy-saving operating condition.

23. An electronic watch according to any one of

claim 1

to

claim 22

, wherein in a case in which said function information generation means enters a function operating condition when in said energy-saving operating condition, a time for prescribed function operation in said function information generation means is set so as to be shorter than a time for prescribed function operation in said function information generation means for a normal operation condition.

2. An electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an energy-saving operating condition in which power consumption is less than in a normal operating condition, and being configured so in a case in which said function information generation means goes into an operating condition during an energy-saving operating condition, said energy-saving operating condition is cancelled.

3. An electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an energy-saving operating condition in which power consumption is less than in a normal operating condition, and being configured so in a case in which a condition for entering said energy-saving operating condition is satisfied when said function information generation means is in an operating condition, said energy-saving operating condition is not entered.

7. An electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an energy-saving operating condition detection means, which detects existence or non-existence of a condition requiring energy-saving operation, and a control means capable of performing control each said display drive means so as to be in a normal operating condition, a energy-saving operating condition, in which power consumption is less than said normal operating condition, or a function operating condition, wherein said control means performs control so that, in response to a detection signal of said energy-saving operating condition detection means, part or all of said display means is set to said energy-saving operating condition, and in response to an output signal of a function operating condition detection means part or all of said function information display means is set to a function operating condition, and further so that in a case in which said energy-saving operating condition detection signal and a function operating condition detection signal contend, a function operating condition in at least part of said display means is given priority over an energy-saving operating condition in said display means.

8. An electronic watch according to

claim 7

, wherein said control means, in a case in which at least part of a time information display means is in a normal condition, in response to a detection signal from said function operating condition detection means or a detection signal from said energy-saving operating condition detection means, performs control so that either the display means is placed in the energy-saving operating condition, or the display means is placed in the function operating condition, and when a detection signal from said energy-saving operating condition detection means is detected during said display means is placed in said function operating condition, the detection signal from said energy-saving operating condition detection means is invalidated.

9. An electronic watch according to

claim 7

, wherein said control means, in a case in which at least part of said display means is in a normal condition, in response to a detection signal from said function operating condition detection means or a detection signal from said energy-saving operating condition detection means, performs control so that either the display means is placed in the energy-saving operating condition, or the display means is placed in the function operating condition, and when said display means is in said energy-saving operating condition, if a detection signal is output from said function operating condition detection means, the energy-saving operating condition in said display means is cancelled, and said function information display means is set to said function operating condition.

24. A method for driving an electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an energy-saving operating condition in which power consumption is less than in a normal operating condition, whereby a function operating condition of said function information generation means is given higher priority than an energy-saving operating condition.

27. A method for driving an electronic watch according to any one of

claim 24

to

claim 26

, wherein in a case in which an operating condition of said function information generation means ends, said display drive means drives the display means in either a normal operating condition or an energy-saving operating condition.

28. A method for driving an electronic watch according to any one of

claim 24

to

claim 27

, wherein said electronic watch is further provided with an electrical generation means and an electrical storage means charged from said electrical generation means, whereby when in the case in which either the output voltage or the output current of the electrical generation means is judged to be insufficient to place the time information generation means in the operating condition, the display of said display means is stopped.

30. A method for driving an electronic watch according to any one of

claim 24

to

claim 29

, wherein when an operating condition of a function information generation means once being in a function operating condition ends while under the energy-saving operating condition, in a case in which a condition for entering said energy-saving operating condition is maintained as before, return is made immediately to said energy-saving operating condition.

31. A method for driving an electronic watch according to any one of

claim 24

to

claim 30

, wherein in a case in which said function information generation means enters the function operating condition while in said energy-saving operating condition, the amount of time of a prescribed function operation of said function information generation means is set so as to be shorter than an amount of said prescribed function operation under a normal condition of said function information generation means.

25. A method for driving an electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an energy-saving operating condition in which power consumption is less than in a normal operating condition, whereby in a case in which said function information generation means goes into an operating condition during an energy-saving operating condition, said energy-saving operating condition is cancelled.

26. A method for driving an electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an energy-saving operating condition in which power consumption is less than in a normal operating condition, whereby in a case in which a condition for entering said energy-saving operating condition is satisfied when said function information generation means is in an operating condition, said energy-saving operating condition is not entered.

29. A method for driving an electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an function non-operating condition detection means for detecting a non-operating condition of said function information generation means, a function operating condition detection means for detecting an operating condition, and a control means capable of performing control whereby each individual display drive means is placed in one of a normal operating condition, an energy-saving operating condition having a smaller power consumption that said normal operating condition, and a function operating condition, whereby in response to a detection signal of said non-operating condition detection means, part or all of said display means is set to an energy-saving operating condition, and in response to a detection signal of said function operating condition detection means, part or all of said function information display means is set to a function operating condition.

32. An electronic watch comprising a reference signal generation means, a time information generation means for generating time information based on a reference signal from said reference signal generation means, a function information generation means for generating function information, a display drive means, which outputs a drive signal for displaying function information and time information, and a display means for displaying function information and time information based on a drive signal from said display drive means, said electronic watch further comprising an function non-operating condition detection means for detecting a non-operating condition of said function information generation means, a function operating condition detection means for detecting an operating condition, and a control means capable of performing control whereby each individual display drive means is placed in one of a normal operating condition, an energy-saving operating condition having a smaller power consumption than that of said normal operating condition, and a function operating condition, whereby in response to a detection signal of said non-operating condition detection means, part or all of said display means is set to an energy-saving operating condition by said control means, and in response to a detection signal of said function operating condition detection means, part or all of said function information display means is set to a function operating condition by said control means.