Electronically controlled timepiece, and power supply control method and time correction method therefor
First Claim
1. An electronically controlled timepiece comprising:
- a mechanical energy source;
a generator driven by the mechanical energy source, and effective for outputting electrical energy;
a rotation controller driven by electrical energy, and effective for controlling a rotation period of the generator;
a main storage unit for storing electrical energy supplied by the generator to drive the rotation controller;
an auxiliary storage unit connected in parallel with the main storage unit through a mechanically driven switch that is responsive to a time correction operation; and
a charge control circuit arranged between the main storage unit and the auxiliary storage unit, said charge control circuit being effective for adjusting charging currents to the main storage unit and the auxiliary storage unit, and for controlling a direction and a magnitude of a current flow between the main storage unit and the auxiliary storage unit.
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Abstract
An electronically controlled timepiece includes an analog circuit (160) driven by a power source (22), a logic circuit (170) driven by a constant voltage regulator circuit (161) forming part of the analog circuit, an oscillator circuit (51) driven by the constant voltage regulator, a power source switch (162) for cutting off the supply of power to the analog circuit other than the constant voltage regulator circuit from the power source during a time correction operation, and a clock cutoff gate (171) for cutting off a clock input from the oscillator circuit to the logic circuit. During the time correction operation, power consumption is reduced because only the oscillator circuit and the constant voltage regulator circuit are operative. The oscillator circuit is not suspended, and an error in time display is eliminated.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An electronically controlled timepiece comprising:
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a mechanical energy source;
a generator driven by the mechanical energy source, and effective for outputting electrical energy;
a rotation controller driven by electrical energy, and effective for controlling a rotation period of the generator;
a main storage unit for storing electrical energy supplied by the generator to drive the rotation controller;
an auxiliary storage unit connected in parallel with the main storage unit through a mechanically driven switch that is responsive to a time correction operation; and
a charge control circuit arranged between the main storage unit and the auxiliary storage unit, said charge control circuit being effective for adjusting charging currents to the main storage unit and the auxiliary storage unit, and for controlling a direction and a magnitude of a current flow between the main storage unit and the auxiliary storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A power supply control method for an electronically controlled timepiece having a mechanical energy source, a generator for outputting electrical energy and driven by the mechanical energy source, and a rotation controller for controlling the rotation period of the generator and driven by electrical energy, the power supply control method comprising:
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a step of connecting an auxiliary storage unit in parallel with a main storage unit through a mechanically driven switch, wherein the main storage unit stores electrical energy supplied by the generator to drive the rotation controller;
a step of opening the mechanically driven switch during a time correction operation of the electronically controlled timepiece; and
a step of flowing a current from the auxiliary storage unit to the main storage unit to charge the main storage unit when the voltage of the auxiliary storage unit is higher than the voltage of the main storage unit with the mechanically driven switch closed at the end of the time correction operation; and
a step of making a charging current supplied from the generator to the main storage unit greater than a charging current supplied from the generator to the auxiliary storage unit when the voltage of the auxiliary storage unit is not higher than the voltage of the main storage unit.
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15. A timepiece comprising:
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a first power rail and a second power rail;
a power generator selectively placed in an active mode in which power is supplied to said first and second power rails and in an inactive mode in which power is not supplied to said first and second power rails;
a first power storage device for receiving power from said power generator through said first and second power rails;
a second power storage device coupled between said first and second power rails;
a first power load coupled to said first power storage device;
a second power load couple to said first power storage device, said second power load being a voltage regulator having an output coupled to a third power rail to provide a regulated output voltage on said third power rail;
a pulse generator coupled to said third power rail for receiving said regulated output voltage, said pulse generator having a clock output for producing a clocking signal when the voltage of said third power rail is above a minimum active voltage level;
a digital circuit coupled to said third power rail for receiving said regulated output voltage and having a clock input selectively coupled to said clock output;
wherein said first power load is decoupled from said first power storage device and said clock input is decoupled from said clock output when said power generator is in said inactive mode;
a current-flow-discriminating circuit effective for providing a first impedance to current flow in one direction and a second impedance to current flow in an opposite direction, said first impedance being greater than said second impedance;
wherein said first storage device is coupled to said second storage device through said current-flow-discriminating circuit; and
wherein said current-flow-discriminating circuit is arranged to provide said first impedance to the flow of current from said second power storage device to said first power storage device, and arranged to provide said second impedance to current flow from said first power storage device to said second power storage device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification