DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENT METHOD AND TIMEPIECE USING SAME

• US 20060239123A1
• Filed: 07/04/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Duteck Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Duteck Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chen, Chih-Yuh
• Application Number:
  US11/428,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20060239123A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/21
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 19/22 Arrangements for indicating different local apparent times; Universal time pieces indicating by means of numbers or signs disposed on moving devices G04B19/20; illumination of dials or hands G04B19/30; combination with a terrestial globe in general G04B47/02; electronic time-zone watches G04G9/0076
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 11/02 by radio time setting brought into action by radio G04C9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/00 Visual time or date indication means
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0076 in which the time in another time-zone or in another city can be displayed at will

Abstract

A timepiece time having installed in the movement thereof a CPU, a time zone adjustment device and a time display unit, the CPU having installed therein a perpetual calendar program, a time zone calculation program, and a daylight saving time calculation program, the time zone adjustment device being operable to input a time zone signal to the CPU for enabling the time zone calculation program to calculate the conversion time corresponding to the set time zone and for enabling the daylight saving time calculation program to determine whether the set time zone has applied daylight saving time, such that the time display unit is controllable by the CPU to automatically adjust displayed time and to automatically enter/withdraw from the daylight saving time cycle of the corresponding time zone subject to calculation of the time zone calculation program and the daylight saving time calculation program.

Claims

1. A timepiece having installed in a movement thereof a central processing unit, a time zone adjustment device and a time display unit, wherein:

said central processing unit has installed therein a perpetual calendar program, a time zone calculation program, and a daylight saving time calculation program;

said time zone adjustment device is operable to input one of a set of time zone signals to said central processing unit for enabling said time zone calculation program of said central processing unit to calculate the conversion time corresponding to the set time zone and for enabling said daylight saving time calculation program to determine whether the set time zone has applied daylight saving time;

said time display unit is controllable by said central processing unit to automatically adjust displayed time and to automatically enter/withdraw from the daylight saving time cycle of the corresponding time zone subject to calculation of said time zone calculation program and said daylight saving time calculation program.

2. The timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said perpetual calendar program of said central processing unit includes calculation of leap year/leap month such that when the user sets the present time and date after zeroed the reading of the timepiece, the setting is compared to said perpetual calendar program for enabling said time display unit to display the accurate time and date.

3. The timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said daylight saving time calculation program of said central processing unit has set therein daylight saving time cycles of different time zones and countries.

4. The timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said time display unit comprises an analog time display device and a liquid crystal display for indicating time respectively.

5. The timepiece as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an adjustment knob and a built-in synchronous motor and transmission gear set selectable for adjusting hour hand, minute hand and second hand of said analog time display device,

6. The timepiece as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a keypad, said keypad having a set button and a selection button for setting time display of said liquid crystal display.

7. The timepiece as claimed in claim 1, wherein said time zone adjustment device has a first contact set and a second contact set, said first contact set having four contacts, said second contact set having six contacts, the contacts of said first contact set and the contacts of said second contact set being respectively selectively connected to said central processing unit, providing one of 24 time zone signals to said central processing unit.

8. A daylight saving time automatic adjustment method used in a timepiece that has installed in a movement thereof a central processing unit, a time zone adjustment device and a time display unit, said central processing unit having installed a time zone calculation program and a daylight saving time calculation program, said time zone adjustment device being operable to input one of a set of time zone signals to said central processing unit for enabling said time zone calculation program of said central processing unit to calculate the conversion time corresponding to the set time zone and for enabling said daylight saving time calculation program to determine whether the set time zone has applied daylight saving time, the daylight saving time automatic adjustment method including the steps of:

(A) Start;

(B) Enter normal operation mode;

(C) Judge if minute counting has reached hour status or not, and then proceed to step (D) if positive, or return to step (B) if negative;

(D) Judge if the current time and date are in the daylight saving time cycle or not, and then proceed to step (E) if positive, or step (B) if negative;

(E) Determine if to switch on or switch off the setting of daylight saving time, and then proceed to step (F) when daylight saving time is on, or step (G) when daylight saving time is off;

(F) Advance the present time 1 hour, for enabling the central processing unit to control the time display unit to display the advanced time, and then proceed to step (I);

(G) Judge, subject to the currently running time and date, if the daylight saving time cycle has been ended, and then proceed to step (H) if positive, or return to step (B) if negative;

(H) Adjust current time 1 hour backwards for enabling the time display unit to display adjusted time, and then enter step (I); and

(I) End the procedure.

9. The daylight saving time automatic adjustment method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said central processing unit further has installed therein a perpetual calendar program, said perpetual calendar program including calculation of leap year calculation of leap year/leap month such that when the user sets the present time and date after zeroed the reading of the timepiece, the setting is compared to said perpetual calendar program for enabling said time display unit to display the accurate time and date.

10. The daylight saving time automatic adjustment method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said daylight saving time calculation program of said central processing unit has set therein daylight saving time cycles of different time zones and countries.

11. The daylight saving time automatic adjustment method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said time display unit comprises an analog time display device and a liquid crystal display for indicating time respectively.

12. The daylight saving time automatic adjustment method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said time zone adjustment device has a first contact set and a second contact set, said first contact set having four contacts, said second contact set having six contacts, the contacts of said first contact set and the contacts of said second contact set being respectively selectively connected to said central processing unit, providing one of 24 time zone signals to said central processing unit.