Ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus and electronic wristwatch equipped with ultraviolet ray measuring function

• US 20110222375A1
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sakai, Satoshi, Kato, Kazuo, Ihashi, Tomohiro, Tsubata, Keisuke, Noguchi, Eriko, Nakamura, Hisao, Sugai, Yoshinori
• Granted Patent: US 8,586,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/11
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0219 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0228 Control of working procedures; Failure detection; Spectral bandwidth calculation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/429 applied to measurement of ultraviolet light using counting tubes G01T
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature

Abstract

The ultraviolet ray sensor measures the intensity of ultraviolet rays irradiated to the ultraviolet ray receiving surface. The CPU performs control to measure ultraviolet intensity in a case in which the ultraviolet ray receiving surface of the ultraviolet ray sensor faces in a predetermined direction.

Claims

1. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus, comprising:

an ultraviolet ray sensor that measures the ultraviolet intensity of ultraviolet rays irradiated to an ultraviolet ray receiving surface; and

a control unit that performs control to measure the ultraviolet intensity in a case in which the ultraviolet ray receiving surface of the ultraviolet ray sensor faces in a predetermined direction.

2. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus, comprising:

an ultraviolet ray sensor that measures the ultraviolet intensity of ultraviolet rays irradiated to an ultraviolet ray receiving surface;

an orientation detecting unit that detects the direction of the ultraviolet ray receiving surface;

a display unit that displays information showing the ultraviolet intensity measured by the ultraviolet ray sensor; and

a control unit that, based on the detection results of the orientation detecting unit, controls the ultraviolet ray sensor to measure the ultraviolet intensity in a case in which the ultraviolet ray receiving surface is determined to be facing upward and controls the ultraviolet ray sensor to stop the operation in a case in which the ultraviolet ray receiving surface is determined to not be facing upward.

3. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit activates the ultraviolet ray sensor for a fixed period at a fixed interval when controlling the ultraviolet ray sensor to measure the ultraviolet intensity.

4. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit performs the above control only in a case in which a fixed amount of time elapses after the ultraviolet ray sensor is controlled to measure the ultraviolet intensity.

5. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit performs the above control only in a case in which a fixed amount of time elapses after the ultraviolet ray sensor is controlled to measure the ultraviolet intensity or in which the previous ultraviolet intensity measured by the ultraviolet ray sensor is below a reference value, and a reference amount of time or longer elapses from the measurement.

6. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus, comprising:

an ultraviolet ray sensor that measures the ultraviolet intensity of ultraviolet rays irradiated to an ultraviolet ray receiving surface;

a solar power generation unit that generates power according to light irradiated to a light receiving surface disposed in almost the same direction as the ultraviolet ray receiving surface;

a generated power amount measuring unit that measures the amount of power generated by the solar power generation unit,

a display unit that displays information showing the ultraviolet intensity measured by the ultraviolet ray sensor; and

a control unit that controls the ultraviolet ray sensor to measure the ultraviolet intensity in a case in which the amount of power generated by the solar power generation unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined value and controls the ultraviolet ray sensor to stop the operation in a case in which the amount of power generated by the solar power generation unit is less than a predetermined value.

7. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit activates the ultraviolet ray sensor for a fixed period at a fixed interval when controlling the ultraviolet ray sensor to measure the ultraviolet intensity.

8. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit performs the above control only in a case in which a fixed amount of time elapses after the ultraviolet ray sensor is controlled to measure the ultraviolet intensity.

9. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit performs the above control only in a case in which a fixed amount of time elapses after the ultraviolet ray sensor is controlled to measure the ultraviolet intensity or in which the previous ultraviolet intensity measured by the ultraviolet ray sensor is below a reference value, and a reference amount of time or longer elapses.

10. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the control unit performs the above control only in a case in which a fixed amount of time elapses after the ultraviolet ray sensor is controlled to measure the ultraviolet intensity or in which the amount of power generated by the solar power generation unit is increased by a fixed amount or more from the amount of power generated by the solar power generation unit when the ultraviolet ray sensor was controlled to measure the previous ultraviolet intensity.

11. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus, comprising:

an ultraviolet ray sensor that measures the ultraviolet intensity of ultraviolet rays irradiated to an ultraviolet ray receiving surface;

a light detecting unit that includes a light receiving surface disposed in almost the same direction as the ultraviolet ray receiving surface and detects that the light receiving surface is facing a light source based on the intensity of light irradiated to the light receiving surface;

a display unit that displays information showing the ultraviolet intensity measured by the ultraviolet ray sensor; and

a control unit that controls the ultraviolet ray sensor to measure the ultraviolet intensity in a case in which the light detecting unit detects that the light receiving surface is facing a light source.

12. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the light detecting unit has a light impermeable material configured above the light receiving surface so that light is irradiated to the light receiving surface without being blocked in a case in which the light receiving surface is facing a light source and a member with a fine cylindrical light passage disposed therein, and detects that the light receiving surface is facing a light source in a case in which the intensity of light irradiated to the light receiving surface is strong.

13. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the light detecting unit includes a first light receiving surface and a second light receiving surface, both of which are disposed in almost the same direction, and a light impermeable member disposed above the second light receiving surface so that, in a case in which the first light receiving surface and the second light receiving surface face a light source, light irradiated to the first light receiving surface is not blocked but light irradiated to the second light receiving surface is blocked, and detects that the first light receiving surface and the second light receiving surface face a light source in a case in which the intensity of light irradiated to the first light receiving surface is strong and the intensity of light irradiated to the second light receiving surface is weak.

14. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus according to claim 11, comprising:

a notification sound unit that outputs sound notifying whether or not the ultraviolet ray sensor has measured the ultraviolet intensity.

15. An ultraviolet ray measuring apparatus, comprising:

an ultraviolet ray sensor that measures the ultraviolet intensity of ultraviolet rays irradiated to an ultraviolet ray receiving surface;

a first solar power generation unit that generates power according to light irradiated to a first light receiving surface disposed in almost the same direction as the ultraviolet ray receiving surface;

a second solar power generation unit that generates power according to light irradiated to a second light receiving surface disposed in almost the same direction as the ultraviolet ray receiving surface;

an exterior case that, in a case in which a light source is present in a first direction which is a direction inclined with respect to the first light receiving surface, blocks a part of the light from the light source so that the part of the light is not irradiated to the first light receiving surface and, in a case in which a light source is present in a second direction, which is a direction inclined with respect to the second light receiving surface and different from the first direction, blocks a part of the light from the light source so that the part of the light is not irradiated to the second light receiving surface; and

a control unit that controls the ultraviolet ray sensor to measure the ultraviolet intensity in a case in which the power generated by the first solar power generation unit is identical to the power generated by the second solar power generation unit.

16. An electronic wristwatch equipped with an ultraviolet ray measuring function that is used with the main body equipped with an ultraviolet intensity measuring function and a clock function attached to the arm, comprising:

a timekeeping means that performs timekeeping operations;

an input means that performs command operations of at least timekeeping operations by the timekeeping means;

a display means that is disposed at a visually recognizable surface side in a state in which the main body is attached to the arm and displays at least timekeeping information from the timekeeping means,

an ultraviolet intensity detecting means that is disposed at the surface side and measures the ultraviolet intensity; and

a control unit that sets whether or not the command operations by the input means are set to work in cooperation with the ultraviolet intensity measurement by the ultraviolet intensity detecting means.

17. An electronic wristwatch equipped with an ultraviolet ray measuring function according to claim 16,

wherein the control means controls the display means to display whether or not the command operations by the input means are set to work in cooperation with the ultraviolet intensity measurement by the ultraviolet intensity detecting means.

18. An electronic wristwatch equipped with an ultraviolet ray measuring function according to claim 16,

wherein the input means includes a first, a second and a third input switches;

the first input switch has a function that gives a command for switching operation modes;

the second input switch has a function that gives a command for the start or stop of timekeeping in a state of displaying a stopwatch;

the third input switch has a function that gives a command for the timekeeping of lap time or split time in a state in which the stopwatch performs timekeeping or a command for the resetting of measured values while the stopwatch is not in action; and

furthermore, among the first input switch, the second input switch and the third input switch, an input switch that has been set by the control means to work in cooperation with ultraviolet intensity measurement gives a command for ultraviolet intensity measurement in cooperation with the function possessed by the input switch.

19. An electronic wristwatch equipped with an ultraviolet ray measuring function according to claim 18,

wherein an input switch set to work in cooperation with an ultraviolet intensity measurement command is disposed at the right side of the ultraviolet intensity detecting means in a state in which the main body is attached to the arm.

20. An electronic wristwatch equipped with an ultraviolet ray measuring function according to claim 16,

wherein the input means has input switches having a function that gives a command for ultraviolet intensity measurement and a function that gives a command for whether or not a predetermined operation is set to work in cooperation with ultraviolet intensity measurement.