Time signal repeater and time correction system using the same

• US 6,219,302 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2000
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd., Rhythm Watch Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited), Rhythm Watch Company Limited
• Inventors: Nemoto, Kenichi, Yoshida, Shinya, Makuta, Shunichi, Fujita, Kenji, Takada, Akinari, Sase, Masahiro, Tanoguchi, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MISKA, VIT W
• Application Number:
  US09/528,294
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/47, 368/187, 340/310.06, 340/310.07, 455/73, 455/78
• US Class Current: 368/47
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/10 Tuning or receiving; Circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/12 Decoding time data; Circuits therefor

Abstract

A time signal repeater enabling a radio correction clock to receive a relayed radio signal without regard as to the position of arrangement and without complicated trouble, including a reception circuit for receiving a standard time radio signal and correcting an internal clock to a time according to the time code included in the received radio signal and a transmission circuit for generating and transmitting time radio signals which have different intensities and include time codes based on the internal clock at a plurality of predetermined times, and a time correction system using the same.

Claims

1. A time signal repeater which relays a radio signal including a time code for a radio correction clock receiving a standard time radio signal to correct the time, comprising:

a reception circuit for receiving the standard time radio signal and correcting an internal clock to a time according to the time code included in the received radio signal and

a transmission circuit for generating and transmitting time radio signals which have different intensities and include time codes based on the internal clock at a plurality of predetermined times.

2. A time signal repeater as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmission circuit generates and transmits a time radio signal of a first intensity at a first time and generates and transmits a time radio signal of a second intensity at a second time.

3. A time correction system, comprising:

a radio correction clock for receiving a standard time radio signal or a radio signal obtained by relaying the standard time radio signal and correcting a time according to a time code included in the received signal and

a time signal repeater which has a reception circuit for receiving the standard time radio signal and correcting an internal clock to a time according to the time code included in the received radio signal and a transmission circuit for generating and transmitting time radio signals which have different intensities and include time codes based on the internal clock at a plurality of predetermined times.

4. A time correction system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the transmission circuit generates and transmits a time radio signal of a first intensity at a first time and generates and transmits a time radio signal of a second intensity at a second time.

5. A time correction system as set forth claim 4, wherein the radio correction clock decodes the time radio signal of the first intensity transmitted from the time signal repeater at the first time and, when it is possible to obtain time data, corrects a time to a decoded time and does not receive the time radio signal of the second intensity transmitted at the second time, while when it is not possible to obtain time data, does not correct a time, but receives the time radio signal of the second intensity transmitted at the second time.