Timer apparatus and computer

• US 6,253,331 B1
• Filed: 07/30/1998
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kotani, Seigo
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod
• Assistant Examiner(s): SULPIZIO JR, RONALD F
• Application Number:
  US09/126,225
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 713/194, 713/400, 713/500, 713/503, 713/600, 713/178
• US Class Current: 713/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/14 Time supervision arrangements, e.g. real time clock
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/725 operating on a secure reference time value
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/87 by means of encapsulation, e.g. for integrated circuits

Abstract

A timer apparatus having a power source, a timer unit for outputting time information to which a time is set via a setting terminal, and a control unit in which a program for permitting set of a time in the timer unit only once is written from the outside via a write terminal and which controls the timer unit. After the program is written to the control unit via the write terminal, the write terminal is disconnected, and the power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally. A low-cost timer apparatus in which a time cannot be changed incorrectly can be realized without mounting a processor for performing a complicated process.

Claims

1. A timer apparatus, comprising:

a power source;

a setting terminal setting a time;

a write terminal to write a program, a portion of said write terminal being formed as a temperature fuse portion;

a heating device positioned in the vicinity of said temperature fuse portion, and heated via a heater terminal;

a timer unit, to which a time is set via said setting terminal, outputting time information thereafter based on the set time; and

a control unit controlling said timer unit according to a program which is written from the outside via said write terminal, and said control unit permitting set of a time in said timer unit only once;

wherein

after the program is written to said control unit via said write terminal, said heating device is heated via said heater terminal so that said temperature fuse portion is fused, and said power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally.

2. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control unit includes:

a predictor predicting a term of validity based on a state of said power source at the time when said power source is connected with said timer apparatus or a time is set in said timer unit;

a calculator calculating a residual term based on the term of validity predicted by said predictor at an arbitrary time thereafter; and

an output device outputting the residual term calculated by said calculator to the outside.

3. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a judging device judging whether or not a password input from the outside coincides with a password which was set initially,

wherein said timer unit outputs the time information in response to the judging device judging that both the passwords coincide with each other.

4. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a password generating device generating a password and outputting it to the outside; and

a judging device judging whether or not a password input from the outside coincides with the password output to the outside by said password generating device,

wherein said timer unit outputs the time information in response to the judging device judging that both passwords coincide with each other.

5. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an encrypting device encrypting the time information outputted by said timer unit and outputting the encrypted time information.

6. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control unit includes:

a voltage detector detecting a voltage of said power source;

a comparator comparing a value of voltage detected by said voltage detector with a predetermined value; and

a warning device generating a warning signal in response to the comparator determining that the voltage value is smaller than the predetermined value.

7. A timer apparatus, comprising:

a power source;

a setting terminal setting a time, a portion of said setting terminal being formed as a first temperature fuse portion;

a first heater positioned in the vicinity of said first temperature fuse portion, and heated via a first heater terminal;

a write terminal to write a program, a portion of said write terminal being formed as a second temperature fuse portion;

a second heater positioned in the vicinity of said second temperature fuse portion, and heated via a second heater terminal;

a timer unit, to which a time is set via said setting terminal, outputting time information thereafter based on the set time; and

a control unit controlling said timer unit according to a program which is written from the outside via said write terminal, wherein

after the program is written to said control unit via said write terminal, said second heater is heated via said second heater terminal so that said second temperature fuse portion is fused, and after a time is set in said timer unit via said setting terminal, said first heater is heated via said first heater terminal so that said first temperature fuse portion is fused, and said power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally.

8. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said control unit includes:

a predictor predicting a term of validity based on a state of said power source at the time when said power source is connected with said timer apparatus or a time is set in said timer unit;

a calculator calculating a residual term based on the term of validity predicated by said predictor at an arbitrary time thereafter; and

an output device outputting the residual term calculated by said calculator to the outside.

9. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

a judging device judging whether or not a password input from the outside coincides with a password which was set initially,

wherein said timer unit outputs the time information in response to said judging device judging that both the passwords coincide with each other.

10. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

a password generator generating a password and outputting it to the outside; and

a judging device judging whether or not a password input from the outside coincides with the password outputted to the outside by said password generator;

wherein said timer unit outputs the time information in response to said judging device judging that both the passwords coincide with each other.

11. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising an encrypting device encrypting the time information outputted by said timer unit and outputting the encrypted time information.

12. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said control unit includes:

a voltage detector detecting a voltage of said power source;

a comparator comparing a value of voltage detected by said voltage detector with a predetermined value; and

a warning device generating a warning signal in response to the comparator determining that the voltage value is smaller than the predetermined value.

13. A timer apparatus, comprising:

a power source;

a setting terminal setting a time;

a write terminal writing a program, a portion of said write terminal being formed as a temperature fuse portion;

a heater positioned in the vicinity of said temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a heater terminal;

a timer unit to which a time is set via said setting terminal, outputting time information thereafter based on the set time; and

a control unit controlling said timer unit according to a program which is written from the outside via said write terminal, said control unit permitting set of a time in said timer unit only once,

wherein said power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally.

14. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said control unit includes:

a predictor predicting a term of validity based on a state of said power source at the time when said power source is connected with said timer apparatus or a time is set in said timer unit;

a calculator calculating a residual term based on the term of validity predicted by said predictor at an arbitrary time thereafter; and

an output device outputting the residual term calculated by said calculator to the outside.

15. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

a judging device judging as to whether or not a password input from the outside coincides with a password which was set initially,

wherein said timer unit outputs the time information in response to said judging device judging that both the passwords coincide with each other.

16. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

a password generating device generating a password and outputting it to the outside; and

a judging device judging whether or not a password input from the outside coincides with the password outputted to the outside by said password generating device,

wherein said timer unit outputs the time information in response to the judging device judging that both the passwords coincide with each other.

17. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 13, further comprising an encrypting device encrypting the time information outputted by said timer unit and outputting the encrypted time information.

18. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said control unit includes:

a voltage detector detecting a voltage of said power source;

a comparator comparing a value of voltage detected by said voltage detector with a predetermined value; and

a warning device generating a warning signal in response to the comparator determining that the voltage value is smaller than the predetermined value.

19. A timer apparatus, comprising:

a power source;

a setting terminal setting a time, a portion of said setting terminal being formed as a first temperature fuse portion;

a first heater positioned in the vicinity of said first temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a first heater terminal;

a write terminal to write a program, a portion of said write terminal being formed as a second temperature fuse portion;

a second heater positioned in the vicinity of said second temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a second heater terminal;

a timer unit to which a time is set via said setting terminal, outputting time information thereafter based on the set time; and

a control unit controlling said timer unit according to a program which is written from the outside via said write terminal,

wherein said power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally.

20. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said control unit includes:

a predictor predicting a term of validity based on a state of said power source at the time when said power source is connected with said timer apparatus or a time is set in said timer unit;

a calculator calculating a residual term based on the term of validity predicted by said predictor at an arbitrary time thereafter; and

an output device outputting the residual term calculated by said calculator to the outside.

21. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising:

a judging device judging as to whether or not a password input from the outside coincides with a password which was set initially,

wherein said timer unit outputs the time information in response to said judging device judging that both passwords coincide with each other.

22. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising:

a password generating generator generating a password and outputting it to the outside; and

a judging device judging as to whether or not a password input from the outside coincides with the password outputted to the outside by said password generator,

wherein said timer unit outputs the time information in response to the judging device judging that both passwords coincide with each other.

23. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising an encrypting device encrypting the time information outputted by said timer unit and outputting the encrypted time information.

24. The timer apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said control unit includes:

a voltage detector detecting a voltage of said power source;

a comparator comparing a value of voltage detected by said voltage detector with a predetermined value; and

a warning device generating a warning signal in response to the comparator determining that the voltage value is smaller than the predetermined value.

25. A computer having a timer apparatus, said timer apparatus comprising:

a power source;

a setting terminal setting a time;

a write terminal writing a program, a portion of said write terminal being formed as a temperature fuse portion;

a heater positioned in the vicinity of said temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a heater terminal;

a timer unit, to which a time is set via said setting terminal, outputting time information thereafter based on the set time; and

a control unit controlling said timer unit according to a program which is written from the outside via said write terminal, said control unit permitting set of a time in said timer unit only once,

wherein after the program is written to said control unit via said write terminal, said heater is heated via said heater terminal so that said temperature fuse portion is fused, and said power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally.

26. A computer having a timer apparatus, said timer apparatus comprising:

a power source;

a setting terminal setting a time, a portion of said setting terminal being formed as a first temperature fuse portion;

a first heater positioned in the vicinity of said first temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a first heater terminal;

a write terminal to write a program, a portion of said write terminal being formed as a second temperature fuse portion;

a second heater positioned in the vicinity of said second temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a second heater terminal;

a timer unit, to which a time is set via said setting terminal, outputting time information thereafter based on the set time; and

a control unit controlling said timer unit according to a program which is written from the outside via said write terminal,

wherein after the program is written to said control unit via said write terminal, said second heater is heated via said second heater terminal so that said second temperature fuse portion is fused, and after a time is set in said timer unit via said setting terminal, said first heater is heated via said first heater terminal so that said first temperature fuse portion is fused, and said power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally.

27. A computer having a timer apparatus, said timer apparatus comprising:

a power source;

a setting terminal setting a time;

a write terminal writing a program, a portion of said write terminal being formed as a temperature fuse portion;

a heater positioned in the vicinity of said temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a heater terminal;

a timer unit to which a time is set via said setting terminal, outputting time information thereafter based on the set time; and

a control unit controlling said timer unit according to a program which is written from the outside via said write terminal, said control unit permitting set of a time in said timer unit only once,

wherein said power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally.

28. A computer having a timer apparatus, said timer apparatus comprising:

a power source;

a setting terminal setting a time, a portion of said setting terminal being formed as a first temperature fuse portion;

a first heater positioned in the vicinity of said first temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a first heater terminal;

a write terminal writing a program, a portion of said write terminal being formed as a second temperature fuse portion;

a second heater positioned in the vicinity of said second temperature fuse portion, and is heated via a second heater terminal;

a timer unit to which a time is set via said setting terminal, outputting time information thereafter based on the set time; and

a control unit controlling said timer unit according to a program which is written from the outside via said write terminal,

wherein said power source, timer unit and control unit are molded integrally.