Time-measurement device and method of controlling the same

• US 6,367,967 B1
• Filed: 12/03/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kitahara, Joji, Kojima, Hiroyuki, Shimura, Noriaki, Yabe, Hiroshi, Okeya, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US09/454,479
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/72-74, 368/80, 368/11, 368/110, 368/157, 368/160, 368/184, 368/185
• US Class Current: 368/185
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 9/00 Electrically-actuated devices for setting the time-indicating means of slave clocks G04C13/03; mechanical setting devices G04B27/00; radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 19/00 Electric power supply circuits specially adapted for use in electronic time-pieces

Abstract

To reduce electric power consumed during the operation of adjusting the indication of time and reduce the time required for the time adjusting operation. Using a second hand driving motor and a hour/minute hand driving motor both capable of rotating in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, the indication of time is adjusted by driving the second hand driving motor and the hour/minute hand driving motor at times different from each other. The hand driving method (hand driving direction) is determined on the basis of the time elapsed during the power saving mode measured by a time information adjusting part such that the hands are driven in a direction which results in a reduction in the power consumption or the adjusting time.

Claims

1. A time-measurement device comprising:

power supply means for supplying electric power;

time indicating means including a plurality of indication hand driving parts for driving a corresponding plurality of indication hands using electric power supplied by said power supply means so as to indicate time by said plurality of indication hands;

control means for switching an operating mode for each of said plurality of indication hand driving parts in accordance with a predetermined condition between a power saving mode in which said plurality of indication hands are not driven and a normal indication mode in which said plurality of indication hands are continuously driven;

elapsed-time storage means for storing an elapsed time when the operating mode is in the power saving mode; and

time adjusting means for adjusting an indication of time by driving said plurality of indication hand driving parts in accordance with the time elapsed stored in said elapsed-time storage means after the operating mode is changed from the power saving mode to the normal indication mode;

wherein said time adjusting means includes time adjusting operation control means for controlling a timing of driving said plurality of indication hand driving parts such that at least one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts is driven during a first time period and at least another one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts is driven during a second time period, and said first time period is exclusive of said second time period for at least a portion of a time adjustment period.

2. A time-measurement device according to claim 1, wherein said time adjusting operation control means controls the timing of driving said plurality of indication hand driving parts such that a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts is driven at different times than a second one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts.

3. A time-measurement device according to claim 1, wherein said time adjusting means adjusts the indication of time such that a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts having a lower normal driving speed is driven for adjustment before a second one of said plurality indication hand driving parts having a higher normal driving speed is driven for adjustment.

4. A time-measurement device according to claim 1, wherein said time adjusting means adjusts the indication of time such that a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts having a higher normal driving speed is driven for adjustment before a second one of said plurality indication hand driving parts having a lower normal driving speed is driven for adjustment.

5. A time-measurement device according to claim 1,

wherein a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises an hour/minute hand driving means,

wherein a second one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises a second hand driving means,

wherein said time adjusting means adjusts the indication of time such that said hour/minute hand driving means is driven preceding said second hand driving means, and

wherein said second hand driving means is driven after completion of driving of said hour/minute hand driving means.

6. A time-measurement device according to claim 1, wherein when said time adjusting means adjusts the indication of time, said time adjusting means drives said plurality of hand driving parts by outputting corresponding driving pulses to each of said plurality of indication hand driving parts such that the corresponding driving pulses are output at different times.

7. A time-measurement device according to claim 1,

wherein a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises an hour hand driving means,

wherein a second one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises a minute hand driving means,

wherein a third one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises a second hand driving means,

wherein when said time adjusting means adjusts the indication of time, said time adjusting means drives said hour hand driving means before driving said minute hand driving means and drives said minute hand driving means before driving said second hand driving means.

9. A time-measurement device according to claim 7, wherein said time adjusting direction determination means selects a direction, as a time adjusting direction, in which said indication hand is driven with less electric power than would be required to drive said indication hand in an opposite direction.

10. A time-measurement device according to claim 7, wherein said time adjusting direction determination means selects a direction, as a time adjusting direction, in which said indication hand is driven in a shorter time than would be required to drive said indication hand in an opposite direction.

11. A time-measurement device according to claim 7, wherein when an angle R [°

] required to rotate to adjust the indication of time is less than a predetermined value RT [°

], said time adjusting means determines a time adjusting rotation angle R_RET in accordance with the following equation;

12. A time-measurement device according to claim 7, wherein when the indication of time is adjusted, said time adjusting means maintain indication hand at a position where said indication hand has been at rest during the power saving mode until the time indicated by said indication hand at rest becomes coincident with an actual current time and starts to drive said indication hand when the time indicated by said indication hand at rest has become coincident with an actual current time.

13. A time-measurement device according to claim 7, wherein when an angle R [°

] required to rotate to adjust the indication of time is less than a predetermined value RT [°

] and when an additional rotation angle is set to α

, said time adjusting means determines a time adjusting rotation angle R_RET in accordance with the following equation;

19. A time-measurement device according to claim 1 or 8, wherein said power supply means includes electric power storage means for storing electric energy.

20. A time-measurement device according to claim 1 or 8, wherein said power supply means includes:

electric power generation means for generating electric power by converting first energy into electric energy; and

electric power storage means for storing the generated electric energy.

21. A time-measurement device according to claim 20, wherein said first energy is energy selected from the group consisting of kinetic energy, light energy, thermal energy, pressure energy, and electromagnetic wave energy.

22. A time-measurement device according to claim 1 or 8, wherein said power supply means comprises a primary battery.

23. A time-measurement device according to claim 1 or 8, wherein the predetermined condition is a state in which electric power is generated by said electric power generation means or a state in which electric energy is stored in said power supply means.

24. A time-measurement device according to claim 1 or 8, further comprising carrying state detection means for detecting whether said time-measurement device is being carried, and

said condition is a state in which said time-measurement device is being carried.

8. A time-measurement device comprising:

power supply means for supplying electric power;

time indicating means including indication hand driving means for driving an indication hand using electric power supplied by said power supply means so as to indicate time by said indication hand;

control means for switching the operating mode in accordance with a predetermined condition, between a power saving mode in which said indication hand is not driven and a normal indication mode in which said indication hand is continuously driven;

elapsed-time storage means for storing the time elapsed in the power saving mode; and

time adjusting means for adjusting an indication of time by driving said indication hands using said indication hand driving means in accordance with the time elapsed in the power saving mode when the operating mode is switched from the power saving mode to the normal indication mode;

wherein said time adjusting means includes time adjusting direction determination means for determining the direction in which said indication hand is driven to adjust the indication of time, in accordance with the time elapsed in the power saving mode.

14. A time-measurement device according to claim 8, wherein when an angle between a hand position corresponding to a current time and an actual hand position is greater than a predetermined value, said time adjusting direction determination means selects the direction in which said indication hand is driven to adjust the hand position such that said indication hand is driven in a direction opposite to the direction in which said indication hand is driven in the normal mode.

15. A time-measurement device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a plurality of indication hands; and

a corresponding plurality of indication hand driving means for driving said plurality of indication hands,

wherein said time adjusting direction determination means determines the adjusting direction for each of said plurality of indication hands.

16. A time-measurement device according to claim 15, wherein said time adjusting means adjusts the indication of time such that, of said plurality of indication hands, an indication hand driving part having a lower normal driving speed is driven for adjustment before an indication hand driving part having a higher normal driving speed is driven for adjustment.

17. A time-measurement device according to claim 8, wherein:

said plurality of indication hands comprises an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand,

said plurality of indication hand driving means includes;

hour/minute hand driving means for driving said hour hand and said minute hand, and

second hand driving means for driving said second hand, and

said time adjusting direction determination means determines the direction in which a hand is driven to adjust the indication of time for each of said hour/minute hand driving means and said second hand driving means.

18. A time-measurement device according to claim 8,

further comprising an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand,

wherein said indication hand driving means includes hour hand driving means for driving said hour hand, minute hand driving means for driving said minute hand, and second hand driving means for driving said second hand;

and

said time adjusting direction determination means determines the direction in which a hand is driven to adjust the indication of time for each of said hour hand driving means, said minute hand driving means, and said second hand driving means.

25. A method of controlling a time-measurement device comprising:

a power supply device for supplying electric power;

a time indication device including a plurality of indication hand driving parts for driving corresponding indication hands using electric power supplied by the power supply device so as to indicate time by the plurality of indication hands;

a controller for switching the operating mode for each of the indication hand driving parts in accordance with a predetermined condition, between a power saving mode in which an indication hand is not driven and a normal indication mode in which an indication hand is continuously driven; and

an elapsed-time memory for storing the time elapsed in the power saving mode, said method comprising the steps of

adjusting the indication of time by driving the indication hands using the indication hand driving parts in accordance with the time elapsed in the power saving mode when the operating mode is switched from the power saving mode to the normal indication mode; and

controlling the plurality of indication hand driving parts in the operation of adjusting the indication of time such that the plurality of indication hand driving parts are driven such that at least one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts is driven during a first time period and at least another one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts is driven during a second time period, and said first time period is exclusive of said second time period for at least a portion of a time adjustment period.

26. A method of controlling a time-measurement device comprising:

a power supply device for supplying electric power;

a time indication device including an indication hand driving device for driving an indication hand using electric power supplied by the power supply device so as to indicate time by the indication hand;

a controller for switching the operating mode in accordance with a predetermined condition, between a power saving mode in which corresponding the indication hand is not driven and a normal indication mode in which corresponding the indication hand is continuously driven; and

an elapsed-time memory for storing the time elapsed in the power saving mode, said method comprising the steps of;

adjusting the indication of time by driving the indication hand using the indication hand driving device in accordance with the time elapsed in the power saving mode when the operating mode is switched from the power saving mode to the normal indication mode; and

determining the direction in which the indication hand is driven to adjust the indication of time, in accordance with the time elapsed in the power saving mode.

27. A time-measurement device comprising:

a power supply to supply electric power;

a time indication device including a plurality of indication hand driving parts for driving a corresponding plurality of indication hands using electric power supplied by said power supply so as to indicate time by said plurality of indication hands;

a controller to switch an operating mode for each of said plurality of indication hand driving parts in accordance with a predetermined condition between a power saving mode in which said plurality of indication hands are not driven and a normal indication mode in which said plurality of indication hands are continuously driven;

an elapsed-time memory to store an elapsed time when the operating mode is in the power saving mode; and

a time adjusting circuit to adjust an indication of time by driving said plurality of indication hand driving parts in accordance with the time elapsed stored in said elapsed-time memory after the operating mode is changed from the power saving mode to the normal indication mode;

wherein said time adjusting circuit includes a time adjusting operation controller to control a timing of driving said plurality of indication hand driving parts such that at least one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts is driven during a first time period and at least another one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts is driven during a second time period, and said first time period is exclusive of said second time period for at least a portion of a time adjustment period.

28. A time-measurement device according to claim 27, wherein said time adjusting operation controller controls the timing of driving said plurality of indication hand driving parts such that a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts is driven at different times than a second one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts.

29. A time-measurement device according to claim 27, wherein said time adjusting circuit adjusts the indication of time such that a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts having a lower normal driving speed is driven for adjustment before a second one of said plurality indication hand driving parts having a higher normal driving speed is driven for adjustment.

30. A time-measurement device according to claim 27, wherein said time adjusting circuit adjusts the indication of time such that a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts having a higher normal driving speed is driven for adjustment before a second one of said plurality indication hand driving parts having a lower normal driving speed is driven for adjustment.

31. A time-measurement device according to claim 27,

wherein a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises an hour/minute hand driver,

wherein a second one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises a second hand driver,

wherein said time adjusting circuit adjusts the indication of time such that said hour/minute hand driver is driven preceding said second hand driver, and

wherein said second hand driver is driven after completion of driving of said hour/minute hand driver.

32. A time-measurement device according to claim 27, wherein when said time adjusting circuit adjusts the indication of time, said time adjusting circuit drives said plurality of hand driving parts by outputting corresponding driving pulses to each of said plurality of indication hand driving parts such that the corresponding driving pulses are output at different times.

33. A time-measurement device according to claim 27,

wherein a first one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises an hour hand driver,

wherein a second one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises a minute hand driver,

wherein a third one of said plurality of indication hand driving parts comprises a second hand driver,

wherein when said time adjusting circuit adjusts the indication of time, said time adjusting circuit drives said hour hand driver before driving said minute hand driver and drives said minute hand driver before driving said second hand driver.

45. A time-measurement device according to claim 27 or 34, wherein said power supply includes electric power memory to store electric energy.

46. A time-measurement device according to claim 27 or 34, wherein said power supply includes:

electric power generator to generate electric power by converting first energy into electric energy; and

electric power memory to store the generated electric energy.

47. A time-measurement device according to claim 46, wherein said first energy is energy selected from the group consisting of kinetic energy, light energy, thermal energy, pressure energy, and electromagnetic wave energy.

48. A time-measurement device according to claim 27 or 34, wherein said power supply comprises a primary battery.

49. A time-measurement device according to claim 27 or 34, wherein the predetermined condition is a state in which electric power is generated by said electric power generator or a state in which electric energy is stored in said power supply.

50. A time-measurement device according to claim 27 or 34, further comprising carrying state detector to detect whether said time-measurement device is being carried, and

said condition is a state in which said time-measurement device is being carried.

34. A time-measurement device comprising:

a power supply to supply electric power;

a time indication device including an indication hand driver for driving an indication hand using electric power supplied by said power supply so as to indicate time by said indication hand;

a controller to switch the operating mode in accordance with a predetermined condition, between a power saving mode in which said indication hand is not driven and a normal indication mode in which said indication hand is continuously driven;

an elapsed-time memory to store the time elapsed in the power saving mode; and

a time adjusting circuit to adjust an indication of time by driving said indication hand using said indication hand driver in accordance with the time elapsed in the power saving mode when the operating mode is switched from the power saving mode to the normal indication mode;

wherein said time adjusting circuit includes time adjusting direction determination circuit to determine the direction in which said indication hand is driven to adjust the indication of time, in accordance with the time elapsed in the power saving mode.

35. A time-measurement device according to claim 34, wherein said time adjusting direction determination circuit selects a direction, as a time adjusting direction, in which said indication hand is driven with less electric power than would be required to drive said indication hand in an opposite direction.

36. A time-measurement device according to claim 34, wherein said time adjusting direction determination circuit selects a direction, as a time adjusting direction, in which said indication hand is driven in a shorter time than would be required to drive said indication hand in an opposite direction.

37. A time-measurement device according to claim 34, wherein when an angle R [°

] required to rotate to adjust the indication of time is less than a predetermined value RT [°

], said time adjusting circuit determines a time adjusting rotation angle R_RET in accordance with the following equation;

38. A time-measurement device according to claim 34, wherein when the indication of time is adjusted, said time adjusting circuit maintains said indication hand at a position where said indication hand has been at rest during the power saving mode until the time indicated by said indication hand at rest becomes coincident with an actual current time and starts to drive said indication hand when the time indicated by said indication hand at rest has become coincident with an actual current time.

39. A time-measurement device according to claim 34, wherein when an angle R [°

] required to rotate to adjust the indication of time is less than a predetermined value RT [°

] and when an additional rotation angle is set to α

, said time adjusting circuit determines a time adjusting rotation angle R_RET in accordance with the following equation;

40. A time-measurement device according to claim 34, wherein when an angle between a hand position corresponding to a current time and an actual hand position is greater than a predetermined value, said time adjusting direction determination circuit selects the direction in which said indication hand is driven to adjust the hand position such that said indication hand is driven in a direction opposite to the direction in which said indication hand is driven in the normal mode.

41. A time-measurement device according to claim 34, further comprising:

a plurality of indication hands; and

a corresponding plurality of indication hand drivers for driving said plurality of indication hands,

wherein said time adjusting direction determination circuit determines the adjusting direction for each of said plurality of indication hands.

42. A time-measurement device according to claim 41, wherein said time adjusting circuit adjusts the indication of time such that, of said plurality of indication hands, an indication hand driving part having a lower normal driving speed is driven for adjustment before an indication hand driving part having a higher normal driving speed is driven for adjustment.

43. A time-measurement device according to claim 34, wherein:

said plurality of indication hands comprise an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand,

said plurality of indication hand drivers include;

an hour/minute hand driver for driving said hour hand and said minute hand, and

a second hand driver for driving said second hand, and

said time adjusting direction determination circuit determines the direction in which a hand is driven to adjust the indication of time for each of said hour/minute hand driver and said second hand driver.

44. A time-measurement device according to claim 34,

further comprising an hour hand, a minute hand and a second hand,

wherein said indication hand driver includes an hour hand driver for driving said hour hand, a minute hand driver for driving said minute hand, and a second hand driver for driving said second hand;

and

said time adjusting direction determination circuit determines the direction in which a hand is driven to adjust the indication of time for each of said hour hand driver, said minute hand driver, and said second hand driver.