Electronic device with time update function and time update method

• US 8,514,666 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Ju-Yuan, Zheng, Zhang-Yong, Luo, Bi-Qing, Lu, Xin, Wong, Shih-Fang
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US13/191,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20120188853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 368 46- 47, 368/327
• US Class Current: 368/47
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/26 the radio signal being a near-field communication signal

Abstract

An electronic device with time update function includes a radio module, a clock module, an audio input port, a storage module, and a processing module. The radio module receives and outputs audible signals from the broadcasts of a broadcasting station. The audio input port receives audible sound generated by the radio module, and the clock module provides a source of real time. The processing module determines whether the signals received by the audio input port include current time information, and if so whether the system time is consistent with the current time information. The processing module updates the stored initial time with the current time information and adjusts the system time as necessary. A time update method is also provided.

Claims

1. An electronic device with a time update function, comprising:

a radio module configured for receiving signals broadcast from a broadcast station and outputting the received broadcast signals as audible audio signals;

an audio input port configured for receiving the audible audio signals generated by the radio module;

a clock module configured for providing real time;

a storage module configured for storing an initial time; and

a processing module configured for determining a system time according to the stored initial time and the real time provided by the clock module, determining whether the audible audio signals received by the audio input port comprise current time information, and determining whether the system time is consistent with the current time information if the audible audio signals from the audio input port comprises current time information, the processing module further replacing the initial time with the current time information to adjust the system time if the system time is inconsistent with the current time information.

2. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein frequency information of the audible audio signals comprising current time information is different from that of audible audio signals containing no current time information and can be recognized by the processing module.

3. The electronic device as described in claim 2, wherein the processing module determines whether the audible audio signals received from the audio input port comprises current time information according to frequencies information of the audible audio signals.

4. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the clock module is a real time clock oscillator.

5. The electronic device as described in claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured for automatically turning on or turning off the radio module.

6. The electronic device as described in claim 5, wherein the processing module turns on the radio module for a predetermined time when the system time is proximate to hour changing.

7. A time update method applied in an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a radio module, a clock module, a storage module, and an audio input port, the radio module receiving and broadcasting broadcast signals from a broadcast station, the audio input port receiving audible audio signals generated by the radio module, the storage module providing an initial time, the clock module providing real time, the method comprising:

determining the system time of the electronic device according to the stored initial time and the real time provided by the clock module;

determining whether audible audio signals received by the audio input port comprise current time information;

determining whether the system time of the electronic device is consistent with the current time information if the audible audio signals comprises current time information; and

replacing the initial time with the current time information to adjust the system time if the system time is inconsistent with the current time information.