Satellite signal reception device and control method for a satellite signal reception device

• US 8,666,344 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Baba, Norimitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US13/565,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20120295563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 455/226.1, 455/226.2, 455/226.4, 455/566, 455/226.3, 455/230, 455/3.02, 455/12.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.7, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/130, 342/357.25, 342/357.62, 342/357.74, 342/357.63, 368/1, 368 9- 10, 368/14, 368/20, 19 23- 24, 19/34, 19/42
• US Class Current: 455/226.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/047 Displays or indicators G01S1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/28 Satellite selection
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/04 Tuning or receiving; Circuits therefor

Abstract

A satellite signal reception device has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite, a reception state display device for displaying the satellite signal reception state, a reception state evaluation unit that determines the reception condition of the satellite signal received by the reception unit, and a display controller that controls the reception state display device to display the reception condition determined by the reception state evaluation unit. The reception state evaluation unit determines the level of the reception condition based on the number of positioning information satellites from which satellite signals are received and the signal level of each received signal, and the display controller controls the mechanical drive unit based on the reception level determining by the reception state evaluation unit to display the reception level using the time display device that displays the time.

Claims

1. A satellite signal reception device comprising:

a reception unit that receives one or more satellite signals transmitted from one or more positioning information satellites;

a reception state evaluation unit that determines a level of a reception state of the satellite signal(s) received by the reception unit;

a reception state display device for displaying the level of the reception state; and

a display controller that controls the reception state display device to display the reception state determined by the reception state evaluation unit;

wherein

the reception state evaluation unit determines the level of the reception state based on the number of positioning information satellites from which satellite signal(s) are received and the signal level of each received signal, and

the display controller controls the reception state display device to display the reception state when reception is triggered manually and does not control the reception state display a device to display the reception state when reception starts automatically.

2. The satellite signal reception device described in claim 1, wherein:

the reception state dispalay device includes a mechanical drive unit and a time display device that is driven by the mechanical drive unit to display time;

the time display device includes a hand driven by the mechanical drive unit and a dial; and

the display controller moves the hand to a specific position by controlling the mechanical drive unit when reception starts.

3. The satellite signal reception device described in claim 2, wherein:

the hand is a second hand; and

the specific position is an 0-second position.

4. The satellite signal reception device described in claim 1, wherein:

the reception state display device includes a mechanical drive unit and a time display device that is driven by the mechanical drive unit to display time;

the time display device includes a hand driven by the mechanical drive unit and a dial;

the reception unit includes an antenna for receiving the satellite signal(s);

the display controller moves the hand to one of a plurality of positions corresponding to the level of the reception state; and

the positions are set so that the hand does not overlap the antenna in plan view.