Electronic timepiece and control method for an electronic timepiece

• US 9,588,499 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2015
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Fujisawa, Teruhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US14/937,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20160062322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 11/02 by radio time setting brought into action by radio G04C9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 5/002 brought into action by radio
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/02 the radio signal being sent by a satellite, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/04 Tuning or receiving; Circuits therefor

Abstract

A control method is provided for an electronic device that has a receiver to receive a satellite signal, and a time display unit to display time. The method includes selecting, by manual operation using a crown or a button, a first time correction processing or a second time correction processing. When the first time correction processing is selected, the control method further includes receiving a satellite signal, acquiring time information based on the received satellite signal, and correcting the displayed time based on the acquired time information. When the second time correction processing is selected, the control method further includes receiving a satellite signal, calculating the position of the electronic device based on satellite orbit information contained in the received satellite signal, and correcting the displayed time based on the calculated position.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite;

a time display unit configured to display time;

a processor configured to instruct execution of a time correction processing using the receiver when either a first condition is satisfied or a second condition is satisfied but not both, the time correction processing including acquiring time information based on the received satellite signal and correcting the displayed time based on the acquired time information; and

an outdoor detector configured to detect if the location is outdoors;

wherein the first condition is that outdoors is detected by the outdoor detector and a predetermined time has passed since a last reception process, and the second condition is that the display time reaches a predetermined time and a predetermined time has passed since a last reception process.

2. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the outdoor detector includes a solar power generating device.

3. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the outdoor detector includes an ultraviolet sensor.

4. An electronic device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite;

a time display unit configured to display time;

a processor configured to instruct execution of a time correction processing using the receiver when either a first condition is satisfied or a second condition is satisfied but not both, the time correction processing including acquiring time information based on the received satellite signal and correcting the displayed time based on the acquired time information; and

an outdoor detector configured to detect if the location is outdoors;

wherein the first condition is that outdoors is detected by the outdoor detector and a predetermined time has passed since a last successful reception process, and the second condition is that the display time reaches a predetermined time and a predetermined time has passed since a last reception process.

5. An electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the outdoor detector includes a solar power generating device.

6. The electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the outdoor detector includes an ultraviolet sensor.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite;

a time display unit configured to display time;

a processor configured to instruct execution of a time correction processing using the receiver when either a first condition is satisfied or a second condition is satisfied but not both, the time correction processing including acquiring time information based on the received satellite signal and correcting the displayed time based on the acquired time information; and

an outdoor detector configured to detect if the location is outdoors;

wherein the first condition is that outdoors is detected by the outdoor detector and there has been no successful reception process on that day, and the second condition is that the display time reaches a predetermined time and a predetermined time has passed since a last reception process.

8. An electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the outdoor detector includes a solar power generating device.

9. The electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the outdoor detector includes an ultraviolet sensor.