C:\NRPortbl\DCC\KXM\3425014_1.DOC-1/21/2011 METHOD FOR PROVIDING SELF-SURVIVING CLOCK TO BE SYNCHRONIZED WITH A TIMECAST IN COMMERCIAL BROADCASTING [Field of Invention] 5 The present invention relates to a method of providing an independently surviving clock synchronized with a time signal service in commercial broadcasting. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of providing an independently surviving clock synchronized 10 with a time signal service in commercial broadcasting, which allows an independently surviving clock module, produced in the form of a small part, to reset a divider for dividing an oscillation frequency by a precise hourly time signal, which is detected in a broadcasting signal 15 from the moment that external power is supplied, and for generating a second pulse, and to output both a second pulse, obtained by synchronizing the hour of current time, counted by a counter, with the precise hourly time signal detected in the broadcasting signal, and serial data about 20 the current time to the outside of the module. [Background of Invention] )6.07.2007 information, such as hours, minutes, and seconds, to the general public is driven by a spring, or energy such as power. In particular, since a digital watch has its own oscillator, such as a crystal oscillator, precise time 5 information can be provided to the general public. However, such watches are limited in that, as time elapses, it is impossible to precisely display current time and drift occurs due to structural factors thereof. Further, in some airwave broadcasting, such as radio 10 broadcasting, information about current time is provided. However, such broadcasting provides only different types of tone signals for a time signal, including a tone signal of 440 Hz or 880 Hz, but does not provide detailed digital time information required by the general public, such as 15 the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second. Moreover, a standard frequency station, which provides time information-only broadcasting is disadvantageous in that a reception device has a large size and is complicated, thus increasing the cost thereof. 20 Further, time information can also be provided using a Global Positioning System (GPS). In this case, such a method is not suitable for easy use by the general public because shielded areas, including the inside of buildings, are wide, and the cost there of is high. 25 [Disclosure] 2 1AIMCMen QUCT(APT 'IAIal C:\NR~orcblDCC\KXN\3425014 1.DOC-1/21/2011 -3 [Technical Problem] Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring 5 in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a scheme, which allows an independently surviving clock module produced in the form of a small part to provide a second pulse, synchronized with a time signal service in commercial broadcasting, and serial data about 10 current time, thus providing a second pulse and time information having high precision to the general public at low cost. It is generally desirable to overcome or ameliorate one or 15 more of the above described difficulties, or to at least provide a useful alternative. [Summary of Invention] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, 20 there is provided a method of providing an independently surviving clock synchronized with a time signal service in commercial broadcasting, comprising a first step of receiving serial data for a year, month, day, hour, minute, and second from external input or another independently 25 surviving clock module, and setting time information composed of year, month, day, hour, minute, and second, which constitute a start time point of a counter for counting current time, under control of a processor; a second step of receiving a second pulse (1 pps) from a 30 divider, which divides oscillation frequency of various 06.07.2007 time point through the counter; a third step of detecting a precise hourly time signal in a broadcasting signal, received through a Radio Frequency (RF) tuner, using a synchronous signal detector if external power is supplied 5 while the current time is counted using internal power of an independently surviving clock module; a fourth step of resetting the divider at a moment at which the precise hourly time signal is detected in the broadcasting signal, and determining whether current time counted by the counter 10 and composed of year, month, day, hour, minute, and second is a precise hour; and a fifth step of adjusting time information of the counter for counting current time to a precise hour under control of the processor if it is determined that current time is not a precise hour at the 15 fourth step. Preferably, the processor may adjust time information of the counter to a previous hour when the precise hourly time signal is detected in the broadcasting signal within 30 minutes from a time point at which the current time 20 counted by the counter reached the previous hour of the counter, whereas the processor may adjust time information of the counter to a subsequent hour when the precise hourly time signal is detected in the broadcasting signal more than 30 minutes after a time point at which the current 25 time counted by the counter reached the previous hour of the counter. 4 AKED SHEET(ART. 34)1 C:\NRPort.bl\DCC\KXX\32511.DOC-1/21/2011 -5 counted by the counter reached the previous hour of the counter. Preferably, the processor may output serial data for a 5 year, month, day, hour, minute, and second of the current time output from the counter to an outside while external power is supplied. Preferably, the processor may drive a pulse driver while 10 external power is supplied, thus amplifying the second pulse (1 pps) output from the divider and outputting an amplified second pulse to an outside. Preferably, the external power may charge the internal 15 power while being supplied. Preferably, the RF tuner, the synchronous signal detector, the divider, the counter, the processor, and an internal power source may be produced in a form of an independently 20 surviving clock module, which is a single part. [Advantageous Effects] Accordingly, the present invention preferably provides a method of providing an independently surviving clock 25 synchronized with a time signal service in commercial broadcasting, which allows an independently surviving clock module produced in the form of a small part to reset a divider for dividing an oscillation frequency by a precise hourly time signal, which is detected in a broadcasting 30 signal from the moment that external power is supplied, and for generating a second pulse, and to output both a second C:\NRPortbl\DCC\KXM\3425014 1.DOC-1/21/2011 -6 pulse, obtained by synchronizing the current time counted by a counter with the precise hourly time signal detected in the broadcasting signal, and serial data about the current time to the outside of the module, thus providing a 5 second pulse and time information having high precision to the general public at low cost. [Brief Description of Drawings] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are hereafter 10 described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the construction of a module for providing an independently surviving clock synchronized 15 with a time signal service in commercial broadcasting according to preferred embodiments of the present invention; and -Description of reference characters of important 20 parts 31: RF tuner 32: synchronous signal detector 33: divider 34: counter 35: processor 36: battery 37: pulse driver 25 [Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
06.07.2007 other products, and is constructed to include a Radio Frequency (RF) tuner 31 for tuning a broadcasting signal for various types of commercial broadcasting, such as radio broadcasting, a synchronous signal detector 32 for 5 detecting a precise hourly time signal in a broadcasting signal received through the tuner 31, a divider for dividing the pulse of various oscillators, such as a crystal oscillator, and generating a second pulse (1 pps) synchronized with the precise hourly time signal output 10 from the synchronous signal detector 32, a counter 34 for receiving the second pulse (1 pps) from the divider 33 and counting current time, composed of year, month, day, hour, minute, and second, and a processor 35 for outputting serial data about time information, composed of year, 15 month, day, hour, minute, and second, and output from the counter 34, to the outside of the module, as shown in FIG. 1. In this case, the independently surviving clock module according to the present invention, produced in the 20 form of a small module that can be mounted in other products, includes therein an internal power source, that is, a battery 36. The battery 36 is adapted to supply driving power both to the divider 33 and to the counter 34 so that the independently surviving clock module can 25 continuously perform only an operation required to generate a clock even when external power is not supplied. 7 rpj&TErED SHEET (ART.34 06.07.2007 When external power is not supplied, the battery 36 supplies power only to the divider 33 and to the counter 34 to minimize power consumption. When external power is supplied, the battery 36 is charged by the external power, 5 thus supplying driving power both to the divider 33 and to the counter 34 in the case where external power is discontinued again. Of course, the external power can also be supplied to the divider 33 and the counter 34, as well as the RF tuner 10 31, the synchronous signal detector 32, the processor 35, and a pulse driver 37, thus preventing the battery 36 from being unnecessarily discharged. The processor 35 is constructed to receive the serial data for the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second 15 from a separate input device or another independently surviving clock module according to the present invention, and to set the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second, which constitute the start time point of current time counted by the counter 34. 20 The case where the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second of the start time point of the counter 34 are newly set in this way may include, for example, the procedure for initially producing the independently surviving clock module according to the present invention, 25 or the case where the power of the battery 36 or external power is completely exhausted, and time information about 8 h n iT (ART i A A A I kAAd UUU - './A U 06.07.2007 the set current time is erased. That is, the independently surviving clock module according to the present invention is constructed to be provided with current time information through the connection to another module that is normally 5 operating. Moreover, the present invention includes the pulse driver 37 for amplifying the second pulse (1 pps) output from the divider 33, and outputting the amplified second pulse to the outside of the module. The pulse driver 37 is 10 restrictively operated only while external power is supplied in order to minimize the power consumption of the battery 36. Hereinafter, the process for synchronizing current time with a precise hourly time signal detected in a 15 broadcasting signal, and outputting second pulse and serial data about the current time to the outside, using the independently surviving clock module, produced in the form of a part that can be mounted in other products, is described with reference to FIG. 1 20 First, when the independently surviving clock module is initially produced, or when internal power of the independently surviving clock module, which was discharged, that is, the power of the battery 36, is supplied again, the processor 35 receives serial data for the year, month, 25 day, hour, minute, and second from external input, or another independently surviving clock module, and sets time 9 huruneWn CuccT (APT 06.07.2007 information composed of year, month, day, hour, minute, and second, which constitute the start time point of the counter 34 for counting current time. If the start time point for counting has been set in 5 this way, the counter 34 receives the second pulse (1 pps) output from the divider 33, which divides the oscillation frequency of various types of oscillators into the second pulse (1 pps), and then counts current time using the above set time information as a start time point. 10 If external power is supplied to the RF tuner 31, the synchronous signal detector 32, the divider 33, the counter 34, the processor 35, the battery 36, and the pulse driver 37 at step S13 while current time is counted by the power of the battery 36 of the independently surviving clock 15 module, the synchronous signal detector 32 detects a precise hourly time signal in a broadcasting signal, received through the RF tuner 31, and provides the precise hourly time signal to the divider 33 and the processor 35. At the moment at which the precise hourly time signal 20 is detected in the broadcasting signal, the divider 33 resets the procedure for dividing the oscillation frequency and generating the second pulse (1 pps) , and then starts division again using the second pulse (1 pps) to allow the second pulse to be synchronized with the precise hourly 25 time signal. The processor 35 determines whether current time, composed of year, month, day, hour, minute, and 10 IPir cirrT/ADT IA\ 06.07.2007 second, and counted by the counter 34, is a precise. Of course, before or after determining whether the current time, composed of year, month, day, hour, minute, and second and counted by the counter 34, is the precise 5 hour, the pulse driver 37, supplied with external power, is driven under the control of the processor 35, so that the second pulse (1 pps) output from the divider 33 is amplified and is output to the outside of the module. Further, the processor 35 outputs serial data for the year, 10 month, day, hour, minute, and second of the current time, which is output from the counter 34, to the outside while the external power is supplied. As a result of the determination if it is determined that the current time is not a precise hour, the processor 15 35 adjusts the time information of the counter 34 for counting the current time to the precise hour. That is, if the precise hourly time signal is detected in the broadcasting signal within 30 minutes from the time point at which the current time counted by the 20 counter 34 reached the previous hour of the counter, the processor 35 adjusts the time information of the counter 34 to the previous hour, whereas if the precise hourly time signal is detected in the broadcasting signal more than 30 minutes after the time point at which the current time 25 counted by the counter 34 reached the previous hour of the counter, the processor 35 adjusts the time information of 11 AMCMnCB CUCC/ADT IA\ C:\NRPortbl\DCC\KXM\3425014_1.DOC-1/21/2011 - 12 detected in the broadcasting signal within 30 minutes from the time point at which the current time counted by the counter 34 reached the previous hour of the counter, the processor 35 adjusts the time information of the counter 34 5 to the previous hour, whereas if the precise hourly time signal is detected in the broadcasting signal more than 30 minutes after the time point at which the current time counted by the counter 34 reached the previous hour of the counter, the processor 35 adjusts the time information of 10 the counter 34 to the subsequent hour. [Mode for Invention) [Industrial Applicability] As described above, the present invention provides a method 15 of providing an independently surviving clock synchronized with a time signal service in commercial broadcasting, which allows an independently surviving clock module produced in the form of a small part to reset a divider for dividing an oscillation frequency by a precise hourly time 20 signal, which is detected in a broadcasting signal from the moment that external power is supplied, and for generating a second pulse, and to output both a second pulse, obtained by synchronizing an hour of current time counted by a counter with the precise hourly time signal detected in the 25 broadcasting signal, and serial data about the current time to the outside of the module, thus providing a second pulse and time information having high precision to the general public at low cost.
C:\NRPortbl\DCC\KXM\3425014_1.DOC-1/21/2011 - 13 Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or 5 step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it) , or to any matter which is 10 known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates. 15 EDITORIAL NOTE APPLICATION NUMBER - 2006345610 The following page is also numbered 13