CN102169325A - Timer - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a timer without a device for visually displaying time. The timer comprises an output converter, an output processor, a control unit and an input processor, wherein the output converter is used for reproducing the sound and/or the vibration representing the time; the output processor is used for driving the output processor; the control unit communicates with the output processor; and the input processor communicates with the control unit and ensures that a time setting command can be transmitted to the control unit.

Description

Timer

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of timer, relate in particular to a kind of timer that vision ground shows the device of time that do not possess.

Background technology

Traditional timer comprises numeral or simulated time display.Display also provides for setting and very important visual device of adjustment time for the user.

So-called repeating watch (time repeater) has conventional display, and becomes one with the audio parts that is used for report time.This comprises request formula type, for example promotes repeat knob, by audio signal sequence (common form with beep sound) report time.

By removing the cost that time display can reduce repeating watch formula timer, still there has not been the device of setting and adjustment time etc.

Summary of the invention

The objective of the invention is to overcome or improve at least one in the above-mentioned shortcoming in fact and/or improved timer more generally is provided, wherein for saving the device that cost has removed display and has been provided for time report and time set.

But disclose a kind of timer that vision ground shows the device of time that do not possess at this, comprising:

Output translator, it is used to reappear the sound and/or the vibration of express time;

Output processor, it is used to drive described output translator;

Control module, itself and described output translator communicate; And

Input processor, it is communicated by letter with described control module and makes the time set instruction can be sent to described control module.

Preferably, thus described timer further comprise with described control module and communicate base when providing the benchmark of time signal for it.

Preferably, described timer further comprises the time setting unit that described time set instruction is provided.

Preferably, described timer further comprises command input unit, and itself and described input processor communicate can make the user that order is inputed to control module.

Preferably, described command input unit and described output translator are same element.

Preferably, described time setting unit and described timer are one.

Preferably, described time setting unit is away from described timer and wired or wireless communicate with described input processor.

Also disclose a kind of utilization at this and do not possessed that electronic timer that vision ground shows the device of time keeps and the method for report time, having comprised:

Thereby activate output processor to drive sound and/or the vibration that output translator reappears express time by controller; And

The operation input processor arrives the time set instruction of controller with influence.

Preferably, wherein in the time set step, described controller activates output translator to send affirmation sound.

Description of drawings

Below will be in conjunction with the drawings with the formal description of example preferred form of the present invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is the synoptic diagram of timer;

Fig. 2 is the front elevation of the timer of Fig. 1; And

Fig. 3 is the block scheme relevant with the timer of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

Embodiment

Illustrate the timer 10 of annular among Fig. 1 in the accompanying drawings and Fig. 2.Though also have other possibility, the conventional size article of this ratio such as wrist-watch size/shape are preferred.Timer 10 does not have vision ground to show the device of time or other data.

Timer 10 has housing, wherein accommodates battery 11 to give PCB 12 power supplies, will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 below with these PCB 12 elements related and/or that get in touch.Base 26 and command input unit or button 25 when these elements comprise output translator/hummer/loudspeaker 24, crystal oscillator or other benchmark.

Introduce the operation of timer below with reference to Fig. 3.

The operation of control module 22 control timers.Base 26 kept the current time to be used for timing when it used benchmark, and operation comes setting-up time from the time set of input processing unit 21 inputs, and current time information is provided to exporting processing unit 23 with report time.

Base 26 provides the Elementary Time Unit in order to the retention time during benchmark, and it can or can provide any other device of precise time unit for crystal oscillator, ceramic syntonic oscillator, RC or LC oscillator.

The temporal information that output processing unit 23 receives from control module 22 becomes electronic signal to drive the output translator 24 by vibration or acoustic notifications time this information translation.Typically, converter 24 can be the electromechanical assembly of loudspeaker, Vib. or hummer for example.

The audio frequency output of converter 24 can be form (different language), animal sounds or other special sound effects of synthetic speech.At this point, output processor 23 provides desirable drive signal for converter 24.

Output translator 24 provides the time report signal (for example: voice, sound, vibration) of non-vision for the user.It reappears voice, tone or the pattern of the sound that generates by output processing unit 23.

The input signal that input processing unit 21 receives from time setting unit 20 becomes this conversion of signals temporal information and this information is sent to control module 22, in order to set the correct time.In addition, control module 22 is also handled order from command input unit 25 in order to time report, time set, selection output device and other functions.

Command input unit 25 is the input interface between user and the timer, can control the operation of timer by command input unit 25 users.Command input unit 25 can comprise one or more keypads, switch, vibration transducer/microphone etc., and is used for the form and the pattern of setting-up time and select time report.If command input unit is a microphone, then can be on inner ROM integrated voice recognition software in order to handle voice command.Optionally, output translator 24 can also be as the input microphone.And output translator 24 and command input unit 25 can be same converter.Internal circuit can make output translator 24/ command input unit 25 detect vibration.User's knocking or gently buckleing and will trigger input block on timer is just as supressing button.Simple motion detector can be carried out identical functions.

Time setting unit 20 can make the user set the current time of timer.

Time setting unit 20 can become one with timer or be configured to independent device.In the later case, timer will be used for communicating with remote time setup unit 20 in input processing unit 21 places merging communication port.For example, communication link can be the form of the connection of physics cable, optically-coupled, voice coupling, IR or RF.

Time setting unit 20 can be the form of the keypad that comprises one or more buttons, button, switch, contact or its combination.Optionally, it can comprise audio sensor, and this audio sensor can be distinguished special tone or distinguish with each operation and function and pass through the represented as many tone of tone.Vibration transducer is selected for another, and it can distinguish the vibration of characteristic frequency.Optical sensor is another selection, and it can distinguish the AD HOC of flash of light (light flash).

Time setting unit 20 can be encoded only to discern specific input signal (that is the single tone/frequency of the vibration/pattern of input pickup key or flash of light).Like this, when time setting unit 20 is transfused to triggering, timer just will be reset to the schedule time, for example the 12:00 point.By at the 12:00 of every day point triggered time setup unit, the user can be the 12:00 point with the time set of timer.By different triggering sign indicating numbers, single input can be carried out different operations.

Time setting unit 20 can be set at two input signal-first input signals of identification and be used for startup and the activation that express time is set, and second input signal counting when representing accurately.This makes the user pass through the arbitrarily small timer of setting constantly exactly.For example, set timer at the 5:00 point, input sequence can be for such: the startup that the first input express time is set, 5 times second input expression 5:00 points, the execution set of the first input express time once more afterwards.

Time setting unit 20 can be set at identification a plurality of input signals (that is, a plurality of keys or input pickup can be distinguished the pattern more than a tone/vibration frequency/flash of light (infrared ray))).Therefore, the user can with conditional electronic timer setting-up time similarly, even input when having numerical information arbitrarily small, minute and second precise figures, by each operation of modal representation and the function of specific tone/vibration frequency/flash of light.

As shown in Figure 2, all circuit can be arranged on the PCB 12.

After the time was set, the user can check the current time with report time and verify whether it is correct by the triggering timing device.

Can set the timer to report time according to demand, thereby the user can the activated at any time trigger device.Alternatively/additionally, timer can be in the predetermined gap report time.

The only integrated key/button of the compact design of timer is with as command input unit 25 and time setting unit 20, and hummer 24 is to produce different tone/patterns in order to report time.By the time between different key order and the keystroke, can utilize one key to realize a plurality of orders.

After the setting-up time, whether the user can utilize report order supervision time time correct.

It should be understood that the improvement that it will be apparent to those skilled in the art and change and can not be considered as exceeding scope of the present invention.For example, time set and other input commands can come " affirmation " by the vibrations that output translator sends.Can increase selective LED as the device that this affirmation is provided by flash of light.

Claims (9)

1. one kind does not possess the timer that vision ground shows the device of time, comprising:

Output translator, it is used to reappear the sound and/or the vibration of express time;

Output processor, it is used to drive described output translator;

Control module, itself and described output translator communicate; And

Input processor, itself and described control module communicate and make the time set instruction can be sent to described control module.

2. timer according to claim 1, thus further comprise with described control module and communicate base when providing the benchmark of time signal for it.

3. timer according to claim 1 further comprises the time setting unit that described time set instruction is provided.

4. timer according to claim 1 further comprises command input unit, and itself and described input processor communicate can make the user that order is inputed to described control module.

5. timer according to claim 4, wherein said command input unit and described output translator are same element.

6. timer according to claim 3, wherein said time setting unit and described timer are one.

7. timer according to claim 3, wherein said time setting unit be away from described timer, and wired or wireless communicate with described input processor.

8. a utilization does not show that the electronic timer of the device of time keeps and the method for report time with not possessing vision, comprising:

Thereby activate output processor to drive sound and/or the vibration that output translator reappears express time by controller; And

The operation input processor arrives the time set instruction of described controller with influence.

9. method according to claim 8, wherein in the time set step, described controller activates described output translator to send affirmation sound.

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