JP2001281367A - Electronic timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic timepiece reduced in current consumption in communication, significantly improved in battery life, and also improved in operability. SOLUTION: In this electronic timepiece having a data communicating function with an external electronic apparatus, the data communicating function comprises a communication controller for receiving and transmitting a data, an interruption controller for detecting a data receipt, a timer for detecting the timeout of the data receipt, and a central arithmetic processing unit for interpreting and processing the data. This electronic timepiece has a function of judging the communicating state on the basis of the data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic timepiece, and more particularly, to a structure of an electronic timepiece which is characterized by processing and communicating data such as time, calendar, personal information, and electronic files on a personal computer. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic timepiece according to the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 2, a conventional electronic timepiece 2
0 is a communication controller 22 for transmitting and receiving data.
And a central processing unit 21 for interpreting and processing data
And a switch 23 for operating the electronic timepiece 20.

The operation will be described below with reference to FIG. When the user manually operates the switch 23 on the electronic timepiece 20, the communication controller 22 is set to the operating state. Then, it is connected to a personal computer, which is an external electronic device, and transmits and receives data. After data transmission and reception is completed,
The user removes the electronic timepiece 20 from the personal computer, which is an external electronic device, and operates the switch 23 to stop the communication controller 22.

FIG. 6 is a current consumption graph of an electronic timepiece according to the prior art. From the time when the communication controller 22 is turned on by the switch operation to the time when the communication controller 22 is again stopped by the switch operation,
2 always consumes current during operation.

[0006]

However, as described above, the electronic timepiece 20 of the prior art shown in FIG.
The communication controller 22 has a drawback that the communication controller 22 always consumes current during the operation from the time when the communication controller 22 is turned on by the switch operation to the time when the communication controller 22 is again stopped by the switch operation. For example, Natio
nal Semiconductor's communication controller PC16550D consumes about 5 mA of current during operation. An electronic timepiece normally consumes only about 5 μA of current when operating only for timekeeping. On the other hand, the current consumption during communication is extremely large, which causes the battery life to be shortened.

Further, the electronic timepiece of the prior art shown in FIG. 2 has a drawback that it requires operation of a small switch of the electronic timepiece, resulting in poor operability.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic timepiece that solves the above-mentioned problems, reduces current consumption during communication, greatly improves battery life, and improves operability. .

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the electronic timepiece of the present invention employs the following configuration.

An electronic timepiece having a data communication function with an external electronic device, the data communication function comprising: a communication controller for transmitting / receiving data; an interrupt controller for detecting data reception; And an electronic timepiece comprising a timer for detecting the data and a central processing unit for interpreting and processing the data, and particularly having a communication state determining function based on the data. Make it possible.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, an optimal embodiment for implementing an electronic timepiece according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

The operation of the electronic timepiece according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and the operation of the electronic timepiece according to the present invention with reference to FIGS.

The data communication function of the electronic timepiece 10 according to the present invention includes a communication controller 12 and an interrupt controller 1.
3, a timer 14, and a central processing unit 11. Hereinafter, each function will be described.

The communication controller 12 has a function of transmitting and receiving data using the data signal line 15.

The interrupt controller 13 has a function of inputting the data signal line 15 and detecting reception of data.

Further, the central processing unit 11 has a data communication function with an external electronic device or the like, and interprets and interprets data.
It is for processing,

The timer 14 detects a time-out of data reception.

In order to carry out the present invention, a procedure for detecting a connection state in both an electronic timepiece and a personal computer as an external electronic device is prepared.

Next, the procedure of the data communication function will be described with reference to FIG. The procedure for detecting the connection state of the personal computer will be described with reference to FIG. The personal computer transmits a connection request 31. Thereafter, when a connection response is received 32, it is determined that the connection state is 37. If the connection response cannot be received 33, the connection request is transmitted 34 again. Thereafter, when a connection response is received 35, it is determined that the connection state is 37. When the connection response cannot be received, it is determined that the connection state is the disconnected state.

4 and FIG. 1 based on a procedure for detecting a connection state of an electronic timepiece, with respect to a communication state determination function which is a function of determining a communication state based on communication data, which is a feature of the present invention. It will be described using FIG. Here, the electronic timepiece has a state machine function. The state machine function includes a standby state 41 in which the communication controller 12 is stopped, a preparation state 42 in which the operation of the communication controller 12 is started by interruption, and a connection state 4 in which data is transmitted and received.
Have three. In the standby state 41, when a signal is input on the data signal line 15, the interrupt controller 1
3 detects the signal and issues an interrupt request 16 to the central processing unit 11. The central processing unit 11 puts the communication controller 12 into an operating state.

Further, the operation of the timer 14 is started, and the flow shifts to the preparation state 42. At this time, the timeout time of the timer 14 is set to, for example, 500 milliseconds. In the preparation state 42, when a connection request is received, a connection response is transmitted, the timer 14 is cleared, and the process proceeds to the connection state 43. In the preparation state 42, if the connection request is not received and the timeout 17 occurs, the communication controller 12 is stopped, and the process proceeds to the standby state 41. In the connection state 43, the timer 14 is cleared every time data is received. If no data has been received and the timeout 17 has occurred, the communication controller 12 is stopped and the process proceeds to the standby state 41.

Also in the connection state 43, when a connection request is received, a connection response is transmitted. Electronic clock 10
Determines that the state machine is in the connection state 43 as the connection state, and sets the standby state 41 and the preparation state 42
Is determined as a disconnected state.

The personal computer always detects whether or not the electronic timepiece is connected by executing the above-described procedure for detecting the connection state (see FIG. 3) periodically, for example, every 5 seconds. be able to.

Also, when the user makes a data transmission / reception request by operating the personal computer, the above-described procedure for detecting the connection state (FIG. 3) is first executed.
After confirming the connection, actual data transmission / reception is performed.

The state transition of the current consumption of the electronic timepiece 10 will be described with reference to FIG. When the electronic timepiece 10 is connected to the personal computer, the above-described procedure for detecting the connection state of the electronic timepiece (FIG. 4) is executed in response to a connection request from the personal computer, and the electronic timepiece shifts to the preparation state 42. . At this time 51, the current consumption increases.
However, thereafter, if no data is received, the state shifts to the standby state 41 due to a timeout 52 after 500 milliseconds, and the current consumption is immediately reduced.

When a user requests data transmission / reception,
During the actual data transfer, the current consumption increases only at 53, and immediately after 500 milliseconds after the data transfer is completed, the current consumption decreases.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic timepiece having a function of judging a communication state and having a significantly improved battery life as compared with the related art. It becomes possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an electronic timepiece of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic timepiece according to the related art.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for detecting a connection state of the personal computer of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a state transition diagram showing a procedure for detecting a connection state of the electronic timepiece of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a current consumption graph of the electronic timepiece of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a current consumption graph of an electronic timepiece according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 electronic clock 11 central processing unit 12 communication controller 13 interrupt controller 14 timer 15 data signal line 16 interrupt request 17 timeout notification

Claims (1)

[Claims] An electronic timepiece having a data communication function with an external electronic device, the data communication function comprising: a communication controller for transmitting and receiving data; an interrupt controller for detecting data reception; An electronic timepiece, comprising: a timer for detecting a timeout of the above; and a central processing unit for interpreting and processing data, and having a communication state determining function based on the data.