JP2003207586A - Electronic equipment and its internal time information control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To minimize a difference in internal time information in electronic equipment. <P>SOLUTION: A printer 40 being one example of the electronic equipment has a source oscillation generating part 60 for generating a source oscillation signal, a cardinal number forming counter part 62 for forming a reference clock signal on the basis of this source oscillation signal, and a time generating part 64 for generating printer time information on the basis of this reference clock signal, and also has a time information acquiring part 66 for acquiring NTP time information, a correction value calculating part 70 for calculating a correction value on the basis of a difference between the NTP time information and the printer time information, and a time correcting part 68 for correcting the printer time information of the time generating part 64 on the basis of the NTP time information. The cardinal number forming counter part 62 forms the reference clock signal on the basis of the source oscillation signal while performing a correction by the correction value calculated by the correction value calculating part 70. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic device such as a printer, and more particularly to an electronic device having internal time information for managing time inside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some electronic devices such as printers manage time information themselves inside the electronic devices. For example, taking a printer as an example, in order to manage the printer time information that is the internal time information, a high-precision crystal oscillator is built into the printer, and this crystal oscillator is used as the source oscillation Generating information. The printer time information is 12: 15: 4.
If you simply manage the time, such as 0 seconds,
The date may be managed such as 12:15:40 on December 10, 2001.

[0003]

However, since a high-precision crystal oscillator is expensive, a low-precision crystal oscillator is mounted to reduce the cost of electronic equipment such as a printer. Sometimes. Further, in recent years, the design technology of the CPU has been improved, and the clock for driving the CPU is not required to have very high accuracy. If the accuracy of the clock for the CPU does not have to be very high, the crystal oscillator, which is the source oscillator for generating this clock, is not required to have high accuracy.

As described above, in the case of an electronic device such as a printer equipped with a crystal oscillator that is not very accurate, the internal time information for driving the crystal oscillator as the source vibration is the passage of time after the time is set. At the same time, it will gradually deviate from the correct time.

There is also an electronic device having a function of adjusting such a deviation of internal time information of the electronic device to a correct time. For example, in the case of a printer, when the printer and the host computer are connected in a one-to-one local connection, for example, the printer acquires time information from the host computer at regular intervals, and the printer acquires the time information as acquired. By matching the time information, the deviation of the printer time information is corrected.

However, in the case where one printer is connected to a plurality of computers via a network, the computer time information indicated by each computer is not unified. , It is not decided whether the printer time information should be adjusted.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is a case where a source vibration generating unit in an electronic device such as a printer is configured by using a crystal oscillator or the like whose accuracy is not so high. Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide necessary and sufficiently accurate internal time information.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention generates a source oscillation signal, and a source oscillation generating unit, and generates a reference clock signal based on the source oscillation signal. The radix generation counter unit, the internal time information generation unit that generates internal time information based on the reference clock signal, the time information acquisition unit that acquires correct time information, and the time information acquisition unit acquired A correction value is calculated based on a difference between the correct time information and the internal time information of the internal time information generating unit, and a correction value is calculated so that a difference between the correct time information and the internal time information becomes small. And a time correction unit that corrects the time of the internal time information in the internal time generation unit based on the correct time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit. Generating counter unit, while performing correction by the correction value, wherein the correction value calculation unit has calculated, on the basis of the source oscillation signal to generate said reference clock signal,
It is characterized by

In this case, the time information acquisition unit may acquire the correct time information at a predetermined cycle, or the correct time information may be acquired when the power of the electronic device is turned on. You may make it acquire.

The time information acquisition unit may acquire the correct time information from an NTP server computer.

Further, the electronic device may be, for example, a printer.

Further, the radix generation counter section generates the reference clock signal that oscillates once when the source oscillation signal oscillates by the number of times that the correction value is added to the set default value, and at the same time, the correction is performed. The value calculation unit, based on the difference between the correct time information and the internal time information,
The difference between the correct time information and the internal time information is calculated to be the smallest correction value thereafter, and the radix generation counter section uses the calculated new correction value to calculate the reference clock signal. May be generated.

Further, the electronic device manages time based on the internal time information, and when the predetermined time has passed or a predetermined time has passed, some kind of You may make it operate | move.

The present invention can also be realized as a control method for controlling internal time information of an electronic device. Furthermore, it can be realized as a program for controlling such an electronic device or a recording medium recording the program.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION One embodiment of the present invention is realized in a printer which is an example of an electronic device. The printer according to the present embodiment acquires correct time information from the NTP server computer, and corrects the printer time information based on the correct time information to match the deviation of the printer time information. Furthermore, the printer according to the present embodiment calculates the correction value to be added to the source vibration necessary for obtaining the correct printer time information thereafter, based on the obtained amount of deviation between the correct time information and the printer time information. However, the printer time information is generated in consideration of this correction value to improve the accuracy of the printer time information. More details will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the entire printing system according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system according to this embodiment includes a server computer 10, an NTP server computer 20, a plurality of client computers 30, and a printer 40.
It is connected via the network 50.

In the present embodiment, the server computer 10 has a role of a file server or a database server for the client computer 30, for example. Also, the user is the client computer 3
It is possible to create various print data such as a document or a drawing using 0, and the printer 40 can print by sending the created print data from the client computer 30 to the printer 40. . That is, the printer 40 according to the present embodiment is a so-called network compatible printer.

The NTP server computer 20 has a network time protocol (Network Time Protocol:
UTC (Coordinated Universal) based on NTP
Time) to get correct and accurate time information from the reference clock. As will be described in detail later, the printer 40 acquires this correct time information from the NTP server computer 20 at a predetermined timing, and adjusts the printer time information managed by this printer 40 to the correct time information. Further, the printer 40 calculates a correction value to be added to the source oscillation after that, based on the difference between the correct time information and the printer time information, in order to set the correct time in the printer time information, and the calculated correction value. The printer time information after that is generated by adding the value.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the time information management unit 50 included in the printer 40 according to this embodiment. The time information management unit 50 receives correct time information from the NTP server computer 20, manages printer time information, and calculates the above-described correction value.

As shown in FIG. 2, the time information management unit 50.
Is a source generation unit 60, a radix generation counter unit 62, a time generation unit 64, a time information acquisition unit 66, and a time correction unit 6.
8 and a correction value calculation unit 70.

The source vibration generator 60 is composed of an element or the like for generating a source vibration signal, and is composed of, for example, a crystal oscillator. In the present embodiment, the source vibration generating section 60 generates and outputs a source vibration signal having an amplitude once every 1 / 2,000,000 seconds.

This source signal is used as a radix generation counter unit 62.
Entered in. The radix generation counter unit 62 divides this source oscillation signal to generate a reference clock signal of 1/1000 second and outputs it. That is, the radix generation counter unit 6
Reference numeral 2 counts the number of amplitudes of the source oscillation signal, and generates a reference clock signal that amplifies once when the source oscillation signal oscillates 2000 times.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing the relationship between the source oscillation signal and the reference clock signal. As shown in FIG. 3, the radix generation counter unit 62 increments the counter each time the source oscillation signal amplitudes once, and the source oscillation signal becomes 200.
A signal is generated such that the reference clock signal oscillates once when it oscillates 0 times, that is, when the counter reaches 2000. In other words, the radix generation counter unit 62 performs the process of switching the high level and the low level of the reference clock signal when the source oscillation signal has amplitude of 1000 times.

However, in this embodiment, this 200
The amplitude frequency of the source vibration of 0 times is a default value set in the design, and the correction value is added to correct the deviation of the amplitude frequency of the source vibration signal.

Specifically, for example, when the radix generation counter section 62 has a correction value of +10, the radix generation counter section 62 is 2000 + 10 = 2010 times, and when the source oscillation has an amplitude of 1, Outputs a reference clock signal that swings once. On the other hand, when the radix generation counter unit 62 has a correction value of −10, the radix generation counter unit 62
2000-10 = 1990 times, when the source vibration oscillates,
A reference clock signal that swings once is output.

As shown in FIG. 2, this reference clock signal is input to the time generator 64. The time generation unit 64 generates the printer time information assuming that the reference clock signal is 1/1000 second, regardless of what kind of correction is applied to the reference clock signal. That is, when the reference clock signal has amplitude 1,000 times, the printer time information is advanced by 1 second. In the printer according to the present embodiment, as the printer time information,
It holds information about the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second. However, as the printer time information, the year, month, and day information may not be held, and only the hour, minute, and second information may be held.

On the other hand, the time information acquisition unit 66 acquires the NTP time information, which is correct time information, from the NTP server computer 20 at a predetermined timing. In the present embodiment, the time information acquisition unit 66 regularly acquires the NTP time information from the NTP server computer 20 at a predetermined cycle (once every 24 hours).
In addition to this, for example, when the user turns on the power of the printer 40, the NTP time information may be acquired from the NTP server computer 20. The NTP time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit 66 is the time correction unit 6
8 and the correction value calculation unit 70.

The time correction unit 68, to which this NTP time information is input, corrects the printer time information in the time generation unit 64 according to this NTP time information. On the other hand, the correction value calculation unit 70 further acquires the printer time information from the time generation unit 64 before the time correction unit 68 corrects the printer time information. Then, the difference between the printer time information and the NTP time information is calculated to obtain a new correction value. Then, the new correction value is transmitted to the radix generation counter unit 62. In the radix generation counter unit 62,
This new correction value is added to the set default value and 1
Generate a / 1000 second reference clock signal.

Specifically, the correction value calculation unit 70 obtains the difference time from (printer time information)-(NTP time information) and converts it to the correction value used in the radix generation counter unit 62, The difference correction value is calculated. Then, a new correction value is obtained by adding this difference correction value to the current correction value. For example, if the printer time information is NT
If it is 43 seconds ahead of the P time information, the difference time is 4
3 seconds. Converting this into a correction value in the radix generation counter unit 62, 43 seconds / (24 hours × 60 minutes × 60
Since (second) ≈0.5%, 2000 × 0.5% = 1. That is, the difference correction value is 1. Since a new correction value can be calculated by adding this difference correction value to the current correction value, assuming that the current correction value is 0, 0+
1 = 1 is the new correction value. This correction value is taken into the radix generation counter unit 62, and the radix generation counter unit 62
Causes the reference clock signal to oscillate once when the source oscillation signal oscillates 2001 times (2000 + 1 times).

Next, based on FIG. 4, the correction value calculation unit 70
The correction value calculation processing performed by will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flowchart for explaining the contents of the correction value calculation processing. In this correction value calculation process, the time information acquisition unit 66 operates from the NTP server computer 20 to NT.
This process is started when the P time information is acquired.

As shown in FIG. 4, the correction value calculating section 70 is
First, the NTP time information is acquired from the time information acquisition unit 66 (step S10). Then, the correction value calculation unit 70
Printer time information is acquired from the time generation unit 64 (step S11). The timing of acquiring the printer time information needs to be before the time correction unit 68 corrects the printer time information of the time generation unit 64 based on the NTP time information.

Next, the correction value calculation section 70 subtracts the NTP time information from the printer time information to calculate the difference, and converts this to a difference correction value (step S12).
This can be expressed by the following general formula. Diff = [(Tpt−Tntp) / Tp] × (Df +
Adnow) Diff: Difference correction value Tpt: Printer time information Tntp: NTP time information Tp: Correction cycle Df: Setting default value Adnow: Current correction value

Next, the correction value calculation section 70 adds the calculated difference correction value Diff to the current correction value Adnow (step S13). Then, this new correction value is held as the current correction value Adnow (step S1).
4). Subsequently, the correction value calculation unit 70 transmits the calculated new correction value Adnow to the radix generation counter unit 62. With the above, the correction value calculation process according to the present embodiment ends.

Next, the radix generation counter process performed by the radix generation counter unit 62 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flowchart for explaining the contents of the radix generation counter process. This radix generation counter process is a process that is continuously executed as long as the source vibration signal is input from the source vibration generation unit 60 to the radix generation counter unit 62.

As shown in FIG. 5, the radix generation counter unit 6
2 first resets the counter value to zero (step S20). Then, when the source vibration signal amplitude once,
The value of the counter is incremented by 1 (step S2
1).

Next, the radix generation counter unit 62 determines whether or not the value of the counter is equal to the value obtained by adding the correction value to the set default value (step S22). If the value of the counter is not equal to the value obtained by adding the correction value to the set default value (step S22: No), that is, if the value of the counter is smaller than the value obtained by adding the correction value to the set default value, The process from S21 is repeated.

On the other hand, when the counter value becomes equal to the value obtained by adding the correction value to the set default value (step S2
2: Yes), the reference clock signal of 1 amplitude is 1 /
It is output as a signal representing 1000 seconds (step S2
3).

As described above, according to the printer 40 of this embodiment, the time information acquisition unit 6 is set at a predetermined timing.
6 determines that the printer time information of the time generation unit 64 is matched with the accurate NTP time information fetched from the NTP server computer 20, so that the deviation of the printer time information of the printer 40 can be corrected at a predetermined timing. it can.

Further, at that time, the printer time information and N
Based on the difference from the TP time information, the correct printer time information can be obtained until the next time adjustment timing by the time generation unit 6.
4 is generated so that a correction value is calculated, and the radix generation counter unit 62 generates the reference clock signal based on this correction value. That is, thereafter, a correction value that reduces the difference between the printer time information and the NTP time information is calculated, and the radix generation counter unit 62 generates the reference clock signal while performing correction using this correction value. did. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the deviation between the printer time information and the NTP time information which may occur until the next time adjustment timing.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, when the printer time information is simply adjusted based on the NTP time information once every 24 hours, the tendency of deviation of the source vibration generated by the source vibration generating unit 60 is low. When the operating conditions such as temperature and humidity are constant, it is almost constant. Therefore, a deviation of 43 seconds occurs every 24 hours.

On the other hand, according to the printer 40 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the correction value is calculated in the first time adjustment process, and the correction value is calculated for the next 24 hours. Then, the reference clock signal is generated.
Therefore, the deviation between the printer time information and the NTP time information that occurs up to the second time adjustment is small.
Then, at the time of the second time adjustment, the correction value is calculated again, and for the next 24 hours, the reference clock signal is generated in consideration of this new correction value. For this reason,
Printer time information and N generated by the third time adjustment
The deviation from the TP time information becomes even smaller. By repeating the time adjustment process and the correction value calculation process as described above, it is possible to engrave the correct time in the printer time information even if the accuracy of the source vibration of the source vibration generating unit 60 is not so high. become.

As a result, the printer 40 performs some kind of time management based on the printer time information, and when the predetermined time has passed, or when the predetermined time has passed, some kind of time management is performed. When performing an operation, the operation can be performed at a more accurate timing. For example, when the user performs time-specified printing on the printer 40, that is, when print data specifying the time to print is sent to the printer 40, the printer can print at the correct time intended by the user. . Further, when the printer 40 is an inkjet printer, the print head can be regularly cleaned (for example, once every 48 hours) at correct time intervals.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways. For example, the present invention can be applied not only to a printer but also to any electronic device having internal time information, such as a digital camera, a scanner, a mobile phone, a VCR, and a rice cooker.

Further, regarding each processing described in the above embodiment, a program for executing each processing is a flexible disk or a CD-ROM (Compact Disc).
-Read Only Memory), ROM, it can be recorded in a recording medium such as a memory card, and distributed in the form of the recording medium. In this case, by reading the recording medium on which this program is recorded into the printer 40 and executing it,
The embodiment described above can be realized.

The printer 40 may include other programs such as an operating system and other application programs. In this case, the printer 40
It is also possible to utilize another program included in the above, and to record in the recording medium an instruction that calls a program that realizes the same processing as the above-described embodiment from the programs included in the printer 40.

Further, such a program can be distributed as a carrier wave through a network, not in the form of a recording medium. The program transmitted in the form of a carrier wave on the network is taken into the printer 40, and the above-described embodiment can be realized by executing this program.

In some cases, the program is encrypted or compressed when it is recorded on the recording medium or when it is transmitted as a carrier wave on the network.
In this case, the printer 40 that has read the program from the recording medium or the carrier wave needs to execute the program after decoding or expanding the program.

[0048]

As described above, the electronic device according to the present invention corrects the time of the internal time generation unit based on the correct time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit, and the time information acquisition unit acquires it. Based on the difference between the correct time information and the internal time information of the internal time information generation unit, a correction value that reduces the difference between the correct time information and the internal time information is calculated, and the radix generation counter unit Since the reference clock signal is generated based on the source oscillation signal while performing the correction with this correction value, it is possible to minimize the deviation between the correct time information and the internal time information.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a time information management unit included in the printer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a timing chart of a source oscillation signal and a reference clock signal for explaining processing contents of a radix generation counter unit in a time information management unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flowchart illustrating a correction value calculation process performed by a correction value calculation unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart illustrating a radix generation counter process performed by a radix generation counter unit.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the passage of time and the deviation between NTP time information and printer time information in a printer that only adjusts time based on NTP time information.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the passage of time and the shift between the NTP time information and the printer time information in the printer according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 server computer 20 NTP server computer 30 client computers 40 printers 50 network

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A source oscillation generation unit that generates a source oscillation signal, a radix generation counter unit that generates a reference clock signal based on the source oscillation signal, and internal time information based on the reference clock signal. An internal time information generation unit that generates a time information acquisition unit that acquires correct time information, and the correct time information acquired by the time information acquisition unit,
A correction value calculation unit that calculates a correction value such that a difference between the correct time information and the internal time information becomes small based on a difference between the internal time information of the internal time information generation unit and the time information. A time correction unit that corrects the time of the internal time information in the internal time generation unit based on the correct time information acquired by the acquisition unit, and the radix generation counter unit is the correction value calculation unit. An electronic device, wherein the reference clock signal is generated based on the source oscillation signal while performing correction using the correction value calculated by. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the time information acquisition unit acquires the correct time information at a predetermined cycle. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the time information acquisition unit acquires the correct time information when the power of the electronic device is turned on. 4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the time information acquisition unit acquires the correct time information from an NTP server computer. 5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a printer. 6. The radix generation counter section generates the reference clock signal that oscillates once when the source oscillation signal oscillates the number of times that the correction value is added to the set default value, and the correction signal is generated. The value calculation unit calculates a correction value based on a difference between the correct time information and the internal time information such that the difference between the correct time information and the internal time information is the smallest thereafter, and The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the radix generation counter unit generates the reference clock signal by using the calculated new correction value. 7. Time management is performed based on the internal time information, and some operation is performed when a predetermined time set in advance has passed or when a predetermined time set in advance has passed. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: 8. A source oscillation generating unit that generates a source oscillation signal, a radix generation counter unit that generates a reference clock signal based on the source oscillation signal, and internal time information based on the reference clock signal. An internal time information generating unit for generating the internal time information generating unit, which is a method for controlling an internal time of an electronic device, comprising: acquiring the correct time information, the correct time information, and the internal time information of the internal time information generating unit. A step of calculating a correction value such that the difference between the correct time information and the internal time information becomes small, based on the correct time information, of the internal time information in the internal time generating section. And a step of correcting the time, wherein the radix generation counter section corrects the reference clock based on the source oscillation signal while performing correction using the calculated correction value. Generating a click signal, the internal time information control method of an electronic device, characterized in that.