JP2007010323A - Radio controlled clock module, and radio controlled clock having it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radio controlled clock module or the like capable of more easily and inexpensively detecting date/hour and frequency allowing best receiving of radio waves. <P>SOLUTION: The radio controlled clock module 1 comprises an antenna 2, a reception processing section 3, a control processing section 4, and a receiving success/failure information accumulation section 5. The reception processing section 3 receives long standard radio waves, and outputs data based on the long standard radio waves. The control processing section 4 determines success or failure of reception by inspecting data output from the reception processing section 3, creates receiving success/failure information based on the determination result, and accumulates it in the receiving success/failure information accumulation section 5. When a predetermined period passes, or when a predetermined pieces of receiving success/failure information are accumulated in the receiving success/failure information accumulation section 5, the date/hour and frequency at which success possibility of reception by the reception processing section 3 is estimated high is determined using the accumulated receiving success/failure information, and then the reception processing section 3 is made to receive at the determined date/hour and frequency of the reception processing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a radio clock module for receiving standard radio waves. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a radio timepiece having such a radio timepiece module.

  Currently, a long wave standard radio wave is transmitted by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, and a radio timepiece capable of displaying a highly accurate time by receiving the long wave standard radio wave is used. In addition, a long wave standard radio wave with a frequency of 40 kHz is transmitted from the Otakado and Yama standard radio wave transmission stations of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, and a long wave standard radio wave with a frequency of 60 kHz is transmitted from the Haganeyama standard radio wave transmission station. It is outgoing.

  A radio-controlled timepiece may not be able to receive a long-wave standard radio wave correctly due to various causes (for example, ambient radio wave conditions). However, a technique for solving such a problem is known (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below). reference).

  In the following Patent Document 1, a time reporting means for notifying the time, a receiving means for receiving a radio wave including time information, a detecting means for detecting a time at which the radio wave can be best received by the receiving means, A time correction means for correcting the time notified by the time information means on the basis of time information included in the radio wave received at the time detected by the detection means. Is posted.

According to this radio-controlled timepiece, it is possible to detect the time at which radio waves can be received best and to receive radio waves at the detected time.
However, it is desired to detect a time at which radio waves can be received most easily and inexpensively.

  Patent Document 2 listed below is an in-vehicle radio wave correction clock mounted on a vehicle having at least an activation switch, which receives a standard time radio wave signal and converts it into time data, and the activation described above. A detection circuit that detects whether the switch for the on state is in the on state or the off state, and when the detection circuit detects that the activation switch is in the off state when receiving the standard time radio signal, the pointer An in-vehicle radio wave correction timepiece having a control circuit for correcting the position to a position corresponding to the time data obtained by the receiving circuit is described.

  According to this on-vehicle radio wave correction timepiece, when it is detected that the activation switch is in the OFF state, the pointer position can be corrected to a position corresponding to the time data obtained by the receiving circuit.

JP-A-6-289156 (first page, FIG. 1) JP 2000-212284 (first page, FIG. 1)

  Therefore, in view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a radio timepiece module that can detect a date and time when radio waves can be received best most easily and inexpensively. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a radio timepiece having such a radio timepiece module.

  In order to solve the above problems, the radio timepiece module according to the present invention includes a reception processing unit for performing reception processing for receiving standard time radio waves and outputting data based on the standard time radio waves, and reception by the reception processing unit. The reception processing by checking the data output from the reception processing unit and the reception success / failure information storage unit for storing the reception success / failure information including the date and time when reception by the reception processing unit was performed. The reception success / failure information is determined and the reception success / failure information is created based on the determination result and stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit. When a predetermined period elapses, a predetermined number of reception success / failure information is stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit. In such a case, the reception success / failure information stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit is used to determine a date and time that is likely to be successfully received by the reception processing unit. And a control processing unit for performing reception processing on the date and time on the part.

  In this radio clock module, the reception processing unit performs reception processing at a predetermined time or at a predetermined interval before the control processing unit determines the date and time, and performs reception processing at the date and time after the control processing unit determines the date and time. Anyway.

  The control processing unit may determine the frequency of the standard time radio wave that is estimated to be highly likely to be successfully received by the reception processing unit together with the date and time.

  The control processing unit clears the reception success / failure information stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit when the reception by the reception processing unit performed at the date and time has not succeeded a predetermined number of times, and then the reception success / failure Information may be accumulated again, and the date and time estimated to be highly likely to be successfully received by the reception processing unit may be determined again using the reception success / failure information stored again.

  The radio timepiece according to the present invention includes the radio timepiece module according to the present invention.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same referential mark is attached | subjected to the same component and description is abbreviate | omitted.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a radio clock module according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the radio clock module 1 includes an antenna 2, a reception processing unit 3, a control processing unit 4, and a reception success / failure information storage unit 5 formed of a recording medium such as a RAM.

  The reception processing unit 3 performs a reception process of receiving the long wave standard radio wave via the antenna 2 and outputting data based on the long wave standard radio wave to the control processing unit 5.

  The control processing unit 4 determines the success or failure of reception by the reception processing unit 3 by examining data based on the long wave standard radio wave output from the reception processing unit 3, and receives reception success / failure information regarding the success or failure of reception by the reception processing unit 3. It accumulates in the reception success / failure information accumulation unit 5. Further, when the reception by the reception processing unit 3 is successful, the control processing unit 4 creates standard time data from data based on the long wave standard radio wave output from the reception processing unit 3 and outputs the standard time data to an external circuit.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the reception success / failure information stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit 5. FIG. 2 shows a state where four pieces of reception success / failure information are accumulated. Each reception success / failure information includes the date and time (including year, month, day, day of the week, hour, and minute) when the reception processing unit 3 received the longwave standard radio wave, and the longwave standard radio wave by the reception processing unit 3. Including the success or failure of the reception, the frequency of the long wave standard radio wave received by the reception processing unit 3, and the success or failure of reception of each bit of data based on the standard time output from the reception processing unit 3. In the long wave standard radio wave, 1-bit data is transmitted per second. For example, 60-bit data is transmitted per minute.

Next, the operation of the radio clock module 1 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the radio timepiece module 1.

  First, the reception processing unit 3 performs a long wave standard radio wave reception process (step S11). As a result, data based on the long wave standard radio wave is output from the reception processing unit 3 to the control processing unit 4. The reception processing unit 3 may execute step S11 at a predetermined time or at a predetermined interval.

  Next, the control processing unit 4 determines the success or failure of reception by the reception processing unit 3 by inspecting data based on the long wave standard radio wave output from the reception processing unit 3, and reception related to the success or failure of reception by the reception processing unit 3. Success / failure information (see FIG. 2) is stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit 5 (step S12).

  The control processing unit 4 repeats steps S11 to S12 until a predetermined period elapses or until a predetermined number of reception success / failure information is accumulated in the reception success / failure information storage unit 5, and after the predetermined period elapses or when the reception success / failure information is received. After a predetermined number is stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit 5, the process proceeds to step S14 (step S13).

  If it is determined in step S13 that the predetermined period has elapsed, or if it is determined that a predetermined number of reception success / failure information has been stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit 5, the control processing unit 4 stores in the reception success / failure information storage unit 5. The received reception success / failure information is analyzed (step S14). Thereby, for example, in an environment where the radio wave condition varies depending on the day of the week and the time, it is more likely that reception by the reception processing unit 3 is more successful at night than during the day on weekdays (Monday to Friday). Is more likely to be successfully received by the reception processing unit 3 in the daytime than at night, and is more likely to be successfully received by the long-wave standard radio wave with the frequency of 40 kHz than the long-wave standard radio wave with the frequency of 60 kHz. be able to. Further, when the radio timepiece module 1 is built in a wristwatch, it is possible to determine the day of the week, the time, and the frequency that are highly likely to be successfully received by the reception processing unit 3 according to the lifestyle of the user. Then, the control processing unit 4 receives a 40 kHz long wave standard radio wave at 3:15 am from Monday to Friday that is estimated to be highly likely to be successfully received by the reception processing unit 3. (E.g., receiving a 40 kHz long wave standard radio wave at 2:15 pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays) (step S15).

  Thereafter, the reception processing unit 3 performs reception processing of the long wave standard radio wave having the frequency determined at the date and time determined by the control processing unit 4 in step S15 (step S16).

  Note that reception by the reception processing unit 3 may fail continuously due to changes in radio wave conditions and changes in user lifestyles. Therefore, when the reception by the reception processing unit 3 fails continuously for a predetermined number of times, the control processing unit 4 clears the reception success / failure information stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit 5 (step S18), and the process is performed in step S11. Return to.

  As described above, according to the radio clock module 1, it is possible to easily and inexpensively detect the date and time when the long wave standard radio wave can be received best without requiring a circuit such as an electric field strength detection circuit. Become.

  The present invention can be used in a radio timepiece module that receives a long wave standard radio wave. This radio timepiece module can be used in a table clock, a wristwatch, an in-vehicle device, and the like.

1 is a block diagram showing a radio clock module according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the example of the reception success / failure information accumulate | stored in the reception success / failure information storage part 5 of FIG. The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the radio timepiece module 1 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  1 radio wave clock module, 2 antenna, 3 reception processing unit, 4 control processing unit, 5 reception success / failure information storage unit

Claims (5)

A reception processing unit for performing a reception process of receiving standard time radio waves and outputting data based on the standard time radio waves;
A reception success / failure information accumulating unit for accumulating reception success / failure information including information regarding the success or failure of reception by the reception processing unit, including the date and time when the reception by the reception processing unit was performed;
Determine the success or failure of reception by the reception processing unit by inspecting the data output from the reception processing unit, create the reception success / failure information based on the determination result and store in the reception success / failure information storage unit, Reception by the reception processing unit using the reception success / failure information stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit when a predetermined period elapses or when a predetermined number of the reception success / failure information is stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit Determining a date and time that is estimated to be likely to succeed, and then a control processing unit for causing the reception processing unit to perform reception processing at the date and time,
A radio clock module comprising:   The reception processing unit performs reception processing at a predetermined time or at a predetermined interval before the control processing unit determines the date and time, and performs reception processing at the date and time after the control processing unit determines the date and time. The radio timepiece module according to claim 1.   The radio timepiece module according to claim 1, wherein the control processing unit determines a frequency of a standard time radio wave that is estimated to be likely to be successfully received by the reception processing unit together with the date and time.   The control processing unit clears the reception success / failure information stored in the reception success / failure information storage unit when reception by the reception processing unit performed at the date and time has not succeeded a predetermined number of times, and thereafter Re-accumulating the reception success / failure information, and using the reception success / failure information stored again, the date and time estimated to be highly likely to be successfully received by the reception processing unit is determined again. The radio timepiece module according to any one of the above.   A radio clock comprising the radio clock module according to claim 1.

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