JP2010223798A - Electronic clock - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic clock, capable of displaying mode information indicating the type of the mode without increasing the number of pointers, even if a display means displaying the mode information by organic EL becomes nonfunctional, due to reduction in a battery voltage, before a display means, using a pointer. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic clock includes a first display means 2 for displaying the mode information indicating the type of the mode; a second display means 3 for displaying information, relating to the voltage of a battery 6 by a pointer 3a; a third display means 4 for displaying information of a plurality of types including time information by pointers 4a to 4e; a voltage detection means 5 for detecting the voltage of the battery 6; and a control means 1 for controlling the operation of first display means 2, the second display means 3 and the third display means 4. The control means 1 controls the first display means 2 and the second display means 3, such that the first display means 2 is stopped and that the second display means 3 displays the mode information, when the voltage detection means 5 detects a voltage value which is not higher than a predetermined voltage value. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic timepiece that operates using a primary battery or a secondary battery as a power source.

  Conventionally, there has been an electronic timepiece that has a power generation means such as a primary battery or a solar cell and operates with a secondary battery that charges power generated by external light as a power source.

  Some of these electronic timepieces are configured to prevent malfunction of the circuit due to a decrease in the remaining battery level (battery voltage). For example, a transition to the standby state is made before the operation limit voltage of the circuit is reached.

  Many electronic timepieces have been proposed which have both an analog display unit using hands and a digital display unit using liquid crystals. In general, the analog display unit displays time information and remaining battery power because of high visibility, and the digital display unit displays information related to additional functions such as chronographs and alarms based on the high degree of freedom of display. it's shown. The digital display unit also performs mode display using characters and marks.

A conventional electronic timepiece will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 5 shows an example of a conventional electronic timepiece.

  Reference numeral 102 denotes a liquid crystal display device that displays graphic information and text information corresponding to various functions by digital display.

  104a is the second hand, 104b is the minute hand, 104c is the hour hand, 104d is the 24-hour hand, and 104e is the city display hand. The second hand 104a to the 24-hour hand 104d are used to display the world time information, and the city display hand 104e. Use the to display the corresponding city.

  Reference numeral 108 denotes a first input means which is turned on when pressed, and functions as a selection means in each mode of the electronic timepiece. Reference numeral 109 denotes a second input unit that is turned on when pressed and functions as a determination unit in each mode. Reference numeral 110 denotes a third input unit, which can change various modes by rotating, and transitions to a set state of various modes by pulling one stage.

Hereinafter, the operation of the conventional electronic timepiece having the above configuration will be described in detail.
The functions mounted on the electronic timepiece are a time date mode, a chronograph mode, a timer mode, and an alarm mode. The user selects the mode by rotating the third input unit 110 and operates the function assigned to each mode using the first input unit 108 and the second input unit 109.

  At this time, the user determines which mode is currently based on the abbreviation of each mode name displayed on the liquid crystal display device 102. For example, the time / date mode is TIM, the chronograph mode is CHR, the timer mode is TM, and the alarm mode is AL.

  Further, by displaying the battery charge state in three stages of H, M, and L by the battery remaining amount display hand 103a, the user can know the charge state of the electronic timepiece at any time.

In addition, description is abbreviate | omitted about the detailed operation and operation | movement in each mode.
Further, Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic timepiece that displays predetermined information by combining a pointer as an analog display unit and an organic EL as a digital display unit. This electronic timepiece displays time information by an organic EL capable of displaying numbers and characters, and displays time and minute information by hands. As described above, it is possible to use an organic EL instead of the liquid crystal display device as the digital display means of the electronic timepiece, and use the organic EL instead of the liquid crystal display device of the electronic timepiece shown in FIG. be able to.

  By the way, organic EL generally requires higher power and higher voltage than the pointer display means. Therefore, when an organic EL is used instead of the liquid crystal display device in the electronic timepiece shown in FIG. 5, the pointer display means (the battery remaining amount display hand 3a, the hour hand 4c, etc.) has a lower voltage than the organic EL. Is possible.

JP 2008-139025 A

  However, if the organic EL that displays a part of each mode, such as the mode name, is stopped, it becomes difficult to express each mode and function. The voltage to stop the EL was reached and the operation of the watch had to be stopped.

  In order to avoid the above problem, it is possible to add a new guideline for substituting the display contents of the organic EL, and to use the function of each mode only by the display of the pointer, but on the dial with space restrictions If a new pointer is provided, the visibility is lowered and the cost is increased.

  The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems, and includes a display means for displaying a mode type, a pointer for displaying information on battery voltage, and a pointer for displaying a plurality of types of information including time information. Even if only the display means using the pointer is activated, the information about the mode type is displayed without increasing the pointer. The purpose is to provide an electronic watch that can continue to operate.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an electronic timepiece having a plurality of modes that display a plurality of types of information by using a battery as a power source, and that displays a mode information indicating the mode type. Information on the battery voltage is displayed by means, a second display means that operates at a voltage lower than the operating voltage of the first display means, and the plurality of types of information including time information are displayed by the hands. , Third display means that operates at a voltage lower than the operating voltage of the first display means, voltage detection means for detecting the voltage of the battery, the first display means, the second display means, and the third display. Control means for controlling the operation of the means, the control means,
When the voltage detection means detects a voltage value equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage value, the first display means and the second display means are stopped and the mode information is displayed on the second display means. The second display means is controlled.

  The second display means displays information on the voltage of the battery in a first predetermined angle range when the voltage detection means detects a voltage value exceeding the predetermined voltage value, and the voltage detection means The control means controls the second display means so as to display the mode information in a second predetermined angle range different from the first predetermined angle range by detecting a voltage value equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage value. It is characterized by doing.

The second display means divides the second predetermined angle range into a plurality of regions,
The mode information is displayed by an area indicated by a pointer of the second display means.

  The voltage detection means detects a voltage value exceeding the predetermined voltage value, thereby displaying the plurality of information on the first display means, and the voltage detection means is a voltage value equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage value. By detecting this, the control means controls the first display means and the third display means so as to display the plurality of information on the third display means.

  In addition, when the voltage detection unit detects a voltage value exceeding the predetermined voltage value and displays any of the plurality of pieces of information on the first display unit, the voltage detection unit detects the predetermined voltage value. The control means is configured to stop the first display means by detecting a voltage value less than or equal to the value and to continuously display the information displayed on the first display means on the third display means. Controls the first display means and the third display means.

  Further, when the voltage detection means detects a voltage value equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage value and the third display means displays any of the plurality of information, the voltage detection means When the voltage value exceeding the voltage value is detected, the control means is configured to operate the first display means and continuously display the information displayed on the third display means on the first display means. Controls the first display means and the third display means.

  Further, the third display means is a display means using an organic EL.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to display information on the mode type without increasing the pointer even after only the display means for displaying the mode type is stopped with a simple configuration.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic timepiece according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view of the electronic timepiece concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure of a pointer mode display of the electronic timepiece concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view at the time of the 1st display part light extinction of the electronic timepiece concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view of the conventional electronic timepiece.

  Exemplary embodiments of an electronic timepiece according to the invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic timepiece that performs mode display using a battery remaining amount indicating hand according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external view of the electronic timepiece according to the present invention.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a first display means using organic EL, which performs display based on the first display information Sd1 from the control means 1, and enables the display operation by turning on the valid signal Se1 from the control means 1, and turns off the display. To forcibly stop the display operation. The first display means 2 displays graphic information and text information corresponding to various functions by digital display.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a second display means for performing display based on the second display information Sd2 from the control means 1, and enabling the display operation by turning on the valid signal Se2 from the control means 1 and turning it off. The display operation is forcibly stopped with. The second display means 3 includes a battery remaining amount display needle 3a and a motor 3m that drives the battery remaining amount display needle 3a, and performs battery remaining amount display using the battery remaining amount display needle 3a. Reference numeral 4 denotes third display means, which performs display based on the third display information Sd3 from the control means 1, and enables and disables the display operation by turning on the valid signal Se3 from the control means 1. The display operation is forcibly stopped with. The third display means 4 includes a second hand 4a, a minute hand 4b, an hour hand 4c, a 24-hour hand 4d and a city display hand 4e, and motors 4ma and 4mb for driving these hands, and the second hand 4a to the 24-hour hand 4d. In addition to displaying the world time time information, the corresponding city display is performed using the city display hand 4e.

Reference numeral 5 denotes voltage detection means for measuring the voltage of the battery 6. The battery 6 is a rechargeable secondary battery and is charged by supplying a charging voltage Sc from the photovoltaic power generation means 7.
The battery 6 can also drive the first display means 2 in the range of 3.3V to 4.2V due to its load characteristics, and the second display means 3 and the third display means 4 from 3.0V. It can be driven in the range of 4.2V. That is, the second display unit 3 and the third display unit 4 operate at a voltage lower than the operating voltage of the first display unit 2.

The voltage detection means 5 determines the second voltage detection signal Svk2 when the charging voltage Sv of the battery 6 is 3.6V or less, and the first voltage detection signal Svk1 when the charge voltage Sv is 3.3V or less. A three-voltage detection signal Svk3 is output to the control means 1.
The control means 1 normally has no input of the first voltage detection signal Svk1, the second voltage detection signal Svk2, and the third voltage detection signal Svk3, that is, when the battery voltage Sv exceeds 3.6V, The second display means 3 performs hand movement control of the motor 3m by the second display information Sd2 so that the battery remaining amount display needle 3a displays the level H. Further, when the battery voltage Sv becomes 3.6V or less and the second voltage detection signal Svk2 is input, the battery remaining amount display needle 3a displays the level M on the second display means 3. 2 The hand movement control of the motor 3m is performed by the display information Sd2.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a first input means which is turned on when pressed and functions as a selection means in each mode. A second input means 9 is turned on when pressed, and functions as a determining means in each mode. Reference numeral 10 denotes a third input means, which can change various modes by rotating in a one-stage drawing state, and transitions to a setting state of various modes by drawing two stages.
The electronic timepiece according to the present embodiment has four functions, and has four modes, a time date mode, a chronograph mode, a timer mode, and an alarm mode, which realize each function.

  When the battery voltage Sv exceeds a predetermined voltage value of 3.3 V, the control unit 1 turns on the valid signal Se1 to the first display unit 2 to operate the first display unit 2. In this state, information on the current mode (mode type) selected by the third input means 10 and information displayed by the mode are displayed on the first display means 2. Then, as described above, the second display means 3 displays H or M. Further, the third display means displays the city corresponding to the current time.

The control means 1 turns off the valid signal Se1 to the first display means 2 when the battery voltage Sv becomes 3.3V or less which is a predetermined voltage value and the first voltage detection signal Svk1 is inputted. Thus, the first display means 2 is forcibly stopped. The forced stop state of the first display means 2 is a state where the organic EL is completely turned off.
Further, the control means 1 outputs the second display information Sd2 at the same time as turning off the valid signal Se1, and performs the hand movement control to display any one of “TME” to “ALM” by the second display means 3, Mode information and information indicating that the remaining battery level is L are displayed simultaneously.

Further, the control means 1 uses the third display means 4 to display information displayed in the selected mode, which has been displayed on the first display means 2 in response to the input of the first voltage detection signal Svk1. To display.
For example, in the chronograph mode, the second display means 3 performs hand movement control so that the battery remaining amount display hand 3a displays the CHR region shown in FIG. 3, and the chronograph second information is displayed by the second hand 4a. By displaying the chronograph minute information with the minute hand 4b and the chronograph time information with the hour hand 4c, a part of the display information of the first display means 2 can be displayed.

  The control means 1 also turns off the second display valid signal Se2 to the second display means 3 and the third display when the battery voltage Sv becomes 3.0V or less and the third voltage detection signal Svk3 is inputted. The third display valid signal Se3 to the means 4 is turned off to stop the display of the pointer, and the input to the first input means 8, the second input means 9 and the third input means 10 is prohibited to enter the standby state. Transition.

FIG. 3 shows a display example using the battery remaining amount display needle 3a. When the battery voltage Sv exceeds 3.6V, the remaining battery level indicator needle 3a indicates a level H in the region 3a-1, and the battery voltage Sv is 3.6V or less and exceeds 3.3V. Indicates the level M in the area 3a-2. Further, when the battery voltage Sv is 3.3 V or less and exceeds 3.0 V, the second display signal Sd2 output from the control unit 1 to the second display unit in the region 3a-3, The corresponding area is indicated according to the mode state. For example, the time / date mode indicates TME, the chronograph mode indicates CHR, the timer mode indicates TMR, and the alarm mode indicates ALM. That is, when the region 3a-1 and the region 3a-2 are set as the first angle range, and the region 3a-3 different from the first angle range is set as the second angle range, the voltage value exceeding the predetermined voltage value of 3.3V. In the case of, the information regarding the battery voltage is displayed in the first angle range, and in the case of the predetermined voltage value of 3.3 V or less, the second angle range is divided into a plurality of areas and information indicating the mode type is displayed. indicate.
Further, when the battery voltage Sv is 3.0 V or less, the state transitions to the standby state while pointing to the region that has been pointed out of TME, CHR, TMR, and ALM.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the electronic timepiece of the present invention having the above configuration will be described in detail.

The user selects one mode from the time date mode, the chronograph mode, the timer mode, and the alarm mode by rotating the third input means 10, and uses the first input means 8 and the second input means 9 to select each mode. Operate the function assigned to the mode.
At this time, the user determines which mode is currently based on the abbreviation of each mode name displayed on the first display means 2. For example, the time date mode is TME, the chronograph mode is CHR, the timer mode is TMR, the alarm mode is ALM, and the like.

  When the battery voltage Sv exceeds 3.3V, the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c, the 24-hour hand 4d, and the city display hand 4e are used to display a city and corresponding time. . On the other hand, in the chronograph mode, the first display means 2 displays chronograph mode display, chronograph time, chronograph lap time, and the like.

  In the chronograph mode, the user can perform a start operation and a stop operation of the time measuring operation with the first input means 8, a lap operation and a reset operation with the second input means 9, and the like.

  Here, when the battery voltage Sv becomes 3.3 V or less, as shown in FIG. 4, the first display means 2 is forcibly stopped and turned off. Further, the battery remaining amount indication hand 3a indicates a CHR region corresponding to the current chronograph mode, and starts displaying chronograph time information using the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d. To do.

  As in the case where the battery voltage Sv is higher than 3.3V, the user performs a chrono start operation and a stop operation by the first input means 8, a lap operation and a reset operation by the second input means 9, and the like. Can be done.

  If the user performs a lap operation while the chronograph time is displayed, the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d are stopped at the lap time, stopped for about 10 seconds, and then displayed again. The catch-up display starts with high-speed movement during the graph time.

  Here, when the battery voltage Sv becomes 3.0V or less, the remaining battery level indicator hand 3a moves the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d while pointing to the CHR region. While stopping, the inputs of the first input means 8, the second input means 9 and the third input means 10 are prohibited and a transition is made to the standby state.

  When the battery voltage Sv is increased by the charging means 7 and the battery voltage Sv exceeds 3.0V during the standby state in the chronograph mode, the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d Indicates a reset state, that is, 00 hours 00 minutes 00 seconds.

  Further, the user can again perform a chrono start operation and a stop operation by the first input means 8, a lap operation and a reset operation by the second input means 9, and the like.

  Further, when the battery voltage Sv is increased by the charging means 7 and the battery voltage Sv exceeds 3.3 V, the battery remaining amount display needle 3a performs level M display in the region 3a-2.

  Further, when the chronograph time is being displayed by the second hand 4a to the 24-hour hand 4d before the battery voltage exceeds 3.3V, when the battery voltage Sv exceeds 3.3V, the chronograph is displayed by the first display means. Restarts the mode display and the display of chronograph time, chronograph lap time, etc.

  Then, the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c, and the 24-hour hand 4d resume the current time display of the city indicated by the city display hand 4e.

Next, the display contents of each mode other than the chronograph mode when the battery voltage Sv is higher than 3.3 V and 3.3 V to 3.0 V will be briefly described.
When the battery voltage Sv is higher than 3.3 V, the first display means 2 displays any one of TME, TMR, and ALM indicating the selected mode and time information (third display) displayed in the selected mode. Time information of a city different from the city displayed by the means 4), timer time, alarm on / off information, and alarm set time are displayed. The battery remaining amount display hand 3a displays H or M, and the second hand 4a to the 24-hour hand 4d display the time of the city indicated by the city display hand 4e.
When the battery voltage Sv is 3.3 V or less, the first display unit 2 is turned off, and the second display unit 3 and the third display unit 4 perform the next display.
In the time / date mode, the battery remaining indicator 3a displays the TME area shown in FIG. 3, and the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d are located in the city indicated by the city indicator hand 4e. Display the time. In the time date mode, the time of the city displayed on the first display unit 2 may be displayed, or the time of the city displayed on the third display unit 4 may be displayed as it is.

  Also, by pressing the first input means 8, the date information from the 1st to the 31st provided by the second hand 4a in the shape of a dial plate, and the January information provided by the minute hand 4b in the shape of a dial plate are displayed. Month information up to December is displayed as aging information from a leap year from 0 to 4 years provided in a dial shape with the hour hand 4c.

  In the timer mode, the battery remaining amount display hand 3a displays the TMR area shown in FIG. 3, and the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d display the timer time.

  The user can perform a timer start operation and stop operation by the first input means 8, a reset operation by the second input means 9, and the like.

  In the alarm mode, the battery remaining amount display hand 3a displays the ALM area shown in FIG. 3, and the second hand 4a displays on / off information on or off provided on the dial, and the minute hand 4b and The alarm setting time is displayed by the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d.

  The user can switch the alarm on or off by the first input means 8.

Even in modes other than the chronograph mode, the battery voltage Sv drops from a voltage exceeding 3.3V to a voltage below 3.3V, and increases from a voltage below 3.3V to a voltage exceeding 3.3V. Accordingly, the display contents of the first display means 2, the second display means 3, and the third display means 4 change in the same manner as in the chronograph mode.
That is, when the battery voltage Sv is increased from 3.3 V to 3.3 V or less, information (TME, TMR, ALM) indicating the mode type displayed on the first display means 2 and each mode are displayed. Information to be displayed (time, timer time, alarm on / off information and alarm set time information) is displayed on the second display means 3 and the third display means 4, respectively. Further, when the battery voltage Sv is increased from a voltage of 3.3 V or less to a voltage exceeding 3.3 V, information (TME, TMR, ALM) indicating the mode type displayed on the second display means 3; Information (time, timer time, alarm on / off information and alarm set time information) displayed in each mode displayed on the third display means 4 is displayed on the first display means 2.

  As described above, when the battery voltage Sv is 3.3V or less and the mode display is performed using the battery remaining amount display needle 3b, the user visually indicates that the battery voltage has decreased and the mode display is performed using the pointer. In other words, it is easy to capture both types of information, and it is not necessary to use other guidelines.

  In this embodiment, when the battery voltage Sv is 3.3 V or less and the first display means 2 is forcibly stopped, the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d are displayed in each mode. However, even when the battery voltage Sv exceeds 3.3V and the first display means is valid, the second hand 4a, the minute hand 4b, the hour hand 4c and the 24-hour hand 4d are switched to the display of each mode. Also good.

  Moreover, although the battery 6 of a present Example is a rechargeable secondary battery, this invention is applicable also to a primary battery. In that case, the display control similar to the display operation of the first display means 2 to the third display means 4 when the battery voltage in this embodiment is reduced may be performed.

  In the present embodiment, the first display unit is described as an example of an organic EL, but the present invention can also be applied to a liquid crystal display device that is driven with higher power than the second and third display units.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the battery voltage Sv is higher than 3.3V, the contents of each mode are displayed by the first display means, but the battery voltage Sv is in the range of 3.6V to 3.0V. The third display means displays the contents of each mode. When the battery voltage Sv exceeds 3.3 V, the first display means displays only information indicating the type of each mode, and the battery voltage Sv is 3. When it becomes 3V or less, only the information indicating the type of each mode may be displayed on the second display means.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, Control means 2, 1st display means 3, 2nd display means 3a Battery remaining amount display needle 4, 3rd display means 4a Second hand 4b Minute hand 4c Hour hand 4d 24 hour hand 4e City display hand 5, Voltage detection means 6, Battery 7, charging means 8, first input means 9, second input means 10, third input means

Claims (7)

An electronic timepiece having a plurality of modes in which a battery is used as a power source and a plurality of types of information are switched and displayed.
First display means for displaying mode information indicating the type of the mode, second display means for displaying information on the voltage of the battery by a pointer, and operating at a voltage lower than the operating voltage of the first display means, A plurality of types of information including time information are displayed by hands, a third display unit that operates at a voltage lower than an operating voltage of the first display unit, a voltage detection unit that detects the voltage of the battery, Control means for controlling the operation of one display means, the second display means, and the third display means,
The control means stops the first display means and displays the mode information on the second display means when the voltage detection means detects a voltage value equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage value. An electronic timepiece that controls one display means and the second display means.   The second display means displays information relating to the voltage of the battery in a first predetermined angle range when the voltage detection means detects a voltage value exceeding the predetermined voltage value, and the voltage detection means The control means controls the second display means so as to display the mode information in a second predetermined angle range different from the first predetermined angle range by detecting a voltage value equal to or lower than the first voltage range. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1.   The second display means divides the second predetermined angle range into a plurality of areas, and displays the mode information by an area indicated by a pointer of the second display means. Electronic watch.   When the voltage detection means detects a voltage value exceeding the predetermined voltage value, the plurality of information is displayed on the first display means, and the voltage detection means detects a voltage value equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage value. The control means controls the first display means and the third display means so as to display the plurality of information on the third display means. The electronic timepiece according to any one of the above.   When the voltage detection means detects a voltage value exceeding the predetermined voltage value and displays any of the plurality of information on the first display means, the voltage detection means is equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage value. The control means is configured to stop the first display means by detecting the voltage value of the first display means and to continuously display the information displayed on the first display means on the third display means. The electronic timepiece according to claim 4, wherein the first display means and the third display means are controlled.   When the voltage detection means detects a voltage value equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage value and the third display means displays any of the plurality of information, the voltage detection means When the voltage value exceeding the threshold value is detected, the control means operates the first display means and continuously displays the information displayed on the third display means on the first display means. 6. The electronic timepiece according to claim 5, wherein the first display means and the third display means are controlled.   The electronic timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the third display unit is a display unit using an organic EL.

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