JP2023172643A - Watch, control unit, and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve visibility of a measurement result from a sensor in a watch that displays the measurement result on a display screen.SOLUTION: A watch comprises: a display (LCD) that displays a measurement result from a sensor; an illumination unit (LED) that illuminates a display screen of the display; and a control unit (microcomputer) that turns on and off the illumination unit in a predetermined period and controls the display of the measurement result on the display. The control unit does not update the display of the measurement result on the display while turning on and off the illumination unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a timepiece, a control device, and a control method.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, electronic watches are known that measure physical quantities such as atmospheric pressure, direction, acceleration, and direction of gravity, and display the measurement results digitally (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Patent No. 6891913

In the electronic timepiece described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, the measurement results may be difficult to visually recognize depending on the update timing of the digital display of the measurement results.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and its purpose is to improve the visibility of measurement results.

One aspect of the present invention includes a display unit that displays measurement results of a sensor, an illumination unit that illuminates a display screen of the display unit, and a display unit that blinks the illumination unit at a predetermined period and displays the measurement results of the display unit. and a control section, wherein the control section does not update the display of the measurement results on the display section while the illumination section is turned on.

In one aspect of the present invention, in the above-described watch, the control section updates the display of the measurement results on the display section after the lighting section is turned off.

One aspect of the present invention is the above-described watch, wherein the control unit updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit after the lighting unit is turned off, and updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit before turning on the lighting unit. Update the display of results.

One aspect of the present invention is the above-described watch, wherein the control unit updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit after the lighting unit is turned off, and updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit before turning on the lighting unit. Do not update the display of results.

One aspect of the present invention is the above-mentioned timepiece, in which the control section sets the lighting period of the illumination section to be shorter than the lighting period.

In one aspect of the present invention, in the above-described watch, the control section updates the display of the measurement results on the display section at equal time intervals.

In one aspect of the present invention, in the above-described watch, the first operation mode updates the display of the measurement results on the display section after the lighting section is turned off, and updates the display of the measurement results on the display section before turning on the lighting section. The second operation mode is to update the display of the measurement results on the display section after the lighting section is turned off, and update the display of the measurement results on the display section before the lighting section is turned on. The display of the results is not updated, and the control unit switches between the first operation mode and the second operation mode depending on the state of the clock.

One aspect of the present invention is the above-mentioned timepiece, in which the state of the timepiece is a remaining battery level of the timepiece.

One aspect of the present invention provides a timepiece that includes a display section that displays measurement results of a sensor and an illumination section that illuminates a display screen of the display section, in which the illumination section blinks at a predetermined period and the display section The control device controls the display of the measurement results on the display unit, the control device not updating the display of the measurement results on the display unit while the lighting unit is turned on.

One aspect of the present invention provides a timepiece that includes a display section that displays measurement results of a sensor and an illumination section that illuminates a display screen of the display section, in which the illumination section blinks at a predetermined period and the display section A control method for controlling the display of the measurement results of the invention, wherein the display of the measurement results on the display section is not updated while the illumination section is turned on.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain the effect that the visibility of measurement results can be improved.

FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of the external appearance of a timepiece according to an embodiment. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an electronic circuit portion of a timepiece according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining an example of a control method according to an embodiment. 5 is a timing chart for explaining an example of a control method according to an embodiment. 1 is a timing chart for explaining a conventional technique.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions are given the same reference numerals. Further, redundant explanations of these configurations may be omitted.

FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of the external appearance of a timepiece according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, a timepiece 1 according to the present embodiment includes a movement (not shown) including a driving part and an electronic circuit part of the timepiece, and a scale inside a watch case made of a watch case back cover and glass (not shown). an hour hand 6, a minute hand 7, a second hand 8, an LCD 10 (Liquid Crystal Display), an LED 20 (Light Emitting Diode) that illuminates the display screen of the LCD 10, and a sensor (not shown). There is.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the electronic circuit portion of the timepiece according to the present embodiment. The configuration of the electronic circuit portion of the timepiece 1 will be described with reference to the same figure. The watch 1 includes an oscillation circuit 50, a microcomputer 100 (control device (control unit)), an LCD 10 (display unit), an LED 20 (illumination unit), a sensor 30, and an input unit 40.

The microcomputer 100 includes a core CPU 101 (central processing unit), a ROM 102 (read-only memory), a RAM 103 (random access memory), an LCD control circuit 104, an LCD driver 105, an LED control circuit 106, and an LED driver. 107, a sensor control circuit 108, and an input control circuit 109. The core CPU 101 is connected to the ROM 102 so as to be able to read data from the ROM 102. Further, the core CPU 101 is connected to the RAM 103 so that data can be written to and read from the RAM 103. Further, the core CPU 101 is connected to an LCD control circuit 104, an LED control circuit 106, a sensor control circuit 108, and an input control circuit 109 so as to be able to send and receive data. LCD control circuit 104 is connected to LCD driver 105. The LED control circuit 106 is connected to an LED driver 107.

The oscillation circuit 50 generates a clock signal at an operating frequency used by the core CPU 101. The core CPU 101 operates using a clock signal generated by the oscillation circuit 50.

ROM 102 stores computer programs executed by core CPU 101. The control functions of the microcomputer 100 are realized by the core CPU 101 executing a computer program stored in the ROM 102. Note that in place of or in addition to the ROM 102, a writable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM or a flash memory may be provided. The RAM 103 is a memory for temporary storage of data accessed by the core CPU 101.

LCD control circuit 104 controls LCD 10 via LCD driver 105. Core CPU 101 transmits display data to be displayed on LCD 10 to LCD control circuit 104 . The LCD control circuit 104 controls display data received from the core CPU 101 on the LCD 10. As a result, the display data is displayed on the display screen of the LCD 10.

The LED control circuit 106 controls the LEDs 20 via the LED driver 107. Core CPU 101 instructs LED control circuit 106 to turn on and off LED 20 . The LED control circuit 106 turns on and off the LED 20 in accordance with instructions for turning on and off from the core CPU 101. This causes the LED 20 to blink.

Sensor control circuit 108 controls sensor 30. The sensor 30 is a sensor that measures physical quantities such as water depth, altitude, atmospheric pressure, direction, acceleration, and direction of gravity. Further, the sensor 30 may be a sensor that measures the heart rate, number of steps, etc. of a user wearing the watch 1 that can be worn on a person's arm or the like. The core CPU 101 instructs the sensor control circuit 108 to initialize the sensor 30, start measurement, stop measurement, etc. The sensor control circuit 108 initializes the sensor 30, starts measurement, and stops measurement according to instructions from the core CPU 101. As a result, the sensor 30 initializes measurement, starts measurement, and stops measurement.

The measurement data obtained by the sensor 30 is transmitted to the core CPU 101 via the sensor control circuit 108 . The core CPU 101 transmits to the LCD control circuit 104 measurement result display data that causes the LCD 10 to display the measurement results of the sensor 30 indicated by the measurement data received from the sensor control circuit 108 . The LCD control circuit 104 performs control to display the measurement result display data received from the core CPU 101 on the LCD 10. Thereby, the measurement result display data (that is, the measurement result of the sensor 30) is displayed on the display screen of the LCD 10.

Next, an example of the control method according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining an example of the control method according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the core CPU 101 causes the LED 20 that illuminates the display screen of the LCD 10 to blink at a predetermined period. In the example of FIG. 3, the LED 20 repeatedly blinks at a 2-second cycle (lights on for 0.8 seconds and then turns off for 1.2 seconds). By causing the LED 20 to repeatedly blink at a predetermined period in this manner, power consumption can be reduced compared to the case where the LED 20 is kept lit.

The LED control circuit 106 controls the lighting state of the LED 20 by supplying current to the LED 20 by pulse width modulation (PWM). Specifically, when instructed by the core CPU 101 to turn on the LED 20, the LED control circuit 106 supplies a current with a predetermined duty ratio to the LED 20. As a result, the LED 20 lights up at a predetermined duty ratio. When instructed by the core CPU 101 to turn off the LED 20, the LED control circuit 106 stops supplying current to the LED 20 (or sets the duty ratio to zero). As a result, the LED 20 turns off. Depending on the duty ratio of the current supplied to the LED 20, the brightness with which the display screen of the LCD 10 is illuminated is adjusted.
When the watch 1 is used underwater, such as a diver's watch, the blinking period of the LED 20, the ratio of the lighting period to the lighting period, and The duty ratio during the lighting period is adjusted. The blinking cycle of the LED 20, the ratio between the lighting period and the lighting period, and the duty ratio in the lighting period are stored in the ROM 102 in advance as setting parameters.

The blinking period of the LED 20 may be N times the measurement period of the sensor 30 (N is an integer of 2 or more). In the example of FIG. 3, the blinking period of the LED 20 is twice (2 seconds) the measurement period of the sensor 30 (1 second).

Further, the length of the lighting period of the LED 20 may be equal to or less than the length of the measurement cycle of the sensor 30. In the example of FIG. 3, the length of the lighting period of the LED 20 is 0.8 seconds, which is less than the measurement period (1 second) of the sensor 30.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, by making the lighting period of the LED 20 shorter than the turning-off period, the power consumption of the LED 20 can be reduced and the battery life of the watch 1 can be extended.

The core CPU 101 causes the LCD 10 to display the measurement results measured by the sensor 30 at regular intervals. As an example here, the sensor 30 measures the water depth at one second intervals. Core CPU 101 receives measurement results from sensor 30 at one second intervals. When the core CPU 101 causes the LCD 10 to display the measurement results of the sensor 30 received at one-second intervals, the core CPU 101 does not update the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 while the LED 20 is lit.

As shown in FIG. 3, the core CPU 101 updates the display of the measurement results on the LED 20 after the LED 20 is turned off. More specifically, while the LED 20 is blinking, the core CPU 101 instructs the LED control circuit 106 to turn off the LED 20, and then transmits the measurement result display data to the LCD control circuit 104. Thereby, after the LED 20 is switched from being lit to being turned off, the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 is updated.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the core CPU 101 may update the display of the measurement results of the LED 20 after the LED 20 is turned off, and may update the display of the measurement results of the LED 20 before the LED 20 is turned on. More specifically, while the LED 20 is blinking, the core CPU 101 instructs the LED control circuit 106 to turn off the LED 20, and then transmits the measurement result display data to the LCD control circuit 104. Next, the core CPU 101 transmits the next measurement result display data to the LCD control circuit 104 before instructing the LED control circuit 106 to turn on the LED 20 . Next, the core CPU 101 transmits the measurement result display data, and then instructs the LED control circuit 106 to turn on the LED 20.

Next, another example of the control method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a timing chart for explaining an example of the control method according to this embodiment. In FIG. 4, similarly to FIG. 3, the core CPU 101 causes the LED 20 that illuminates the display screen of the LCD 10 to blink at a predetermined period. In the example of FIG. 3, the LED 20 repeatedly blinks at a 2-second cycle (lights on for 0.8 seconds and then turns off for 1.2 seconds).

The core CPU 101 causes the LCD 10 to display the measurement results measured by the sensor 30 at regular intervals. As an example here, similar to FIG. 3, the sensor 30 measures the water depth at 1 second intervals. Core CPU 101 receives measurement results from sensor 30 at one second intervals. When the core CPU 101 causes the LCD 10 to display the measurement results of the sensor 30 received at one-second intervals, the core CPU 101 does not update the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 while the LED 20 is lit.

As shown in FIG. 4, the core CPU 101 updates the display of the measurement result of the LED 20 after the LED 20 is turned off, and does not update the display of the measurement result of the LED 20 before the LED 20 is turned on. More specifically, while the LED 20 is blinking, the core CPU 101 instructs the LED control circuit 106 to turn off the LED 20, and then transmits the measurement result display data to the LCD control circuit 104. Next, the core CPU 101 does not transmit the next measurement result display data to the LCD control circuit 104 before instructing the LED control circuit 106 to turn on the LED 20 . Next, the core CPU 101 instructs the LED control circuit 106 to turn on the LED 20 . Therefore, the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 is updated only after the LCD 10 is turned off, and is not updated before the LCD 10 is turned on.

Note that measurements A1 and A2 of the sensor 30 regarding measurement result display data that are not transmitted from the core CPU 101 to the LCD control circuit 104 do not need to be performed. Specifically, after instructing the sensor control circuit 108 to stop measuring the sensor 30 at a timing before measurements A1 and A2 are performed, the core CPU 101 instructs the sensor control circuit 108 to stop measuring the sensor 30 at the original measurement timing. Instruct to start.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the core CPU 101 may update the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 at equal time intervals. In the example of FIG. 4, the time interval at which the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 is updated is every 2 seconds. Visibility improves when the display of measurement results on the LCD 10 is updated at equal intervals.

Note that a first operating mode and a second operating mode may be provided as the operating modes of the timepiece 1, and the first operating mode and the second operating mode may be switched depending on the state of the timepiece 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the first operation mode is to update the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 after the LED 20 is turned off, and to update the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 before the LED 20 is turned on. The second operation mode is, as shown in FIG. 4, in which the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 is updated after the LED 20 is turned off, and the display of the measurement results on the LCD 10 is not updated before the LED 20 is turned on.

The core CPU 101 switches between the first operating mode and the second operating mode depending on the state of the watch 1. For example, the core CPU 101 switches between the first operating mode and the second operating mode depending on the remaining battery level of the watch 1. More specifically, the core CPU 101 operates in the first operation mode when the remaining battery level of the watch 1 is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, and operates in the second operation mode when the remaining battery level of the watch 1 is less than a predetermined threshold. Operate in operating mode.

Here, a conventional technique will be explained with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining the conventional technology. Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, immediately after the measurement is completed, the measurement result (water depth in the example of FIG. 5) displayed on the LCD is updated. Here, in order to make the LCD display screen easier to see even in a dark place such as underwater, the LED that illuminates the LCD display screen may be blinked at a predetermined period as shown in FIG. Then, in the conventional technology, as shown in FIG. 5, the measurement results displayed on the LCD are updated even while the LED is turned on. While the LED is on, there is a high possibility that the user is viewing the measurement results displayed on the LCD display screen, but if the measurement results displayed on the LCD change at this time, the display may flicker. There was a problem in that this gave the user a sense of feeling, making it difficult for the user to read the measurement results.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the microcomputer 100 (control device, control section) does not update the display of measurement results on the LCD 10 (display section) while the LED 20 (illumination section) is turned on.
For example, in a dark place such as underwater, when the LED 20 is on, the user can easily see the measurement results displayed on the display screen of the LCD 10, and when the LED 20 is off, the user can use the measurement results displayed on the display screen of the LCD 10. It is difficult for people to see.
In the watch 1 of this embodiment, the measurement results displayed on the LCD 10 do not change while the LED 20 is lit, which is a situation in which the user can easily see the measurement results displayed on the display screen of the LCD 10. Therefore, since the flickering feeling on the display of the LCD 10 is reduced, it becomes easier for the user to read the measurement results displayed on the screen, and the visibility of the measurement results displayed on the display screen of the LCD 10 is improved. It will be done.

Note that all or part of the functions provided by the above-described watch 1 may be recorded as a program on a computer-readable recording medium, and this program may be executed by a computer system. It is assumed that the computer system includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. Computer-readable recording media include, for example, portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs (Read Only Memory), and CD-ROMs, storage devices such as hard disks built into computer systems, and storage devices such as the Internet. This is volatile memory (Random Access Memory: RAM) provided in servers and the like on a network. Note that volatile memory is an example of a recording medium that retains a program for a certain period of time.

Further, the above-mentioned program may be transmitted to another computer system via a transmission medium, for example, a network such as the Internet, or a communication line such as a telephone line.

Furthermore, the program may be a program that implements all or part of the functions described above. Note that the program that implements some of the above-mentioned functions may be a so-called difference program, which is a program that can implement the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program recorded in advance in the computer system.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and design changes may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1... Clock, 10... LCD, 20... LED, 30... Sensor, 40... Input section, 50... Oscillation circuit, 100... Microcomputer, 101... Core CPU, 102... ROM, 103... RAM, 104... LCD control circuit, 105...LCD driver, 106...LED control circuit, 107...LED driver, 108...sensor control circuit, 109...input control circuit

Claims (10)

a display section that displays the measurement results of the sensor;
a lighting unit that illuminates a display screen of the display unit;
a control unit that causes the illumination unit to blink at a predetermined period and controls display of the measurement results on the display unit;
Equipped with
The control unit does not update the display of the measurement results on the display unit while the lighting unit is turned on.
clock. The control unit updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit after the lighting unit is turned off.
The timepiece according to claim 1. The control unit updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit after the lighting unit is turned off, and updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit before the lighting unit is turned on.
The timepiece according to claim 1. The control unit updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit after the lighting unit is turned off, and does not update the display of the measurement results on the display unit before turning on the lighting unit.
The timepiece according to claim 1. The control unit makes the lighting period of the lighting unit shorter than the lighting period,
The timepiece according to claim 1. The control unit updates the display of the measurement results on the display unit at equal time intervals;
The timepiece according to claim 1. A first operation mode updates the display of the measurement results on the display section after the lighting section is turned off, and updates the display of the measurement results on the display section before the lighting section is turned on.
and
In the second operation mode, the display of the measurement results on the display section is updated after the lighting section is turned off, and the display of the measurement results on the display section is not updated before the lighting section is turned on.
and
The control unit switches between the first operation mode and the second operation mode depending on the state of the watch.
The timepiece according to claim 1. The state of the clock is the remaining battery level of the clock;
The watch according to claim 7. a display section that displays the measurement results of the sensor;
a lighting unit that illuminates a display screen of the display unit;
A control device for a timepiece equipped with: a control device that causes the illumination section to blink at a predetermined period and controls display of the measurement results on the display section,
not updating the display of the measurement results on the display unit while the lighting unit is turned on;
Control device. a display section that displays the measurement results of the sensor;
a lighting unit that illuminates a display screen of the display unit;
A control method for a watch comprising: blinking the illumination unit at a predetermined period and controlling display of the measurement results on the display unit,
not updating the display of the measurement results on the display unit while the lighting unit is turned on;
Control method.

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