JP2541466Y2 - Electric equipment with clock function - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric device with a clock function such as an electric washing machine capable of setting a timer.

2. Description of the Related Art As one example of this type of electric equipment, there is a washing machine as proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-189091. This washing machine is provided with a clock function for displaying the current time, and the clock function allows setting of the operation start time or the end time of the washing machine.

For example, when a clock function as described above is added to a fully automatic washing machine that executes each washing process such as water supply, detergent injection, washing, rinsing, and dehydration in a predetermined time sequence, a drying operation following the washing process is performed. At the desired time, ie
The washing process can be completed before the drying operation is started, and there is no waiting time, so that the usability is improved. Also, as long as the laundry is put into the washing machine, the washing operation is started from that time by setting the operation start time of the washing machine, and the washing is completed after a required operation time has elapsed. Also, if an operation end time is set, washing is started at a time obtained by subtracting a series of operation times from the time.

However, according to the above-mentioned prior art, the clock function is added to the washing machine, so that the time management of the washing machine becomes possible and the usability is improved. Each time the cord is pulled out or a power failure occurs, the current time of the clock must be set each time, and this operation is quite troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the current situation,
An object of the present invention is to provide an electric device with a clock function that can automatically set the current time when the power is turned on.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has a clock function, and in a clock function-equipped electric device capable of setting an operation start or end time, a receiving unit for receiving an external time adjustment signal, A time setting unit that sets the current time based on the time adjustment signal, a timer unit that starts measuring time by the time setting, a time measured by the timer unit, and a time adjustment signal that is subsequently received by the reception unit. It is characterized by comprising abnormality detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of an abnormality in the time adjustment signal based on whether or not there is a difference from the indicated time, and prompting manual time setting when the abnormality is detected.

Operation According to the above configuration, a time adjustment signal is input to the time setting unit via the receiving unit when the electric device is powered on. Therefore, the time setting unit adjusts the time of the timer unit based on the received signal. At the same time, the timer section starts a timekeeping operation.

Then, the abnormality detecting means is based on the time signal obtained by the timer section and the time adjustment signal received by the receiving section,
If there is an abnormality in the current time setting, the user is prompted to perform manual time setting instead of automatic time setting.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electric device with a clock function according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the electric device mainly includes a microcomputer 1, a receiving unit 2 for receiving an external time adjustment signal when the power is turned on, and a time setting unit 3 for setting a current time according to the received time adjustment signal. And a timer unit 4 for starting a timekeeping operation at the same time as the time setting, an LED display unit 5 for displaying the timekeeping time, and a case where the received time setting signal is abnormal (for example, noise is generated near an electric device. Abnormality), an abnormality detection unit 7 such as a buzzer for notifying the user of the abnormality, and a manual time setting unit 8 for manually setting the time when the abnormality is detected. And a device control unit 9 for controlling the operation of the electric device according to the time setting.

Here, the receiving unit 2 outputs a time adjustment signal of 100 V
The power line 20 includes a power line 20 that is supplied to be superimposed on a voltage signal and a demodulation unit 21 that demodulates only a time alignment signal therefrom.
The superimposition of the time adjustment signal can be performed by a power supply company or at home or in a region like a home control system. As the time adjustment signal, a signal emitted at a constant pitch, for example, an NTT service in which the current time is transmitted as a voice signal every 10 seconds can be used. In this case, the current time is set by transmitting a specific line number from the microcomputer 1 to the telephone line L via the line number output circuit 10 as shown in FIG. Is input to the microcomputer 1 via the converter 11 and used.

The time setting unit 3 sets the current time based on the input time adjustment signal. In synchronization with this setting, the timer unit 4 starts counting time. This time measurement is performed based on, for example, a clock pulse generated from the microcomputer 1.

The abnormality detection unit 6 detects whether there is a difference between the time measured by the timer unit 4 and the time indicated by the corresponding time adjustment signal. Outputs an abnormality occurrence signal to the abnormality notification unit 7.

The abnormality notification unit 7 emits an abnormality notification sound based on the input signal. In order to detect an abnormality, for example, noise occurs near an electric device, and this noise enters the power line 2, is superimposed on the power signal, and a time signal is added with a noise signal. This is to prevent the setting of the current time from being stopped.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Power is turned on (Step S
1), the LED display section 5 is turned off (step S2). next,
The demodulation unit 21 in the reception unit 2 demodulates the time alignment signal transmitted via the power line 20, and the microcomputer 1 fetches this signal (Step S3) and temporarily stores it (Step S4). Next, the microcomputer 1 sets the current time of the timer unit 4 in the time setting unit 3 based on the stored time adjustment signal,
(Internal counter) starts timing (step S
Five).

Subsequently, when a time adjustment signal is input to the microcomputer 1 after 10 seconds (step S6), the time input by the abnormality detection unit 6 is compared with the time counted by the timer unit 4 (step S7). If the time adjustment signal is not input, it waits for the input of the signal. If the received time adjustment signal and the time counted by the timer unit 4 match three consecutive times (step
S8), it is detected that there is no abnormal state, and the current time is displayed on the LED display section 5 (step S9). If they do not match (step S8), the process returns to step S6, and detection is performed again.

If the three times do not match continuously (step S1
0), the automatic setting by the time setting unit 3 is disabled and the buzzer or the like in the abnormality notification unit 7 is sounded (step S11), and the LED display unit 5 is blinked (step S12) to notify the outside of the abnormality state and manually Prompts the user to set the time. If they match even once (step S10), the process returns to step S3 to set the time again.

When the abnormal state is confirmed by the buzzer or the blinking of the LED, the time is manually set again through the manual time setting unit 8 (step S13). Then, the timer section 4 starts the time counting operation again. If manual setting is not performed, wait for manual time setting.

In the above embodiment, as an example, an audio signal emitted every 10 seconds of NTT is used as a time adjustment signal. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and one second may be used from the above-described power supply company or home control system. It is also possible to use a time alignment signal which is generated every time.

Further, the time adjustment signal is not limited to the above-described audio signal. For example, a signal up to a second or a signal up to a minute may be created using a pulse signal, and the signal may be used.

In addition, the present invention is applicable not only to a washing machine but also to a television or any other electric device.

According to the present invention, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to set the current time when the power is turned on again when the power cord is unplugged or there is a power failure in the electric device with a clock function. , The current time can be automatically set. Therefore, it is very convenient to carry out the time operation of the electric device.

In setting the current time, the abnormality detecting means detects whether there is an abnormality in the time setting, and in the case of an abnormality, stops the automatic setting of the current time and prompts the user to manually set the time. Is prevented from being performed. Therefore, the electric device can be operated for a long time with peace of mind.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electric device with a clock function according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a time using a time setting signal provided by NTT. It is a block diagram showing a setting system. 1 ... microcomputer, 2 ... receiving unit, 3 ... time setting unit, 4 ... timer unit, 5 ... LED display unit, 6 ...
... Abnormality detection unit, 7... Abnormality notification unit, 8.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-210496 (JP, A) JP-A-4-184296 (JP, A) JP-A-3-95485 (JP, A) JP-A-2-41047 (JP) JP-A-4-15140 (JP, A) JP-A-1-189589 (JP, A) JP-A-1-260393 (JP, A) JP-A-61-104286 (JP, A) 59-162481 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model 4-57795 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. An electronic device with a clock function having a clock function and capable of setting a start or end time of an operation, comprising: a receiving unit for receiving an external time adjustment signal; A time setting unit that sets the current time, a timer unit that starts measuring time by the time setting, and a difference between the time measured by the timer unit and the time indicated by the time adjustment signal subsequently received by the receiving unit. An electric device with a clock function, comprising: abnormality detection means for detecting the presence or absence of an abnormality in a time adjustment signal based on whether or not the abnormality has occurred, and prompting manual time setting when the abnormality is detected.