JP3423978B2 - Clock with alarm - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in an alarm clock that performs an alarm operation when a clock time matches an alarm time, and more particularly, to setting and canceling of an alarm time. Simplifies the display of the alarm time,
The present invention relates to a new alarm clock that allows a plurality of alarm times to be set within a time range. 2. Description of the Related Art A clock with an alarm of an analog display type usually has one alarm time setting hand in addition to an hour hand and a minute hand, and turns a specially provided knob to set the alarm time. By doing so, the hand is adjusted to the position corresponding to the alarm time on the dial. The setting of the alarm time is canceled by means of a separately provided canceling means such as a slide mechanism or a push button. [0004] However, since the emphasis is placed on the time display, which is the main purpose of the timepiece, an error in reading the time of the clock to the user due to the location of the alarm time setting hand is caused. The alarm time setting hand is made thinner and less noticeable than the hour and minute hands. Therefore, it is difficult to read the alarm time, especially for a high-aged person or a person with low vision, and the setting operation is difficult.
It is difficult to handle because it has a structure that cannot be touched. Also, since there is only one alarm time setting hand, the alarm time setting is limited to one time. Therefore, when setting a plurality of alarm times, there is a disadvantage that a corresponding number of clocks are required. [0007] The present invention solves the above-mentioned disadvantages of the conventional timepiece, and can be easily handled by a senior or a weak eyesight user, and can set a plurality of alarm times with one timepiece, thereby complicating a complicated schedule. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a watch that is useful for business purposes or that is useful for encouraging older adults who have frequently forgotten to administer medication and daily routines. [0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an analog display type timepiece mechanism and a plurality of timepieces arranged on the outer circumference of a dial of the timepiece mechanism at equal circumferential intervals. Ri name by arranging the illuminated push button switch for alarm time setting, each push button
An alarm time setting panel in which the switch corresponds to the time indicated by the angular position; a switch number determining means for determining the switch number of the switched-on push-button switch; and a switch number of the switched-on push-button switch Set the alarm time from and set by another pushbutton switch
Alarm time setting means for storing the alarm time as it is, and alarm generation means for comparing the clock time with at least one of the alarm times , and generating an alarm when the clock time and the alarm time match. When,
An alarm canceling means for canceling the setting of the alarm time set by the push button by pressing the switched-on push button switch again. As shown in FIG. 1, the alarm-equipped timepiece 1 according to the present invention constructed as described above has a plurality of illuminated push-button switches 3, 3 (hereinafter, referred to as an alarm-type push-button switch) arranged on an alarm time setting panel 2. (Hereinafter simply referred to as a switch), the switch number which has been pressed and switched on by the switch number determining means 4 is determined. At this time, the set alarm time is displayed on the clock face by illuminating the pressed switch. Next, the alarm time setting means 5
An alarm time corresponding to the determined switch number is set and stored. Then, the clock time and the alarm time are momentarily compared by the alarm generating means 6, and when they match, the alarm mechanism is activated. As the alarm generating means, besides chime or bell sounding, blinking of light at a specific portion of the timepiece can be employed. In the dial of a normal analog display type clock, a 360-degree rotation of the hour hand corresponds to 12 hours, and the time display does not distinguish between morning and afternoon. Therefore, in order to set the alarm time within 24 hours, it is necessary to separately set the morning and afternoon on the circumference. To achieve this, the distinction between the alarm setting times in the morning and afternoon is made by changing the position in the radial direction of the dial. The switch number discriminating means 4 is capable of discriminating a plurality of switches that have been turned on, and therefore can set alarm times for a plurality of times out of 24 hours. The release of the alarm time setting is performed by pressing the switch 3 which has been turned on again by the alarm release means 7. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the alarm time setting panel 2 includes two concentric annularly arranged switch groups 3 and 3 on the outer periphery of the dial, and the outer switch group sets the morning time. , The inner switch group sets the afternoon time. Twenty-four illuminated pushbutton switches (hereinafter simply referred to as switches) are arranged at regular intervals on the outer and inner rings, respectively. The time indicated by each switch is recognized by extending the dial display in the radial direction. For example, the switch located at the 1 o'clock angle of the dial corresponds to 1:00 am on the outside and 1:00 pm on the inside. In the illustrated embodiment, in order to easily distinguish between the morning time and the afternoon time, the front face of the switch is round in the morning and square in the afternoon. The same switch 3 is larger than the others, but this is not an essential component of the present invention. In the clock of the illustrated embodiment, the alarm time is set in units of 30 minutes. However, if the size permits, the number of switches can be increased and the alarm time can be set finely. To set the alarm time, the switch is turned on by pressing a switch corresponding to the time to be set, and the light is emitted. The number of switches to be pressed may be one or more. Since the timepiece device itself is publicly known, a detailed description is omitted. Next, the switch number discriminating means 4, the alarm time setting means 5, and the alarm canceling means 7 shown in FIG.
Can be constituted by a substantial electric circuit, but in the illustrated embodiment, the function is realized by a microcomputer. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 8 denotes a microcomputer, which is mainly composed of a microprocessor (central processing unit) 9, a memory (storage device) 11, and an interface (input / output signal processing circuit) 1.
And 2. The interface 11 includes 48 electric switch groups 13 arranged in a matrix of 6 columns and 8 rows.
And 48 light emitting element groups 14 arranged in the same number and the same matrix. One electric switch S constituting the electric switch group 13 and one light emitting element L such as a light emitting diode corresponding to the electric switch S on the matrix constitute one switch 3. The latter is built into the former. Then, the electric switch groups S,
S and the light emitting element groups L, L are from 0:30 am to 12 am
, And those in lines 5-8 correspond to 0:30 pm to 12:00 pm. For example, the switch S (A1) and the light emitting element L
(A1) is S (P6) and L (P
6) corresponds to the switch 3 corresponding to the position at 3 pm. Next, control by the microcomputer 8 will be described with reference to a flowchart. P1 to P in the figure
Reference numeral 21 denotes each step of the flowchart. FIG. 3 shows a main flowchart of this control.
When the power of the watch is turned on, the process automatically starts at step P1. Whether or not an alarm time has been set for each switch is determined by turning on and off a timer set flag signal (hereinafter simply referred to as a flag). Here, ON is a state where the flag is set, and OFF is a state where the flag is not set. In step P2, the flag is tested, and
If it is FF, the alarm generating means 6 is turned on in step P3.
Set to FF, and return to step P2. If the result is ON in step P2, it is verified in step P4 whether the clock time and the alarm time are equal. If the result is YES, the alarm generating means 6 is operated in step P5. In step P4, if the result is NO, the process returns to step P2. FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of the alarm time setting. At step P6, the main flow is periodically interrupted by a clock. At step P7, all switches are scanned. At P8, it is determined whether or not the switches are on. If the switch is not on, the process returns to Step P7. If the switch is on in step P8,
In step P9, the switch number during switch-on is determined. This switch number is extracted as a coordinate signal from the electric switch group 13 (see FIG. 2). In step P10, the flag of the switch number is checked. If the result is OFF, the LED corresponding to the switch is turned on in step P11. Then, the flag of the switch is turned on in step P12.
After setting the alarm time corresponding to the switch in Step 3, the process returns to the main flow in Step P14. If the result is ON in step P10, P
The LED corresponding to the switch is turned off at 15 and the flag of the switch is turned off at step P16,
In step P17, the alarm time of the switch is released,
The process returns to the main flow in Step P14. Steps P6 to P9 implement the function of the switch number determining means 4, and steps P10 to P17 implement the functions of the alarm time setting means 5 and the alarm canceling means 7, respectively. FIG. 5 shows a flow for interrupting the alarm, but the interrupting of the alarm is not an essential component of the present invention. The user presses the bell stop button 15 (see FIG. 2).
Is pressed, the main flow is interrupted in step P18, and the alarm generating means 5
Test for N or not. If the test result is YES, step P20
To turn off the alarm generating means 5, and returns to the main flow in step P21. If the result is NO in Step P19, the process returns to the main flow in Step P21. As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, an illuminated push-button switch for setting an alarm time is provided on the outer periphery of the dial, and a switch corresponding to a desired alarm time is pressed. By doing, you can set the alarm time,
The switch can be released by pressing the switch again, and furthermore, since the switch in which the alarm time is set emits light, there is an effect that it can be easily handled and distinguished even by high-aged persons or people with low vision. In addition, since a plurality of alarm times can be set within a 24-hour period, the utility value is improved in the work of a complicated schedule, or it is convenient for urging elderly people who have frequently forgotten about medication and daily routine. And various other effects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an alarm clock with the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main part of a control unit of the alarm-equipped timepiece according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a main flow of a microcomputer for control. FIG. 4 is an interrupt flowchart for setting an alarm time. FIG. 5 is an interrupt flowchart for interrupting an alarm. [Description of Signs] 1 Clock with alarm 2 Panel 3 Switch 4 Switch number discriminating means 5 Alarm time setting means 6 Alarm generating means 7 Alarm releasing means 8 Microcomputer 9 Microprocessor 11 Memory 12 Interface 13 Electric switch group 14 Light emitting element group 15 Bell stop button

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims 1] An analog display type clock mechanism, and a plurality of illuminated push-button switches for setting an alarm time are arranged on a circumference of a dial of the clock mechanism at equal intervals on a circle. Ri name was set, each push button
An alarm time setting panel in which the switch corresponds to the time indicated by the angular position; a switch number determining means for determining the switch number of the switched-on push-button switch; and a switch number of the switched-on push-button switch Set the alarm time from and set by another pushbutton switch
Alarm time setting means for storing the alarm time as it is, and alarm generation means for comparing the clock time with at least one of the alarm times , and generating an alarm when the clock time and the alarm time match. When,
An alarm-equipped timepiece having an alarm canceling means for canceling the setting of the alarm time set by the pushbutton by pressing the switched-on pushbutton switch again.