JP3847062B2 - Clock device with time correction function and clock time correction method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a timepiece having a time adjustment mechanism based on an external signal and a time adjustment method for the timepiece. The present invention particularly relates to a clock device with a time correction function suitable for equipment clocks installed in ships, buildings, and the like, and a time correction method for the clock.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 6 shows a configuration of a conventional time signal correction clock 600. The time signal correction clock 600 includes an antenna 601 and receives a radio wave including a time signal of the hour such as a radio broadcast. The radio wave received by the antenna 601 is demodulated into an audio signal by the receiver 602. This demodulated audio signal is detected by a detector 603 as a time signal at the hour (for example, an 880 Hz signal), and the time signal is transmitted to the clock 604. The timepiece 604 to which the hourly time signal is transmitted has a time lag or advance of the timepiece 604 at a certain time within a certain range with respect to the time of the hourly signal. The hourly signal is corrected at the hour and the hand movement of the time display unit 605 is corrected at the hour. Usually, the time adjustment operation at the hour based on the received time signal is performed once or twice a day at a predetermined time. As a result, the time delay or advance of the clock 604 and the time display unit 605 is corrected (see, for example, JP-A-11-326556 as a conventional example).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, with this conventional time signal correction clock, it is not possible to perform time adjustment in units of time, which is necessary due to the implementation of daylight saving time or the like. In such a case, in the conventional time signal correction clock, there is no choice but to manually adjust the clock one by one.
For this reason, there is a conventional technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-325175 in order to cope with time fluctuations associated with the implementation of daylight saving time. This is provided with a window for detecting the time signal even at the front and back of the hour so that the time signal can be moved even in units of time due to the implementation of daylight saving time. However, although this conventional technology can cope with a fixed time variation such as daylight saving time, it cannot cope with an application such as a world clock that displays world city time having an arbitrary time difference.
In addition, when time adjustment in seconds such as leap seconds is performed, in the conventional time signal correction clock, the correction signal comes from the detector after the clock has passed the hour, so the clock is The wrong time will be displayed temporarily.
Therefore, the present invention is not only capable of adjusting the time based on the hourly time signal, but also capable of adjusting any time difference including time fluctuations due to daylight saving time, and can also automatically adjust the time such as leap seconds. An object is to provide an apparatus and a time correction method.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a signal including a timepiece, an hourly time signal from the outside via wired or wireless, and an additional signal designating a predetermined value for time correction. A timepiece with a time adjustment function, comprising: a receiving means for receiving; and a correcting means for correcting the time of a clock based on a signal received by the receiving means, wherein the signal received by the receiving means A switching means for dividing the signal into an additional signal and a decoding means for interpreting the contents of the additional signal and generating a time adjustment signal, wherein the correction means is based on the time signal at the time of the clock. There is provided a timepiece device with a time adjustment function, wherein the time of the timepiece is corrected by the predetermined value based on a time adjustment signal.
The switching means may be divided into a time signal at the hour and an additional signal based on the time zone in which the signal is received.
The decoding unit may generate the time adjustment signal by reading the contents of the additional signal by a program stored in advance.
The time correction signal may be a signal for instructing correction in a predetermined time unit as the predetermined value .
Further, the time adjustment signal may be a signal including a notice of time adjustment by the predetermined value and causing a timepiece to perform a preparation operation for time adjustment.
Furthermore, it further has an identification number storage means for storing the contents for identifying the clock, and the decoding means reads the contents of the additional signal according to the contents stored in the identification number storage means to generate a time correction signal. Thus, the time of the clock may be individually controllable.
The identification number storage means may further store a time for correcting the time of the clock based on the predetermined value so that the time correction timing can be selected for each clock.
In addition, the present invention receives a signal including a time signal at the time of the hour and an additional signal designating a predetermined value for time correction from the outside via a wired or wireless connection, and based on the signal, A method for correcting the time, which divides the received signal into a time signal at the hour and an additional signal, interprets the content of the additional signal, generates a time adjustment signal, and generates a time adjustment signal based on the time signal at the hour. There is provided a time correction method for a timepiece having respective steps for correcting the time of the hour and correcting the time of the timepiece by the predetermined value based on a time correction signal.
The dividing step may be divided into an hourly time signal and an additional signal based on a time zone in which the signal is received.
The time correction signal may be a signal for instructing correction in a predetermined time unit as the predetermined value .
According to the above configuration of the present invention, in addition to correcting the time of the clock based on the time signal at the time of the clock, the time signal of the clock can be adjusted by an additional signal that specifies a predetermined value for time correction . You can correct the time in a different way. For example, the contents of the additional signal can be read and fixed in a fixed time unit for daylight saving time or in any time unit, and the clock can be stopped until it is synchronized with standard time for leap second adjustment. .
[0005]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings based on examples. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a timepiece device 100 with a time correction function according to an embodiment of the present invention. A clock device 100 with a time correction function according to this embodiment includes an antenna 101, a receiver 102, a detector 103, a switch 104, a clock 105, a time display unit 106, and a decoder 107. Particularly, the place having the switch 104 and the decoder 107 is greatly different from the conventional timepiece 600.
The switch 104 supplies the signal from the detector 103 to the clock 105 for 30 seconds before and after the predetermined time of the clock 105 according to the time of the clock 105, for example. In the period from 1 minute before to 30 seconds before, the signal from the detector 103 is supplied to the decoder 107.
[0006]
FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the time signal signal 201 from the outside, the additional signal 202 for time correction, and the switching operation of the switch 104 based on the time of the clock 105. The switch 104 supplies the signal of the detector 103 to the clock 105 during a period from 30 seconds before 30 hours before the hour 200 of the predetermined time of the clock 105. The switch 104 supplies the signal of the detector 103 to the decoder 107 during a period from 1 minute before 30 o'clock at the predetermined time of the clock 105 to 30 seconds.
[0007]
The signal from the detector 103 is directly supplied to the watch 105 by the switch 104 for 30 seconds before and after the hour 200 at a predetermined time of the watch 105, and this device 100 corrects the hour by the time signal. be able to. That is, the antenna 101 receives a radio wave containing a time signal 201 at the time of radio broadcast at a predetermined time, and the receiver 102 demodulates it into an audio signal. From this demodulated audio signal, the detector 103 detects a specific frequency signal that conveys the hourly time signal 201 (for example, a signal of 880 Hz) and transmits it to the timepiece 105 via the switch 104. The timepiece 105 to which the hourly time signal 201 is transmitted corrects the time delay or advance of its own time by a correction mechanism (not shown), and corrects the delay or advance of the hand movement of the time display unit 106 to change the timepiece 100. The hourly signal 201 is set to the hour. Normally, the hour correction operation based on the time signal 201 is performed once or twice a day at a predetermined time. Alternatively, the time correction at the hour based on the time signal 201 may be performed every hour.
[0008]
The switch 104 connects the detector 103 to the decoder 107 between 1 minute and 30 seconds before the hour 200 of the clock 105. For this reason, if the additional signal 202 for time adjustment other than this is transmitted in the time zone, the additional signal 202 is received by the antenna 101 of the apparatus 100 and decoded through the receiver 102 and the detector 103. Supplied to the vessel 107. The decoder 107 interprets the content of the supplied additional signal 202 by a program or circuit stored in advance.
[0009]
For example, if the additional signal 202 for time adjustment is a signal that adjusts a time variation (advance or delay) of a fixed time unit for daylight saving time, for example, 1 hour, the decoder 107 is The contents of the additional signal are read by a program or circuit stored in advance, and a hand movement signal 109 for adjusting the time, for example, an instruction to advance or delay by 1 hour is sent to the clock 105. The clock 105 corrects its own time by a correction mechanism (not shown) according to the hand movement signal 109 from the decoder 107, and further performs correction to advance or delay the hand movement of the time display unit 106 for one hour.
In addition to the above-mentioned fixed time unit time variation for daylight saving time, the decoder 107 can be added by modifying a program or circuit stored in advance or changing the content of the additional signal 202. Depending on the content of the signal 202, time adjustment of an arbitrary time width can be automatically executed on the clock 105 and the time display unit 106 by remote operation from the outside.
[0010]
In order to receive the time signal 201 and the additional signal 202, power is consumed to supply power to the receiver 102, the detector 103, and the like of the apparatus 100 so as to set the reception state. The reception period of the device 100 and the switching point of the switch 104 are the cumulative progress expected in the reception timing of the time signal 201 and the additional signal 202 and the time correction interval of the clock 105, in addition to the power consumption at the time of reception of the device 100. It is determined in consideration of the delay time.
[0011]
For example, assuming that the hourly time signal is received and corrected once a day at a predetermined time, the maximum value of the cumulative advance or delay time expected within the time correction interval (one day) of the timepiece device 100 is 30 seconds. Then, the hourly time signal 201 may be received only once a day from 59 minutes 30 seconds before the hour at the predetermined time of the clock 105 once a day to 00 minutes 30 seconds thereafter. In other periods, the receiver 102 and the detector 103 of the apparatus 100 can be used for receiving the additional radio wave signal 202 for other time adjustment. In FIG. 2, radio wave reception is started from 59 minutes 00 seconds as early as 30 seconds, and the radio wave of the additional signal 202 is received during this time.
In this way, it is only necessary to supply power to the receiving circuit such as the receiver 102 and the detector 103 of the apparatus 100 once a day for one and a half minutes. Of course, the reception time of the radio signals 201 and 202 for time correction can be selected and set in addition to the above.
Further, the switch 104 may send a signal to the clock 105 or the decoder 107 based on the signal content from the detector 103. For example, if the hourly signal is a correct hour signal (for example, an 880 Hz signal) 201, the hourly signal is sent directly to the clock 105 to correct the hour based on the hourly signal, and if it is the additional signal 202, the signal is sent to the decoder 107. The contents are decoded and read, and a hand movement signal 109 indicated by the additional signal is generated. As described above, when the switch 104 switches the destination of the signal according to the received signal content, it is not necessary to switch the destination of the received signal according to time.
[0012]
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a timepiece device 300 with a time correction function according to another embodiment of the present invention. A clock device 300 with a time correction function according to this embodiment is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that an antenna 301, a receiver 302, a detector 303, a switch 304, a clock 305, a time display unit 306, And a decoder 307.
The difference between the embodiment of FIG. 3 and the embodiment of FIG. 1 is that if the program stored in advance in the decoder 307 reads the contents of the additional signal 202 (FIG. 2) and is a modified notice signal, a stop signal A function of supplying 310 to the clock 305 is additionally provided. The decoder 307 can cope with leap second adjustment performed irregularly.
[0013]
In the apparatus 300, when the additional signal 202 (FIG. 2) is a correction advance notice signal for announcing the leap second adjustment performed irregularly, the decoder 307 reads it according to a program stored in advance and stops at the clock 305. The signal 310 is supplied and temporarily stopped by a correction mechanism (not shown), and the hand movement of the time display unit 306 is also temporarily stopped. The leap second is adjusted during this stop period, and the clock 305 is accurately synchronized with the standard time, and then the operation of the clock 305 and the operation of the time display 306 are resumed.
Conventionally, when the leap second adjustment is performed irregularly, the leap second is adjusted after the clock has already moved the hand first, resulting in a phenomenon that the clock is distorted for a certain period of time.
According to this embodiment of the present invention, when the leap second adjustment is executed, the stop signal 310 for the leap second adjustment is sent in advance from the decoder 307, and the clock 305 and the time display are displayed only for one second immediately before the leap second adjustment is performed. The movement of the part 306 is stopped, and the movement is resumed from the moment when the leap second is adjusted. As a result, the apparatus 300 can be accurately synchronized with the standard time even when there is a leap second adjustment. Accordingly, the apparatus 300 can be used where schedule management in units of seconds is required. In the case of digital time display, the display may be switched to the normal display after displaying 60 seconds instead of stopping the hand movement.
As in the case of the device 100 of FIG. 1, the device 300 generates a hand movement signal 309 in the same manner as in FIG. 1 when the content of the additional signal 202 instructs correction of an arbitrary time width. And time correction of arbitrary time width can also be performed.
[0014]
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a timepiece device 400 with a time correction function according to still another embodiment of the present invention. A clock device 400 with a time correction function according to this embodiment includes an antenna 401, a receiver 402, a detector 403, a switch 404, a clock 405, a time display unit 406, and the device 100 shown in FIG. And a decoder 407.
The apparatus 400 of FIG. 4 differs from the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1 in that the apparatus 400 further includes an identification number storage unit 408, and this identification number storage unit 408 is connected to the decoder 407. Using this identification number storage means 408, it is possible to selectively process the additional signal 202 from the outside for each apparatus 400. That is, a number that can identify each device 400 is stored in the identification number storage means 408, and a different additional signal 202 associated with the identification number is supplied from the outside to each device 400, so that each device corresponds to its own device. By selectively receiving the additional signal to be generated and generating a different hand movement signal 409, the time of the clock 405 of the device 400 can be selectively adjusted. As a result, for example, a time difference from a different UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) can be displayed for each device 400.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to easily realize a timepiece device called a world clock in which a plurality of devices 400 are arranged and the time of a major city in the world is displayed for each time display unit 406 of each device 400. .
[0015]
Instead of supplying a different additional signal 202 for each device from the outside, the same additional signal 202 is supplied from the outside, and the decoder 407 outputs a hand movement signal 409 for correcting a different time width for each device 400. Thus, the time of the clock 405 and the hand movement of the time display unit 406 may be selectively corrected. For this purpose, a program stored in advance in the decoder 407 is used to correct different time widths for the contents of the same additional signal 202 according to the identification number of the device 400 stored in the identification number storage means 408. What is necessary is just to program so that the hand movement signal 409 may be generated.
[0016]
FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a timepiece device 500 with a time correction function according to still another embodiment of the present invention. A clock device 500 with a time correction function according to this embodiment includes an antenna 501, a receiver 502, a detector 503, a switch 504, a clock 505, a time display unit 506, and a decoder 507.
The apparatus 500 of FIG. 5 differs from the apparatus 400 of FIG. 4 in that, in the apparatus 500, an identification number storage and correction time storage means 508 is connected to the decoder 507 instead of the identification number storage means 408. is there. This identification number storage and correction time storage means 508 stores the correction time of the corresponding device in addition to the identification number for each device 500.
Using this identification number storage and correction time storage means 508, it is possible to select the device 500 from the outside and to select the correction time timing. That is, the decoder 507 can generate the hand movement signal 509 based on the additional signal 202 at a selected correction time timing according to the use of the apparatus 500 and the performance of the clock 505. For example, a predetermined time for executing correction at the hour is set to once or 24 times a day, and a time signal at the hour is received at the predetermined time selected once or 24 times for each device 500 to correct the time. You may make it do.
Thus, since the correction time timing is also stored in the storage unit of the identification number of the device, it is possible to select for each clock device by a signal from the outside and to select the correction time timing, Accurate time signal correction can be realized for each clock device.
[0017]
In each of the above-described embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the description has been given of the device that receives signals from the outside wirelessly. However, the present invention is not limited to wireless signals, and signals may be received from outside by wired signals or infrared signals. . For example, a plurality of timepiece devices may be connected to a signal line instead of the antenna, and a time signal and other time adjustment signals may be transmitted to the plurality of timepiece devices using the signal line.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
According to the clock device with the time correction function and the time correction method of the present invention described above, the time correction in the unit of time and the accurate leap second adjustment are performed remotely while using the conventional time signal correction clock using the conventional time signal. It is possible to realize a time correction clock device that can be operated easily.
That is, since the conventional time signal correction clock is based, there is an effect that the clock device with the time correction function of the present invention can be easily configured by adding a function to the existing clock.
Furthermore, in the timepiece device of the present invention, since signal transmission / reception basically uses conventional time signal transmission, the transmission equipment and reception equipment are basically used as they are, and new functions are added thereto. Just do it.
Unlike the time information transmission method in which the time code is transmitted and received, the timepiece device of the present invention requires a short time for signal transmission, which is advantageous in terms of power consumption.
Further, in the timepiece device of the present invention, since the amount of signal transmission information is small, the timepiece device is less likely to malfunction due to a communication error.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a timepiece device with a time correction function according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing timings of a time signal and other signals for time correction according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a timepiece device with a time correction function according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a timepiece device with a time correction function according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a timepiece device with a time correction function according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional time signal correction clock.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Clock apparatus with time correction function 101 Antenna 102 Receiver 103 Detector 104 Switch 105 Clock 106 Time display unit 107 Decoder

Claims (10)

A receiving means for receiving a clock and a signal including a time signal from the outside via wired or wireless and an additional signal designating a predetermined value for time correction; and received by the receiving means. And a correction device that corrects the time of the clock based on the signal, and a clock device with a time correction function,
Switching means for dividing the signal received by the receiving means into an hourly time signal at the hour and an additional signal designating a predetermined value for correcting the time of the clock, and reading the contents of the additional signal to determine the time Decoding means for generating a correction signal,
The correction means corrects the time of the clock based on the time signal at the correct time and corrects the time of the clock by the predetermined value based on the time correction signal. Clock device with correction function.   2. A timepiece device with a time correction function according to claim 1, wherein the switching means divides the time signal at the hour and the additional signal based on a time zone in which the signal is received.   3. A timepiece with a time adjustment function according to claim 1, wherein the decoding means reads the contents of the additional signal according to a program stored in advance and generates the time adjustment signal. 4. The timepiece device with a time adjustment function according to claim 1, wherein the time adjustment signal is a signal for instructing correction with a predetermined time unit as the predetermined value .   The timepiece device with a time adjustment function according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the time adjustment signal is a correction notice signal that causes the timepiece to perform a preparatory operation for correction.   It further has an identification number storage means for storing contents for identifying the clock, and the decoding means reads the contents of the additional signal according to the contents stored in the identification number storage means to generate the time correction signal. The timepiece device with a time correction function according to claim 1, wherein the time of the timepiece can be individually controlled. The identification number storage means further time of the clock and stores the corrected time for correcting by the predetermined value, the time correction function watch according to claim 6, wherein the time adjustment timing is selectable for each of the timepiece.   A method of receiving a signal including a time signal at the time of the hour and an additional signal designating a predetermined value for time correction from the outside via wired or wireless, and correcting the time of the clock based on the signal The received signal is divided into a time signal at the time of the hour and the additional signal for designating a predetermined value for correcting the time of the clock, and the contents of the additional signal are read to determine the time adjustment signal. The time of the clock is corrected based on the time signal of the current hour, and the time of the clock is corrected by the predetermined value based on the time correction signal. Method.   9. The time correction method for a timepiece according to claim 8, wherein the dividing step divides the time signal into an hour signal and other signals based on a time zone in which the signal is received.   9. The time correction method for a timepiece according to claim 8, wherein the time correction signal is a signal for instructing a correction set based on the predetermined value.

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