JP4349388B2 - Electronic device, control method for electronic device, timing device, and control method for timing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to a timing device having a time display function and a control method thereof.

  In recent years, a small electronic timepiece such as a wristwatch type has a built-in power generation device such as a solar battery and operates without battery replacement. These electronic timepieces have a function of temporarily charging the power generated by the power generator to a large-capacity capacitor, etc., and when power generation is not performed, the time is displayed with the power discharged from the capacitor. ing. Therefore, stable operation is possible for a long time without a battery, and considering the trouble of battery replacement or battery disposal, many electronic watches are expected to have power generators built in the future. ing.

  However, a power generation device built in a wristwatch or the like is a solar cell that converts irradiated light into electric energy, or a power generation system that converts kinetic energy into electric energy by capturing a movement of a user's arm or the like. These power generators are very good in terms of converting the user's ambient energy into electrical energy, but there is a problem that the available energy density is low and continuous energy cannot be obtained. . Accordingly, no continuous power generation is performed, and the electronic timepiece operates with the power stored in the large-capacity capacitor during that time. For this reason, it is desirable that the large-capacitance capacitor has as large a capacity as possible. However, if the size is too large, the large-capacity capacitor cannot be stored in the wristwatch device, and it takes time to charge, so that there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain an appropriate voltage. On the other hand, if the capacity is small, the electronic timepiece stops when the period during which power generation is not possible becomes long, and even if the electronic timepiece starts operating by illuminating it again, the time display is incorrect and the accurate current time is not displayed. Therefore, the function as a clock is not fulfilled.

  In a wristwatch device using a solar cell, the ambient illuminance can be detected using the solar cell, so when the illuminance falls below the set value, the time display is stopped and the time when the internal counter is stopped is measured. A system has been considered in which the time display is resumed when the value becomes high and the current time is restored based on the value of an internal counter. In such a wristwatch device, when the lighting is turned off, such as when sleeping, the time display operation is stopped to save energy, and when it becomes bright in the morning, the time display is automatically restarted and the current time is restored. . Therefore, the duration of the large-capacitance capacitor can be extended without causing the user to feel inconvenience, and the wristwatch can be operated for a long time. In addition, by setting the system to stop the time display after a certain period of time has passed since the illuminance decreased, the time display is continued if the illuminance decreases for a short time such as when the wristwatch is hidden in clothing. This also saves energy without making the user feel inconvenienced.

  However, there are many things that you want to see at night, and it is inconvenient not to know the current time instantly. Also, there are many occasions when the wristwatch is not exposed to light in winter when a coat or the like is worn, and if the timing stops at such a time, the function as a wristwatch is not fulfilled. On the contrary, even if a wristwatch is not worn, if it is left in a room or the like, it will be subject to faint light and time will be measured, resulting in unnecessary power consumption.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic device capable of switching between a power saving mode and an operation mode in accordance with a use state of a user, and a control method thereof. Another object of the present invention is to provide a timing device that can display time accurately over a long period of time without using a battery, and a control method therefor.

In order to solve the above-described problems, an electronic device according to the present invention includes a power generation unit, a power supply unit that stores power generated by the power generation unit, and power consumption that operates using power supplied from the power supply unit. and parts, detects the power generation of the generator portion, power generation and the detection, it is determined whether or not continued for a predetermined time, the power generation state when the detected power is determined to have continued beyond the predetermined time non there and detected, to measure the power generation state detecting unit for detecting the in the non-power generation state when it is determined that is equal to or less than a predetermined time, the non-power generation state that is detected by the power generation state detecting unit time has a power generation time measurement circuit, wherein when the time of non-power-generating the non-power generation state measured by the time measuring circuit exceeds the set time set in advance, the power consumption from the operation mode for operating said power unit While switching at least part of the operation in the power-saving mode of stopping, by said power generation state detecting unit detects to be in the power generation state and the power supply voltage based on the power stored in the power supply unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value And a controller for switching from the power saving mode to the operation mode. In this case, the use state of the electronic device can be determined by detecting the power generation state of the power generation unit, and the power saving mode and the operation mode can be switched according to the use state. Can be reduced.
Here, the power generation state detection unit according to the present invention may detect power generation of the power generation unit based on an electromotive voltage of the power generation unit, or generate power of the power generation unit based on a charging current of the power generation unit. It may be detected.

The power generation state detection unit according to the present invention includes a switching unit that switches according to a cycle of AC power generated by the power generation unit, a capacitive element that stores electric charge according to a switching operation by the switching unit, and the capacitive element A discharge means for discharging the charge stored in the capacitive element, a counter for measuring a period during which the voltage of the capacitive element exceeds a predetermined value, and a period measured by the counter being the predetermined period A configuration including a comparator for determining whether or not the period has been exceeded is preferable. In this configuration, the comparator inputs the period measured by the counter to one of the two inputs, and inputs the time value indicating the predetermined time to the other, and the period measured by the counter The power generation state detection unit receives a time value corresponding to the operation mode or a time value corresponding to the power saving mode at the other input of the comparator . Any one of them may be provided with a switch that supplies the current mode according to the current mode. In this case, the time value corresponding to the operation mode is preferably shorter than the time value corresponding to the power saving mode. In this case, since it is a condition that strong power generation is performed when shifting from the power saving mode to the operation mode, the power consuming unit can be operated when power generation is performed reliably.

The power generation state detection unit according to the present invention may detect a power generation state based on the power generation frequency of the power generation unit. In addition, the power generation state detection unit counts the number of peaks of the electromotive voltage during a period from when the electromotive voltage of the power generation unit exceeds a set voltage value until the set time elapses. The power generation frequency may be detected. In addition, the power generation state detection unit selects either the set frequency value corresponding to the operation mode or the set frequency value corresponding to the power saving mode according to the current mode, and the selected set frequency value and the power generation mode The power generation state may be detected by comparison with the frequency. In this case, setting the frequency value corresponding to the operation mode is preferably lower than the set frequency value corresponding to the power saving mode. In this case, since it is a condition that strong power generation is performed when shifting from the power saving mode to the operation mode, the power consuming unit can be operated when power generation is performed reliably.

In the time measuring device according to the present invention, in the electronic device, the power consuming unit includes a time display unit that displays time using power supplied from the power supply unit, and the operation mode is set to the time display unit. The display mode is to display the time on the screen. A method of controlling a timing device according to the present invention includes a power generation unit, a power supply unit that stores generated power, and a power consumption unit that operates using power supplied from the power supply unit. a is, detects the power generation of the generator portion, the power generation state when the power generation by the detection it is determined whether or not continued for a predetermined time, the detected power is determined to have continued beyond the predetermined time When it is determined that it is not longer than the predetermined time, it is detected that it is in a non-power generation state, and when it is determined that it is in the non-power generation state, the time of the non-power generation state is measured, when the time of the non-power generation state measured exceeds the set time set in advance, while the switching from the operation mode for operating the power unit to the power saving mode for stopping at least a part of the operation of the power unit, Above It is detected to be in conductive state, and, when the power supply voltage based on the power stored in the power supply unit is higher than a predetermined value, characterized in that switching from the power saving mode to the operation mode. In these cases, the time display can be switched as necessary, and power consumption can be reduced.

[1. First Embodiment]
[1-1: Overall configuration]
A first embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a timing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This time measuring device 1 is a wristwatch, and a user uses a belt connected to the main body of the wristwatch around the wrist. The timing device 1 of this example includes a power generation unit A that generates AC power, a power source unit B that rectifies an AC voltage from the power generation unit A and stores the boosted voltage, and supplies power to each component, and a power generation unit A From the control unit C that controls the entire apparatus based on the detection result, the hand movement mechanism D that drives the operating needle using the step motor 10, and the control unit C This is mainly composed of a drive unit E that drives the hand movement mechanism D based on the control signal. Here, according to the power generation state of the power generation unit A, the control unit C drives the hand movement mechanism D to display the time, and the power saving mode to stop power supply to the hand movement mechanism D to save power. Are to be switched. Further, the transition from the power saving mode to the display mode is forcibly shifted when the user holds the timing device 1 in his / her hand and shakes it. Hereinafter, each component will be described. The controller C will be described later using functional blocks.

  First, the power generation unit A includes a power generation device 40, a rotary weight 45, and a speed increasing gear 46. As the power generation device 40, an electromagnetic induction type AC power generation device is used in which the power generation rotor 43 rotates inside the power generation stator 42 and the power induced in the power generation coil 44 connected to the power generation stator 42 can be output to the outside. Has been. The rotating weight 45 functions as a means for transmitting kinetic energy to the power generation rotor 43. The movement of the rotary weight 45 is transmitted to the power generation rotor 43 via the speed increasing gear 46. In the wristwatch type timing device 1, the rotary weight 45 can be turned in the device by capturing the movement of the user's arm. Therefore, the power generation is performed using the energy related to the life of the user, and the timing device 1 can be driven using the power.

  Next, the power supply unit B includes a diode 47 that acts as a rectifier circuit, a large-capacitance capacitor 48, and a step-up / down circuit 49. The step-up / step-down circuit 49 can perform step-up and step-down in multiple stages using a plurality of capacitors 49a, 49b and 49c, and adjusts the voltage supplied to the drive unit E by the control signal φ11 from the control unit C. be able to. Further, the output voltage of the step-up / down circuit 49 is also supplied to the control unit C by the monitor signal φ12, thereby monitoring the output voltage. Here, the power supply unit B takes Vdd (high voltage side) as the reference potential (GND) and generates Vss (low voltage side) as the power supply voltage.

  Next, the hand movement mechanism D will be described. The stepping motor 10 used in the hand movement mechanism D is also called a pulse motor, a stepping motor, a stepping motor, or a digital motor, and is a motor driven by a pulse signal that is frequently used as an actuator of a digital control device. . In recent years, stepping motors that have been reduced in size and weight have been widely used as actuators for small electronic devices or information devices suitable for carrying. Typical examples of such electronic devices are timekeeping devices such as electronic timepieces, time switches, and chronographs.

  The stepping motor 10 of this example includes a drive coil 11 that generates a magnetic force by a drive pulse supplied from the drive unit E, a stator 12 that is excited by the drive coil 11, and a magnetic field that is excited inside the stator 12. The rotor 13 is rotated. Further, the stepping motor 10 is constituted by a PM type (permanent magnet rotating type) in which the rotor 13 is constituted by a disk-shaped two-pole permanent magnet. The stator 12 is provided with a magnetic saturation portion 17 so that different magnetic poles are generated in the respective phases (poles) 15 and 16 around the rotor 13 due to the magnetic force generated in the drive coil 11. Further, in order to define the rotation direction of the rotor 13, an inner notch 18 is provided at an appropriate position on the inner periphery of the stator 12, so that cogging torque is generated to stop the rotor 13 at an appropriate position. ing.

  The rotation of the rotor 13 of the stepping motor 10 is caused by the fifth wheel 51, the fourth wheel 52, the third wheel 53, the second wheel 54, the sun wheel 55 and the hour wheel 56 engaged with the rotor 13 via the kana. Is transmitted to each needle by a train wheel 50. A second hand 61 is connected to the shaft of the fourth wheel 52, a minute hand 62 is connected to the second wheel 54, and an hour hand 63 is connected to the hour wheel 56. The time is displayed by these hands in conjunction with the rotation of the rotor 13. It is of course possible to connect a transmission system (not shown) for displaying the date, etc. to the train wheel 50.

  Next, the drive unit E supplies various drive pulses to the stepping motor 10 under the control of the control unit C. The drive unit E includes a bridge circuit configured by a p-channel MOS 33a and an n-channel MOS 32a connected in series, and a p-channel MOS 33b and an n-channel MOS 32b. The drive unit E also includes rotation detection resistors 35a and 35b connected in parallel to the p-channel MOSs 33a and 33b, respectively, and sampling p-channel MOSs 34a and 34b for supplying chopper pulses to the resistors 35a and 35b. It has. Therefore, by applying control pulses having different polarities and pulse widths from the control unit C to the respective gate electrodes of the MOSs 32a, 32b, 33a, 33b, 34a and 34b at the respective timings, the driving coils 11 have different polarities. It is possible to supply a pulse or a detection pulse for exciting an induced voltage for rotation detection and magnetic field detection of the rotor 13.

[1-2: Control unit]
Next, the configuration of the control unit C will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the control unit C and its peripheral configuration. The control unit C includes a pulse synthesis circuit 22, a mode setting unit 90, a time information storage unit 96, and a drive control circuit 24.
First, the pulse synthesizing circuit 22 oscillates a reference pulse having a stable frequency using a reference oscillation source 21 such as a crystal oscillator, and synthesizes the divided pulse obtained by dividing the reference pulse and the reference pulse. Thus, it is composed of a synthesis circuit that generates pulse signals having different pulse widths and timings.

  Next, the mode setting unit 90 includes a power generation state detection unit 91, a setting value switching unit 95 that switches a setting value used for detection of the power generation state, a voltage detection circuit 92 that detects the charging voltage Vc of the large-capacitance capacitor 48, It comprises a central control circuit 93 for controlling the time display mode according to the state and controlling the boosting magnification based on the charging voltage, and a mode storage unit 94 for storing the mode.

  The power generation state detection unit 91 compares the electromotive voltage Vgen of the power generation device 40 with the set voltage value Vo to determine whether power generation has been detected, and is considerably smaller than the set voltage value Vo. A second detection circuit 98 that determines whether or not power generation is detected by comparing a power generation duration Tgen at which an electromotive voltage Vgen equal to or higher than the set voltage value Vbas is obtained with a set time value To; When one of the conditions is satisfied in the second detection circuits 97 and 98, it is determined that the power generation state is present. Here, each of the set voltage values Vo and Vbas is a negative voltage with reference to Vdd (= GND), and indicates a potential difference from Vdd. The configuration of the first and second detection circuits 97 and 98 will be described later.

  Here, the set voltage value Vo and the set time value To can be switched and controlled by the set value switching unit 95. When the setting value switching unit 95 is switched from the display mode to the power saving mode, the setting values Vo and To of the first and second detection circuits 97 and 98 of the power generation detection circuit 91 are changed. In this example, as the display mode setting values Va and Ta, values lower than the power saving mode setting values Vb and Tb are set. Therefore, large power generation is required to switch from the power saving mode to the display mode. Here, the level of power generation is not enough to be obtained by carrying the time measuring device 1 normally, and needs to be large when the user forcibly charges by hand gesture. In other words, the power saving mode setting values Vb and Tb are set so as to detect forced charging by hand shaking.

The central control circuit 93 includes a non-power generation time measurement circuit 99 that measures a non-power generation time Tn in which power generation is not detected by the first and second detection circuits 97 and 98, and the non-power generation time Tn is set to a predetermined value. When the time is exceeded, the display mode shifts to the power saving mode. On the other hand, the transition from the power saving mode to the display mode satisfies the condition that the power generation state detection unit 91 detects that the power generation unit A is in the power generation state and the charging voltage VC of the large-capacitance capacitor 48 is sufficient. And executed.
By the way, since the power supply unit B of this example includes the step-up / step-down circuit 49, the hand movement mechanism D can be driven by boosting the power-supply voltage using the step-up / step-down circuit 49 even when the charging voltage VC is low to some extent. Is possible. Therefore, the central control circuit 93 determines the boosting magnification based on the charging voltage VC and controls the step-up / down circuit 49.
However, if the charging voltage VC is too low, it is not possible to obtain a power supply voltage that can operate the hand movement mechanism D even if it is boosted. In such a case, if the mode is shifted from the power saving mode to the display mode, accurate time display cannot be performed and wasteful power is consumed.
Therefore, in this example, it is determined whether or not the charging voltage VC is sufficient by comparing the charging voltage VC with a predetermined set voltage value Vc, and this is shifted from the power saving mode to the display mode. It is one condition to do.

  The mode set in this way is stored in the mode storage unit 94, and the information is supplied to the drive control circuit 24, the time information storage unit 96 and the set value switching unit 95. In the drive control circuit 24, when the display mode is switched to the power saving mode, the supply of the pulse signal to the drive unit E is stopped, and the operation of the drive unit E is stopped. As a result, the motor 10 stops rotating and the time display stops.

  Next, the time information storage unit 96 is composed of a counter and a memory (not shown). When the display mode is switched to the power saving mode, the time information storage unit 96 receives the reference signal generated by the pulse synthesis circuit 22 and measures time. When it starts and switches from the power saving mode to the display mode, the time measurement ends. Thereby, the duration of the power saving mode is measured. Here, the duration of the power saving mode is stored in the memory. When the power saving mode is switched to the display mode, the counter is used to count the fast-forward pulses supplied from the drive control circuit 24 to the drive unit E, and the count value becomes a value corresponding to the duration of the power saving mode. A control signal for stopping the sending of the fast-forward pulse is generated and supplied to the drive unit E. Therefore, the time information storage unit 96 also has a function of returning the redisplayed time display to the current time. The contents of the counter and the memory are reset when the display mode is switched to the power saving mode.

  Next, the drive control circuit 24 generates a drive pulse corresponding to the mode based on the various pulses output from the pulse synthesis circuit 22. First, in the power saving mode, the supply of drive pulses is stopped. Next, immediately after switching from the power saving mode to the display mode, a fast-forward pulse with a short pulse interval is supplied to the drive unit E as a drive pulse in order to restore the redisplayed time display to the current time. . Next, after the supply of the fast-forward pulse is completed, a drive pulse having a normal pulse interval is supplied to the drive unit E.

[1-3: Power generation state detection unit]
Next, the configuration of the power generation state detection unit 91 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the power generation state detection unit 91. In FIG. 3, the first detection circuit 97 generates a voltage detection signal Sv that becomes a high level when the amplitude of the electromotive voltage Vgen exceeds a predetermined voltage and becomes a low level when the amplitude is lower than the predetermined voltage. On the other hand, the second detection circuit 98 generates a power generation duration detection signal St that goes high when the power generation duration exceeds a predetermined time and goes low when the power generation duration exceeds the predetermined time. The OR of the voltage detection signal Sv and the power generation duration detection signal St is calculated in the OR circuit 975 and supplied to the central control circuit 93 as the power generation state detection signal S. The power generation state detection signal S indicates a power generation state at a high level and indicates a non-power generation state at a low level. Therefore, the power generation state detection unit 91 determines that the first and second detection circuits 97 and 98 satisfy the power generation state as described above. Hereinafter, the first detection circuit 97 and the second detection circuit 98 will be described in detail.

[1-3-1: First detection circuit]
In FIG. 3, first, the first detection circuit 97 is roughly constituted by a comparator 971, reference voltage sources 972 and 973 for generating a constant voltage, a switch SW1, and a retriggerable monomulti 974. The generated voltage value of the reference voltage source 972 is the set voltage value Va in the display mode, while the generated voltage value of the reference voltage source 973 is the set voltage value Vb in the power saving mode. The reference voltage sources 972 and 973 are connected to the positive input terminal of the comparator 971 through the switch SW1. The switch SW1 is controlled by the set value switching unit 95, and connects the reference voltage source 972 to the positive input terminal of the comparator 971 in the display mode and the reference voltage source 973 in the power saving mode. The electromotive voltage Vgen of the power generation unit A is supplied to the negative input terminal of the comparator 971. Therefore, the comparator 971 compares the electromotive voltage Vgen with the set voltage value Va or the set voltage value Vb. When the electromotive voltage Vgen is lower than these (when the amplitude is large), the comparator 971 becomes a high level, and the electromotive voltage Vgen exceeds these. In this case (in the case of small amplitude), a comparison result signal that is at a low level is generated.

  Next, the retriggerable mono-multi 974 is triggered by a rising edge that occurs when the comparison result signal rises from the low level to the high level, rises from the low level to the high level, and starts from the low level after a predetermined time elapses. Generate a signal that rises to a high level. The retriggerable monomulti 974 is configured to reset the measurement time and newly start time measurement when triggered again before the predetermined time has elapsed.

  Next, the operation of the first detection circuit 97 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a timing chart of the first detection circuit 97. FIG. 6A shows a waveform obtained by half-wave rectifying the electromotive voltage Vgen with a diode 47. In this example, it is assumed that the set voltage values Va and Vb are set to the levels shown in the figure. If the current mode is the display mode, the switch SW1 selects the reference voltage source 972 and supplies the set voltage value Va to the comparator 971. Then, the comparator 971 compares the set voltage value Va with the electromotive voltage Vgen shown in FIG. 10A, and generates a comparison result signal shown in FIG. In this case, the retriggerable monomulti 974 rises from a low level to a high level in synchronization with the rising edge of the comparison result signal generated at time t1 (see FIG. 4C). Here, the delay time Td of the retriggerable mono multi 974 is shown in FIG. In this case, since the time from the edge e1 to the next edge e2 is shorter than the delay time Td, the voltage detection signal Sv maintains a high level.

On the other hand, if the current mode is the power saving mode, the switch SW1 selects the reference voltage source 973 and supplies the set voltage value Vb to the comparator 971. In this example, since the electromotive voltage Vgen does not exceed the set voltage value Vb, no trigger is input to the retriggerable monomulti 974. Therefore, the voltage detection signal Sv is maintained at a low level.
In this way, the first detection circuit 97 generates the voltage detection signal Sv by comparing the set voltage value Va or Vb corresponding to the mode with the electromotive voltage Vgen.

[1-3-2: Second detection circuit]
In FIG. 3, the second detection circuit 98 includes an integration circuit 981, a gate 982, a counter 983, a digital comparator 984, and a switch SW2.
First, the integrating circuit 981 includes a MOS transistor 2, a capacitor 3, a pull-up resistor 4, and an inverter circuit 5. An electromotive voltage Vgen is connected to the gate of the MOS transistor 2, and the MOS transistor 2 is repeatedly turned on and off by the electromotive voltage Vgen to control charging of the capacitor 3. If the switching means is composed of MOS transistors, the integrating circuit 981 including the inverter circuit 5 can be composed of an inexpensive CMOS-IC. However, these switching elements and voltage detecting means may be composed of bipolar transistors. The pull-up resistor 4 has a role of fixing the voltage value V3 of the capacitor 3 to the Vss potential during non-power generation and generating a leak current during non-power generation. This has a high resistance value of about several tens to several hundreds MΩ, and can be configured by a MOS transistor having a large on-resistance. The inverter circuit 5 connected to the capacitor 3 determines the voltage value V3 of the capacitor 3 and outputs a detection signal Vout according to the determination result. Here, the threshold value of the inverter circuit 5 is set to be a set voltage value Vbas that is considerably smaller than the set voltage value Vo used in the first detection circuit 97.

The gate 982 is supplied with the reference signal and the detection signal Vout supplied from the pulse synthesis circuit 22. Therefore, the counter 983 counts the reference signal while the detection signal Vout is at a high level. This count value is supplied to one input of the digital comparator 984. The other input of the digital comparator 984 is supplied with a set time value To corresponding to the set time. Here, when the current mode is the display mode, the set time value Ta is supplied via the switch SW2, and when the current mode is the power saving mode, the set time value Tb is supplied via the switch SW2. It has become so. The switch SW2 is controlled by the set value switching unit 95.
The digital comparator 984 outputs the comparison result as the power generation duration detection signal St in synchronization with the falling edge of the detection signal Vout. The power generation duration detection signal St is at a high level when the set time is exceeded, and is at a low level when the set time is exceeded.

  Next, the operation of the second detection circuit 98 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the second detection circuit 98. When the power generation unit A starts generating the AC power shown in FIG. 10A, the power generation device 40 generates the electromotive voltage Vgen shown in FIG. When power generation starts and the voltage value of the electromotive voltage Vgen falls from Vdd to Vss, the MOS transistor 2 is turned on and charging of the capacitor 3 starts. The potential of V3 is fixed to the Vss side by the pull-up resistor 4 at the time of non-power generation. However, when power generation occurs and charging of the capacitor 3 starts, the potential of V3 starts to rise to the Vdd side. Next, when the voltage of the electromotive voltage Vgen starts to increase to Vss and the MOS transistor 2 is turned off, the charging of the capacitor 3 stops, but the potential of V3 shown in FIG. The above operation is repeated while power generation is continued, and the potential of V3 rises to Vdd and becomes stable. When the potential of V3 rises above the threshold value of the inverter circuit 5, the detection signal Vout, which is the output of the inverter circuit 5 ', is switched from the low level to the high level, and power generation can be detected. The response time until power generation detection can be arbitrarily set by connecting a current limiting resistor, adjusting the value of the charging current to the capacitor 3 by changing the capability of the MOS transistor, or changing the capacitance value of the capacitor 3. .

  When power generation is stopped, the electromotive voltage Vgen is stabilized at the Vdd level, so that the MOS transistor 2 remains off. Although the voltage of V3 continues to be held by the capacitor 3 for a while, the charge of the capacitor 3 is released by a slight leakage current due to the pull-up resistor 4, and therefore V3 starts to gradually drop from Vdd to Vss. When V3 falls below the threshold value of the inverter circuit 5, the detection signal Vout, which is the output of the inverter circuit 5 ', is switched from the high level to the low level, and it can be detected that no power is generated (see FIG. 4D). This response time can be arbitrarily set by changing the resistance value of the pull-up resistor 4 and adjusting the leakage current of the capacitor 3.

  When the reference signal is gated by the detection signal Vout, the signal shown in FIG. 5E is obtained, and this is counted by the counter 983. This count value is compared with a value corresponding to the set time by the digital comparator 984 at timing T1. Here, if the high level period Tx of the detection signal Vout is longer than the set time value To, the power generation duration detection signal St changes from the low level to the high level at timing T1, as shown in FIG. .

  Now, an electromotive voltage Vgen due to a difference in rotational speed of the power generation rotor 43 and a detection signal Vout for the electromotive voltage Vgen will be described. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram for explaining this. In particular, FIG. 4A shows a case where the rotational speed of the power generating rotor 43 is low, and FIG. 4B shows a case where the rotational speed of the power generating rotor 43 is high. The voltage level and cycle (frequency) of the electromotive voltage Vgen vary according to the rotational speed of the power generation rotor 43. That is, the larger the rotation speed, the larger the amplitude of the electromotive voltage Vgen and the shorter the cycle. For this reason, the length of the output holding time (power generation continuation time) of the detection signal Vout changes according to the rotational speed of the power generation rotor 43, that is, the power generation intensity of the power generation device 40. That is, when the movement in FIG. 9A is small, the output holding time is ta, and when the movement in FIG. The magnitude relationship between the two is ta <tb. Thus, the power generation strength of the power generation device 40 can be known from the length of the output holding time of the detection signal Vout.

[1-4: Operation of timing device]
Next, a mode setting process for performing the mode switching process in the timing device 1 of this example will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the outline. First, in step 71, the current mode is determined. When the power is being saved, the time information storage unit 96 is used in step 74 to continue counting the stop time. In step 75, the set values Vo and To of the voltage detection circuit 91 are set to the power saving mode values Vb and Tb. On the other hand, in the display mode, in step 72, the drive control unit 24 controls the drive circuit 30 to generate drive pulses and display the time. In step 73, the set values Vo and To of the power generation state detection unit 91 are set to display mode values Va and Ta.

  Next, in step 76, the power generation level (electromotive voltage) is detected. If it is determined that there is an electromotive voltage even if it is very small, in step 77, the power generation duration Tgen is counted up. Further, in step 78, the power generation duration Tgen is compared with the set time To. In step 78, when the power generation duration time Tgen has not reached the set time To, in step 79, the electromotive voltage Vgen is compared with the set value Vo. Then, when the electromotive voltage Vgen has reached the set value Vo, it is determined that power generation has been detected, and the process proceeds to step 80. In step 80, the mode is determined again, and if it is not the power saving mode, the non-power generation time Tn is cleared in step 81, the process returns to step 71, and the time display is continued in step 72. On the other hand, in the power saving mode, the charging voltage VC of the power supply unit B is determined in step 82, and if the battery is sufficiently charged, the power saving mode is switched from the power saving mode to the display mode in step 83 to cancel power saving. When shifting to the display mode and redisplaying the time, as described above, the time display is fast-forwarded based on the stop time counted in the time information storage unit 96, and after returning to the current time, The hand movement starts. Thus, the user can know the exact time displayed after returning to the display mode.

  On the other hand, if no electromotive voltage is detected in step 76, or if the power generation duration Tgen has not reached the set time To and the electromotive voltage Vgen has not reached the set value Vo, it is determined that power generation has not been detected, The process proceeds to step 85 to determine the mode at that time. At this time, if no electromotive voltage is detected in step 76, the power generation duration Tgen is cleared in step 84. If the power saving mode is set at step 85, the process returns to step 71 and continues to count up the stop time. In the display mode, the non-power generation time Tn is counted up at step 86, and it is determined at step 87 whether or not a predetermined non-power generation time continues. When the non-power generation time Tn has elapsed, in step 88, the display mode is shifted to the power saving mode, and power saving is started. In step 88, the operation of the display drive circuit 24 and the drive circuit 30 is stopped to eliminate the power consumption of the motor 10, and the time information storage unit 96 starts counting the stop time.

  In this way, the time measuring device 1 of the present example stops or restarts the time display depending on the presence or absence of power generation. As described above, the power generation apparatus 40 of this example is a system that uses the rotating weight 45 to generate power by capturing the movement or vibration of the user's arm. Therefore, the detection of power generation indicates that the timing device 1 is worn on the user's arm or is carried in a pocket or the like. For this reason, when power generation is detected, the timekeeping device 1 is assumed to be carried and the display mode for displaying the time is set. On the other hand, when power generation is not detected, it is possible to save energy stored in the large-capacitance capacitor 48 by setting the power saving mode in which the time display device 1 is not carried and the time display is not performed.

  Further, in the timing device 1 of this example, it is determined that power generation is detected when a predetermined electromotive voltage Vgen is detected and when power generation is continuously performed for a predetermined time. Therefore, if the user enters the power saving mode without carrying it, even if power generation is accidentally induced for some reason such as vibration, the electromotive voltage is weak, and if the duration is short, it will not shift to the display mode, Energy waste can be prevented. On the other hand, in the display mode, since the set value Vo is set lower than that in the power saving mode, it is determined that power is generated if the electromotive voltage is obtained even if the electromotive voltage Vgen to be detected is somewhat low. For this reason, the time display is continuously performed as long as power is generated. In the display mode, the set time To of the power generation duration time Tgen is also set short, so that the time display is maintained if power is generated even for a short time.

  Further, in the timing device 1 of this example, the non-power generation time Tn is measured, and the mode does not shift to the power saving mode unless the non-power generation time reaches the set time. Therefore, not only when the user's movement stops for a short time and power generation is not performed, it is possible to maintain the time display even when the wristwatch is removed for the time of the meeting. Also, the time may be displayed continuously even if it is left overnight. Alternatively, it can be set to shift to the power saving mode when it is removed for about 5 minutes to save energy.

  As described above, the timing device 1 of the present example can automatically determine whether it is carried or not based on the power generation state, and when it is carried, it displays a time and exhibits a sufficient function as a timing device such as a wristwatch. However, energy consumption can be suppressed without displaying the time when the phone is not carried. Therefore, the power once charged in the large-capacity capacitor 48 can be used effectively, and even if it is left for a long time, only the elapsed time is measured without displaying during that time, and the display is displayed when it is carried. At the same time, it is possible to return to the current time and display the correct time. For this reason, it is possible to realize a small wristwatch or the like that can accurately measure time over a long period of time by incorporating a power generation device and a capacitor having an appropriate capacity instead of a battery without using a very large capacitor. In addition, since the capacity of the capacitor does not need to be increased so much, the start-up characteristic is also good, and it is possible to realize a time measuring device capable of restarting the display as soon as power generation starts and returning to the current time. Furthermore, the time measuring device of this example can refer to the time whenever it is carried in a dark place, for example, regardless of the surrounding conditions, so there is no inconvenience.

[1-5: Modification of First Embodiment]
(1) In the first embodiment described above, the power generation state detection unit 91 detects the power generation state based on the electromotive voltage Vgen from the power generation unit A, but based on the charging current flowing through the large-capacitance capacitor 48 in the power supply unit B. Thus, the power generation state may be detected. In this case, the current-voltage conversion unit 100 may be provided in the preceding stage of the first detection circuit 97 and the second detection circuit 98 as shown in FIG. The current-voltage conversion unit 100 includes a current detection resistor R and an operational amplifier OP that detects a potential difference between both ends thereof.

(2) In the first embodiment described above, the first detection circuit 97 that compares the electromotive voltage Vgen with the set value Vo to determine whether power generation has been detected, and a voltage that is considerably smaller than the set value Vo. Based on a power generation state detection unit 91 including both of a second detection circuit 98 that determines whether or not power generation is detected by comparing a power generation duration Tgen when an electromotive voltage Vgen equal to or greater than Vbas is obtained with a set value To. Although described, it is of course possible to determine the presence or absence of power generation using either one of the first and second detection circuits 97 and 98.

[2. Second Embodiment]
Next, a time measuring device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The timing device of the second embodiment is configured similarly to the timing device of the first embodiment except for the configuration of the power generation state detection unit 91.
The power generation frequency of the power generation unit A changes according to the strength of power generation. For example, when the timing device 1 placed on the desk is moved a little with some momentum, the power generation frequency is low. Further, when the user charges the time measuring device 1 by hand gesture, the power generation frequency is further increased. The present embodiment has been made paying attention to this point, and detects the power generation state based on the power generation frequency.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a power generation state detection unit 91 ′ according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a timing chart thereof. The power generation state detection unit 91 ′ includes a comparator 971, a reference voltage source 972 that generates a constant voltage, a switch SW 1, a timer 975, an SR flip-flop 976, a gate 977, a counter 978, and a digital comparator 979.

  The reference voltage source 972 generates a set voltage value Va in the display mode, and is connected to the positive input terminal of the comparator 971. The electromotive voltage Vgen of the power generation unit A shown in FIG. 10A is supplied to the negative input terminal of the comparator 971. Therefore, the comparator 971 compares the electromotive voltage Vgen with the set voltage value Va. When the electromotive voltage Vgen is lower than these, the comparator 971 outputs a comparison result signal that is at a high level, and when the electromotive voltage Vgen is higher than these, the comparison result signal is low. (See FIG. 10B).

  This comparison result signal is supplied to the set terminal of the SR flip-flop 976, and the output signal of the timer 975 is supplied to the reset terminal. The timer 975 is configured to start time measurement in synchronization with the rise of the output signal of the SR flip-flop 976 and to fall when a predetermined time elapses. Here, if the measurement time of the timer is Ts, the output signal of the SR flip-flop 976 changes from the low level to the high level in synchronization with the rising edges e3 and e4 of the comparison result signal as shown in FIG. Then, after continuing the high level for a time Ts, the high level falls to the low level.

  Gate 977 outputs a logical product of the output signal of SR flip-flop 976 and the comparison result signal. The counter 978 counts the output signal of the gate 977 and outputs the count value Z to the digital comparator 979. Set values X1 and X2 are selectively supplied to the digital comparator 979 via the switch SW2. The switch SW2 is controlled by the set value switching unit 95 and supplies the set value X1 to the digital comparator 979 in the display mode and the set value X2 in the power saving mode. The set value X1 corresponds to the power generation frequency f1 that can determine whether or not the power generation state is normal, and the set value X2 corresponds to the power generation frequency f2 that can determine whether or not forced charging is performed. The digital comparator 979 is configured to compare the count value Z of the counter 978 with the set value X1 or X2 at the falling edge of the gate 977.

  If the current state is the power saving mode, the power generation state detection signal S that indicates the power generation state is generated when the power generation frequency of the power generation unit A exceeds f2. Therefore, the power saving mode is not canceled in a normal mobile phone, and the mode is changed from the power saving mode to the display mode only when the user performs forced charging (hand gesture) with the intention of releasing the power saving mode. Therefore, the power-saving mode is not canceled to the extent that the timing device 1 is lightly touched, and power is not consumed wastefully.

  On the other hand, if the current state is the display mode, a power generation state detection signal S that indicates a non-power generation state is generated when the power generation frequency of the power generation unit A falls below f1. As described above, the power generation frequency f1 is set so that it can be determined whether or not it is in a normal portable power generation state. Therefore, the state where the timing device 1 is not being used is accurately detected, and the display mode is quickly switched to the power saving mode. Can be migrated to. As a result, power is not wasted.

[3. Modified example]
(1) In each of the embodiments described above, the timing device that displays the time using the step motor 10 has been described as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to a timing device that displays the time using an LCD or the like. is there. In this case, the power consumed by the LCD can be saved and the time can be measured continuously for a long time, and the correct current time can be displayed whenever necessary.

(2) In each of the above-described embodiments, the timing device that displays the hour and minute and the second with one motor has been described as an example. However, the hour and minute and the second can be displayed with a plurality of motors. It is. In such a timing device, it is also possible to change the timing for stopping the timing display for each motor. For example, the seconds display with a fast hand movement speed can be stopped early when the non-power generation time is short to save energy. However, it is also possible to perform control such that the time display is continuously performed as much as possible.

(3) In each of the embodiments described above, an electromagnetic power generator that transmits the rotational motion of the rotary weight 45 to the rotor 43 and generates the electromotive force Vgen in the output coil 44 by the rotation of the rotor 43 is adopted as the power generator 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this, for example, a power generation device that generates rotational motion by the restoring force of the mainspring and generates electromotive force by the rotational motion, or vibration or displacement by external or self-excitation. A power generation device that generates electric power by the piezoelectric effect by adding to the piezoelectric body may be used.

(4) In each of the above-described embodiments, the wristwatch type timing device 1 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the above-described power generation unit A, power supply unit B, and control unit C are applied. The electronic device to be used may be a pocket watch other than a wristwatch. Further, the present invention can be applied to electronic devices such as a calculator, a mobile phone, a portable personal computer, an electronic notebook, a portable radio, and a portable VTR. In this case, the power consumption part which operates using the power supplied from the power supply part B is provided, the power generation state of the power generation part A is detected by the power generation state detection part 91, and the power is based on the detection result. The control unit C may perform switching control between the power saving mode for stopping the operation of the consumption unit and the operation mode for operating the power consumption unit. In these electronic devices, the operation mode refers to a state in which the device is in use (for example, a state in which a telephone function can be used in the case of a mobile phone), and the power saving mode refers to a state in which the device is not in use. The state in which AC power generation can be detected. In addition, when a display unit such as a liquid crystal display panel is provided, it is normally in a display state in the operation mode and in a non-display state in the power saving mode.

(5) In each embodiment described above, when shifting from the power saving mode to the display mode, the user needs to forcibly charge the timing device 1 by hand gesture. In this case, compared with the case where the timekeeping apparatus 1 is carried and daily life is carried out, big electric power generation is performed. For this reason, the electromagnetic noise level generated by the power generation device 40 is larger than that in normal carrying. Then, the stepping motor 10 may be affected by electromagnetic noise, and the time display may be inaccurate. Therefore, a forced power generation state by hand gesture may be detected, and in this case, a wide drive pulse may be generated by the drive unit E. Thereby, even if the electromagnetic noise level of the power generation device 40 is increased, the step motor 10 can be reliably operated by the wide driving pulse.
In addition, when the timekeeping device 1 is forcibly charged by hand gesture, since the charging current is large, the fluctuation of the power supply voltage is increased by the internal resistance of the large-capacitance capacitor 48, which may adversely affect the circuit operation. Therefore, a forced power generation state by hand shaking may be detected, and in this case, both ends of the power generation stator 42 may be short-circuited. Thereby, it is possible to reliably operate the circuit while suppressing fluctuations in the power supply voltage.

(6) The first detection circuit 97, the second detection circuit 98 described in the first embodiment described above, and the power generation state detection unit 91 ′ described in the second embodiment are appropriately combined to detect the power generation state. It may be. That is, the power generation state may be detected by any combination of the electromotive voltage Vgen and the power generation duration, the power generation duration and the power generation frequency, the power generation frequency and the electromotive voltage Vgen, and the electromotive voltage Vgen, the power generation duration and the power generation frequency. Furthermore, the detection target may be an electromotive voltage or a charging current as described in the modification of the first embodiment. The detection of the power generation state of the present invention is not limited to each embodiment, and detection by any one of detection by voltage, detection by current, detection by power generation duration, and detection by power generation frequency is performed. Alternatively, it may be detected by appropriately combining a plurality of them.

(7) In the first detection circuit 97, the second detection circuit 98 described in the first embodiment described above, and the power generation state detection unit 91 ′ described in the second embodiment, a set value serving as a reference for comparison is set. Although switching is performed according to the current mode, a non-power generation state (non-portable state), a portable state, and a forced power generation state may be detected by comparison with a plurality of set values.

(8) In each of the above-described embodiments, the reference potential (GND) is set to Vdd (high potential side). However, it goes without saying that the reference potential (GND) may be set to Vss (low potential side). is there. In this case, the set voltage values Vo and Vbas indicate a potential difference from the detection level set on the high voltage side with respect to Vss.

(9) In each of the embodiments described above, the transition from the display mode to the power saving mode is performed by detecting the power generation state. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is based on an instruction from the user. You may make it perform. For example, an operation of a button or a crown disposed on the exterior of the timing device 1 may be detected, and the display mode may be switched to the power saving mode based on the detection result. In this case, it is possible to promptly shift to the power saving mode by a user's intentional operation, and thus it is possible to save power even when the user is simply carrying it without having to know the time display. As a result, it is possible to further reduce power consumption.
(10) In each of the above-described embodiments, the power supply unit B performs half-wave rectification on the AC voltage supplied from the power generation unit A. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a device that performs full-wave rectification may be used. Of course it is good.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the timing device 1 which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. 2 is a functional block diagram of a control unit C and its peripheral configuration according to the same embodiment. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a power generation state detection unit 91 according to the same embodiment. FIG. 7 is a timing chart for explaining an operation of the first detection circuit 97 according to the embodiment. 7 is a timing chart for explaining an operation of a second detection circuit 98 according to the embodiment. 4 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an electromotive voltage Vgen due to a difference in rotational speed of a power generation rotor 43 and a detection signal Vout with respect to the electromotive voltage Vgen in the same embodiment. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the outline | summary of the mode setting process in the timing device 1 which concerns on the embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electric power generation state detection part 91 which concerns on the modification of the embodiment. It is a block diagram of the electric power generation state detection part 91 'which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 4 is a timing chart of a power generation state detection unit 91 ′ according to the same embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1. Timing device A. Power generation unit B Power unit C Control unit D Driving mechanism 91 Power generation state detection unit 40 Power generation unit 45 Spinning weight 46 Speed increasing gear 47... Diode 48... Large capacity capacitor 90... Mode setting unit 95... Setting value switching unit 97.

Claims (13)

In portable electronic devices,
A power generation unit;
A power supply unit that stores electric power generated by the power generation unit;
A power consuming unit that operates using power supplied from the power unit;
The power generation unit detects power generation, determines whether or not the detected power generation has continued for a predetermined time, and detects that the detected power generation is in a power generation state when it is determined that the detected power generation has continued beyond the predetermined time And a power generation state detection unit that detects that it is in a non-power generation state when it is determined that the predetermined time or less is reached,
A non-power generation time measuring circuit for measuring a time of a non-power generation state detected by the power generation state detection unit ;
When the time of the non-power generating said non-power generation state measured by the time measuring circuit exceeds a preset time, stop at least a part of the operation of the power unit from the operation mode for operating said power unit While switching to power saving mode
A control unit that switches from the power saving mode to the operation mode when the power generation state detection unit detects that the power generation state is present and a power supply voltage based on the power stored in the power supply unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; An electronic device comprising the electronic device. The power generation state detection unit
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein power generation of the power generation unit is detected based on an electromotive voltage of the power generation unit. The power generation state detection unit
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein power generation of the power generation unit is detected based on a charging current of the power generation unit. The power generation state detection unit
Switching means for switching according to the cycle of the AC power generated by the power generation unit;
A capacitive element that stores electric charge in accordance with a switching operation by the switching means;
Discharging means inserted into a discharge path of the capacitive element, and discharging the charge stored in the capacitive element;
A counter for measuring a period during which the voltage of the capacitive element exceeds a predetermined value;
A comparator for determining whether the period measured by the counter exceeds the predetermined period;
The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a. The comparator is
Whether the period measured by the counter is input to one of the two inputs, and the time value indicating the predetermined time is input to the other, and whether the period measured by the counter exceeds the predetermined time Is to determine whether or not
The power generation state detection unit
The other input of said comparator, one of the time value corresponding to a time value or the power saving mode corresponds to the operation mode, in claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a switch for supplying according to the current mode The electronic device described. The electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein a time value corresponding to the operation mode is shorter than a time value corresponding to the power saving mode. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation state detection unit detects a power generation state based on a power generation frequency of the power generation unit. The power generation state detection unit counts the number of peaks of the electromotive voltage during a period from when the electromotive voltage of the power generation unit exceeds a set voltage value to when the set time elapses. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein a frequency is detected. The power generation state detection unit
Either the set frequency value corresponding to the operation mode or the set frequency value corresponding to the power saving mode is selected according to the current mode, and the power generation state is determined by comparing the selected set frequency value with the power generation frequency. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the electronic device is detected. The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein a set frequency value corresponding to the operation mode is lower than a set frequency value corresponding to the power saving mode. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The power consuming unit is a time display unit that displays time using power supplied from the power supply unit,
The operation mode is a display mode for displaying the time on the time display unit. A control method for an electronic device comprising: a power generation unit; a power supply unit that stores generated power; and a power consumption unit that operates using power supplied from the power supply unit,
The power generation unit detects power generation, determines whether or not the detected power generation has continued for a predetermined time, and detects that the detected power generation is in a power generation state when it is determined that the detected power generation has continued beyond the predetermined time And detecting that it is in a non-power generation state when it is determined that the time is equal to or less than the predetermined time,
When it is determined that the non-power generation state, the time of the non-power generation state is measured,
When the time of the non-power generation state measured exceeds the set time set in advance, while the switching from the operation mode for operating the power unit to the power saving mode for stopping at least a part of the operation of the power unit,
A method of controlling an electronic device, wherein the power saving mode is switched to the operation mode when a power supply voltage based on the power stored in the power supply unit is detected to be greater than or equal to a predetermined value. . It is a control method of the electronic device according to claim 12,
The power consuming unit is a time display unit that displays time using power supplied from the power supply unit,
The operation mode is a display mode in which the time is displayed on the time display unit.

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