JPH07325172A - Chess clock - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a chess clock combining the advantages of analog system and digital system. CONSTITUTION:The chess clock comprises a pair of analog display parts equipped with short and long hands and a digital display part 6 juxtaposed thereto, a pair of switches 10a, 10b being actuated by means of a button depressed alternately by the players to stop one of a pair of analog movements for driving the short and long hands and to start the other analog movement, and a control circuit 8. The control circuit 8 comprises digital timers 82a, 82b being set with a corresponding time data 5min before the long hand passes the positron of '12' on the dial upon generation of a trigger signal and from which the time data is subtracted as the allocated time is consumed, and a display drive circuit 85 for displaying the content of the digital timers 82a, 82b at the digital display section 6. A sound unit 15 delivers an alarm upon time up of the digital timers 82a, 82b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game clock used for games played with a limited time such as Go, Shogi, and chess.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The most well-known conventional game clock is equipped with two mainspring clocks, the preset time of each game is preset in each clock, and the player on the rear side pushes a push button at the same time when the game starts. , By this, the watch on the other side starts to operate and starts hand movement. When the pusher pushes the push button after the first hand finishes inserting the hand, the timepiece on the front hand stops, and at the same time, the time 6 on the rear hand starts to operate to move the hands. As the players push their push buttons in this way, the playing time of each player decreases. However, this game clock has problems such as not being able to count down and not being able to warn that the time is about to expire.

In order to deal with this problem, an all-electronic digital game clock has recently been proposed. For example, the all-electronic digital game clock disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-26228 uses a microcomputer or the like to calculate the set time for each, and stores the result in RAM as well as digitally via a decoder and a driver. The remaining time is displayed on the display unit. Then, when the predetermined countdown time is reached, the countdown is performed, and when the time is set within the time, the countdown mechanism returns to the predetermined countdown time. There is something.

Further, it is also possible to use a voice synthesis technique to perform countdown, etc., for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-22781.
JP-A-57-156578, JP-A-62
It is proposed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 206484. However, they were still all-electronic digital game clocks in terms of display.

[0005]

Since the all-electronic digital game clock is digital, the set is very troublesome and the time cannot be read sensuously. It has a problem that is not suitable for reading in.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a game timepiece having both the goodness of an analog type in which it is easy to read the time and the goodness of a digital type in which it is possible to realize multiple functions.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a game clock of the present invention comprises a pair of analog display parts provided with a minute hand and a minute hand, and a digital display part arranged in parallel with the analog display part. A pair of analog movements that drive the pointers of the analog display unit, a switching button that is alternately pressed down by the player, and a pair of analog movements that are opened and closed by the switching button to stop one of the analog movements and start the other. Changeover switch,
The signal generating means is provided in the analog movement and generates a trigger signal a predetermined time before the minute hand passes the position "12" on the dial of the analog display portion, and the digital display portion is driven by the trigger signal. And a control circuit for controlling. This control circuit sets a time data corresponding to a predetermined time by the generation of a trigger signal, while the time data is subtracted by the consumption of the holding time, and a drive for displaying the contents of the digital timer on a digital display unit. And a circuit. There is also a sounding device that issues a warning when the digital timer times out.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the subscripts a and b after the reference numerals mean those for two players A and B, respectively. In FIG. 1, an analog display unit 2 is provided on the front surface of the case 1 of the game clock, and on the upper surface,
A pair of switching buttons 3a and 3b which are alternately depressed by the player are provided. The analog display unit 2 is provided with short hands 4a, 4b and long hands 5a, 5b, respectively, and can be set at a predetermined time by a needle rotating means (not shown).

Below the analog display section 2, a digital display section 6 is arranged in parallel. As shown in FIG. 2 in an enlarged manner, the digital display section 6 includes second display sections 61a and 61b and a skip number display section 62 for displaying a skip number described later.
a and 62b.

Below the digital display section 6, key input means 7 for setting the digital display section 6 is provided. The key input means 7 is a slide type second set switch 71a for setting the countdown time in the countdown rule,
71b and a push button type skip switch 72 for setting the number of skips. A power switch SW ₁ and a volume adjusting switch SW ₂ are provided on the left and right sides thereof.

In FIG. 3, a control circuit 8 includes a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as "CPU") 81, digital timers 82a and 82b, and contact data storage circuits 83a and 8b.
3b, skip number storage circuits 84a and 84b, and a display drive circuit 85 of the digital display unit 6. Further, the CPU 81 has analog movements 9a and 9b for respectively driving the hands (short hand and long hand) of the analog display section 2 shown in FIG. 1, and the switching button 3 shown in FIG.
changeover switches 10a, 1 opened / closed by a, 3b
0b, a clock pulse generating circuit 11 including a crystal oscillator for generating a reference signal, and a voice synthesizing circuit 12 for performing a countdown with voice. The voice data output from the voice synthesis circuit 12 is
Sound is output from the sounding device 15 such as a speaker via the D / A converter 13 and the amplifier 14.

The change-over switches 10a and 10b are for controlling stop and start of the analog movements 9a and 9b. That is, when the changeover button 3a is pressed, the changeover switch 10a is opened and the changeover switch 10b is closed. As a result, the analog movement 9a stops operating, while the analog movement 9b
Starts operating. On the contrary, when the other changeover button 3b is pressed, the changeover switch 10a is closed and the changeover switch 10b is opened. As a result, the analog movement 9b stops operating, while the analog movement 9a starts operating.

In the analog movements 9a and 9b,
Set the position of "12" on the dial of the analog display 2 to the long hand 5
The signal generating means 16 for generating the trigger signal a for operating the digital timers 82a and 82b (5th before the predetermined time (5 minutes before in the present embodiment) when the a and 5b pass) (fourth
Figure) is provided. The signal generating means 16 is composed of a cam 161 that rotates once in 60 minutes, and switch pieces 164 and 165 supported by a holder 163. The switch pieces 164 and 165 are normally closed, but the cam 161
The switch piece 1 is formed by the protrusion 162 formed on the outer periphery of the switch piece 1.
When 65 is pushed up, it opens so as to generate the contact signal shown in FIG. The rising edge of this contact signal is used as the trigger signal a.

Contact data storage circuits 83a, 83 shown in FIG.
In b, the contact signal of the signal generating means 16 (FIG. 5) and the data of the changeover switches 10a and 10b are sequentially stored and updated. The digital timers 82a and 82b are set to "5 minutes" according to the timing of generation of the trigger signal a,
The second set switch 71 shown in the first and second figures is used for countdown.
The countdown time (seconds) selected by a and 71b is set. In the skip number storage circuits 84a and 84b,
It stores the number of skips (the number of times the trigger signal a is invalidated) set by the skip switch 72 shown in the first and second figures, and is used when the holding time exceeds one hour.

Next, the operation will be described. The schematic operation of the game clock of the present invention is as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, but the details will be described according to individual rules. First, the case of a losing rule in which the game ends when the time runs out will be described.

Prior to the game, the key input means 7 is operated to perform the initial setting. At the time of this key input operation, the changeover buttons 3a, 3b shown in the first position are set to the neutral position and the changeover switch shown in the third form is set. Both 10a and 10b are opened. For example, when playing for 2 hours and 45 minutes, adjust the hour hands 5a and 5b to the 15-minute position,
The short hands 4a and 4b are aligned with the position "12" immediately above. By operating the skip switch 72, the skip number display section 62
“2” is displayed on each of a and 62b. As a result, the skip number "2" is stored in the skip number storage circuits 84a and 84b.
Is memorized. In addition, the second set switch 71a, 71b
Both are set to the position of "0". At this time, "0" and "0" are displayed on the second display portions 61a and 61b, respectively.

Then, the player B on the rear side selects the switching button 3
When b is pressed, the analog movement 9a of the player A on the other side starts to operate. When the player A starts and presses the switching button 3a, the player A's analog movement 9a
Stops, and the player B's analog movement 9b operates. This is repeated alternately and each holding time decreases. When the player A has 40 minutes and the minute hand 5a is at the position of "55 minutes", that is, 5 minutes before the hour, a trigger signal a is generated from the analog movement 9a. However, here, the number of skips “2” stored in the number of skips storage circuit 84a is subtracted by 1 to become “1”, and the trigger signal a 5 minutes before this is skipped, and the operation on the electric circuit is not performed. There is no change. The same applies to the player B.

Further, when the playing time of the player A has passed one hour and the minute hand 5a is again at the position of "55 minutes", that is, 5 minutes before the hour, the trigger signal a is sent from the analog movement 9a as before. Occur. However, here, the skip number “1” stored in the skip number storage circuit 84a is subtracted by 1 to become “0”, and the trigger signal a 5 minutes before this is skipped, and the operation on the electric circuit is not performed. There is no change. The same applies to the player B.

Further, when the playing time of the player A has passed one hour and the minute hand 5a is again in the position of "55 minutes", that is, 5 minutes before the hour, a trigger signal a is generated from the analog movement 9a. However, in this case, the skip number stored in the skip number storage circuit 84a is "0", and therefore the skip number is not skipped. This means that the remaining time is "5 minutes". The first digital timer 82 here
"5 minutes" is set to a or 82b, and the operation is started. At the same time, the sound synthesizing circuit 12 is activated by the sounding device 15 to notify "5 minutes left." That is, in the game clock of the present invention, when the remaining time is less than 5 minutes,
Analog movement 9a, 9b and digital timer 8
2a and 82b operate in parallel, but thereafter, the operation is controlled based on the digital timer 82a or 82b.

That is, thereafter, every time a 1 Hz signal from the clock pulse generation circuit 11 arrives, the CPU 81
Subtracts the digital timer 82a or 82b. Then, when the remaining time of the digital timer 82a or 82b reaches 1 minute, the voice synthesizing circuit 12 operates and the sounding device 15 informs the user that "1 minute is left.""60" is displayed on 61b. After that, the display content of the second display portion 61a or 61b is counted down with the passage of time. Then, the display content of the second display portion 61a or 61b is "0".
When the time becomes, that is, when the time is up, the operation of the digital timer 82a or 82b is stopped, and the second display unit 6
"1" or 61b blinks "0", and the voice synthesizer 12 is activated and the sounding device 15 informs the user that it is "Pip! Pip! Pip! It's time." . This ends the game. The same applies to the player B.

Next, the case of the countdown rule will be described. At this time, the analog timepiece is not used, and the second countdown switch 71a, 71b shown in FIG. 2 is operated to select the desired countdown time "30 seconds", "40 seconds" or "60 seconds". If the countdown time "30 seconds" is selected, "30" is initially displayed on the second display portions 61a and 61b.
As a result, "30 seconds" is set in each of the digital timers 82a and 82b. Further skip switch 7
2 is operated to display "-" on the skip number display portions 62a and 62b respectively.

One second after the start of the game, the second display section 61a or 61b changes the display to "1", and the count is incremented every one second. Seconds "" 20 seconds "" 2, 3, 4, ...
The voice is uttered as "8, 9,". When the operation is started within the countdown time, "30 seconds" is set again in the digital timer 82a or 82b. This is repeated, and when one exceeds the countdown time, the operation of the digital timer 82a or 82b is stopped, and the second display section 61 is displayed.
"30" is displayed blinking on a or 61b, and the voice synthesizing circuit 12 is activated to inform the sounding device 15 "Pip! Pip! Pip! It's time." . This ends the game.

When the players A and B have different abilities, it is possible to set the countdown time as a handicap by changing the countdown time. That is, the countdown time of player A is set to "40
Seconds ”, and the time of the player B is set to 30 seconds. In this case, "40" is displayed on the second display section 61a,
"30" will be displayed on each of 1b.

Since the loss-of-game + countdown rule is a combination of the above-described loss-of-game rule and countdown rule, for example, when the game is a countdown with a holding time of 1 hour and 20 minutes and then 30 seconds, the long hand "40 minutes" for 5a and 5b
Position, and the short hands 3a, 3b are aligned with the position "12" directly above. By operating the skip switch 72, "1" is displayed in each of the skip number display portions 62a and 62b.
Further, the second set switches 71a and 71b are operated to set both to "30", and "30" is displayed on the second display portions 61a and 61b, respectively. As a result, the digital timers 82a and 82b are reset to have the countdown time of 30 seconds after the holding time is over.

In the operation in this case, the above two rules are continuously performed. 1 of the time that any player has
When the time exceeds 20 minutes, once the digital timer 8
The operation of 2a or 82b is stopped, and the voice synthesis circuit 12
Is activated, and the sounding device 15 informs the user, "I will enter the countdown." After that, the above-mentioned countdown operation continues.

[0026]

According to the present invention configured as described above, the remaining time can be sensuously read by the analog display section, and at the end of the game, the digital display section can clearly display the seconds. Since complicated functions are processed by electronic circuit technology, it is a very easy-to-use game clock that combines the goodness of the analog type, which makes it easy to read the time, and the goodness of the digital type, which can achieve multiple functions. Can be provided and can adapt to various game rules. Further, since the display by the digital display unit is in the limited time range in the final stage, there is an advantage that current consumption is small.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of a main part.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a signal generating means.

FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram of a contact signal generated from the signal generating means.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 analog display section 3a, 3b changeover button 4a, 4b short hand (pointer) 5a, 5b long hand (pointer) 6 digital display section 8 control circuit 82a, 82b digital timer 85 display drive circuit 9a, 9b analog movement 10a, 10b changeover switch 15 Sound generator 16 Signal generating means a Trigger signal

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pair of analog display units provided with a short hand and a long hand and a digital display unit arranged in parallel with the analog display unit, a pair of analog movements for driving a pointer of the analog display unit, and alternated by a player. And a pair of change-over switches that are opened and closed by the change-over button to stop one of the analog movements and stop the other while starting the other, and are provided in the analog movement. A signal generating means for generating a trigger signal a predetermined time before the minute hand passes through the position "12" of the dial, and a control circuit for starting the digital display unit by starting the trigger signal. The control circuit sets the time data corresponding to the predetermined time by the generation of the trigger signal. On the other hand, there is a digital timer that subtracts the time data due to the consumption of time and a display drive circuit that displays the contents of the digital timer on the digital display section.A warning is issued when the digital timer times out. A game clock characterized by being provided with a sounding device for generating.