JPS5858686A - Electronic apparatus provided with solar battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively utilize a solar battery, by making the solar battery have not only a function as a charger (electric power source) but also a function as an information input means. CONSTITUTION:In an electronic apparatus provided with a solar electric power source, which has charged a secondary battery with electromotive force from a solar battery, and uses the secondary battery concerned as an electric power source, the solar battery is made to have not only a function as a charger but also a function as an information input means. A time correcting mode or an alarm time setting mode is set by turning on one of mode changeover switches 4. As a result, the solar battery 3 is independently separated as a solar battery element group 16 arrayed like a matrix, and when a numeral, a character, etc. are written by tracing with a tapered rod-like thing on the solar battery 3, the light receiving quantity of each solar battery element is varied, and an output data of the solar battery element group concerned 16 is recognized as a prescribed character or numeral by a pattern recognizing part 19. The recognized character or numeral is inputted to a time counter 3 or an alarm counter 7, and a correct time or alarm time is set.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to electronic devices including solar cells, such as electronic watches and electronic calculators.

Conventionally, this type of electronic equipment has only been used as a charger for solar cells. That is, generally, a secondary battery is connected in parallel to the solar battery, and the electronic circuit is operated using the secondary battery as a power source. However, because
Even now, using expensive solar cells only as chargers is a very inefficient way of using them.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and by giving solar cells a function as an information input means, it is possible to make effective use of solar cells and improve the marketability of electronic devices themselves equipped with solar cells. The purpose is to provide electronic devices with solar cells that are expensive, convenient, and easy to use. .

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows the front side of an electronic wristwatch to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, 1 is a watch case, 2 is a liquid crystal display device, and 3 is a solar cell in which elements are arranged in a matrix. Further, 4, 4°, . . . are push-button type external operation switches.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the electronic wristwatch.

5 is a crystal oscillator, 6 is a frequency divider, 7 is a time counter for time, date, etc., 8 is a gate, 9 is an I/'i decoder, 2 is a display consisting of the aforementioned liquid crystal display device, 1° alarm counter, 11 12 is a coincidence circuit, 12 is a control unit, 13 is a comment memory, 14 switch input circuits, 15 is a solar cell output switching circuit, 16 is a solar cell element group, 17 is a backflow prevention diode, and 18 is a secondary battery. Further, 19 is a pattern recognition section.

Normally, an appropriate number of solar cell element groups 16 are connected in series in the output switching circuit 15 in response to a control signal from the control unit 12 to obtain the voltage necessary for driving the module (within the dashed line) 20. The connected devices are connected in parallel, with an appropriate number of current capacities connected, and placed under appropriate lighting (natural light, fluorescent light, incandescent light, etc.) depending on the consumption of the secondary battery 18.
Next battery 18 is charged. On the other hand, the output of the crystal oscillator 5 is divided by IHzK:t by the frequency divider 6, and the output of the crystal oscillator 5 is divided by IHzK:t.
Further, this output is inputted to a decoder 9 via a gate 8 in accordance with a control signal from a control section 12, and this output is displayed on a display 2 and used as a clock.

Now, when the mode changeover switch (one of the switches 4) is turned on, a mode changeover signal is input from the switch input circuit 14 to the control section 12, and the mode is set to time correction mode or alarm time setting mode. In this mode, based on the control signal from the control section 12, the output switching circuit 15 makes the solar cell element group 16 independent, and the output of each solar cell element is input to the switch input section 14. In other words, if you trace the top of the solar cells 3 arranged in a matrix as shown in Figure 1 with a thin rod-shaped object, the amount of light received by each solar cell element will change, and the solar cells in the traced area will change. The output is input to the clock section as a write signal for pattern data as traced. The write signal is input to the pattern recognition section 19 via the switch input section 14, and is recognized as a predetermined character (including numbers), symbol, or the like. Recognized character or symbol data is sent to the control unit 12 and comment memory 13, and is further sent to the time counter 3 or alarm counter 7'□ according to a control signal from the control unit 12.
is entered and the correct time or alarm time is turned on.

Alternatively, a comment input mode is provided by turning on the mode switching switch and chi, and the comment is stored in the comment memory 13, and when it matches the alarm time, it is stored by the output of the matching circuit 11, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 2. Input the comments that were being made to the display 2 via the gate 8 and decoder 9,
It may also be displayed as a memo or alarm comment.

FIG. 3 shows a wiring diagram of the solar cell element group 16 and the output switching circuit 15.

Sij are solar cell elements arranged in a matrix, a
ij is a switch for connecting the cathode of each element Sij to the ground, Cij is a switch connected to the anode of each element Sij to take out its output, and bij is a switch for connecting multiple elements Sij in series as a power source. In addition, switches aij and -Cij are turned on by the clock φj, and bij is turned on by the mode signal m □ Ii is a terminal for inputting the output of each element Sij to the module 19 via C1j A time chart of the 0 mode signal m1 clock φj is shown in FIG. Normally, aij and C1j are off, and bij is on, operating as a power source. When a predetermined mode is entered by operating the appropriate switch 4, the mode signal m becomes H level and bij is turned off. Then clock φ
j is sequentially output, aiJ and C1j are sequentially turned on by the clock φj, and by turning on aij and C1j, a specific column j is selected, and it is determined whether the elements Sij in that column are receiving light or not. The output signal from each element Sij is input to the input terminal Ii in accordance with the above. Then, the output signals of the elements Sij in each column are inputted to the next input terminal Ii according to φj, and the characters or ! 0 where patterns such as own code are read Switches aij, bijs Cij is integrated and can be created as an IC.
It may be built into 9. Furthermore, in the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 3, if the mode signal m is synchronized with the clock φj in each column and only the switches bij in that column are turned off one after another, the remaining columns can be used as power supplies. You can also.

In this way, the solar cell can be used as an input means, especially when arranged in a matrix, as an input element for handwritten characters, so it is highly versatile and can increase the commercial value of the solar cell-equipped electronic timepiece. In addition, 1. Since it has a recognition means, it is possible to input predetermined characters or symbols, which is advantageous for time correction, time setting, etc.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to an electronic watch, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to general electronic devices equipped with solar cells.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram, Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram showing the main parts of Fig. 2 in more detail, and Fig. 4 is the signal waveform of each part in Fig. 3. It is a time chart explaining. 2...Solar cell, 12...Control unit, 13...Comment memory, 15...Output switching circuit, 6...Solar cell element group, 18...Secondary battery, 1゛9 ...Pattern recognition unit, Sij...Solar cell element, aij-bi
j・, Cij...switch Φ

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Charging a solar cell and electromotive force from the solar cell 2.
In an electronic device equipped with a solar cell, which includes a secondary battery and an electronic circuit using the secondary battery as a power source, the solar battery has elements arranged in an IJ sock shape, and output signals for each of the elements are individually arranged. An electronic device with a solar cell 0 characterized in that it is provided with means for detecting each element and means for recognizing and inputting the detection signal as handwritten characters or symbols written on the solar cell.