JPS6020074Y2 - digital display electronic clock - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a display method for a digital display electronic timepiece having a dot matrix type display section.

Conventionally, digital electronic watches with dot-matrix displays have been equipped with dot-matrix displays using light-emitting diodes.
A matrix method is generally known.

However, in the case of a light-emitting diode type display, the current consumption of the display section is on the order of mA, and considering the size of a wristwatch, due to the relationship with the capacity of the watch battery, the current consumption of the display section is on the order of mA.
It was impossible to display the time.

Therefore, in recent years, dot matrix display technology using liquid crystal panels that consumes less current has been developed.

However, compared to the light emitting diode display, the liquid crystal display has
The response speed is slow, and the voltage characteristics of the contrast also have a temperature coefficient, so the normal usage range of the watch is 0°C to 50°C.
In order to obtain a normal display at .degree. C., it is necessary to reduce the number of time-division drive divisions and to perform temperature compensation.

In this way, due to the small number of divisions that constitute the dot matrix, the display changes slowly, and in order to distinguish the information grouped in each unit from other information, the information in each unit is In order to provide a sufficient gap between the panels and display symbols to indicate distinction, an extra row of horizontal dots is required, which ultimately leads to larger panels and larger watch bodies, which reduces the product value. It had breath.

The present invention was made to eliminate these drawbacks, and by configuring letters, numbers, symbols, etc. using fewer dots per line than the total number of electrodes that make up each line, The purpose is to change the entire display and improve information transmission performance within a restricted size.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail according to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the electrode structure of a liquid crystal display panel embodying the dot matrix structure of the present invention.

1 row yaw electrode law lbt lc, ld,
Two le and two of If are each connected to form a common electrode for time-division drive into three parts.

1 row of electrodes 2a, 2b, 2Ce-***2
n, 33, 3 bt 3 (＊＊＊＊＊3n is composed of two electrodes at the top and bottom so as to divide the 1st row yaw electrode, which is connected in common. A dot matrix is formed on each opposing surface of the electrode.

FIG. 2a shows the display section of a watch according to the present invention.

On the display section of the display panel 4, the hours and minutes are displayed on the top of the line, and the seconds are displayed on the bottom.

When button 19 is pressed, the display changes to show the hours, minutes, and day as shown in Figure 2. At this time, the hours and minutes are placed one line down, and the day is placed one line down. They are displayed at the top, making it easier to distinguish between the displayed contents.

The details of the display section of the display panel 3 will be explained with reference to FIG. 2C.

The 1st row Y electrode and the 1st column J electrode are connected as shown in Figure 1, and each dot is lit between a pair of electrodes constituting each dot with respect to the liquid crystal layer between the 1st row J electrode and the 1st column Y electrode. Alternatively, a voltage for turning off the dot is applied to turn the dot on or off.

The hour and minute information is displayed by turning off all the dots formed by the lowest one-row electrode 1f among the six row electrodes.

Further, the second information is displayed with all dots formed by the electrodes 1a in the uppermost row being turned off.

This eliminates the need for extra column electrodes in order to distinguish between minute and second information, and allows accurate discrimination between minute and second information.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a circuit configuration embodying a timepiece according to the present invention.

A time reference signal generated by an oscillation circuit 5 including a crystal oscillator is frequency-divided by a frequency dividing circuit 6 to operate a second counter 7, a minute counter 8, an hour counter 9, and a day counter 10.

The output of each counter is converted into a display signal by a decoder 11.

A control signal from a display control circuit 15 connected to a display changeover switch 14 is sent to a decoder 11 to determine the display content to be output and each information unit on the dot matrix liquid crystal display panel 18. Command the position to be displayed.

The output of the decoder 11 is inputted to an electrode control circuit 12 for one column, which generates a selection signal for each row electrode in synchronization with the sequential scanning of the row electrode scanning signal generating circuit 13.

16a to 16n+ 17a, 17b, and 17c are drive circuits that generate voltages for driving each of the column 1 and 1 row electrodes and each of the 1 row and yaw electrodes based on the 1 column yaw electrode selection signal and the 1 row yaw electrode scan signal, respectively.

FIG. 4 shows waveforms of various parts of FIG. 3.

In this case, the threshold voltage V 7 H is T1.
I〉113vo1 saturation voltage V A B 7 is VSAT
If a liquid crystal display panel is made by selecting a liquid crystal material such that <Vo, the intersection C1 between Xl and Yl and the intersection C2 between Xl and Y2 will be lit, and the intersection C3 between Xl and X3 will be off.

As described above with reference to the embodiments, according to the present invention, when displaying each unit of information in a dot matrix, the information between each unit of information is It is possible to add distinction and display changes, and it is possible to produce a great effect that a lot of information can be clearly identified in a compact watch module.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the electrode configuration of the dot matrix liquid crystal display panel of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the display section of the watch of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows waveforms of various parts of FIG. 3. 1a+ 1b, I Ct 1 dq 1 et
1 f""1 row y-electrode, 2at 2b"'2nt
3at 3b, ``'3n... J column y electrode, 4.
... Display panel, 5 ... Oscillation circuit, 6.
...Frequency divider circuit, 7...Second counter, 8.
...Minute counter, 9 ...Hour counter, 1
0...day counter, 11...decoder, 12...-"column electrode control circuit, 13...
... J row electrode scanning signal generation circuit, 14 ... Display changeover switch, 15 ... Display control circuit, 16
a, 16b...16n...J column y electrode drive circuit, 17a, 17b, 11c"" row y [pole drive circuit, 18
...Dot matrix liquid crystal display panel,
19... button.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In digital display electronic watches, the first row and the first column are arranged in a matrix with scanning electrodes and signal electrodes, and display pixels are driven at the intersections of the matrix to display time information. A number of 1-line yo's that are smaller than the total number of 1-line yo's that make up the unit are used to form an evaluation information unit consisting of letters, numbers, symbols, etc., and also to display a specific time and other information such as the date and day of the week. A digital display type characterized in that the display is arranged with a step above and below while partially overlapping with the electrode in one line.