JPS6215160B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electronic timepiece that displays time using an optical display element such as a liquid crystal or a light emitting diode.

This type of watch is a so-called digital display type electronic watch that has a segment type display element to display the time in numbers, and a dot type display element that is arranged to correspond to the hours and minutes of a conventional hand type watch. They are broadly divided into analog display type electronic watches that display the time. In the case of the above digital display type electronic watch, since the time is displayed using a segment type display element, for example, other functional information other than time, such as a stopwatch, a timer, and an alarm, can be switched using the display element. It can be displayed, and if incorporated into a wristwatch, for example, it would be very convenient. However, the above-mentioned analog display type electronic watches only display time information in hours, minutes, or seconds, and therefore functions such as stopwatches, alarms, and timers are displayed using dot-type display elements that display hours and minutes. It has been considered to provide a segment type display element in an internal space surrounded by a wall, and to perform the display using the segment type display element. However, this is naturally limited when the display area of the display section is limited, such as in a wristwatch, and as the number of display elements increases, the structure of the display section becomes complicated. Since a segment-type display element is incorporated into a space surrounded by dot-type display elements, the dot-type display element has to be made smaller, making the analog display difficult to see and inhibiting the original time display function. There are drawbacks.

This invention was made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an electronic clock that can clearly display the remaining time until an alarm using hour and minute display elements of an analog clock. It is something.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained based on illustrated embodiments. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is an oscillator, and the oscillation signal from this oscillator 1 is transmitted to a frequency dividing circuit 2.
The signal is frequency-divided via the 1-second period (1P/s) and is given to the time counter 3. The above time counting section 3
is a sexagesimal second counter that counts signals with a 1-second period and outputs a pulse signal (1P/M) every 1-minute period,
Count this 1 minute period pulse signal 1P/M to 60
60 that outputs a pulse signal (1P/H) every minute period
It consists of a decimal minute counter and a decimal hour counter that counts pulse signals 1P/H. Time information from the time counter 3 is applied to one input terminal of an AND circuit 4, and an output signal from the AND circuit 4 is applied to a first decoder 6 via an OR circuit 5. The display signal decoded by the first decoder 6 is applied via the display control circuit 23 to a group of dot-type display elements 8 and 9 for displaying minutes when it is in the analog display section 7. Also,
A 1 second cycle pulse signal (1P/s) output from the frequency dividing circuit 2 is given to a timer time setter 10. This timer time setter 10 sequentially subtracts the set time every time the pulse signal 1P/s is applied, and supplies the subtracted timer time to a "0" detector 11 and one input of the AND circuit 12. It is designed to be supplied to the ends as well. When the subtraction signal becomes "0" in the "0" detector 11, this is detected and a notification signal is given to the sound alarm 14 via the OR circuit 13. Further, the output from the AND circuit 12 is applied to a second decoder 15, and the display signal decoded by the second decoder 15 is applied to the analog display section 7 via the display control circuit 23.

Further, in the figure, reference numeral 16 denotes an alarm time setting device, and alarm time information set here is given to a matching circuit 17. In addition, the matching circuit 17
The alarm time information from the alarm time setter 16 is compared with the time information from the time counter 3, and when they match, the matching circuit 17 outputs the time information from the time counter 3. An alarm notification signal is output and given to a sound alarm 14 via an OR circuit 13. Further, the alarm time information from the alarm time setting device 16 is given to one input terminal of an AND circuit 18, and the output of the AND circuit 18 is given to the first decoder 6 via the OR circuit 5. .

Further, by operating the switch _S1 , the one-shot circuit 19 outputs a 3-bit shift register 2 in which the content "1" is preset to only 1 bit.
A shift signal is applied to sequentially shift the content "1" relative to zero. This shift register 20
The output signal of the first bit is applied to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 4. Further, the output signal of the second bit is applied to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 18,
The output signal of the third bit is applied to the other input terminal of the AND circuit 12.

FIG. 2 shows a portion of the first and second decoders 6, 15, display control section 23, and analog display section 7. As shown in FIG. In other words, in the decoder 6,
The time information of "hours" and "minutes" from the counter 3 is decoded, and the remaining time of "hours" and "minutes" from the timer time setter 10 are decoded in the decoder 15, respectively. , only the "hour" information is shown in the decoder 6 and the "hour" information in the decoder 15, and the respective "minute" information is omitted.

Therefore, in the decoder 6, the inverter 2
1a, 21b, 21c, and 21d are provided, and the 4-bit "hour" information consisting of 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d is decoded by this decoder 6, and a signal 6a is output when the hour information is "0". is applied as a display drive signal to the display element 8a of the analog display section 7 at the 12 o'clock position via the display control circuit 23. Further, signals 6b, 6c, 6d, .
is given as a display drive signal.

On the other hand, the decoder 15 has inverters 22a, 2
2b, 22c, 22d are provided, and the timer time setting device 1 is provided via an AND circuit 12.
Time information of 0 is decoded by this decoder 15. Therefore, when the time information is "0", nothing is output from the decoder 15, and when it is "1", the signal 15a from the decoder 15 is sent to the display control circuit 23.
is applied as a display drive signal to the display element 8b located at the 1 o'clock position. Also, "2""3"...
At this time, the decoder 15 outputs signals 15b and 15c.
... are respectively output to the display control circuit 23, and "2"
At the time, the display elements 8b and 8c are driven to display,
When the value is "3", the display elements 8b8c and 8d are driven to display.

In such a configuration, when displaying the time, the "1" signal of the shift register 20 is normally placed at the first bit. By this, AND circuit 4
The time information is sent from the time counter 3 to the decoder 6 via
given to. For example, if it is 10:25, the time information of "10 o'clock" will drive and energize the display element at the 10 o'clock position of the dot type display element group 8, and the time information of "25 minutes" will drive and energize the display element of the dot type display element group 8. It is decoded by the decoder 6 so as to energize the display element at the 25th minute position of the 60-divided elements of groups 8 and 9. As a result, the analog display section 7 displays the time as shown in FIG. 3A.

To display the alarm time, for example, "3:00," apply a one-shot pulse from the one-shot circuit ₁₉ obtained by operating the switch S1 to the shift register 20, and set the content "1" to the second pulse. Shift to the bit. By this, AND circuit 1
The time information from the alarm time setter 16 is given to the decoder 6 via the display element group 8 and the display element at the 3 o'clock position of the display element group 8 and the display element groups 8 and 9.
By energizing the display elements at the 12 o'clock position, a display as shown in FIG. 3B is obtained.

In addition, when displaying the remaining time on the timer time setter 10, for example, to display "3 hours and 25 minutes", further operate the switch _S1 and turn on the one shot circuit 19.
This is done by applying a one shot pulse to the shift register 20 and shifting the content "1" to the third bit. As a result, time information from the timer time setter 10 is given to the decoder 15 via the AND circuit 12, and one of the display element groups 8
The display elements from the o'clock position to the 3 o'clock position are energized, and the display elements from the 1 minute position to the 25 minute position of the display element group 9 are energized. This results in a display as shown in FIG. 3C.

That is, in the above embodiment, time information such as the normal time and alarm time is displayed only on the display elements corresponding to hours and minutes, and time information such as the remaining time is displayed on the display elements corresponding to hours and minutes.
The display elements from the hour and minute positions to the remaining time are displayed in an integrated manner, making it possible to incorporate functions such as alarms and timers into analog display type electronic watches. , can be displayed in a display format suitable for each function, and it is easy to distinguish between time and time.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, in addition to the time display, the alarm time and the remaining time until the alarm can be displayed simultaneously. In the figure, reference numeral 101 denotes an oscillator, and a signal from this oscillator 101 is frequency-divided via a frequency dividing circuit 102 and given to a time counting section 103 as a signal with a period of 1 second (1P/s). The time counting section 103 has a configuration similar to that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and outputs time information. The time information from this time counting section 103 is given to one input terminal of an AND circuit 104, and the output signal of the AND circuit 104 is supplied to a decoder 105. The display signal decoded by this decoder 105 is applied via a matrix OR circuit 106 to a group of dot-type display elements 108 and 109 for displaying minutes when it is in an analog display section 107.

Further, the alarm time setter 110 in this embodiment provides a signal of alarm time information to one input terminal of a coincidence circuit 111, a subtraction circuit 112, and an AND circuit 113. The matching circuit 111 and the subtraction circuit 112 are also given time information from the time counting section 103, and the matching circuit 11
1, when the alarm time information and the output signal from the time counting section 10 match, a sound signal is output to cause the sound alarm 113 to sound, and the subtraction circuit 11
2, the difference between the alarm time information and the time information from the time counting section 103 is determined and outputted to one input terminal of the AND circuit 116. The output signal of the AND circuit 116 is supplied to the decoder 115, and the display signal decoded by the decoder 115 is sent to the display element group 108 in the analog display section 107 via the matrix OR circuit 106.
and 109.

The other input terminal of the AND circuit 104 is connected to the other AND circuit 11 via an inverter 116.
A switch signal is directly applied to the other input terminal of the subtractor 4 and 116 from the switch S ₁ , and the switch signal is also used as a subtraction command signal for the subtraction circuit 112 . In this embodiment, the internal space surrounded by the annularly arranged display element groups 108 and 109 is
Segment display element 1 that displays AM and PM
17 are arranged.

In such a configuration, when the switch S ₁ is in the OFF state, only the AND circuit 104 is opened, and time information from the time counter 103 is provided to the decoder 105. For example, to display "10:05 AM", the element at the 10 o'clock position in the display element group 108 is displayed, and the element at the 5 minute position is displayed in the display element group 109, and the element at the 5 minute position is displayed. 117 AM display body is displayed. As a result, the fifth
As shown in Figure A, "10:05 a.m." is displayed. Then, if you want to display the alarm time, turn on switch _S1 . This opens the gates of AND circuits 114 and 116,
alarm information from the alarm time setter 110;
For example, the information "2:30 p.m." is in the AND circuit 11.
The signal from the alarm time setting device 110 and the signal from the time counting section 103 are also given to the decoder 115 via the subtracter 112, and the difference signal is also sent to the AND circuit as the remaining time until the alarm. decoder 115 via 116
given to. Therefore, the remaining time until the alarm "4 hours 25 minutes" is 4 hours and 25 minutes in the display element group 108.
The display elements up to the hour position and the elements up to the 25 minute position in the display element group 109 are driven to display, respectively, and the alarm time "2:30 p.m." is activated.
The minutes are displayed by blinking the display elements corresponding to the 2 o'clock and 30 minute positions on the PM display.
The alarm time display and the remaining time until the alarm when _S1 is turned on are shown in FIG. 5B.

In the above embodiment, the functions to be switched and displayed are the alarm time, the timer time, or the alarm time and the remaining time until the alarm time, but other functions such as a stopwatch function can be displayed. In this case, since the stopwatch information is time, it is displayed as an integrated value in the same way as the remaining time. Further, the electronic timepiece according to the present invention can be used not only as a wristwatch, but also by being incorporated into other equipment such as a radio or a small electronic calculator.

As described in detail above, the present invention uses a display device consisting of a plurality of display elements arranged in a ring shape, and displays the time in a needle-like manner by driving the display elements at corresponding positions. , the remaining time until the alarm is displayed in a continuous strip by driving the same number of display elements as the remaining time in hours and minutes, making it easy to check the remaining time, and making it easier to check the time and time. This can produce excellent effects such as making the distinction clearer. In addition, unlike in the past, there is no need to provide a segment type display element, so even if it has display functions other than time information,
There are no restrictions on the size of the display element, and the ease of viewing as an analog clock can be ensured.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram showing the input path from the decoder to the analog display section, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the display order of the display section, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a circuit configuration diagram of another embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the display form of the display section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Oscillator, 2... Frequency dividing circuit, 3... Time counting section, 6... First decoder, 7... Analog display section, 8, 9... Display element group, 10... Timer time setter , 11... "0" detector, 14... Sound alarm, 15... Second decoder, 16... Alarm time setter, 17... Matching circuit, 20... Shift register.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A first display element group consisting of a plurality of display elements arranged in an annular shape, and a second display element group consisting of a plurality of display elements arranged annularly outside the first display element group.
an optical analog display device having a group of display elements; a time counting circuit that counts reference signals to obtain time information in units of hours and minutes; A display drive signal to be supplied to one display element at a position corresponding to the hour unit of the first display element group is output according to the hour unit of the time information, and a display drive signal to be supplied to one display element at a position corresponding to the hour unit of the first display element group is outputted, and the display drive signal is outputted according to the minute unit of the time information. a time display control circuit that outputs a display drive signal to be supplied to one display element located at a position corresponding to the minute unit of each of the first display element group and the second display element group, and the hour unit and minute unit until the alarm; a remaining time counting circuit for obtaining the remaining time consisting of;
In response to the output of the remaining time counting circuit, a display driving signal is outputted to the continuous display elements of the plurality of display elements of the first display element group in the same number as the current time unit according to the time unit, and the remaining time is outputted. a remaining time display drive circuit that outputs a display drive signal to be supplied to consecutive display elements of the plurality of display elements of the second display element group in the same number as the minute unit in accordance with the minute unit of the time counting circuit; a switching means that receives an output of a time display control circuit and an output of the remaining time display drive circuit, switches between a display drive signal for a time display and a display drive signal for a remaining time display, and supplies the signal to the optical analog display device; An electronic timepiece characterized in that the time is displayed in a needle-like display and the remaining time is displayed in a band-like display.