JPS621731Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an electronic timepiece with a timer function that uses an analog display for time display to simultaneously display the set time and elapsed time or remaining time of the timer.

Conventional electronic watches with a timer function usually only display the remaining time of the timer, and once the timer is activated, the set time cannot be confirmed in most cases, and the timer function is incomplete. In view of the above points, this invention focuses on the characteristics of analog display devices, and uses multiple display patterns regularly arranged in concentric circles etc. to simultaneously display the timer setting time and elapsed time or remaining time. This eliminates the drawbacks of the conventional method.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows an example of the display pattern, with 60 display patterns from I ₀ to _{I 59} on the inside and on the outside.
It is constructed by regularly arranging 60 display patterns O ₀ to O ₅₉ in a circular shape.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the main parts when configured as an electronic timepiece with a timer function. The oscillator circuit 1 generates a reference time signal, which is divided to an appropriate frequency by a frequency divider circuit 2 and inputted to a time counter 3. The time counter 3 counts current time information such as hours, minutes, and seconds. There is. The timer time is set by inputting the desired time from the input circuit 4 to the control circuit 5 into the timer counter 6 by fast forwarding, etc., and then transferring the contents from the timer counter 6 to the latch circuit 7. It will be done. That is, from now on, the timer setting time is stored and held in the latch circuit 7. The operation of the timer is also started from the input circuit 4 via the control circuit 5. At this time, the timer counter 6 inputs the output of the frequency dividing circuit 2 and operates as a timer to measure elapsed time, and counts the elapsed time from the input operation.

The decoder 8 inputs and decodes the contents of the time counter 3, timer counter 6, and latch circuit 7, and when setting the timer time and operating the timer, the timer counter 6 is input and decoded by the control signal from the control circuit 5. The contents of the latch circuit 7 and the latch circuit 7 are selected, decoded and output, and supplied to the display device 10 via the driver 9, so that the timer setting time is displayed on the display device 10 at the same time. The display device 10 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display cell, and the display pattern is arranged as shown in FIG. Note that, except when setting the timer time and operating the timer, the contents of the time counter 3 are selected and decoded and output, and the display device 10 displays the current time information.

An example of the display when the timer is operating will be explained with reference to FIG. An example is a case where a 60 minute timer is used.

In the example shown in Figure 3, the set time (40 minutes) is displayed by lighting the corresponding inner and outer display patterns I ₄₀ and O ₄₀ , and the elapsed time (20 minutes) is displayed by lighting the outer display pattern O ₂₀ . It is indicated by this. In addition, in the latter outer display pattern, the display pattern that lights up every minute sequentially moves clockwise as time passes, thereby displaying the elapsed time that changes.

In this way, by simultaneously displaying the timer setting time and elapsed time in analog display formats with different shapes and sizes, both the set time and elapsed time can be recognized and checked extremely easily. You can also know the remaining time. Also,
By counting the remaining time with the timer counter 6, the remaining time can be displayed instead of the elapsed time.In this case, both the set time and the remaining time can be recognized and confirmed very easily. You can also intuitively know the elapsed time.

As described above, according to the present invention, attention is paid to the characteristics of an analog display device, and the set time and elapsed time or remaining time of a timer are displayed simultaneously in different shapes and sizes. It is possible to provide an electronic timepiece with a timer function that has a simple configuration, allows both the timer setting time and elapsed time or remaining time to be recognized and confirmed very easily, and has an extremely useful display format for the timer function.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display pattern of a display unit in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main part, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Oscillation circuit, 2... Frequency division circuit, 4... Input circuit, 5... Control circuit, 6... Timer counter, 7... Latch circuit, 8... Decoder, 9...
Driver, 10...Display device.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] An electronic timepiece having means for counting current time information such as hours, minutes, and seconds, and display means for displaying the counted contents in an analog display pattern arranged circularly in two stages: means for storing and holding the set time of the timer; means for counting the elapsed time or remaining time with respect to the set time; An electronic timepiece with a timer function, characterized in that it is equipped with driver means for displaying analog display patterns on only one side in different shapes and sizes.