JPS6261916B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a battery life notification method for an alarm watch, and particularly to a method for notifying battery life by restricting the operation of an alarm function.

(Prior art) Conventionally, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 119363 (1973) and Utility Model Application No. 119363 (1973)
There is a method, such as the 92767, that immediately stops the alarm function when the battery life is detected and prompts the user to replace the battery.

However, users of such watches do not always have a spare battery on hand, and even when the battery reaches the end of its lifespan, it does not mean that the battery can be replaced immediately. Therefore, the user will have to spend the time without being able to use the alarm function.

Furthermore, if the alarm function suddenly becomes inoperable at the same time as the battery life is detected, the user will suspect that the device has malfunctioned, which will significantly reduce the product value.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention aims to minimize the adverse effects after the battery life is detected in the above-mentioned alarm clock.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention does not stop the alarm function at all at the same time as battery life detection, but sets the number of alarms that can be given in a predetermined period, and if the number of alarms is exceeded, a certain period of time has elapsed. The feature is that the alarm is not notified until the

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram of an alarm clock according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The reference signal generator 2 consists of an oscillator 4 and a frequency dividing circuit 6, and the timekeeping circuit 8 for counting time consists of a second counter 10 for counting seconds and an hour and minute counter 12 for counting hours and minutes. The alarm notification circuit 14 that generates a notification signal at a preset time is connected to a storage circuit 16 that stores the alarm time.
and a matching circuit 18 that compares the alarm time with the current time from the hour/minute counter 12. Further, the alarm time signal from the memory circuit 16 is input to the display switching circuit 20 together with the current time signal from the hour/minute counter 10. This display switching circuit 20
selects one of the signals by opening/closing the changeover switch 22 and transmits it to the decoder/driver 24.
The hour and minute display segment 26 of the display 26 via
a, 26b. As a result, the display section 26
Displays either the current time or the alarm time.

On the other hand, the coincidence signal from the alarm notification circuit 14 is input to the notification stop circuit 30 before being input to the sound generation circuit 28 which generates the alarm notification sound. The notification stop circuit 30 receives signals from an alarm stop switch 32, a battery life detection circuit 34 that detects the life of the power battery, and a notification number counter 36 that counts the number of alarm notifications within a certain period of time. Of these, the battery life detection circuit 34 in this embodiment includes a voltage detection circuit 38 that detects the voltage value of the power supply battery, and a constant voltage detection circuit 40 that detects when the voltage has fallen below a certain voltage value.
It consists of and. The detection signal B from the constant voltage detection circuit 40 is transmitted to the one-shot multivibrator 42.
and the notification number counter 44 via the OR gate 44.
is input to the preset input P of the In addition, a fixed period signal A every 24 hours from the hour/minute counter 10 is input to this preset input via a one-shot multivibrator 48 and an OR gate 44. Voltage value data from the voltage value detection circuit 38 is input to this subtraction counter 46 via a decoder 50 as preset data.
In this way, the subtraction counter 46 is configured to subtract a numerical value corresponding to the preset voltage value.

The preset data from the decoder 36 and the count signal from the subtraction counter 46 are input to the display switching circuit 52. This display switching circuit 52 also receives second count signals 10S and S from the second counter 10.
is input, and depending on the notification signal input from the notification stop circuit 30 to the sound generation circuit 28, a signal from either the notification number counter 36 or the second counter 10 is selectively output. This selectively outputted signal is supplied to the second display segments 26c and 26d of the display section 24 via the decoder/driver 54.
Further, the display changeover switch 22 is connected to the enable terminal of the decoder/driver 54, and the alarm time display section disables the decoder/driver 54 and displays only hours and minutes. Further, the display section 26 is provided with a battery life display element 26e, to which a detection signal B from the constant voltage detection circuit 40 is supplied via a driver 56, and the element 6e is configured to light up when life is detected. ing.

The notification stop circuit 30 includes a flip-flop 58, and its clock input φ is connected to a coincidence circuit 18 via a one-shot multivibrator 60.
A coincidence signal is inputted from the input signal, and its Q output is sent to the sound generation circuit 28, and together with the detection signal B to the display switching circuit 5.
2 is further input to the clock input φ of the subtraction counter 46, and further to the AND gate 64 via the inverter 62. The AND gate 64 is also input with the detection signal B from the constant voltage detection circuit 40 and the "O" detection signal from the subtraction counter 46, and the output of this AND gate 64 is sent to the OR gate along with the output of the alarm stop switch 32. 66
Reset input R of flip-flop 58 via
is being input.

The operation of this circuit will be explained below. Before the end of the battery life, the detection signal B is at "L" level, and the AND gate 64 in the notification stop circuit 30 is the subtraction counter 4.
The display switching circuit 52 selects the output of the second counter 8 regardless of the output of the second counter 8.

When the alarm setting time arrives, the output of the matching circuit 18 causes the Q of the flip-flop 58 to be changed.
The output becomes "H" level, and the sound generation circuit 28 generates a notification sound.

Figures 2a and b show the display section 26 before the end of the battery life.
FIG. 2 is a display format diagram showing a display format of . FIG. 2a shows the current time display, and FIG. 2b shows the alarm time (7 o'clock). When the alarm time is displayed, the second display segments 26c and 26d are not displayed.

When the battery life reaches its end, the detection signal B becomes "H" level, the battery life display element 26e lights up, and the one-shot multi-vibrator 4
2 generates a positive single pulse. This pulse presets the subtraction counter 46 to a value corresponding to the voltage value. Then, when the alarm setting time arrives and the Q output of the flip-flop 58 rises to the "H" level, the subtraction counter 46 is decremented by one. In addition, the display switching circuit 5
2, the signal from the notification number counter 36 is selectively outputted instead of the signal from the second counter 8. Therefore, the second display segments 26c and 26d display a numerical value corresponding to the voltage value and a numerical value obtained by subtracting the number of notifications from the numerical value. These numerical values are re-preset by the subtraction counter 46 every 24 hours by the signal A for a certain period of time, and the preset numerical values vary depending on changes in the voltage value. In this embodiment, the number of preset values decreases as the voltage value decreases.

When the number of notifications within a certain period of time, that is, within 24 hours, becomes the same as the preset value, the "O" detection signal of the subtraction counter 46 becomes "H" level. After this, turn off the alarm switch 32
When the flip-flop 58 is reset to bring the Q output to the "L" level and the notification is stopped, the output of the inverter 62 becomes the "H" level. As a result, all three signals input to the AND gate 64 become "H" level, and the flip-flop 58
is in a reset state. Therefore, even if the alarm setting time arrives, the notification sound will not be generated until the signal A is output for a certain period of time and the "O" detection signal of the subtraction counter 46 reaches the "L" level.

FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5 are diagrams showing the display form of the display unit after the battery life has expired.

FIG. 3a shows the time before the alarm time arrives, and the hours, minutes, and seconds of the current time are displayed. Further, the battery life display element 6e lights up, and at this point the subtraction counter 46 is preset to "3". FIGS. 3b, c, and d show the display format when the alarm setting times arrive one after another. At this time, the display segment 26d displays a preset value, that is, "3", which is the possible number of notifications within 24 hours, instead of seconds, and the display segment 26c displays a subtraction counter 4.
6 count output, that is, the remaining number of possible notifications until the signal A rises for a certain period of time is displayed. Therefore, as the number of notifications increases, Figure 3b,
As shown in c and d, the numerical value displayed on the display segment 26c changes from "2" to "1" to "0", and after reaching "0", the alarm notification is a signal for a fixed period every 24 hours. It will not be done until A stands up.

Figures 4a, b, and 5 are display format diagrams when the battery voltage further decreases. Figure 4 shows that the number of times that can be reported is 2, and Figure 5 shows that the voltage further decreases. This indicates that the number of times that notification can be made is one. In this case as well, when the display segment 26c becomes "0" as the number of notifications increases, the notification will no longer be made.

(Effects) According to this embodiment, after the battery life has expired, the alarm function does not suddenly become unusable as in the past, but can be used a certain number of times within 24 hours, and the battery life notification is activated. We are trying to minimize damage to money and to avoid mistakes that can be mistaken for malfunctions. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since it is displayed how many more times the notification can be made and how many times the notification can be made in one day, it is easy to adjust the number of times of use. Further, since these displays are displayed on the seconds display section only when notification is made, no special display is required. Furthermore, in this example, as the battery voltage decreases,
As the number of alarms per day decreases, it becomes increasingly inconvenient for users to not replace the batteries.
In the end, you will have no choice but to replace the battery. Segment 26 also displays the number of times notifications can be made in one day.
You can tell the level of battery consumption just by looking at d.

In addition, in this embodiment, second display segment 2
Although the number of times the notification can be made is displayed at 6c, the number of times the notification can be made so far may be displayed.

As described above, according to the present invention, in an alarm watch that notifies the end of battery life by controlling the alarm notification function, the alarm can be used for a certain period of time instead of being suddenly disabled as soon as the battery life reaches the end. By limiting the number of times, it is possible to reduce the damage caused by battery life notification and to provide an effective notification method.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an alarm watch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a display format diagram showing the display format of the display unit before the end of the battery life. FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5 are display format diagrams showing the display format after the battery life has expired. 2... Reference signal generator, 8... Timing circuit, 14... Alarm notification circuit, 26... Display section, 28... Sound generation circuit, 30... Notification stop circuit, 34... Battery life detection circuit, 36... Notification frequency counter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an alarm clock having an alarm notification circuit that generates a notification signal at a preset time, and a sound generation circuit that generates a notification sound in response to the notification signal, the power source battery has reached the end of its life. a battery life detection circuit that detects the battery life; a notification count counter that is initialized every preset period and counts the number of notifications from the sound generation circuit; a battery life detection circuit that detects the end of the battery life, and A timepiece with an alarm, further comprising: a notification stop circuit that prevents the notification signal from being input to the sound generation circuit when the count value of the notification number counter reaches a constant value. 2. a reference signal generator that generates a reference signal; a time counter that measures a time that includes at least seconds; a time display section that displays a time that includes at least seconds based on the output of the time counter; An alarm clock comprising: an alarm circuit that generates a notification signal; and a sound generation circuit that generates a notification sound in response to the notification signal; a notification frequency counter that is initialized every period and counts the number of notifications of the sound generation circuit; a notification frequency display section that displays the count output of the notification frequency counter; and the battery life detection circuit detects the end of the battery life. and a notification stop circuit that prevents the notification signal from being input to the sound generation circuit when the count value of the notification number counter reaches a constant value. 3. The alarm clock as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the number of notifications display section also serves as a second display section within the display section. 4. In claim 2 or 3, the battery life detection circuit includes a voltage detection circuit that detects a plurality of voltage values of a power source battery and a constant voltage that detects when the voltage becomes below a certain value. An alarm device comprising a detection circuit, and a notification number counter consisting of a subtraction counter that can be preset, and wherein numerical values corresponding to a plurality of voltage values detected by the voltage detection circuit are preset in the subtraction counter. clock.