JPH04305187A - timing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a timekeeping device for displaying the cumulative time measured by electrical measuring means using mechanical display means.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a timekeeping device such as an analog electronic stopwatch or an analog electronic watch with a chronograph function, which displays the cumulative time measured by an electrical measuring means using a mechanical display means, as shown in FIG. During normal measurement, the step motor is driven in forward rotation according to the measured value, and when resetting the measurement and returning the display pointer to its initial position, the step motor is rotated in the normal direction until the display pointer returns to its initial position. The most common method was to drive the machine in fast forward motion.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, during normal measurement, the step motor is driven in forward rotation in accordance with the measured value, and when the measurement is reset and the display pointer is returned to its initial position, the display pointer is returned to the initial position. In order to shorten the time required to homen the needle, when some or all of the display pointer positions are above a certain value, the step motor is driven in forward rotation until the display pointer returns to its initial position. However, when the needle position of the display pointer is below a certain value, a method has also been adopted in which the step motor is driven in reverse and fast forward until the position of the display pointer returns to the initial position.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional system as shown in FIG. 2, the number of display divisions is large, for example, a single motor drives a 12-hour meter in minutes with a 720-division display. If the system resets the measurement when the measured value is short, such as 10 minutes, the step motor must be driven 710 steps to return the display pointer to the initial position, which takes time and However, there was a problem in that the current consumption also increased.

In the system shown in FIG. 3, in the above case, the display pointer is returned to the 0 position by reverse drive.
In this example, it is possible to return the display pointer to the initial position by simply driving the 10-step motor.

However, as shown in the example of JP-A-02-138895, in a two-pole step motor commonly used in watches, stopwatches, etc., in order to drive the step motor in reverse, a special reverse pulse is applied to the step motor. must be input, and the maximum drive frequency that allows fast forwarding is smaller than that of normal rotation drive. Therefore, even if the number of driving steps is small, the time required for hammering is long.

[0007] Furthermore, since a comparison means is required to determine whether the position of the hand of the display pointer is above a certain value, there are other problems such as a complicated structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to realize a timekeeping device that has a simple configuration and is capable of quickly resetting the display pointer.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an electrical time integration measuring means, a forward rotation pulse generation circuit, a reverse rotation pulse generation circuit, a motor driver,
In a timekeeping device having a motor, a mechanical display means, and a control means, the control means drives the motor driver with an output from the reverse pulse generation circuit during time measurement, and initializes the mechanical display means. The motor driver is characterized in that when resetting to the state, the motor driver is driven by an output from the normal rotation pulse generation circuit.

0010

According to the above structure of the present invention, the motor is driven in reverse during time measurement, and is driven in forward rotation when resetting the mechanical display means to its initial state. In two-pole step motors that are generally used in watches, stopwatches, etc., the maximum frequency that can be driven is higher in forward rotation than in reverse rotation. Therefore, even if the measurement time is short, it is possible to reset to the initial state in a short time.

[0011]

Embodiment Embodiment 1 A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 4, and 5.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the timing device of this embodiment.
FIG. 4 is an external view, and FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing voltage waveforms at various parts in FIG.

In FIG. 4, 403 is a second hand that displays the seconds measured in 60 divisions per revolution, and is driven by a two-pole step motor 114.
Driven by. When the step motor 114 rotates normally, the motor 403 rotates clockwise, and as in the first conventional example, it is driven in the normal rotation both during measurement and during resetting to the initial state.

401 is a minute hand that displays the minutes measured in 60 divisions per revolution, and 402 is an hour hand that displays the hours measured in 720 divisions per revolution.These are mechanically interlocked and driven by a two-pole step motor 121. be done. step motor 121
When rotates forward, 401 and 402 rotate counterclockwise,
As will be explained below, it is driven in reverse rotation during measurement and forward rotation during resetting to the initial state.

[0015] Reference numerals 108 and 109 are switches for controlling start, stop, and reset of the timekeeping function.

The mode control circuit 105 receives the switch signal 15
In response to inputs 1 and 152, a reset signal 154 and a start signal 153 are output.

The coincidence detection circuit 116 is an hour/minute counter 115.
When the output from the hour/minute hand position up/down counter 117 matches, an L level signal is output, and when they do not match, an H level signal is output.

The hour and minute hand position up/down counter 117 counts up in response to the reverse pulse synchronization signal 160.
Countdown is performed by the forward rotation pulse synchronization signal 158.

When the timekeeping function is in the reset state, when the switch signal 151 is input, the start signal 152 output from the mode control circuit 105 rises and the reset signal 153 falls, as shown in FIG. As a result, the reset of the second counter 104 and the hour/minute counter 115 is canceled, and the clock signal 150 is input to the second counter 104, so that time measurement starts.

When the second counter 104 counts 60, a clock signal is applied to the hour and minute counter 115, and the measured value of the hour and minute counter becomes one. At this point, the measured value of the hour and minute hand position up/down counter 117 is 0, so the coincidence detection circuit 116 outputs an H level signal indicating a mismatch. As a result, the clock signal 156 that was prohibited by the AND gate 123 passes through 123, and the reverse pulse synchronization signal 160 is input to the reverse pulse generation circuit 122.
A reverse rotation pulse 160 is outputted to the motor driver 120 from. As a result, a reverse motor drive pulse 161 is output to the step motor 121, the motor 121 reverses by one step, and the minute hand 401 and hour hand 402 rotate clockwise by one step. At this time, the hour and minute hand up counter 117 uses the reverse pulse synchronization signal 160 as a clock and counts 1, so the output of the coincidence detection circuit 116 becomes L level and the reverse pulse synchronization signal 160 is inhibited.

When the switch signal 151 is input again, the mode control circuit 105 causes the start signal 153 to fall and inhibits clock input to the second counter 104.

When the switch signal 152 is input in this state, the mode control circuit 105 causes the reset signal 154 to rise, and the second counter 104 and the hour/minute counter 115 are reset. At this time, for example, if the hour and minute hand up/down counter 117 is counting 2, the coincidence detection circuit 117 outputs an H level, the clock signal 155 passes through the AND gate 118, and the forward rotation pulse synchronization signal 1
58 is input to the normal rotation pulse generation circuit 119, and from 119, the normal rotation pulse 159 is outputted to the motor driver 120. As a result, a motor drive pulse 162 for normal rotation is output to the step motor 121, which causes the step motor 121 to rotate forward by two steps, and the minute hand 401 and hour hand 402 to rotate counterclockwise by two steps and return to their initial positions. At this time, the hour and minute hands up counter 1
17, the normal rotation pulse synchronization signal 158 becomes a down clock, and is subtracted by 2 to become 0, so the output of the coincidence detection circuit 116 becomes L level and the normal rotation pulse synchronization signal 158 is inhibited.

(Embodiment 2) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram in which the timekeeping device of the present invention is implemented using a CPU system. The appearance is similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, and the second hand 403 is driven by a bipolar step motor 607 in 60 divisions per revolution. The reference numeral 403 rotates clockwise when the step motor 607 rotates normally, and is driven in the normal rotation during measurement and during resetting to the initial state as in the first conventional example.

The minute hand 401 has 60 divisions per revolution, and the hour hand 402 has 720 divisions per revolution, and these are mechanically interlocked and driven by a two-pole step motor 611. 401 and 40
2 rotates counterclockwise when the step motor 611 rotates normally, and as described below, is driven in the reverse direction during measurement and in the forward direction during resetting to the initial state.

The RAM 614 stores measured values, the position of the display pointer, and the like. The CPU 612 executes functions such as timekeeping and hand movement according to programs stored in the ROM 613.

The operation during measurement will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7(a). 1Hz from frequency divider circuit 602
When the timer interrupt signal 650 is input to the CPU 612, the CPU 612 selects the motor pulse selection circuit I6.
The normal rotation pulse is selected in step 05, and one normal rotation motor drive pulse is output from the motor driver I606. Next, RAM6
14 is added to the sexagesimal second counter, and if there is a carry, the motor pulse selection circuit II
Select reverse pulse with 609 and motor driver II610
One reverse motor drive pulse is output from the step motor 611 to reverse the step motor 611 by one step. As a result, the hour hand 4
02 and minute hand 401 rotate one step clockwise. Next, 1 is added to the hour/minute counter configured as part of the RAM 614.

The operation for resetting the measurement and returning the display pointer to the initial position will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7(b). When the measurement is in the stopped state, when the switch 618 is input, the CPU 612 selects the normal rotation pulse in the motor pulse selection circuit I 605 and issues a normal rotation motor drive pulse (60-second measurement value) from the motor driver I 606. The second hand 403 is returned to its initial position. Next, reset the seconds counter to 0. Thereafter, the motor pulse selection circuit II 609 selects a normal rotation pulse, and the motor driver II 610 outputs a normal rotation motor drive pulse (minute measurement value) to return the minute hand 401 and hour hand 402 to their initial positions. Finally, reset the hour and minute counter to 0.

[0029]

As described above, the present invention comprises an electrical time integration measuring means, a forward rotation pulse generation circuit, a reverse rotation pulse generation circuit, a motor driver, a motor, a mechanical display means, and a control means. In the timing device, the control means drives the motor driver with the output from the reverse pulse generation circuit during time measurement, and drives the motor driver with the output from the reverse pulse generation circuit when resetting the mechanical display means to the initial state. Since the motor is driven by the output from the rotation pulse generation circuit, the motor is driven in reverse during time measurement, and is driven in forward rotation when resetting the mechanical display means to its initial state.

[0030] In a two-pole step motor generally used in watches, stopwatches, etc., the maximum driveable frequency is higher in forward rotation than in reverse rotation. Therefore,
With the timekeeping device of the present invention, even if the measured time is short, it is possible to reset to the initial state in a short time.

[0031] In most cases, stopwatches and the like are actually used for measurements that are considerably shorter than the maximum measurement time, so the average time required to reset to the initial state in actual use is significantly reduced. Ru.

[0032] Therefore, immediately after one measurement ends, the next measurement can be started. Therefore, there is little risk of missing a measurement opportunity.

[0033] Furthermore, if the mechanical display means such as the display pointer can be quickly returned to its initial state, the product value will increase because the operating feeling will be better.

Furthermore, since the number of steps for driving the motor is reduced on average, current consumption can be reduced and wear on mechanical parts can also be reduced. This reduces the frequency of battery replacement,
Product life is also extended.

Furthermore, compared to a system in which it is selected whether to perform the reset to the initial state by forward rotation drive or reverse rotation drive depending on the position of the display means, the configuration can be simplified since no comparison means is required. Therefore, current consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, C
In a timekeeping device using the PU method, since the execution time of software can be reduced, software design becomes easier and delays in processing are also reduced.

The present invention has great effects because these advantages can be obtained with a simple configuration.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of a timekeeping device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of a conventional timekeeping device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of a conventional timekeeping device.

FIG. 4 is an external view of the timekeeping device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the operation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of a timekeeping device according to the present invention.

[Figure 7] Flowchart showing the operation in Figure 6

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Oscillation circuit 102 Frequency divider circuit 103 AND gate 107 Coincidence detection circuit 110 AND gate 111 Second hand position counter 112 Forward rotation pulse generation circuit 113 Motor driver 601 Oscillation circuit 602 Frequency divider circuit 604 Forward rotation pulse generation circuit 608 Reverse pulse generation circuit 616 Input circuit 617 Switch I

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electrical time integration measuring means, a forward rotation pulse generation circuit, a reverse rotation pulse generation circuit, a motor driver,
In a timekeeping device having a motor, a mechanical display means, and a control means, the control means drives the motor driver with an output from the reverse pulse generation circuit during time measurement, and controls the mechanical display means. A timekeeping device characterized in that when resetting to an initial state, the motor driver is driven by an output from the forward rotation pulse generation circuit.