JPS625196A - Tactile alarming timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inform a user of the current time on a touch, by a method wherein the current time data is divided into minute in unit digit and tenth digit and hour to read and converted into a serial tactile signal to transmit. CONSTITUTION:When a latch circuit 11 is ordered to latch time from a microcomputer control circuit 9 by the operation of a demand switch 8, the latch circuit 11 takes in time data simultaneously as counts by units and memorizes and holds them until the time alarming ends. The time data are converted into the number of signals to be transmitted at a proper interval with a parallel/ serial conversion circuit 12 and different time modulation is applied to a modulation circuit 13 sequentially. The modulated signals are applied to a electromechanical converter 16 after being amplified to drive a tactile needle 17. This stimulates the wrist skin to inform a user of the current time by tactile.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a timepiece having a function of notifying the wearer of at least the current time only through the sense of touch.

[Prior art]

Hitherto, tactile alarm clocks that indicate the arrival of a preset time have been well known, and an example of such a clock can be found in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-82982, but there is no example that discloses a configuration for knowing the current time.

[Problem 3 to be solved by the invention: There are many cases in daily life when we want to know the passage of time or the current time without anyone knowing. If even the movement of the line of sight is not to be noticed, the acoustics are also inadequate, and in the end we have no choice but to rely on the sense of touch. An object of the present invention is to provide a watch that can notify the current time by touch.

[Means for solving problems]

The configuration of the present invention includes a means for taking in current time data, dividing it into 1st minute, 10th minute, and hour data, and transmitting each divided data as a serial tactile signal. It is characterized by the fact that it has been established.

[Effect]

Since the user is aware of the order in which the time data is divided, the user can know the current time by counting the number of tactile signals sent for each piece of time data.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram showing an example of a tactile signal, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a microcomputer tab program that controls the embodiment of FIG. be.

In FIG. 11, blocks 1 to 7 have substantially the same structure as a normal digital watch. 1 is a crystal oscillator, 2 is a frequency divider that outputs a 1-second signal, 3 is a seconds counter that counts seconds and outputs a 1-minute signal, and 4 is a minute counter that counts the 1st digit of a decimal fraction. -, 5 is a hexadecimal 10-minute counter, 6 is a decimal hour counter, and 7 is a binary A/P counter for determining morning and afternoon. 8 is a demand switch such as a push button that is operated when you want to know the time, 9 is a microcomputer control circuit that controls the time notification system, 10 is a latch signal sending line that commands time latch, and 11 is a line for transmitting time data in each unit. A latch circuit 12 captures the counted value all at once and stores it until the end of the alarm. Under the control of the microcomputer control circuit 9, the latch circuit 12 converts the time data sequentially transmitted in each unit into the number of signals transmitted at appropriate intervals. A parallel/serial conversion circuit 13 is a signal modulation circuit that modulates each serially converted time data signal.
The manner of modulation changes depending on the command of the modulated bacteriostatic signal 14.

Modulation refers to converting individual time signals into composite pulses with shorter period components, converting the intensity, and superimposing different signals. The modulated signal is powered up by an amplification circuit 15 and applied to an electro-mechanical transducer 16, for example of the electrodynamic type, which drives a stylus (or mass) 17 to provide stimulation to the skin of the wrist.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a time signal. This indicates that it is 3:25 p.m. First, a time signal start signal 20 appears. This is to confirm the state of contact of the stylus with the skin, and there is no need to count, so the stylus displacement continues in a thin line (it becomes a tactile signal.Subsequently, five 1-minute signals 21 appear, and then 1
There are 2 signals every 0 minutes (a combination of 2 pulses in one block), then 3 signals when the pulse width is wide (the pressure time to the skin is long), and then after noon. One signal is output.

If nothing comes out in Komata, it will be in the morning. and this is 1
It is the same as every 0 minutes, but even if the same modulation mode is used repeatedly, there is no problem as long as there is a clear break in the middle, such as another signal or a long blank period.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the control process during this time reporting. After the switch is pressed, power is turned on to peripheral circuits that were previously in a power-saving state. Details of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 are as shown in the drawing. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and may be implemented as described below.

(1) Send out a time signal at the minute and second of every hour.

(2) Time notifications can be made automatically every 5 or 10 minutes without operating a demand switch (for example, every 5 or 10 minutes). At this time, it is possible to send information without displaying fractions.
For example, when reporting every 10 minutes, omit the minute-by-minute reporting, or when reporting every 5 minutes, decide on the display unit of 5 minutes and do not display fractions of 1 minute.) (3) Touch Depending on the state of contact with the hands, it may not be possible to read the time, so if the switch is operated during the time reporting, a forced return program should be used to restart the time reporting from the beginning or from the beginning of the data for that time unit.

(4) If a signal such as the start signal 20 (it is good to make the reception sensation slightly different) is inserted between each time data, it is necessary to add modulation to each time data to make it have a different tactile sensation. There isn't.

That is, if the division is clear, the time data can be treated as a uniform tactile signal.

(5) The delimiter signal may be modulated differently depending on the data to be sent.

(6) An end signal (for example, the same as the start signal 20) may be provided to confirm whether it has been received correctly.

(7) A tactile alarm function may also be provided.

(8) In order to facilitate time setting, a normal digital display function and a time setting function that can be operated while looking at a visual display may be provided together.

(9) In addition to push buttons and crowns, the switches may include so-called touch switches and proximity switches that can be operated by placing another hand on the sleeve of clothes.

00) In addition to the stylus, vibration of a weight, electric stimulation, etc. can also be used.

01) You can use it as a table clock.

〔effect〕

With the above configuration, the user can secretly know the current time using the watch according to the present invention without causing discomfort to others, and has the effect of cultivating new demand.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram of a time notification signal, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a microcomputer program that controls the embodiment of FIG. 4 to 7...Time counter, 11...Latch circuit, 12...Parallel/serial conversion circuit, 16.
...transducer, 17...stylus. Figure 1 - 1 → Connection

Claims (1)

[Claims] Means for dividing time data into at least one minute, tenth of a minute, and hour data and reading them at a specified moment, and sequentially applying different temporal modulation to each read data and transmitting it as a serial signal. A tactile alarm timepiece comprising: means for driving an electro-mechanical converter by the serial signal; and a moving body that acts on a tactile sense by the converter.