US 6,370,087 B1Granted

Time measurement device and time measurement method

AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation

InventorsHidehiro Akahane, Kenichi Okuhara, Akihiko Maruyama, Nobuhiro Koike

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Abstract

In a time measurement device (1000) having, at least, both a function of measuring standard time and a function of measuring any elapsed time, when a predetermined amount of time passes from a temporary suspension of a watch hand in position in the middle of the measurement of the elapsed time, the suspension of the watch hand is automatically released and the watch hand is driven to a watch hand position indicating the elapsed time. Provided thereby is the time measurement device which automatically releases the temporary suspension state in time measurement after the predetermined amount of time, thereby shortening the temporary suspension time and reducing power consumed to drive the watch hand to an originally expected watch hand position at the release of the temporary suspension.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A time measurement device, comprising:

a standard time measuring unit;
and
an elapsed time measuring unit including a split controlling unit and a time indicator hand;
wherein the split controlling unit is adapted to temporarily suspend movement of the time indicator hand, during measurement of elapsed time, such that after a predetermined amount of time passes from the time that the time indicator hand is initially temporarily suspended, the split controlling unit automatically releases temporary suspension of the time indicator hand and causes the time indicator hand to be rapidly driven to a position indicating the elapsed time;
the elapsed time measuring unit further comprising
a first measuring unit that determines a position where the time indicator hand would be if its movement had not been temporarily suspended;
a second measuring unit that determines a temporarily suspended position of the time indicator hand;
a release unit that releases temporary suspension of the time indicator hand after the predetermined amount of time;
a comparator that compares the position of the time indicator hand determined by the first measuring unit and the position of the time indicator hand determined by the second measuring unit;
and
a time-indicator-hand driving unit that rapidly drives the time indicator hand based on the comparison result generated by the comparator, when the release unit releases temporary suspension of the time indicator hand.

8 more elements

A time measurement device, comprising:

a standard time display unit that displays standard time;
a first motor operably coupled to the standard time display unit;
an elapsed time display unit, including a time indicator hand, that displays measured elapsed time;
a second motor operably coupled to the elapsed time display unit;
and
a controller that controls the standard time display unit, the first motor, the elapsed time display unit and the second motor;
wherein the controller is adapted to temporarily suspend movement of the time indicator hand, during measurement of elapsed time, such that the controller automatically releases temporary suspension of the time indicator hand after a predetermined amount of time passes from the time that movement of the time indicator hand is initially temporarily suspended, and actuates the second motor to rapidly drive the time indicator hand to a position indicating the elapsed time;
and
wherein the controller comprises a counter that counts up during the time that the movement of the time indicator hand is temporarily suspended and counts down during the time that the time indicator hand is rapidly driven after temporary suspension of the time indicator hand is released, and wherein the second motor stops rapidly driving the time indicator hand when the counter reaches zero.

6 more elements

A time measurement device, comprising:

means for measuring standard time;
means for measuring elapsed time including means for indicating elapsed time;
and
means, operably coupled to the elapsed time measuring means, for temporarily suspending movement of the elapsed time indicating means during measurement of elapsed time, for automatically releasing temporary suspension of the elapsed time indicating means after a predetermined amount of time passes from the time that the elapsed time indicating means was initially temporarily suspended, and for rapidly driving the elapsed time indicating means to a position indicating the elapsed time;
the elapsed time measuring means further comprising
first measuring means for determining a position where the elapsed time indicating means would be if its movement had not been temporarily suspended;
second measuring means for determining a temporarily suspended position of the elapsed time indicating means;
means for releasing temporary suspension of the elapsed time indicating means after the predetermined amount of time;
means for comparing the position of the elapsed time indicating means determined by the first measuring means and the position of the elapsed time indicating means determined by the second measuring means;
and
means for rapidly driving the elapsed time indicating means based on the comparison result generated by the comparing means, when the releasing means releases temporary suspension of the elapsed time indicating means.

8 more elements

A time measurement device, comprising:

means for displaying standard time;
first means, operably coupled to the standard time displaying means, for driving the standard time displaying means;
means, including an elapsed time indicating means, for displaying measured elapsed time;
second means, operably coupled to the elapsed time indicating means, for driving the measured elapsed time displaying means;
and
means for controlling the standard time displaying means, the first and second driving means, and the measured elapsed time displaying means;
wherein, during the time that movement of the elapsed time indicating means is temporarily suspended during measurement of the elapsed time, the controlling means automatically releases temporary suspension of the elapsed time indicating means after a predetermined amount of time passes from the time that movement of the elapsed time indicating means was initially temporarily suspended, and actuates the second driving means to rapidly drive the elapsed time indicating means to a position indicating the elapsed time;
and
wherein the controlling means comprises means for counting up during the time that the movement of the elapsed time indicating means is temporarily suspended and for counting down during the time that the elapsed time indicating means is rapidly driven after temporary suspension of the elapsed time indicating means is released, and wherein the second driving means stops rapidly driving the elapsed time indicating means when the counting means reaches zero.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.