US 6,639,874 B2Granted

Pointer electronic timepiece, operating method and control program thereof

AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation

InventorsEisaku Shimizu, Akihiko Maruyama

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Abstract

A pointer electronic timepiece (1) has a plurality of step motors, a plurality of pointers (11 to 18), and a plurality of external operation members of a winding crown (5) and buttons (6, 7). The pointer to be adjusted is selected from the plurality of pointers (15 to 18) by operating one of the buttons (6) while drawing out the winding crown (5) to a second stage and the other button (7) is operated to adjust the position of the selected pointer. Since the position of the pointers (15 to 18) driven by three step motors can be adjusted by the two buttons (6, 7), the number of the external operation member is not necessary to be increased even when the pointers (15 to 18), i.e. the step motors, are increased, so that the size and thickness of a movement-holder and cost thereof can be reduced and operability during adjustment can be improved.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A pointer electronic timepiece, comprising:

a plurality of step motors;
a plurality of pointers driven by the step motors, the plurality of pointers at least including a primary timepiece pointer for indicating current time and an alarm pointer for indicating an alarm setting time;
a plurality of external operation members;
a current time counter for counting the current time;
an alarm counter for storing the alarm setting time;
an alarm beeper;
and
an alarm controller for controlling the alarm pointer and the alarm beeper;
wherein the external operation members include a winding crown for operating the primary timepiece pointer and at least one control switch in addition to the winding crown, said winding crown being capable of changing position thereof to at least three positions including a zero stage, a first stage and a second stage;
wherein the alarm controller switches among an alarm beeping mode, an alarm time setting mode, and an alarm current time adjusting mode in accordance with the three positions of the winding crown, said alarm beeping mode being effective for beeping an alarm when the current time coincides with the alarm setting time, said alarm time setting mode being effective for setting the alarm setting time, and said alarm current time adjusting mode being effective for adjusting the alarm pointer to the current time;
and
wherein when the alarm controller is switched to said modes in accordance with the position of the winding crown, the alarm controller is operated in the respective modes by said control switch as follows:
when the alarm controller is in the alarm beeping mode as determined from the position of the winding crown, the control switch is effective for stopping the beeping of the alarm;
when the alarm controller is in the alarm time setting mode as determined from the position of the winding crown, the control switch is effective for setting the alarm setting time;
and
when the alarm controller is in the alarm current time adjusting mode as determined from the position of the winding crown, the control switch is effective for adjusting the alarm pointer to the current time.

13 more elements

An operation method of a pointer electronic timepiece, the pointer electronic timepiece having a plurality of step motors;

a plurality of pointers including at least a primary timepiece pointer for indicating a current time and an alarm pointer for indicating an alarm setting time, the plurality of pointers being driven by the step motors;
a current time counter for counting the current time;
an alarm counter for storing the alarm setting time;
an alarm beeper;
an alarm controller for controlling the alarm pointer and the alarm beeper;
and a plurality of external operation members, said method comprising the steps of:
providing as one of said plurality of external operation members, a winding crown capable of operating the primary timepiece pointer, and said winding crown being capable of changing its position to at least three positions including a zero stage, a first stage and a second stage;
providing at leas one control switch in addition to the winding crown as another of said plurality of external operation members;
switching among an alarm beeping mode, an alarm time setting mode, and an alarm current time adjusting mode in accordance with the three positions of the winding crown;
when in the alarm beeping mode, issuing an alarm when the alarm setting time is set and the current time coincides with the alarm setting time;
when in the alarm time setting mode, setting the alarm setting time indicating when an alarm should be issued;
when in the alarm current time adjusting mode, adjusting the alarm pointer to the current time;
wherein when in the alarm beeping mode, as determined from the position of the winding crown, further responding to the control switch to stop the issuing of the alarm;
wherein when in the alarm time setting mode, as determined from the position of the winding crown, further responding to the control switch to set the alarm setting time;
and
wherein when in the alarm current time adjusting mode, as determined from the position of the winding crown, further responding to the control switch to adjust the alarm pointer to the current time.

13 more elements

A control program installed in a pointer electronic timepiece, the pointer electronic timepiece having a plurality of step motors;

plurality of pointers at least including a primary timepiece pointer for indicating a current time and an alarm pointer for indicating an alarm setting time, the plurality of pointers being driven by the step motors;
a current time counter for counting the current time;
an alarm counter for storing the alarm setting time;
an alarm beeper;
an alarm controller for controlling the alarm pointer and the alarm beeper;
and a plurality of external operation members including a winding crown capable of operating the primary timepiece pointer and at least one control switch in addition to the winding crown, said winding crown being capable of changing its position to at least three positions of a zero stage, a first stage and a second stage, said control program comprising:
a step for switching the alarm controller among an alarm beeping mode, an alarm time setting mode, and an alarm current time adjusting mode in accordance with the three positions of the winding crown;
said alarm beeping mode being effective for beeping an alarm when the alarm setting time is set and the current time coincides with the alarm setting time, said alarm time setting mode being effective for setting the alarm setting time, and said alarm current time adjusting mode being for adjusting the alarm pointer to the current time
wherein when the alarm controller is switched to said modes in accordance with the position of the winding crown, the alarm controller is responsive to said control switch in the respective modes, as follows:
when the alarm controller is in the alarm beeping mode as determined from the position of the winding crown, the alarm controller is made to respond to the control switch by stopping the beeping of the alarm;
when the alarm controller is in the alarm time setting mode as determined from the position of the winding crown, the alarm controller is made to respond to the control switch by setting the alarm setting time;
and
when the alarm controller is in the alarm current time adjusting mode as determined from the position of the winding crown, the alarm controller is made to respond to the control switch by adjusting the alarm pointer to the current time.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/899,003Filed 3 Jul 2001
Priority: JP 2000-2022044 Jul 2000
Published: US 2002/0006080 A117 Jan 2002
Granted: 28 Oct 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G04C 21/16
Producing acoustic time signals by electrical means: producing the signals at adjustable fixed times
G04C 3/146
Incorporating a stepping motor: incorporating two or more stepping motors or rotors
G04C 9/00
Electrically-actuated devices for setting the time-indicating means
G04C
Electromechanical clocks or watches