Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Power supply details – Electrical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-13
2001-08-21
Roskoski, Bernard (Department: 2859)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Power supply details
Electrical
C368S203000, C368S066000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278663
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic apparatuses and control methods for electronic apparatuses, and more particularly, to the control technology of electronically controlled time-measurement apparatuses including a power generating mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, compact electronic time-measurement apparatuses, such as wristwatches, have included a power generating unit such as a solar cell and operate without replacing a battery cell. These time-measurement apparatuses function by accumulating the power generated by the power generating unit in a large-capacity capacitor, and indicate time by discharging energy from the capacitor when power is not being generated by the power generating unit. Such time-measurement apparatuses enable non-interrupted operation without the need for a battery. It is expected that many electronic time-measurement apparatuses will include a power generating unit in the near future.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic time measurement apparatus.
Such an electronic time-measurement apparatus having a power generating unit is provided with a limiter circuit for limiting an applied voltage such that the power-generation voltage of the power generating unit does not exceed the dielectric strength of a power source unit having a power accumulating function, such as a large-capacity capacitor, and such that the power source voltage of the power source unit to be applied to a time-indication circuit does not exceed the dielectric strength of the time-indication circuit.
This limiter circuit electrically separates the power generating unit from the power source unit at the preceding stage of the power source unit, short-circuits the output of the power supply unit so as not to send the power-generation voltage to subsequent stages, and electrically separates the power source unit from the time-indication circuit at the subsequent stage of the power supply unit. By doing so, the limiter circuit prevents a power-generation voltage of the power generating unit that exceeds the dielectric strength of the power source unit, from being applied to the power source unit and prevents a power-source voltage exceeding the dielectric strength of the time-indication circuit from being applied to the time-indication circuit.
When the power generating unit is in a non-power-generating state for a predetermined period of time the operation mode is switched from a normal operation mode (indication mode) to a power-saving mode, where time is not indicated, in order to supply the power stably.
When the limiter circuit is in an operation state (limiter-on state), since the electrical information of the power generating unit is not sent at all to subsequent stages, the power generating state of the power generating unit cannot be detected after the operation mode is switched to the power-saving mode, and therefore, the operation mode cannot be returned to the normal operation mode.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a control method for an electronic apparatus which allow the operation mode to be positively switched to a normal operation mode by detecting the power generating state of a power generating unit in a power-saving mode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved electronic time measurement apparatus. In accordance with principles of the present invention, a portable electronic apparatus includes power generating means for generating power by converting a first energy to electrical energy, power source means for accumulating the electrical energy generated by the power generating means; means to be driven by electrical energy supplied from the power source means; power-generation detection means for detecting whether the power generating means is generating power; voltage detection means for detecting whether one of a power-generation voltage at the power generating means and an accumulated voltage at the power source means exceeds a predetermined reference voltage; limiter means for limiting the voltage of the electrical energy supplied to the power source means to a predetermined reference voltage, according to the detection result of the voltage detection means; operation-mode control means for switching the operation mode of the means to be driven between a normal operation mode and a power-saving mode, according to the detection result of the power-generation detection means; and limiter control means for disabling the limiter means when the means to be driven is switched to the power-saving mode.
The means to be driven in the present invention is time-indication means for indicating time wherein the operation-mode control means disables the time indication means when the means to be driven is switched to the power-saving mode; and restarts the time-indication means to indicate a current time when the power-saving mode is switched to the normal operation mode.
The time-indication means comprises an analog-time indicator and an indicator driving means for driving the analog time indicator, wherein the operation-mode control means comprises means for disabling the indicator driving means when the means to be driven is switched to the power-saving mode.
The limiter control means comprises means for re-activating the limiter means when the operation mode of the means to be driven is switched from the power-saving mode to the normal operation mode.
The operation-mode control means switches the operation mode according to the detection result of the voltage detection means.
A user manipulation means capable of various manipulations, wherein the operation-mode control means switches the operation mode according to the user manipulation of the user manipulation means.
The present invention further includes a control method for a portable electronic apparatus including a power generating unit for generating power by converting a first energy to an electrical energy, a power source unit for accumulating the electrical energy obtained by the power generating unit, a unit to be driven by the electrical energy, and a limiter unit for limiting the voltage of the electrical energy, supplied from the power generating unit to the power source unit, to a predetermined reference voltage, the control method comprising: a power-generation detection step for detecting whether the power generating unit is generating power, a voltage detection step for detecting whether one of a power-generation voltage at the power generating unit and an accumulated voltage at the power source unit exceeds the predetermined reference voltage, an operation-mode control step for switching an operation mode of the unit to be driven between a normal operation mode and a power-saving mode, according to whether the power generating unit is generating power, and a limiter control step for disabling the limiter unit when the operation mode of the unit to be driven is switched to the power-saving mode.
The unit to be driven is a time-indication unit including an analog time indicator and an indicator driving unit for driving the analog time indicator, wherein the operation-mode control step comprises disabling the indicator driving unit when the unit to be driven is switched to the power-saving mode.
The limiter control step further comprises re-activating the limiter unit when the operation mode of the unit to be driven is switched from the power-saving mode to the normal operation mode.
The present invention further comprising an electronic apparatus, which is portable, comprising, a power generator for generating power by converting a first energy to an electrical energy, a power source for accumulating the electrical energy generated by the power generator, means to be driven by electrical energy supplied from the power source, a power-generation detector for detecting whether the power generator is generating power, a voltage detector for detecting whether on
Okeya Makoto
Yabe Hiroshi
Roskoski Bernard
Seiko Epson Corporation
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