Radio control alarm device

Details Radio control alarm device Radio control alarm device

1999-08-05

2001-02-06

Miska, Vit (Department: 2859)

Horology: time measuring systems or devices

Plural timepiece system or system device

With wireless synchronization

C368S073000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06185159

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to a radio control clock, and more particularly to a radio control alarm clock that automatically performs the correction of the current time and the alarm time.
BACKGROUND
At present, in many countries such as German, Japan, England and the United States, a permanent standard time signal is provided by transmitting a radio frequency signal carrying standard time codes by 60-bit time frames. People in those countries can calibrate their apparatus or equipment relevant to time or frequency using the standard time signal. A radio control clock that receives this standard time signal and can read the standard time codes is also provided. The difference between the radio control clock and a conventional clock is that the former can always provide a standard time by automatic time calibration using the standard time signal.
For example, a time frame
10
of a standard time signal provided in Mainflingen, Germany is shown in FIG.
1
. The bits of the time frame
10
are transmitted at a rate of 1 bit per minute. In other words, the time frame
10
is transmitted in one minute, which is why we call it Time Frame 1 Minute. The standard time signal carries many time frames in sequence. The standard time code is located from the 15
th
to the 59
th
bit, which includes the information of the minute, the hour, the day of the week, the month and the year of the standard time. It should be noted that the 0
th
to 14
th
bit are unused.
Additionally,
FIG. 2
is a typical block diagram of a conventional radio control clock
20
. The radio control clock
20
includes a signal receive circuit
21
, a microprocessor
23
, an input device
25
and a display
27
. The signal receive circuit
21
may be a satellite, radio frequency or telephone signal depending on the type of the standard time signal. For example, a Time Code Receiver T4225B receives signals at frequencies from 40 to 80 kHz. The microprocessor
23
has a timer (not shown) to keep a current time which is displayed by the display
27
. The operation of the radio control clock is described below. First, the signal receive circuit
21
receives a radio frequency signal carrying the standard time and decodes it. Then, the signal receive circuit
21
transfers to the microprocessor
23
a binary code BC representing the standard time derived from the radio frequency signal. The microprocessor
23
performs computations with the binary code BC to correct the current time. The microprocessor
23
can also send a control signal CS to the signal receive circuit
21
so that the signal receive circuit
21
is turned on in response to the control signal CS when time correction is requested. Otherwise, the signal receive circuit
21
is turned off. The input device
25
performs the input of data as needed. For example, before performing the time correction, the microprocessor
23
turns on the signal receive circuit
21
in response to the instructions of the user through the input device
25
.
Although the radio control clock can provide the standard time by receiving a standard time signal, it is insufficient in some specific applications. For example, Moslems have five different times of worships a day. Since these times vary with days and seasons, it is difficult for them to have precisely the same five worship times around the world, even though they can have the same current time by using the radio control clock described above. Consequently, in this case, some improvements of the conventional radio control clock are needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the present invention provides an alarm device for ringing an alarm at a variable time is provided according to the invention. The device comprises a receiver, a processor and a speaker. The receiver receives a radio frequency signal carrying a standard time and an alarm time correction and transfers the standard time and the alarm time correction after decoding the radio frequency signal. The processor is coupled to the receiving circuit for input of the standard time and the alarm time correction. The processor keeps a current time and stores an alarm time reference. With the input of the standard time and the alarm time correction, the processor calibrates the current time with the standard time, corrects the reference to obtain an alarm time according to the correction, and outputs a driving signal at arrival of the alarm time. The speaker is coupled to the processor and driven to sound by the driving signal.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a method of ringing an alarm at a variable time is also provided. The method comprises the step of providing a radio frequency signal carrying a standard time and an alarm time correction, receiving the radio frequency signal with an alarm device which has an alarm time reference and keeps a current time, calibrating the current time with the standard time, correcting the alarm time reference to obtain an alarm time according to the alarm time correction, and ringing an alarm with the alarm device at the alarm time.
Here, if the alarm time reference refers to the mean worship times over a whole year and the alarm time correction refers to the difference between the mean and the worship time on that day, the alarm time will be the worship time accordingly. That is to say, the invention will solve the problem mentioned above. Therefore, arrival of the worship time can be signaled with the radio control alarm clock so that it is possible for Moslems around the world to have precisely the same worship time.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5537101 (1996-07-01), Nakajima et al.
patent: 5805530 (1998-09-01), Yeungberg
patent: 5898643 (1999-04-01), Yasuoka et al.
patent: 5991240 (1999-11-01), Van Ryzin

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