Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Chronological – With mechanical or electromechanical driven display
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-13
2004-06-15
Martin, David (Department: 2841)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Chronological
With mechanical or electromechanical driven display
C368S047000, C368S055000, C368S021000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06751164
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a timepiece comprising communication means for performing exchange of information with an external apparatus, and in particular, to a timepiece (mainly wrist watch) capable of changing functions of the timepiece on the basis of information acquired from the external apparatus via the communication means.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
With a conventional timepiece, a user who has purchased the timepiece has been able only to sequentially execute functions stored in a read-only memory (ROM) incorporated therein by pushing switching buttons in a predetermined order. Accordingly, he has had to execute even unwanted functions at times because it has been impossible to render parts of the functions temporarily inoperative. Needless to say, it has been impossible for the user to arbitrarily change the order of function selection so as to suit to the user's convenience.
It has also been impossible for the user to freely assign display of hand shafts to respective hands, to change a pitch at which the respective hands are handled, and a speed of the respective hands, and to change a rotation direction and a rotation angle of the respective hands.
The invention has been developed in view of such a present situation as described above, and it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a timepiece capable of variously changing the functions of the timepiece as necessary on the basis of information communicated from an external apparatus, in particular, changing movements of respective hands and information displayed by the respective hands, in response to preferences and needs of the user.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
A timepiece according to the invention is a timepiece comprising communication means for exchanging information with an external apparatus, and in order to achieve the object as described above, the timepiece comprises function selection means capable of changing functions of the timepiece on the basis of information acquired from the external apparatus via the communication means, and a hand shaft control means for controlling movement of hand shafts of the timepiece in response to an instruction for function change given by the function selection means.
Further, the timepiece as described above may comprise a plurality of hand shaft blocks, each comprising at least one or more hand shafts, wherein the hand shaft control means is a means for controlling a hand shaft or hand shafts of some hand shaft blocks among the plurality of the hand shaft blocks in response to the instruction for the function change given by the function selection means, and for controlling a hand shaft or hand shafts of the rest of the hand shaft blocks on the basis of internal information of the timepiece not associated with the information acquired from the external apparatus.
Further, the timepiece preferably comprises a display means for displaying types of information displayed by a hand of the hand shafts controlled by the hand shaft control means in response to the instruction for the function change given by the function selection means.
The timepiece may further comprise a means for making the hand shaft control means to control the hand shafts so as to display with a hand thereof that the communication means is in use for communication when the communication means is in communication with the external apparatus.
Further, the timepiece may further comprise a means for making the display means to display that the communication means is in use for communication when the communication means is in communication with the external apparatus.
The timepiece may further comprise a chargeable battery for supplying electric power to be used internally, and in the case of the communication means being wired communication means capable of receiving electric power from the external apparatus, a charging means for charging the battery by receiving supply of electric power from the external apparatus when the communication means is in communication with the external apparatus may be installed.
Further, the timepiece preferably comprises a power generation means such as a solar cell, enabling the battery to be chargeable all the time by the charging means.
The timepiece preferably comprises means for reducing power consumption by restricting control on the hand shafts operated by the function selection means and the hand shaft control means when the amount of electrical energy that remains in the battery falls short of a predetermined amount.
Furthermore, the timepiece preferably comprises a means for displaying a state of charging when the battery is being charged by the charging means while the communication means is in communication with the external apparatus.
Or in such a case, the timepiece may further comprise a means for making the hand shaft control means to control the hand shaft so as to display a state of charging with a hand thereof.
The hand shaft control means preferably comprises a means for controlling the hand shafts so as to change any of a rotation direction, rotation angle, reciprocating movement, rotation speed of hands, a pitch at which the hands are handled, in response to the instruction for function change given by the function selection means.
For the communication means, an optical communication means for performing exchange of information with the external apparatus by utilizing light may be used.
If the optical communication means is disposed on the underside of a time display face, and exchange of information with the external apparatus is performed by the agency of light outgoing through and incident on the time display face, this will be preferable from a design point of view because the optical communication means become invisible directly from outside.
In case of a hand being in a position blocking light outgoing through and incident on the time display face upon start of communication via the optical communication means, the hand shaft control means is preferably made to control the hand shaft of the hand so as to cause the hand to withdraw to a position not blocking the light.
The timepiece preferably comprises display means for displaying types of information displayed by a hand of the hand shafts controlled by the hand shaft control means in response to the instruction for function change given by the function selection means, so that at least part of the display means is caused to stop displaying when the optical communication means are in communication.
The timepiece may further comprise a sensor for measuring information associated with an application environment of the timepiece, and a means for making the hand shaft control means to control the hand shafts so as to display the information measured by the sensor with the hand of the hand shafts.
Or the timepiece may further comprise the sensor for measuring information associated with the application environment of the timepiece, so that any of the hand shaft blocks to be controlled on the basis of internal information of the timepiece among the plurality of the hand shaft blocks is selected, and the hand shaft control means is made to control the hand shaft or the hand shafts of the hand shaft blocks as selected so as to display the information measured by the sensor with the hand of the hand shaft or the hand shafts.
Further, the timepiece preferably comprises testing means for making the hand shaft control means to control the movement of the hand shafts on a trial basis for short duration on the basis of the information acquired from the external apparatus during or after communication via the communication means.
Operation
With the timepiece constituted as above, the functions of the timepiece can be changed by the function selection means on the basis of the information acquired from the external apparatus via the communication means, and it is possible to cause the hand shafts of the timepiece to make movement according to contents based on external information by transmitting the information to the hand shaft control means. That is, the movement of the hand shafts
Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
Lindinger Michael L.
Martin David
Westerman Hattori Daniels & Adrian LLP
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