Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Plural timepiece system or system device – With wireless synchronization
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-17
2001-04-17
Miska, Vit (Department: 2859)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Plural timepiece system or system device
With wireless synchronization
C368S187000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219302
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a time signal repeater which relays a radio signal including a time code for a radio correction clock receiving a radio signal to correct its time and to a time correction system using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A radio correction clock receives, for example, a standard time radio signal of a long wave (for example, 40 kHz in Japan) transmitting a standard time and corrects the time based on the received radio signal to display the precise time.
This type of radio correction clock has built into it a receiving circuit receiving a standard time radio signal and a control circuit for driving a hand driving system based on the received signal to correct the time. In the radio correction clock, the positions of the hands are corrected to positions according to the time code of the received radio signal.
A radio correction clock exclusively receives the standard time radio signal. There are many cases where it is placed in a location which the radio signal can hardly reach, for example, is in an apartment building or basement, and cannot receive the signal.
In order to eliminate this restriction on the location where the radio correction clock is placed, it has been proposed to provide a time signal repeater for receiving the standard time radio signal and modulating the received time signal by a predetermined carrier and transmitting the modulated signal, and to have the radio correction clock receive the signal transmitted from the repeater to correct the time (see for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 5-333170).
Summarizing the problem to be solved by the invention, the above time signal repeater transmits the generated time radio signal with a predetermined field intensity.
When a time signal repeater transmits a time radio signal with a field intensity enabling a radio correction clock set a long distance from the time signal repeater to receive it normally, however, the field intensity of the transmitted time radio signal will be too strong at a radio correction clock set comparatively close to the time signal repeater. As a result, so-called “input saturation” will occur and the radio correction clock may no longer be able to normally receive the time radio signal from the time signal repeater.
In this case, it is necessary to turn a radio correction clock set comparatively close to the time signal repeater in a direction with poor directivity, so complicated trouble is necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a time signal repeater enabling a radio correction clock to receive a relayed radio signal without regard to the place where it is set and without requiring complicated trouble and a time correction system using the same.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a time signal repeater which relays a radio signal including a time code for a radio correction clock receiving a standard time radio signal to correct a time, comprising a reception circuit for receiving the standard time radio signal and correcting an internal clock to a time according to the time code included in the received radio signal and a transmission circuit for generating and transmitting time radio signals which respectively have different intensities and include time codes based on the internal clock at a plurality of predetermined times.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a time correction system comprising a radio correction clock for receiving a standard time radio signal or a radio signal obtained by relaying the standard time radio signal and correcting a time according to a time code included in the received signal and a time signal repeater which has a reception circuit for receiving the standard time radio signal and correcting an internal clock to a time according to the time code included in the received radio signal and a transmission circuit for generating and transmitting time radio signals which have different intensities and include time codes based on the internal clock at a plurality of predetermined times.
Preferably, in the present invention, the transmission circuit generates and transmits a time radio signal of a first intensity at a first time and generates and transmits a time radio signal of a second intensity at a second time.
Preferably, in the present invention, the radio correction clock decodes the time radio signal of the first intensity transmitted from the time signal repeater at the first time and, when it is possible to obtain time data, corrects a time to a decoded time and does not receive the time radio signal of the second intensity transmitted at the second time, while when it is not possible to obtain time data, does not correct a time, but receives the time radio signal of the second intensity transmitted at the second time.
According to the present invention, a standard time radio signal of a long wave (for example, 40 kHz) having a predetermined format is transmitted from a radio transmission base station.
The standard time radio signal transmitted from the radio transmission base station is received by the time signal repeater and radio correction clock.
In the time signal repeater, the standard time radio signal is received by a reception circuit and an internal clock is corrected to a time according to a time included in the received radio signal.
Whenever any of a plurality of predetermined transmission times arrives, a time radio signal which includes a time code based on the internal clock and has a different intensity is generated and the generated signal is transmitted to the radio correction clock.
For example, at a first time, a time radio signal of a first intensity is generated and transmitted. At a second time after a predetermined time, for example, a time radio signal of a second intensity stronger than the first intensity is generated and transmitted.
In the radio correction clock, the time is corrected according to the time code included in the standard time radio signal or the radio signal transmitted from the signal repeater at the appointed time.
At this time, for example, when it decodes the time radio signal of the first intensity transmitted at the first time from the time signal repeater and is able to obtain the time data, in this case, the radio correction clock being set comparatively close to the time signal repeater, for example positions of its hands are corrected to positions according to the decoded time. In this case, the time radio signal of the second intensity transmitted at the second time is not received.
Alternatively, when it decodes the time radio signal of the first intensity transmitted at the first time from the time signal repeater, but is not able to obtain the time data, the positions of its hands are not corrected and the time radio signal of the second intensity transmitted at the second time is received. In this case, the radio correction clock is set a long distance from the time signal repeater.
It then, for example, decodes the time radio signal of the second intensity and, when it is able to obtain the time data, the positions of hands are corrected to positions according to the decoded time.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4083004 (1978-04-01), Cohn
patent: 4210901 (1980-07-01), Whyte et al.
patent: 5333170 (1993-12-01), None
Fujita Kenji
Makuta Shunichi
Nemoto Kenichi
Sase Masahiro
Takada Akinari
Miska Vit
Rhythm Watch Co, Ltd
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