Electronic timepiece, method for controlling electronic timepiece, and recording medium

Abstract

The invention provides an electronic timepiece, a method for controlling the electronic timepiece, and a recording medium, the electronic timepiece comprising: a tilt switch mounted in a predetermined manner; and a control unit that, on the basis of the duration of a state in which the output signal of the tilt switch does not change, shifts the operation mode of the local device from the normal mode to a first power-saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed compared to the normal mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic clock, a control method for an electronic clock, and a recording medium. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in an electronic clock such as a small watch with a limited battery capacity, a technique for extending the battery life by shifting to a power-saving mode under a predetermined condition is known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-6436 discloses a technique in which an electronic clock having a solar cell shifts to a power-saving mode according to the power generation state of the solar cell. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The electronic clock of the present disclosure includes: a tilt switch installed in a predetermined manner; and a control unit that causes an operation mode of the own device to shift from a normal mode to a first power-saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed as compared with the normal mode according to a duration of a state in which an output signal of the tilt switch does not change.

[0004] The features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to the accompanying drawings). Brief Description of the Drawings

[0005] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an electronic clock and a smartphone.

[0006] Figure 2 is a diagram showing a display unit of the electronic clock.

[0007] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the electronic clock.

[0008] Figure 4 is a diagram showing a structure of the tilt switch.

[0009] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of the tilt switch.

[0010] Figure 6 is a diagram showing a display unit of the electronic clock operating in the first power-saving mode.

[0011] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing control steps of clock control processing.

[0012] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing control steps of transfer processing to the first power-saving mode.

[0013] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing control steps of transfer processing to the second power-saving mode.

[0014] Figure 10It is a flowchart showing the control steps of the restoration process.

[0015] Figure 11 It is a diagram showing an example of a display unit in the case where the electronic clock is an analog clock.

[0016] Figure 12 It is a diagram showing a modified example of the arrangement direction of the tilt switch. Detailed implementation manners

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. As Figure 1 shown, the electronic clock 1 of the present embodiment includes a housing 101 and two watchbands 102 attached to the housing 101. The electronic clock 1 is a watch that is worn on the user's wrist by winding the watchbands 102 around the wrist. A display unit 20 and a circuit board 103 (see Figure 4 ) etc. are housed in the housing 101, and an operation button 31 and a crown 32 for accepting the user's operation are provided on the side surface. The opening on the display surface side of the display unit 20 in the housing 101 is sealed with a transparent windproof glass. In this specification, the wearing position of the electronic clock 1 is represented by the position of the housing 101 when the electronic clock 1 is worn. In Figure 1 , the electronic clock 1 is worn on the back side of the wrist. The electronic clock 1 can perform data communication based on short-range wireless communication with a smart phone 2 (external device). In the present embodiment, BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy: Bluetooth low power) is used as the short-range wireless communication. However, a communication method other than BLE can also be used.

[0018] As Figure 2 shown, the display unit 20 of the electronic clock 1 has: an analog display unit 21 that displays the time in an analog manner by an hour hand 211, a minute hand 212, and a second hand 213; and a digital display unit 22 that displays information in a digital manner by a liquid crystal display panel 221. In Figure 2 , the digital display unit 22 displays the date and day of the week, but the information displayed by the digital display unit 22 is not limited to this. Hereinafter, the hour hand 211, the minute hand 212, and the second hand 213 will be collectively referred to as "hands 211 to 213". In addition, the 3 o'clock direction in the plane parallel to the display surface (dial) of the analog display unit 21 is defined as the X direction, and the 12 o'clock direction is defined as the Y direction. In addition, the direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Y direction and from the back side to the front side of the electronic clock 1 is defined as the Z direction. In addition, the orientation from the position of the time character indicating 6 o'clock to the position of the time character indicating 12 o'clock in the analog display unit 21 (the orientation from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock) is defined as "orientation D1". As Figure 2As shown, the orientation D1 is parallel to the Y direction. In addition, the state in which the XY coordinate plane (dial) is parallel to the horizontal plane is defined as the state in which the electronic clock 1 is horizontal.

[0019] Figure 3 FIG. is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the electronic clock 1. The electronic clock 1 includes a CPU 11 (Central Processing Unit) (control unit, control unit), a RAM 12 (Random Access Memory, random access memory), a storage unit 13, a display unit 20, an operation unit 30, a timekeeping unit 40, a communication unit 50, a notification unit 60, a tilt switch 70, a sensor unit 80, and a primary battery 90. Each unit of the electronic clock 1 is connected via a communication path such as a bus and operates by power supplied from the primary battery 90.

[0020] The CPU 11 is a processor that controls the operation of the electronic clock 1 by reading and executing a program 131 stored in the storage unit 13 and performing various arithmetic processes. In addition, the electronic clock 1 may have a plurality of processors (for example, a plurality of CPUs), and the plurality of processors may also execute a plurality of processes executed by the CPU 11 of the present embodiment. In this case, the control unit is composed of a plurality of processors. In this case, the plurality of processors may participate in a common process, or the plurality of processors may independently execute different processes in parallel. The RAM 12 provides a storage space for work to the CPU 11 and stores temporary data.

[0021] The storage unit 13 is a non-temporary recording medium that can be read by the CPU 11 as a computer, and stores the program 131 and various data. The storage unit 13 has, for example, a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. The program 131 is stored in the storage unit 13 in the form of computer-readable program codes. As the data stored in the storage unit 13, there are various setting data and the like referred to by the CPU 11 when the program 131 is executed.

[0022] The analog display unit 21 of the display unit 20 includes a gear train, or wheel train mechanism 214, connected to the hour hand 211 and minute hand 212; a gear train, or wheel train mechanism 215, connected to the second hand 213; stepping motors 216 and 217 that rotate the wheel train mechanisms 214 and 215, respectively; and a motor drive circuit 218 that drives the stepping motors 216 and 217. The hour hand 211 and minute hand 212 rotate by an angle corresponding to one second in response to the stepping motion of the stepping motor 216 transmitted via the wheel train mechanism 214. In other words, the hour hand 211 and minute hand 212 rotate in conjunction with the stepping motion of the stepping motor 216. However, this is not limiting; a configuration in which a wheel train mechanism and a stepping motor corresponding to each of the hour hand 211 and minute hand 212 are provided, and the hour hand 211 and minute hand 212 rotate independently, is also possible. The second hand 213 rotates by an angle corresponding to one second at a time, based on the stepping motion of a stepping motor 217 transmitted via a gear train mechanism 215. The second hand 213 is connected to a gear train mechanism 215 and a stepping motor 217, which are separate from the gear train mechanism 214 and the stepping motor 216 connected to the hour hand 211 and the minute hand 212. Therefore, the second hand 213 can rotate independently of the hour hand 211 and the minute hand 212.

[0023] Stepper motors 216 and 217 are driven in steps based on the voltage waveform of drive pulses input from motor drive circuit 218, causing hands 211-213 to rotate in the forward direction (forwarding time) or reverse direction (returning time) by the predetermined rotation angle. Motor drive circuit 218 drives stepper motors 216 and 217 based on control signals input from CPU 11, outputting drive voltage pulses for stepping at appropriate timing and pulse width.

[0024] The digital display unit 22 includes a liquid crystal display panel 221, a dynamic drive circuit 222 for driving the liquid crystal display panel 221, and a static drive circuit 223. The static drive circuit 223 is configured to drive the display area of the liquid crystal display panel 221. Figure 2 In the static display area R shown, a power saving mark M is displayed by static driving (refer to Figure 6 The dynamic drive circuit 222 displays information such as date, day of the week, and time in the display area of the liquid crystal display panel 221 except for the static display area R by a dynamic drive method (duty cycle drive method). Figure 2In this case, a structure for displaying numbers or characters in a 7-segment manner by the dynamic drive circuit 222 is illustrated. However, it is not limited thereto, and a dot matrix method in which arbitrary numbers or characters are displayed by a combination of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix may also be used. In the present embodiment, the power consumed per unit time by the static drive circuit 223 for displaying the power saving mark M is much less than the power consumed per unit time by the dynamic drive circuit 222 for displaying information such as the date and day of the week. The dynamic drive circuit 222 and the static drive circuit 223 operate independently of each other according to the control signal sent from the CPU 11. Therefore, it is possible to execute control to stop the operation of the dynamic drive circuit 222 and display only the power saving mark M by the static drive circuit 223, thereby reducing the power consumption of the digital display unit 22.

[0025] The operation unit 30 has Figure 1 operation units such as the operation button 31 and the crown 32 shown in the figure, and outputs an operation signal corresponding to the operation performed on the operation unit to the CPU 11.

[0026] The timekeeping unit 40 includes an oscillation circuit, a frequency division circuit, a timekeeping circuit, and the like. In the timekeeping unit 40, the frequency division circuit divides the clock signal generated by the oscillation circuit, and the timekeeping circuit counts the divided signal, thereby counting and holding the current date and time.

[0027] The communication unit 50 is a communication module having an antenna, a modulation / demodulation circuit, a signal processing circuit, and the like. The communication unit 50 performs wireless data communication with the smart phone 2 in accordance with the communication standard of BLE.

[0028] The notification unit 60 includes a speaker and outputs a predetermined notification sound at a timing according to the control signal sent from the CPU 11. In addition, the notification method of the notification unit 60 is not limited to the output of the notification sound of the speaker. For example, the notification unit 60 may include a light emitting unit and may be able to notify by the light emission of the light emitting unit. In addition, the notification unit 60 may include a vibrator (vibration unit) and may be able to notify by the vibration of the vibrator.

[0029] The tilt switch 70 is a switch element that switches on and off according to the tilt posture of the housing 101 of the electronic clock 1. Figure 4 and Figure 5 is a diagram showing the structure of the tilt switch 70. Figure 4 is a diagram in which the vicinity of the lowermost part (near 6 o'clock) in the circuit board 103 in the housing 101 is enlarged, Figure 5This is a cross-sectional view of the tilt switch 70 as viewed from the +X direction. However, the mounting position of the tilt switch 70 is not limited to the vicinity of the 6 o'clock position. The tilt switch 70 is mounted on the circuit board 103 in a predetermined manner. The tilt switch 70 includes a metal ball 71, a passage 72, and a pair of contacts 73. The metal ball 71 is a conductive spherical movable body. The passage 72 is arranged such that the metal ball 71 can move in only one direction according to gravity. The passage 72 has one end 721 and the other end 722 in the above-mentioned one direction. A pair of contacts 73 are provided at one end 721 of the passage. When the metal ball 71 moves to one end 721 of the passage 72, the metal ball 71 contacts the pair of contacts 73, and conduction is established between the contacts 73 via the metal ball 71. The tilt switch 70 outputs a predetermined output signal to the CPU 11 when conduction is established between the pair of contacts 73 via the metal ball 71. In addition, when the metal ball 71 separates from the pair of contacts 73 and the contacts 73 are in a non-conductive state, the tilt switch 70 does not output an output signal. Hereinafter, the state in which the metal ball 71 contacts the pair of contacts 73 and conduction is established between the contacts 73 is referred to as the "ON state", and the state in which the metal ball 71 does not contact the pair of contacts 73 and the contacts 73 are in a non-conductive state is referred to as the "OFF state".

[0030] As a predetermined manner, the tilt switch 70 is mounted such that the orientation D2 from the other end 722 to the one end 721 is the same as the orientation D1 from the 6 o'clock to the 12 o'clock of the electronic clock 1 when viewed from the +Z direction. That is, the direction in which the orientation D2 is projected onto the XY plane coincides with the Y direction. In another view, as a predetermined manner, as Figure 1 shown, the tilt switch 70 is mounted such that, in the state where the electronic clock 1 is worn on the back of the hand of the wrist, the one end 721 is closer to the little finger of the hand than the other end 722. Hereinafter, the configuration direction of the tilt switch 70 is represented by the direction in which the arrow of the orientation D2 in each direction from 1 o'clock to 12 o'clock of the electronic clock 1 points. Figure 4 The configuration direction of the tilt switch 70 shown is the 12 o'clock direction.

[0031] As Figure 5 shown, the orientation D2 (i.e., the extending direction of the passage 72) is inclined such that the 12 o'clock side is higher than the 6 o'clock side with respect to the XY plane parallel to the dial. Hereinafter, the angle formed by the orientation D2 and the XY plane is set as θ. When the electronic clock 1 is in a horizontal state, as Figure 5As shown, the orientation D2 is inclined upward at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal plane. In this way, when the tilt switch 70 is installed such that the orientation D2 is inclined with respect to the XY plane and the arrangement direction is the 12 o'clock direction, the tilt switch 70 becomes in the on state in a tilted posture where the 12 o'clock side of the electronic clock 1 is lower than the 6 o'clock side. Specifically, when the electronic clock 1 is tilted such that the 12 o'clock side of the dial is lowered with an inclination angle larger than the angle θ with respect to the 6 o'clock side, the orientation D2 is inclined downward with respect to the horizontal plane (having a component in the vertically downward direction), so the metal ball 71 moves toward one end portion 721 of the passage 72 and contacts the contact 73, becoming in the on state. When the orientation D2 returns to the state of being inclined upward with respect to the horizontal plane (for example, when the electronic clock 1 returns to the horizontal state), the metal ball 71 separates from the contact 73 and becomes in the off state.

[0032] The sensor unit 80 includes a motion sensor 81 and a pressure sensor 82. The motion sensor 81 includes a three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis angular velocity sensor, and detects the acceleration and angular velocity generated in the electronic clock 1 according to the user's actions. The CPU 11 counts the number of steps of a walking or running user based on the periodic changes in the acceleration and angular velocity detected by the motion sensor 81. The pressure sensor 82 is, for example, a semiconductor pressure sensor utilizing the piezoresistive effect, and detects the magnitude of the air pressure. The CPU 11 calculates the altitude based on the detection result of the pressure sensor 82.

[0033] The primary battery 90 is, for example, a button battery. The electronic clock 1 of the present embodiment includes only the primary battery 90 as a power source, and does not include a solar cell or a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged.

[0034] Next, the operation of the electronic clock 1 will be described. The electronic clock 1 of the present embodiment can switch the operation mode between a normal mode and a power saving mode in which the power consumption is suppressed compared to the normal mode. And the power saving mode has a first power saving mode and a second power saving mode in which the power consumption is suppressed compared to the first power saving mode.

[0035] Figure 2The display unit 20 of the electronic clock 1 operating in the normal mode is shown. In the normal mode, the CPU 11 displays the time (hours, minutes, and seconds) through the hands 211 to 213 of the analog display unit 21, and displays predetermined information such as the date and day of the week through the digital display unit 22. In addition, the CPU 11 receives time information from the smartphone 2 via the communication unit 50 four times a day at predetermined times, and corrects the time counted by the timekeeping unit 40. Further, the CPU 11 transmits sensed information such as the number of steps, atmospheric pressure, and altitude calculated based on the detection data of the sensor unit 80 to the smartphone 2 via the communication unit 50 at a predetermined timing. In this way, the electronic clock 1 can perform operations in cooperation with the smartphone 2 by transmitting and receiving data between the electronic clock 1 and the smartphone 2. Hereinafter, receiving data from the smartphone 2 and transmitting data to the smartphone 2 are collectively referred to as "cooperative transmission and reception".

[0036] In the normal mode, if a predetermined first transition condition is satisfied, the CPU 11 causes the electronic clock 1 to transition from the normal mode to the first power-saving mode. Figure 6 FIG. shows the display unit 20 of the electronic clock 1 operating in the first power-saving mode. In the first power-saving mode, the CPU 11 stops the second hand 213. In addition, the CPU 11 suspends the display of information such as the date and day of the week in the dynamic drive circuit 222 of the digital display unit 22. Further, the CPU 11 causes the power-saving mark M to blink-display in the static display area R of the digital display unit 22 through the static drive circuit 223. The blinking period can be, for example, about 0.5 seconds to 1 second. In Figure 6 this, the characters "PS" are illustrated as the power-saving mark M, but it is not limited thereto, and it can also be a predetermined symbol or graphic, etc. In this way, by stopping the second hand 213 and suspending the display of the dynamic drive circuit 222 in the digital display unit 22, the power consumption per unit time of the electronic clock 1 in the first power-saving mode can be reduced compared to the power consumption per unit time in the normal mode.

[0037] In the first power-saving mode, the CPU 11 performs cooperative transmission and reception with the smartphone 2 via the communication unit 50 at a predetermined timing (at a predetermined time interval), similarly to the normal mode. Thereby, accurate time information can also be obtained from the smartphone 2 in the first power-saving mode. In addition, operations such as transmitting sensed information (such as the number of steps, atmospheric pressure, and altitude) based on the data of the sensor unit 80 obtained during the day to the smartphone 2 at night (in the first power-saving mode) can be performed. Further, as will be described later, since the electronic clock 1 is stationary during the continuation of the first power-saving mode, the process of counting the number of steps is necessarily not performed.

[0038] When the stationary duration during which the electronic clock 1 continuously remains stationary from a predetermined determination start time to a determination end time reaches or exceeds a predetermined first reference time, the above-described first transition condition is satisfied. In the present embodiment, the determination start time is determined to be 22:00, and the determination end time is determined to be 6:00. Thus, during the nighttime period when the user generally does not use the electronic clock 1, if the electronic clock 1 remains stationary for a time longer than the first reference time, it is regarded that the electronic clock 1 is in a non-worn state, and the first power saving mode is entered. The state in which the electronic clock 1 is stationary is, for example, a state in which the non-worn electronic clock 1 is placed on a table or in a drawer, etc.

[0039] The determination of whether the electronic clock 1 is stationary is made based on the output signal from the tilt switch 70. When the electronic clock 1 is stationary, the tilt switch 70 maintains either an ON state or an OFF state without change, so the output signal output from the tilt switch 70 does not change. In other words, the ON state or OFF state of the tilt switch 70 does not change. Therefore, the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch 70 does not change (the state in which the ON state or OFF state does not change) can be set as the above-described stationary duration. Thus, by transitioning to the first power saving mode based only on the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch 70 does not change, the life of the primary battery 90 can be extended even with a simple structure. In addition, regardless of the brightness of the surrounding environment of the electronic clock 1, that is, even when the electronic clock 1 does not have an illuminance sensor, it is possible to transition to the first power saving mode at an appropriate timing.

[0040] By setting the orientation direction of the tilt switch 70 to the 12 o'clock direction, the tilt switch 70 is likely to turn on and off according to the natural movement of the user wearing the electronic clock 1 on the back of the hand. The tilt switch 70 becomes in the ON state because when the orientation D2 is a tilted posture that is tilted downward with respect to the horizontal plane toward the vertical direction (that is, a posture in which the 12 o'clock side of the electronic clock 1 is lower than the 6 o'clock side by an inclination angle larger than the angle θ), when the user's hand is in front of the torso, it is easy for the electronic clock 1 to be in such a tilted posture in a natural body posture. For example, in natural movements such as performing personal computer work, reading a book, or crossing the arms, the tilt switch 70 is likely to become in the ON state. In addition, when the electronic clock 1 returns to a horizontal state or the like and becomes a posture tilted upward in the orientation D2, the tilt switch 70 becomes in the OFF state. Therefore, by setting the orientation direction of the tilt switch 70 to the 12 o'clock direction, the tilt switch 70 is likely to turn on and off while the user is wearing the electronic clock 1.

[0041] In addition, if the orientation of the tilt switch 70 is set to the 6 o'clock direction, the tilt switch 70 will only be in the on state during a special action of bringing the back of the hand in front of the face to confirm the time of the electronic clock 1, and it is difficult to be in the on state during other actions, and it is easy to maintain the off state. Therefore, when the tilt switch 70 is installed in the 6 o'clock direction, although the electronic clock 1 is being worn, the tilt switch 70 remains in the off state without change, and the state where the output signal from the tilt switch 70 does not change easily continues, and it is easy to misjudge that the electronic clock 1 is stationary.

[0042] In this embodiment, the first reference time for determining the first transfer condition is set to 150 minutes. Therefore, if the electronic clock 1 is stationary at 22:00 and remains stationary thereafter, the first transfer condition is satisfied 150 minutes after 22:00, that is, at 0:30, and it transfers to the first power saving mode. Specifically, after 22:00, when the CPU 11 counts up 16 times in 10-minute increments in a state where the output signal from the tilt switch 70 does not change (including the count at exactly 22:00), it transfers to the first power saving mode. Here, the 10-minute increment is counted at the timing of 0 minutes 0 seconds per hour and every 10 minutes thereafter. That is, the 10-minute increment is the timing when the single digit of the minute and the seconds are switched to "0 minutes 00 seconds". Specifically, the 10-minute increment is the timing of switching from 9 minutes 59 seconds to 10 minutes 00 seconds, from 19 minutes 59 seconds to 20 minutes 00 seconds, from 29 minutes 59 seconds to 30 minutes 00 seconds, from 39 minutes 59 seconds to 40 minutes 00 seconds, from 49 minutes 59 seconds to 50 minutes 00 seconds, and from 59 minutes 59 seconds to 00 minutes 00 seconds. For example, if there is a change in the output signal of the tilt switch 70 at 23:15:45, the first count (10-minute increment) is performed at 23:20:00, and the sixteenth count (10-minute increment) is performed at 1:50:00 the next day. In this way, at the timing of the sixteenth count when transferring to the first power saving mode, the second hand 213 must be located at the 12 o'clock position indicating 0 seconds. Therefore, in the first power saving mode, the second hand 213 stops at the 12 o'clock position. Therefore, it is easy for the user to recognize that it is the first power saving mode.

[0043] In addition, the first reference time is not limited to 150 minutes. The shorter the first reference time, the earlier the transfer to the first power saving mode, so the life of the primary battery 90 can be further extended. On the other hand, the longer the first reference time, the higher the possibility that the user who removes the electronic clock 1 can continue the normal mode when looking at the electronic clock 1 before going to bed. It is also possible to enable the user to change the setting of the first reference time.

[0044] Even if the electronic clock 1 is stationary at 22:00 and the output signal from the tilt switch 70 changes thereafter, it is determined that the electronic clock 1 is not stationary, and the counting of the stationary duration is reset. When the output signal from the tilt switch 70 does not change for 150 minutes or more after the reset (i.e., when the 10-minute carry is counted 16 times in a state where the output signal from the tilt switch 70 does not change), the first transfer condition is satisfied at this timing and the electronic clock 1 transfers to the first power-saving mode. In addition, since the first determination condition is satisfied when the stationary duration reaches the first reference time within the time period from the determination start time to the determination end time, during the period from after 6:00, which is the determination end time, to 22:00, which is the next determination start time, the counting of the stationary duration is not performed, and the electronic clock 1 does not transfer from the normal mode to the first power-saving mode.

[0045] The determination start time and the determination end time are not limited to 22:00 and 6:00, respectively. In addition, the user can be allowed to change the settings of the determination start time and the determination end time. Thus, for example, when the user works at night and sleeps during the day, by setting the determination start time and the determination end time to 9:00 and 17:00, respectively, it can be set to transfer to the first power-saving mode during the day when the user is sleeping.

[0046] After transferring to the first power-saving mode, when the electronic clock 1 moves (e.g., is worn on the user's wrist) and the output signal from the tilt switch 70 changes, the CPU 11 causes the electronic clock 1 to transfer from the first power-saving mode to the normal mode. In addition, when an operation is performed on any one of the operation buttons 31 or the crown 32, the CPU 11 also transfers from the first power-saving mode to the normal mode.

[0047] On the other hand, when a predetermined second transfer condition is satisfied during the continuation of the first power-saving mode, the CPU 11 causes the electronic clock 1 to transfer from the first power-saving mode to a second power-saving mode with further reduced power consumption. The second transfer condition is satisfied when the first power-saving mode continues for a predetermined second reference time or more. In other words, the second transfer condition is satisfied when the stationary duration reaches the second reference time or more starting from the timing of transferring to the first power-saving mode. In the present embodiment, the second reference time is set to 7 days. Therefore, when the user does not use the electronic clock 1 for 7 days after transferring to the first power-saving mode, it transfers to the second power-saving mode. However, the second reference time is not limited to 7 days. In addition, the user can be allowed to change the setting of the second reference time.

[0048] In the second power-saving mode, the CPU 11 stops all of the pointers 211 to 213. In addition, the CPU 11 changes the display of the power-saving mark M based on the static drive circuit 223 from blinking to lighting. That is, in the second power-saving mode, the CPU 11 causes the digital display unit 22 to display the power-saving mark M in a manner different from that in the first power-saving mode. In addition, the dynamic drive circuit 222 in the digital display unit 22 maintains the suspension state of the display of information such as the date and day of the week. Further, the CPU 11 stops the operations of the communication unit 50, the notification unit 60, and the sensor unit 80 in the second power-saving mode. Therefore, in the second power-saving mode, the cooperative transmission and reception with the smart phone 2, the notification by the notification unit 60, and the detection of acceleration, angular velocity, pressure, etc. by the sensor unit 80 are not performed. In addition, even in the first power-saving mode, the operations of the notification unit 60 and the sensor unit 80 can be stopped.

[0049] After shifting to the second power-saving mode, if the electronic clock 1 moves (for example, is worn on the user's wrist) and the output signal from the tilt switch 70 changes, the CPU 11 causes the electronic clock 1 to shift from the second power-saving mode to the normal mode. In addition, when an operation is performed on any one of the operation buttons 31 or the crown 32, the CPU 11 also shifts from the second power-saving mode to the normal mode.

[0050] An analog was performed to compare the life of the primary battery 90 in an electronic clock of a comparative example that operates only in the normal mode with the life of the primary battery 90 in the case where the first power-saving mode is applied. Here, it was assumed that the first power-saving mode operates for 4.5 hours on each weekday and operates in the first power-saving mode throughout Saturday and Sunday. As a result of the simulation, it was confirmed that the electronic clock 1 to which the first power-saving mode is applied extends the battery life by 10 months compared to the electronic clock of the comparative example by applying the first power-saving mode.

[0051] Next, the clock control process executed by the CPU 11 to achieve the above operations will be described. Figure 7It is a flowchart showing the control steps of the clock control process. The clock control process starts when the power of the electronic clock 1 is turned on. When the clock control process starts, the CPU 11 operates each part of the electronic clock 1 in the normal mode (step S101). That is, the CPU 11 sends a control signal to the motor drive circuit 218 to display the time through the hands 211 - 213, and sends a control signal to the dynamic drive circuit 222 to display information such as the date and day of the week in the digital display section 22. The CPU 11 determines whether a power-off operation has been performed (step S102). If it is determined that the operation has not been performed ( "No" in step S102), it determines whether it is the determination start time (22:00 in this embodiment) (step S103). If it is determined that it is not the determination start time ( "No" in step S103), the CPU 11 returns the process to step S102.

[0052] If it is determined that it is the determination start time ( "Yes" in step S103), the CPU 11 resets the stationary duration and starts counting the stationary duration (step S104). Specifically, the CPU 11 counts the number of 10-minute carry-overs generated after the start of step S104. The CPU 11 determines whether the output signal of the tilt switch 70 has changed (step S105). If it is determined that the output signal of the tilt switch 70 has changed ( "Yes" in step S105), the CPU 11 returns the process to step S104, resets the stationary duration, and starts counting the stationary duration again.

[0053] If it is determined that the output signal of the tilt switch 70 has not changed ( "No" in step S105), the CPU 11 determines whether the stationary duration has reached the first reference time (step S106). In this embodiment, since the first reference time is 150 minutes, the CPU 11 determines that the stationary duration has reached the first reference time when 16 times of 10-minute carry-overs have been counted after the start time of counting the stationary duration in step S104 (including the 10-minute carry-over at the start time). If it is determined that the stationary duration has not reached the first reference time ( "No" in step S106), the CPU 11 determines whether it is the determination end time (6:00 in this embodiment) (step S107). If the CPU 11 determines that it is not the determination end time ( "No" in step S107), it returns the process to step S105. If it is determined that it is the determination end time ( "Yes" in step S107), it returns the process to step S102.

[0054] When determining that the inactivity duration has reached the first reference time (YES in step S106 ), CPU 11 determines that the first transition condition is satisfied and executes a transition process to the first power saving mode (step S108 ). Figure 8 : is a flowchart showing the control steps of the transition process to the first power saving mode. When the transition process to the first power saving mode is called, the CPU 11 stops the operation of the dynamic drive circuit 222 of the digital display unit 22, and stops (turns off) the display of information such as the date and the day of the week by the dynamic drive circuit 222 (step S201). In addition, the CPU 11 sends a control signal to the static drive circuit 223 of the digital display unit 22 to start the flashing display of the power saving mark M based on the static drive circuit 223 (step S202). In addition, the CPU 11 sends a control signal to the motor drive circuit 218 to stop the operation of the stepping motor 217, thereby stopping the rotation of the second hand 213 (step S203). When step S203 ends, the CPU 11 ends the transition process to the first power saving mode and returns the process to Figure 7 After that, the electronic timepiece 1 operates in the first power saving mode.

[0055] when Figure 7 At the end of step S108, CPU 11 determines whether the output signal of tilt switch 70 has changed (step S109). If it is determined that the output signal of tilt switch 70 has changed ("YES" in step S109), CPU 11 determines that the electronic timepiece 1 has moved due to being worn, etc., and performs the recovery process described below to restore the electronic timepiece 1 from the first power saving mode to normal mode (step S113). When the recovery process is completed, CPU 11 transfers the process to step S101 and causes the electronic timepiece 1 to operate in normal mode. If it is determined that the output signal of tilt switch 70 has not changed ("NO" in step S109), CPU 11 determines whether the first power saving mode has continued for more than a second reference time (in this embodiment, 7 days) (step S110). If it is determined that the duration of the first power saving mode is less than 7 days ("NO" in step S110), CPU 11 returns the process to step S109.

[0056] When determining that the first power saving mode has continued for the second reference time or longer (YES in step S110 ), CPU 11 determines that the second transition condition is satisfied and executes a transition process to the second power saving mode (step S111 ). Figure 9It is a flowchart showing the control steps of the transfer process to the second power-saving mode. When the transfer process to the second power-saving mode is called, the CPU 11 sends a control signal to the static drive circuit 223 of the digital display unit 22 to change the blinking display of the power-saving mark M to a lit display (step S301). In addition, the CPU 11 sends a control signal to the motor drive circuit 218 to stop the operation of the stepping motors 216 and 217, thereby stopping the rotation operation of all the hands 211 to 213 (step S302). In addition, the CPU 11 stops the operations of the communication unit 50, the notification unit 60, and the sensor unit 80 (step S303). When step S303 ends, the CPU 11 ends the transfer process to the second power-saving mode and returns the process to Figure 7 the clock control process. Thereafter, the electronic clock 1 operates in the second power-saving mode.

[0057] When Figure 7 step S111 ends, the CPU 11 repeatedly determines whether the output signal of the tilt switch 70 has changed (step S112). When it is determined that the output signal of the tilt switch 70 has changed (Yes in step S112), the CPU 11 determines that the electronic clock 1 has been worn or moved, and in order to resume from the second power-saving mode to the normal mode, it executes the recovery process described later (step S113). When the recovery process ends, the CPU 11 transfers the process to step S101 and makes the electronic clock 1 operate in the normal mode. That is, the CPU 11 receives the latest time information from the smart phone 2, resumes the operation of the hands 211 to 213 to display the time. In addition, the CPU 11 makes the dynamic drive circuit 222 start displaying information such as the date and day of the week again, and ends the display of the power-saving mark M based on the static drive circuit 223. When it is determined in step S102 that a power-off operation has been performed (Yes in step S102), the CPU 11 ends the clock control process.

[0058] Figure 10This is a flowchart showing the control steps of the restoration process. When the restoration process starts, the CPU 11 determines whether it is a restoration from the first power-saving mode (step S401). When it is determined that it is a restoration from the first power-saving mode (Yes in step S401), the CPU 11 resumes the operation of the second hand 213 to display the time (the latest time) based on the time information last received from the smartphone 2 (step S402). When it is determined that it is not a restoration from the first power-saving mode (i.e., it is a restoration from the second power-saving mode) (No in step S401), the CPU 11 receives the time information from the smartphone 2 (step S403), and resumes the operations of the hour hand 211, the minute hand 212, and the second hand 213 in such a way as to display the time based on the received time information (step S404). When step S402 or S404 ends, the CPU 11 resumes the display of information such as the date and day of the week by the dynamic drive circuit 222 again (step S405), and ends the display of the power-saving mark M by the static drive circuit 223 (step S406). When step S406 ends, the CPU 11 ends the restoration process and returns the process to Figure 7 the clock control process.

[0059] As described above, the electronic clock 1 of the present embodiment includes the tilt switch 70 and the CPU 11 installed in a predetermined manner. The CPU 11 transfers the operation mode of the electronic clock 1 from the normal mode to the first power-saving mode in which the power consumption is suppressed compared to the normal mode based on the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch 70 does not change. In the technology described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-6436, there is a problem that it can only be applied to clocks having a solar cell. On the other hand, according to the present disclosure, it can be determined that the electronic clock 1 is not in use based on the fact that the output signal of the tilt switch 70 does not change. When it is determined that the electronic clock 1 has not been used for a fixed time, it is possible to transfer to the first power-saving mode. Thus, with a simple structure using the tilt switch 70, it is possible to transfer to the first power-saving mode at an appropriate timing without the user performing a special operation. In addition, compared with the conventional method of determining that the electronic clock 1 is not in use by constantly operating the acceleration sensor and the gyro sensor, it is possible to determine the transfer timing to the first power-saving mode with less power consumption. Therefore, it is possible to effectively extend the battery life of the electronic clock 1 with a simple structure.

[0060] In addition, the tilt switch 70 has a passage 72 through which a metal ball 71, which is a movable body having conductivity, can move. The passage 72 has: a first end portion 721 provided with a contact 73 that conducts electricity by contacting the metal ball 71; and a second end portion 722 on the side opposite to the first end portion 721. In a predetermined manner, the tilt switch 70 is mounted such that in a state where the electronic clock 1 is worn on the back side of the wrist, the first end portion 721 is closer to the little finger of the hand than the second end portion 722, or is mounted such that the direction D2 from the second end portion 722 of the passage 72 toward the first end portion 721 is the same as or forms an acute angle with the direction D1 from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock of the electronic clock. Thus, by the natural movement of the user wearing the electronic clock 1, the tilt switch 70 is easily switched to the on state. Therefore, it is less likely to occur that although the user is wearing the electronic clock 1, the on or off state of the tilt switch 70 is not switched (the output signal does not change). Therefore, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the electronic clock 1 is in use.

[0061] In addition, the electronic clock 1 sets the determination start time and the determination end time to 22:00 and 6:00, respectively, in accordance with a period during which a user going to bed at night is highly likely to go to bed, and performs a determination process ( Figure 7 steps S104, S105, and S106) of whether to perform a transition process to the first power saving mode only during the period from the determination start time to the determination end time. In other words, outside the period from the determination start time to the determination end time, the determination process of whether to perform the transition process to the first power saving mode is not performed. Thus, during a period when the user is highly likely to move while wearing the electronic clock 1, the determination process of whether to perform the transition process to the first power saving mode is not performed, so that the consumption of the primary battery 90 can be effectively reduced. On the other hand, by performing the determination process of whether to perform the transition process to the first power saving mode only during a period when the user is highly likely to remove the electronic clock 1, the battery life can be effectively extended with an electronic clock 1 having a simple structure. And since the user can set the determination start time and the determination end time, a user who goes to bed during the day can adjust the determination start time and the determination end time in accordance with a period during which the user is highly likely to go to bed, so that an electronic clock 1 that can effectively extend the battery life with a simple structure can be provided for a wide range of users.

[0062] In addition, the CPU 11 causes the operation mode of the electronic clock 1 to transition to a second power saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed compared to the first power saving mode based on the duration of the state in which the on or off state of the tilt switch 70 in the first power saving mode does not change. Thus, when the user does not use the electronic clock 1 for a long time, power consumption can be further suppressed and the battery life can be extended.

[0063] In addition, the electronic clock 1 includes a digital display unit 22 that displays in digital form. In the first power saving mode, the CPU 11 causes the digital display unit 22 to display a power saving mark M, and in the second power saving mode, causes the digital display unit 22 to display the power saving mark M in a manner different from that in the first power saving mode. Thereby, it is possible to notify the user visually and easily that the electronic clock 1 is operating in the first power saving mode or the second power saving mode.

[0064] In addition, in the first power saving mode, the CPU 11 performs data communication with the smartphone 2 via the communication unit 50 at a predetermined time interval, and in the second power saving mode, does not perform data communication with the smartphone 2 via the communication unit 50. Thereby, for example, it is possible to receive time information from the smartphone 2 in the first power saving mode and display the correct time when returning to the normal mode. In addition, it is possible to perform operations such as sending information such as the number of steps, air pressure, and altitude based on data obtained by the sensor unit 80 during the day to the smartphone 2 in the first power saving mode. In addition, it is possible to effectively reduce power consumption in the second power saving mode.

[0065] In addition, the CPU 11 causes the operation mode of the electronic clock 1 to shift to the first power saving mode only based on the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch 70 does not change. Thereby, in the electronic clock 1 with a simple structure, it is possible to appropriately determine the transfer timing to the first power saving mode through simple processing.

[0066] In addition, the electronic clock 1 includes only a primary battery 90 as a power source. In this configuration, by applying the first power saving mode to extend the battery life, it is possible to delay the battery replacement period. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the trouble for the user.

[0067] In addition, the control method of the electronic clock 1 according to the present embodiment causes the operation mode of the electronic clock 1 to shift from the normal mode to the first power saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed compared to the normal mode based on the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch 70 does not change. Thereby, it is possible to effectively extend the battery life with an electronic clock 1 having a simple structure.

[0068] Moreover, the program 131 according to the present embodiment causes the CPU 11, which is a computer, to function as a control unit, and the control unit causes the operation mode of the electronic clock 1 to shift from the normal mode to the first power saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed compared to the normal mode based on the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch 70 does not change. Thereby, it is possible to effectively extend the battery life with an electronic clock 1 having a simple structure.

[0069] In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above-described embodiments, the so-called combined type electronic clock 1 having the analog display unit 21 and the digital display unit 22 is illustrated, but it is not limited thereto. The electronic clock 1 may be an analog clock having the analog display unit 21 and not having the digital display unit 22, or may be a digital clock having the digital display unit 22 and not having the analog display unit 21. Figure 11 FIG. is an example of the display unit 20 when the electronic clock 1 is an analog clock. In Figure 11 the analog display unit 21, a power saving mark M is provided at the 12 o'clock position instead of the time character. Thus, in the first power saving mode and the second power saving mode, in a state where the second hand 213 stops at the 12 o'clock position, the power saving mark M can be indicated by the second hand 213. Therefore, it is possible to indicate the power saving mode by the second hand 213. In addition, a function hand different from the second hand 213 may be provided, and the power saving mark M may be indicated by the function hand in the first power saving mode and the second power saving mode. However, in the first power saving mode, the hour hand 211 and the minute hand 212 display the correct time. Therefore, even if the power saving mark M is not provided, the user can recognize that the electronic clock 1 does not stop due to a failure or the like. Therefore, the power saving mark M may be omitted in the analog clock.

[0070] In addition, the arrangement direction of the tilt switch 70 is not limited to the 12 o'clock direction. For example, as Figure 12 shown, the tilt switch 70 may also be mounted such that the orientation D2 from the other end 722 to the one end 721 of the passage 72 forms an acute angle φ with the orientation D1 from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock of the electronic clock 1. In the manner in which the orientation D2 forms an acute angle φ with the orientation D1, the tilt switch 70 is also switched to the on state under the natural movement of the user.

[0071] In addition, the electronic clock 1 can also be worn in such a way that the housing 101 is located on the palm side (the inner side of the wrist) of the wrist. In this wearing method, in the natural movement of the user, the position on the 6 o'clock side is likely to be lower than the position on the 12 o'clock side, and it is difficult for the tilt switch 70 installed in such a way that the direction toward D2 is the same as the direction toward D1 when viewed from the +Z direction to be in the on state. Therefore, in such a wearing method, in order to easily switch the tilt switch 70 to the on state by the natural movement of the user, in addition to the tilt switch 70 installed in such a way that the direction toward D2 is the same as the direction toward D1 when viewed from the +Z direction, a tilt switch 70 installed in such a way that the direction toward D2 is the opposite of the direction toward D1 when viewed from the +Z direction may also be added. Alternatively, in addition to the tilt switch 70 installed in such a way that the direction toward D2 is the same as the direction toward D1 when viewed from the +Z direction, a tilt switch 70 installed in such a way that the direction toward D2 is the direction from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock and a tilt switch 70 installed in such a way that the direction toward D2 is the direction from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock when viewed from the +Z direction may also be added.

[0072] In addition, the electronic clock 1 of the present embodiment has a structure that is very effective in extending the life of the battery of the electronic clock 1 that operates only with a primary battery 90, but may also have a secondary battery in addition to the primary battery 90, or may have only a secondary battery.

[0073] In addition, for a user who wants to always operate in the normal mode, it may be possible to switch between a setting that allows transfer to the first power saving mode and the second power saving mode and a setting that prohibits the transfer.

[0074] In addition, instead of switching the mode in three stages: the normal mode, the first power saving mode, and the second power saving mode, the second power saving mode may be omitted, and the mode may be switched in two stages: the normal mode and the first power saving mode.

[0075] In addition, a method of receiving time information from the smartphone 2 via the communication unit 50 is illustrated, but the method of receiving time information is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured to be able to receive a standard radio wave and correct the time counted by the timekeeping unit 40 based on the information of the received standard radio wave. In addition, it may be configured to receive and decode the transmission radio wave from a positioning satellite of a global positioning satellite system (GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite System) such as GPS (Global Positioning System) to obtain time information.

[0076] In addition, in the above description, an example of using the flash memory of the storage unit 13 as a computer-readable medium for the program of the present disclosure is disclosed, but it is not limited to this example. In addition, as a medium for providing data of the program related to the present disclosure via a communication line, a carrier wave can also be applied to the present disclosure.

[0077] In addition, regarding the detailed structures and detailed operations of the respective components of the electronic clock 1 in the above-described embodiment, of course, appropriate changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0078] Embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes the scope of the disclosure described in the claims for patent and its equivalent scope.

[0079] This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-009890 filed on January 26, 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. An electronic clock, characterized in that the electronic clock includes: a tilt switch installed in a predetermined manner; and a control unit that transfers the operation mode of the device from the normal mode to a first power-saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed compared to the normal mode based on the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch does not change.

2. The electronic clock according to claim 1, characterized in that the tilt switch has: a path through which a movable body having conductivity can move, the path has: one end provided with a contact that conducts by contacting the movable body; and the other end on the side opposite to the one end, as the predetermined manner, the tilt switch is installed such that in a state where the electronic clock is worn on the back side of the wrist, the one end is closer to the little finger of the hand than the other end, or the tilt switch is installed such that the orientation from the other end to the one end is the same as or forms an acute angle with the orientation of the electronic clock from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock.

3. The electronic clock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit performs the following control: During a period from a predetermined determination start time to a determination end time, a determination is made as to whether to perform the process of transferring to the first power-saving mode; and During a period other than the period from the predetermined determination start time to the determination end time, a determination as to whether to perform the process of transferring to the first power-saving mode is not made.

4. The electronic clock according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control unit transfers the operation mode of the electronic clock to a second power-saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed compared to the first power-saving mode based on the duration of the state in which the on-state or off-state of the tilt switch in the first power-saving mode does not change.

5. The electronic clock according to claim 4, characterized in that the electronic clock includes a digital display unit that displays in a digital manner, the control unit performs the following control: In the first power-saving mode, the digital display unit is made to display a predetermined mark; and In the second power-saving mode, the digital display unit is made to display the predetermined mark in a manner different from that in the first power-saving mode.

6. The electronic clock according to claim 4, characterized in that the control unit performs the following control: In the first power-saving mode, data communication is performed with an external device at a predetermined time interval via a communication unit; and In the second power-saving mode, data communication with the external device is not performed via the communication unit.

7. The electronic clock according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the control unit transfers the operation mode of the electronic clock to the first power-saving mode only based on the duration.

8. The electronic clock according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the electronic clock includes only a primary battery as a power source.

9. An electronic clock, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor configured to execute one or more commands stored in the at least one memory, characterized in that the electronic clock is provided with a tilt switch installed in a predetermined manner, the electronic clock performs the following process: based on the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch does not change, the operation mode of the clock is transferred from the normal mode to a first power-saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed compared to the normal mode.

10. A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium, characterized in that the non-transitory recording medium stores a program that causes a computer of an electronic clock to perform the following process: the electronic clock is provided with a tilt switch installed in a predetermined manner, based on the duration of the state in which the output signal of the tilt switch does not change, the operation mode of the clock is transferred from the normal mode to a first power-saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed compared to the normal mode.

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