Radio-controlled clock repeater

Abstract

To provide a radio clock repeater that can deliver a pseudo standard radio wave to a wall-mounted clock without any influence of circumferential environment.SOLUTION: A radio clock repeater comprises a master unit 1 which transmits a time information signal corresponding to the standard time, and a slave unit 11 which receives the time information signal from the master unit 1 and outputs a pseudo standard radio wave. The slave unit 11 comprises a radio module 23 which receives the time information signal from the master unit 1, a pseudo standard radio wave output part 24 which outputs the pseudo standard radio wave based upon the time information signal, and a slave unit controller 30 which controls the radio module 23 and pseudo standard radio wave output part 24. The slave unit controller 30 is connected to a slave unit RTC 21 which clocks the time, and corrects the time that the slave unit RTC 21 clocks based upon the time information signal that the radio module 23 receives.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a radio-controlled clock repeater capable of outputting a pseudo standard radio wave toward a radio-controlled clock. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a radio-controlled clock repeater that outputs pseudo standard radio waves (hereinafter referred to as pseudo standard radio waves) with the same specifications as standard radio waves to a radio-controlled clock. This radio-controlled clock repeater acquires time information via the Internet, for example, and transmits pseudo standard radio waves to the radio-controlled clock based on this time information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-183501 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The radio-controlled clock repeater disclosed in Patent Document 1 outputs a pseudo-standard radio wave in which time data is AM-modulated onto a 40 kHz or 60 kHz long-wave carrier wave. However, due to the characteristics of long-wave waves, it is known that standard radio waves do not propagate inside buildings, etc. For this reason, even if a radio-controlled clock repeater has a typical communication range of about 10 meters, it may not be able to transmit the standard radio wave to a radio-controlled clock installed in a room other than the one in which the radio-controlled clock repeater is installed, depending on the building structure, for example. As a result, a radio-controlled clock may not be able to receive the pseudo-standard radio wave even if it is within the communication range of the radio-controlled clock repeater.

[0005] Furthermore, a typical radio-controlled clock repeater requires a power consumption of, for example, 1 to 2 watts to ensure sufficient radio wave output to transmit the pseudo standard radio wave over a wide area, and is connected to a commercial power source as its driving power source. In contrast, a wall-mounted radio-controlled clock is installed in a location far from the commercial power source. For this reason, a radio-controlled clock repeater cannot be placed in close proximity to the radio-controlled clock, such as on the back of the clock.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a radio-controlled clock repeater that can deliver pseudo standard radio waves to a wall-mounted radio-controlled clock without being affected by the surrounding environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is a radio-controlled clock repeater comprising a master unit that transmits a time information signal according to standard time, and a slave unit that receives the time information signal from the master unit and outputs a pseudo standard radio wave, The parent unit and the child unit communicate with each other using radio waves in the 900 MHz band, and the child unit is attached between the back of a wall-mounted radio-controlled clock and the wall surface so as to overlap the clock, and the parent unit corrects the time based on the periodicity of the voltage waveform from a commercial AC power source, and the child unit corrects the time based on the time information signal from the parent unit, The slave unit comprises a slave unit side communication unit that receives the time information signal from the master unit, a pseudo standard radio wave output unit that outputs the pseudo standard radio wave based on the time information signal, and a slave unit control means that controls the slave unit side communication unit and the pseudo standard radio wave output unit, and the slave unit control means is connected to a slave unit real-time clock that keeps time, and is characterized by comprising a slave unit time correction means that corrects the time kept by the slave unit real-time clock based on the time information signal received by the slave unit side communication unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, by placing a slave unit near a radio-controlled clock and having the slave unit output a pseudo standard time signal, the pseudo standard time signal can be delivered to the radio-controlled clock without being affected by the surrounding environment. In addition, since the slave unit control means is equipped with a slave unit time correction means, the time of the slave unit can be corrected based on the time information signal from the master unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1]1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a radio-controlled clock repeater according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the base unit in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a parent device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the slave unit in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the handset is attached to a wall. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a slave unit. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing standard radio wave data transmission processing by the master unit. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing a pseudo standard time radio wave transmission process by a slave unit. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing a pseudo standard time radio wave transmission process by a slave unit according to a modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an overall configuration diagram showing a radio-controlled clock repeater according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is an overall configuration diagram showing the state in which the network has been reconfigured by the automatic routing function of the radio clock repeater. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, a radio-controlled clock repeater according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that each step in the flowcharts shown in Figures 8 and 9 is represented by the letter "S" (for example, step 1 is represented by "S1").

[0011] 1 to 9 show the first embodiment. The radio-controlled clock repeater includes a master unit 1 that transmits a time information signal (standard radio wave data) according to standard time, and a slave unit 11 that receives the time information signal from the master unit 1 and outputs a pseudo standard radio wave.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the master unit 1 includes a box-shaped master unit casing 2. The master unit 1 also includes a master unit real-time clock 3 (hereinafter referred to as master unit RTC 3), a main power supply unit 4, a wireless module 5, and a master unit controller 8. The master unit RTC 3, wireless module 5, and master unit controller 8 are housed within the master unit casing 2. In addition, the master unit 1 includes a time setting unit 6 and a display unit 7.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 3, the master RTC 3 is configured using, for example, a quartz crystal oscillator 3A and keeps time. The master RTC 3 is connected to a master controller 8. Power is supplied to the master RTC 3 from a main power supply 4 via the master controller 8. Therefore, when the main power supply 4 is connected to a commercial AC power source, the master RTC 3 is driven by the power supplied from the main power supply 4. The master RTC 3 determines the current time based on the input initial time. The master RTC 3 outputs a signal corresponding to the current time to the master controller 8.

[0014] At this time, when the crystal oscillator 3A outputs a basic clock signal corresponding to the oscillation frequency, the master RTC 3 counts the basic clock signal and measures time based on the count. For example, if the reference oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator 3A is 32,768 Hz, the master RTC 3 will mark one second when the count reaches 32,769.

[0015] The master RTC 3 also has a function (correction function) for adjusting the count, for example, every 20 seconds, to correct the measured time. Specifically, the master RTC 3 corrects the measured time by increasing or decreasing the count per unit time (e.g., 1 second) of the basic clock signal. For example, if the reference oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator 3A is 32,768 Hz and the actual oscillation frequency is higher than the reference oscillation frequency, 32,768.1 Hz (= +3.05 ppm), the master RTC 3 increases the count value once every 20 seconds and counts 32,770 times to mark one second. If the actual oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator 3A is lower than the reference oscillation frequency, the master RTC 3 decreases the count value once every 20 seconds according to the frequency error to mark one second. Note that the time interval for correcting the master RTC 3's time is not limited to 20 seconds. The time interval for correcting the time of the master RTC 3 may be shorter or longer than 20 seconds depending on the specifications of the master RTC 3, etc.

[0016] The master RTC 3 stores the count number correction setting value (adjustment amount) and increase / decrease information in memory (not shown). Therefore, the master RTC 3 corrects the measured time by updating the count number correction setting value and increase / decrease information according to the time error.

[0017] The master RTC 3 is also connected to a backup power supply 3B, which may be a button battery, a capacitor, or the like. This allows the master RTC 3 to continue operating and keep time using power supplied from the backup power supply 3B even when the power supply from the main power supply 4 is temporarily stopped. Information such as correction settings is set at the time of manufacture and, like the clock information of the master RTC 3, is backed up by the backup power supply 3B.

[0018] The main power supply unit 4 is connected to the parent controller 8. The main power supply unit 4 supplies power to the parent controller 8. The main power supply unit 4 includes a power adapter 4A, an AC-DC conversion circuit 4B, and a low-voltage power supply circuit 4C. The power adapter 4A is configured, for example, with a plug and is connected to a commercial AC power outlet (not shown). The power adapter 4A supplies AC power from the commercial power supply to the AC-DC conversion circuit 4B. The AC-DC conversion circuit 4B is configured with various converter circuits and converts the AC power to DC power. The low-voltage power supply circuit 4C converts the voltage of the DC power supplied from the AC-DC conversion circuit 4B to a constant low voltage (e.g., 3.3 V) required by the parent controller 8. The low-voltage power supply circuit 4C is configured, for example, with various DC-DC converter circuits. The low-voltage power supply circuit 4C supplies low-voltage DC power to the parent controller 8.

[0019] The main power supply unit 4 also includes an AC signal extraction circuit 4D. The AC signal extraction circuit 4D detects the AC voltage of the commercial power supply output from the power adapter 4A and outputs a signal corresponding to this AC voltage to the parent unit controller 8. The main power supply unit 4, excluding the power adapter 4A, is housed within the parent unit casing 2. That is, the AC-DC conversion circuit 4B, the low-voltage power supply circuit 4C, and the AC signal extraction circuit 4D are housed within the parent unit casing 2.

[0020] The wireless module 5 constitutes the parent device side communication unit. The wireless module 5 of the parent device 1 performs LPWA (Low Power Wide Area Network) wireless communication with the wireless module 23 of the child device 11. The wireless module 5 uses, for example, the LoRa communication method in the 920 MHz band. This makes the wireless module 5 relatively resistant to external disturbances and capable of long-distance communication. The wireless module 5 transmits and receives radio waves in the 920 MHz band from an antenna (not shown). The use of radio waves in the 920 MHz band provides high reception sensitivity and is resistant to building walls, enabling communication even in complex indoor spaces.

[0021] The time setting unit 6 is attached to the front of the parent unit casing 2. The time setting unit 6 is composed of, for example, a plurality of button switches, and is connected to the parent unit controller 8. The time setting unit 6 is used to set the initial time of the parent unit 1. Specifically, the time setting unit 6 has a switch for advancing and retreating the initial time. For example, when starting up the parent unit 1 for the first time, or when the parent unit 1 has not been turned on for a long period of time, the user sets the initial time of the parent unit 1 using the time setting unit 6.

[0022] The display unit 7 is attached to the front of the parent unit casing 2. The display unit 7 is configured with, for example, a 7-segment LED, a single-color chip LED, a full-color LED, or the like, and is connected to the parent unit controller 8. The display unit 7 displays, for example, the current time, the initial time, etc. The display unit 7 lights up as an error indicator when an abnormality occurs in the parent unit 1, etc.

[0023] The master controller 8 may be, for example, Kuro The main controller 8 is configured with a computer, etc. The main controller 8 operates according to a program stored in memory 8A. The main controller 8 is connected to the main RTC 3, wireless module 5, time setting unit 6, display unit 7, etc. As disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-88202, the main controller 8 corrects the time based on the main RTC 3 based on the voltage signal of the commercial alternating current power supply (commercial AC power supply).

[0024] The frequency of commercial AC power is controlled with high precision by the power company. Therefore, using the voltage signal of commercial AC power as the clock's oscillator circuit eliminates the constant "error per month" that occurs with a quartz oscillator, and maintains a cumulative error of approximately ±10 seconds throughout the year. Therefore, from a long-term perspective, time management synchronized with AC power rather than using an RTC provides higher accuracy. Therefore, while powered by commercial AC power, the master controller 8 periodically calculates the deviation between the master RTC 3 and the AC-synchronized time, such as once a day. Based on this deviation, the master controller 8 changes the correction setting of the master RTC 3. Specifically, the master controller 8 obtains the time synchronized with the voltage waveform of the commercial AC power based on the periodicity of the voltage waveform from the commercial AC power, and corrects the time kept by the master RTC 3 at predetermined intervals based on this obtained time. This allows the master controller 8 to obtain accurate time information using the master RTC 3.

[0025] The time interval for correcting the time of the master RTC 3 is not limited to one day. For example, the time of the master RTC 3 may be corrected immediately before the time of the slave RTC 21, which will be described later. That is, the time of the master RTC 3 may be corrected at the time interval (for example, one week) between establishing communication between the master RTC 1 and the slave RTC 11. The time interval for correcting the time of the master RTC 3 may be, for example, two days or more, or 30 days or less.

[0026] Furthermore, the master unit 1 is not limited to acquiring time information using the master unit RTC 3. For example, like the radio-controlled clock repeater disclosed in Patent Document 1, the master unit 1 may be connected to the Internet by wire or wirelessly and acquire time information via the Internet.

[0027] The master controller 8 is connected to a standard radio wave data setting circuit 9. The master controller 8 outputs accurate time information acquired using the master RTC 3 or the like to the standard radio wave data setting circuit 9. The standard radio wave data setting circuit 9 sets a time code, which becomes the data for the pseudo standard radio wave, based on the time information input from the master controller 8. The time code includes time information such as the year, month, day, hour, and minute. The standard radio wave data setting circuit 9 outputs the set standard radio wave data (time code) to the master controller 8.

[0028] Master controller 8 is normally in a sleep state. Master controller 8 wakes up at a predetermined wake-up date and time D10 and waits for a call signal from slave 11. When master controller 8 receives a call signal from slave 11, it establishes communication with slave 11 and transmits standard radio wave data as a time information signal to slave 11 using wireless module 5.

[0029] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, handset 11 includes handset casing 12, latch 13, and adjuster mechanism 14. Handset casing 12 is formed in a flat plate shape with a predetermined thickness and is composed of main unit housing section 12A and lid section 12B. Main unit housing section 12A is formed in the shape of, for example, a rectangular box, and is open on the front side. Inside main unit housing section 12A, a power supply section 22, a wireless module 23, a pseudo standard radio wave output section 24, a handset controller 30, etc., which will be described later, are housed.

[0030] The lid 12B is formed in a flat plate shape and is attached to the main body housing portion 12A by screws or the like. The lid 12B is located on the front side of the main body housing portion 12A and covers the opening of the main body housing portion 12A. A window 12C is formed in the center of the lid 12B. The window 12C is formed, for example, by a rectangular through-hole, and inside the window 12C, the power switch 22C, the display portion 25, the setting portion 26, the access switch 27, etc. are exposed.

[0031] The hanging device 13 is formed of a rectangular flat plate bent into an L-shape and is attached to the top of the handset casing 12. A wall-hanging hole 13A, e.g., a pentagonal through-hole, is formed in the center of the hanging device 13. The tip of a hook-shaped mounting fixture F attached to, e.g., a wall W of a building, is inserted into the uppermost corner 13B of the wall-hanging hole 13A. This allows the hanging device 13 to secure the handset 11 to the wall in a hanging state. A latch member 13C is attached to the hanging device 13. The latch member 13C is attached to holding portions 13D, 13E provided on both lateral ends of the hanging device 13. The latch member 13C is located below the corner 13B of the wall-hanging hole 13A and extends in the lateral direction of the hanging device 13, straddling the wall-hanging hole 13A. The mounting fixture F fixed to the wall surface W is inserted into the wall-hanging hole 13A with the latch member 13C removed, and is fixed at the position of the corner 13B. As a result, the latch member 13C allows the mounting fixture F fixed to the wall (wall surface W) to be inserted into the corner 13B of the wall-hanging hole 13A. The latch member 13C is attached to the latch 13 after the mounting fixture F is inserted into the wall-hanging hole 13A. As a result, the latch member 13C prevents the mounting fixture F from coming off the slave unit 11 when the radio-controlled clock C is removed from the slave unit 11.

[0032] The adjuster mechanism 14 includes a rail member 14A, a spacer 14C, a slider 14D, and a mounting fixture 14E. The rail member 14A is located in front of the latching device 13 and extends vertically. A guide hole 14B consisting of a long, narrow slit extending vertically is formed in the center of the rail member 14A. The rail member 14A is attached to the front side of the latching device 13 via, for example, three spacers 14C. One spacer 14C is disposed at the upper end of the rail member 14A, and two spacers 14C are disposed at the lower end of the rail member 14A. The spacers 14C are disposed between the rail member 14A and the latching device 13, so that the rail member 14A faces the latching device 13 with a gap between them. A latch member 13C is inserted between the rail member 14A and the latching device 13.

[0033] The slider 14D is made up of two plate-like members facing each other with the rail member 14A in between. The center portion of the slider 14D is inserted into the guide hole 14B of the rail member 14A. The position of the slider 14D can be shifted in the vertical direction along the guide hole 14B.

[0034] The base end of the mounting fixture 14E is inserted into the center of the slider 14D. The mounting fixture 14E is inserted into a wall-hanging hole (not shown) of the radio-controlled clock C to support the radio-controlled clock C. The mounting fixture 14E is composed of a cylindrical rod portion and a disk portion formed at the tip of the rod portion and having a larger radial dimension than the rod portion. The mounting fixture 14E is made of, for example, a metal material. The outer peripheral surface of the disk portion is knurled. The disk portion of the mounting fixture 14E serves as a stopper that prevents the radio-controlled clock C from falling off the mounting fixture 14E.

[0035] A bolt is formed at the base end of the rod-shaped portion of the mounting fixture 14E. When the disk portion of the mounting fixture 14E is rotated in the direction in which the bolt is tightened, the two plate-shaped members of the slider 14D are displaced toward each other. As a result, the slider 14D is in a state in which the rail member 14A is sandwiched between the two plate-shaped members, restricting vertical displacement of the slider 14D and fixing it in position.

[0036] When the disk portion of the mounting fixture 14E is rotated in the direction that loosens the bolt, the two plate-like members of the slider 14D are displaced in directions that separate them from each other, thereby releasing the clamping state of the rail member 14A between the two plate-like members of the slider 14D and allowing it to move up and down.

[0037] 7, slave unit 11 includes slave real-time clock 21 (hereinafter referred to as slave RTC 21), power supply unit 22, wireless module 23, pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24, and slave controller 30. Slave RTC 21, wireless module 23, pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24, and slave controller 30 are housed in slave casing 12. In addition, slave 11 includes display unit 25 and setting unit 26.

[0038] The slave RTC 21 is configured in a similar manner to the master RTC 3. Therefore, the slave RTC 21 is configured using, for example, a quartz oscillator 21A to measure the time. The slave RTC 21 is connected to the slave controller 30. Power is supplied to the slave RTC 21 from the power supply unit 22 via the slave controller 30. Therefore, the slave RTC 21 is driven by the power supplied from the power supply unit 22. The slave RTC 21 determines the current time based on the initial time input by a time setting unit (not shown) of the slave RTC 21. The initial time of the slave RTC 21 does not necessarily have to be set by the slave 11, but may be set by the master 1 using communication between the master RTC 1 and the slave 11. The slave RTC 21 outputs a signal corresponding to the current time to the slave controller 30. Like the master RTC 3, the slave RTC 21 also has a built-in correction function for correcting errors.

[0039] At this time, when crystal oscillator 21A outputs a basic clock signal corresponding to the oscillation frequency, slave RTC 21 counts the basic clock signal and measures time based on the count. For example, if the reference oscillation frequency of crystal oscillator 21A is 32,768 Hz, slave RTC 21 marks one second when the count reaches 32,769.

[0040] The slave RTC 21 also has a function for adjusting the count, for example, every 20 seconds, to correct the measured time. Specifically, the slave RTC 21 corrects the measured time by increasing or decreasing the count per unit time (e.g., 1 second) of the master clock signal. For example, if the reference oscillation frequency of crystal oscillator 21A is 32,768 Hz and the actual oscillation frequency is higher than the reference oscillation frequency, the slave RTC 21 increases the count value once every 20 seconds in accordance with the frequency error to mark each second. If the actual oscillation frequency of crystal oscillator 21A is lower than the reference oscillation frequency, the slave RTC 21 decreases the count value once every 20 seconds in accordance with the frequency error to mark each second. Note that the time interval for correcting the time of the slave RTC 21 is not limited to 20 seconds. The time interval for correcting the time of the slave RTC 21 may be shorter or longer than 20 seconds depending on the specifications of the slave RTC 21.

[0041] At this time, the slave RTC 21 holds the correction set value (adjustment amount) of the count number and information on the increase / decrease. Therefore, the slave RTC 21 corrects the measured time by updating the correction set value of the count number and information on the increase / decrease in accordance with the time error. Information such as the correction set value is set at the time of factory manufacture and, like the clock information of the slave RTC 21, is backed up by power supplied from the power supply unit 22. Note that, like the master RTC 3, the slave RTC 21 may also be connected to a backup power source, such as a button battery or capacitor.

[0042] The power supply unit 22 is connected to the slave controller 30. The power supply unit 22 supplies power to the slave controller 30. The power supply unit 22 includes a battery unit 22A, an over-discharge protection circuit 22B, a power switch 22C, a battery voltage confirmation circuit 22D, and a regulator 22E.

[0043] The battery unit 22A includes, for example, a plurality of batteries (not shown) connected in series. The battery unit 22A has a socket (not shown) that accommodates the plurality of batteries. The battery unit 22A supplies power to the slave controller 30 via an over-discharge protection circuit 22B and a regulator 22E. The over-discharge protection circuit 22B protects the batteries from over-discharge. The regulator 22E converts the output voltage from the battery unit 22A to a constant low voltage (e.g., 3.3 V) required by the slave controller 30. The power switch 22C is connected to the over-discharge protection circuit 22B. When the power switch 22C is ON, power is supplied from the battery unit 22A to the slave controller 30. When the power switch 22C is OFF, power supply from the battery unit 22A to the slave controller 30 is cut off. The battery voltage confirmation circuit 22D is connected to the over-discharge protection circuit 22B and the slave controller 30. The battery voltage confirmation circuit 22D detects the output voltage from the battery unit 22A, and outputs a detection signal to the over-discharge protection circuit 22B and the slave controller 30.

[0044] The wireless module 23 constitutes the slave device side communication unit. The wireless module 23 is configured in the same manner as the wireless module 5. The wireless module 23 of the slave device 11 performs LPWA wireless communication with the wireless module 5 of the master device 1. The wireless module 23 uses, for example, a LoRa communication method in the 920 MHz band. The wireless module 23 transmits or receives radio waves in the 920 MHz band from an antenna (not shown). The wireless module 23 receives a time information signal (standard radio wave data) from the master device 1.

[0045] The pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 outputs a pseudo standard radio wave based on standard radio wave data as a time information signal. The pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 includes a standard radio wave output circuit 24A, a coil 24B, and a capacitor 24C. The standard radio wave output circuit 24A is connected to the slave controller 30. The standard radio wave output circuit 24A modulates the time code (standard radio wave data) input from the slave controller 30 onto, for example, a 40 kHz carrier signal and supplies the modulated signal to the coil 24B. The coil 24B forms an antenna coil. The coil 24B is a small inductor with a diameter of approximately 5 to 10 mm (e.g., 7 mm) and an axial length of approximately 8 to 15 mm (e.g., 10 mm). The coil 24B and the capacitor 24C are mounted on a control circuit board 24D and connected in parallel with each other (see FIGS. 6 and 7). In this case, the coil 24B and the capacitor 24C form a resonant circuit with a Q value of 40 kHz. The coil 24B emits a pseudo standard radio wave of 40 kHz (pseudo standard radio wave) based on the signal supplied from the standard radio wave output circuit 24A.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4, the receiving antenna A of the radio-controlled clock C that receives the standard radio wave tends to be located in the center of the radio-controlled clock C in the left-right direction. Taking this into consideration, the coil 24B is located in the center of the slave unit casing 12 in the left-right direction. That is, the coil 24B is located in approximately the same position as the mounting bracket 14E of the adjuster mechanism 14 in the left-right direction of the slave unit casing 12. Meanwhile, the wall hanging hole of the radio-controlled clock C is located in the center of the radio-controlled clock C in the left-right direction. As a result, when the slave unit 11 is attached to the back of the radio-controlled clock C, the coil 24B is located in a position close to the receiving antenna A of the radio-controlled clock C. As a result, the receiving antenna A of the radio-controlled clock C is highly sensitive to the pseudo standard radio wave from the coil 24B. Furthermore, the coil 24B is located in the upper part of the slave unit casing 12.

[0047] The display unit 25 is attached to the front of the slave unit casing 12. The display unit 25 is configured, for example, by a single-color chip LED, a full-color LED, or the like. The display unit 25 is configured, for example, by two LEDs, and is connected to the slave unit controller 30. The display unit 25 lights up according to the current state (status) of the slave unit 11. Specifically, the display unit 25 switches between off, on, blinking, and lighting color according to the sleep state, driving state, communication state with the master unit 1, error state, and the like.

[0048] Setting unit 26 is attached, for example, at a position adjacent to display unit 25. Setting unit 26 is configured, for example, with a rotary switch, and is connected to slave unit controller 30. Setting unit 26 sets the number of slave unit 11 by operating the rotary switch. This allows master unit 1 to individually identify each of these slave units 11 and transmit standard radio wave data to each of them, even when multiple slave units 11 communicate with a single master unit 1.

[0049] The access switch 27 is attached, for example, to a position below the display unit 25, and is connected to the handset controller 30. When the access switch 27 is pressed, the handset number corresponding to the setting unit 26 of the handset 11 is notified to the base unit 1, and the handset 11 is registered in the base unit 1.

[0050] Power switch 22C is attached, for example, to a position below setting unit 26 and is connected to slave unit controller 30. Pressing power switch 22C starts slave unit 11. This causes slave unit controller 30 to execute a program stored in memory 30A.

[0051] The slave controller 30 is a slave control means that controls the wireless module 23 and the pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24. The slave controller 30 is, for example, KuroThe slave controller 30 is configured with a computer, etc. The slave controller 30 operates according to a program stored in memory 30A. The slave controller 30 is connected to the slave RTC 21, wireless module 23, pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24, display unit 25, setting unit 26, etc. The slave controller 30 corrects the time based on the slave RTC 21 based on the standard radio wave data from the master controller 8. This allows the slave controller 30 to obtain accurate time information using the slave RTC 21.

[0052] The slave controller 30 is connected to the pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24. The slave controller 30 outputs accurate time information acquired using the slave RTC 21 to the pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24. Based on the acquired time information, the pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 generates a pseudo standard radio wave signal in which the time code (standard radio wave data) is modulated, and emits the pseudo standard radio wave from the coil 24B.

[0053] The slave unit controller 30 is normally in a sleep state. The slave unit controller 30 wakes up at a predetermined wake-up date and time D11 and transmits a call signal to the master unit controller 8. When communication is established between the slave unit 11 and the master unit 1 based on the call signal, the master unit controller 8 transmits the standard radio wave data acquired from the standard radio wave data setting circuit 9 to the slave unit 11 using the wireless module 5. When the slave unit controller 30 receives the standard radio wave data using the wireless module 23, it corrects the time based on the slave unit RTC 21 based on the standard radio wave data. Thereafter, the slave unit controller 30 goes into a sleep state again and waits until the predetermined start time Ts arrives.

[0054] At start time Ts, slave controller 30 outputs accurate time information acquired using slave RTC 21 to pseudo standard time signal output unit 24 from start time Ts to end time Te. This causes slave 11 to emit pseudo standard time signals from coil 24B from start time Ts to end time Te. The pseudo standard time signals may be output continuously from start time Ts to end time Te, or may be output intermittently at regular intervals.

[0055] Since the base unit 1 is connected to a commercial AC power source, it may be kept running at all times. However, to reduce power consumption, it is preferable that the base unit 1 be operated only for the required time from the start-up date and time D10. The start-up date and time D10 of the base unit 1 is the same as the start-up date and time D11 of the slave unit 11. However, to allow for a time error due to the slave unit RTC 21, the start-up date and time D10 is set several minutes (for example, about 5 minutes) earlier than the start-up date and time D11. As a result, the base unit 1 is in an operating state when the slave unit 11 transmits a call signal.

[0056] The start time Ts and end time Te are set so that they include the time when the radio-controlled clock C receives the standard radio wave and adjusts the time. Generally, the radio-controlled clock C receives the standard radio wave and adjusts the time between 2:00 AM and 3:30 AM. For this reason, the start time Ts is set to, for example, around 1:55 AM, and the end time Te is set to, for example, around 3:35 AM. In addition, the start date and time D11 of the slave device 11 is set to, for example, one hour before the start time Ts.

[0057] The activation dates and times D10 and D11 are set at intervals of a predetermined number of days between, for example, 1 and 30 days. Specifically, the activation dates and times D10 and D11 are set at intervals of, for example, one week (7 days). Therefore, for example, if the activation date and time D11 of the slave device 11 is set to start at approximately 12:50 AM on January 1st, the master device 1 will start at approximately 12:45 AM on January 1st as the activation date and time D10. Then, taking into account the time error caused by the slave device RTC 21, the slave device 11 calls the master device 1 after a startup reserve time (for example, one minute) has elapsed since the activation date and time D11 was reached. Because the startup reserve time is set, the activation dates and times D10 and D11 may, for example, be the same time.

[0058] The next time the master unit 1 and slave unit 11 are started (next start-up date) is set to January 8th, one week later. The start dates and times D10 and D11, the start time Ts, and the end time Te may be changed as appropriate according to the user's request or the specifications of the radio-controlled clock C. In addition, although the slave unit 11 calls the master unit 1 in this embodiment, the master unit 1 may also be configured to call the slave unit 11.

[0059] Here, slave RTC 21 has the function of correcting the measurement time once every 20 seconds. Slave RTC 21 is controlled by slave controller 30, measures the output frequency of crystal oscillator 21A, and sets a correction setting value based on the error between the output frequency and the reference frequency.

[0060] The radio-controlled clock repeater calculates a correction setting value based on the error between the elapsed time of one week from the master unit 1 and the elapsed time of the slave unit RTC 21 of the slave unit 11. Let's assume that the elapsed time of one week is 604,800 seconds, while the elapsed time of the slave unit RTC 21 is 604,803 seconds, resulting in an error of three seconds. In this case, the correction value for the number of counts per 20 seconds can be calculated using the following formula 1.

[0061]

number

[0062] The correction set value is set or updated based on the calculated correction value and is stored in the memory (not shown) of the slave RTC 21. If the correction value is positive, the correction value is added to the current number of counts per second to measure time. If the correction value is negative, the correction value is subtracted from the current number of counts per second to measure time. Therefore, information on whether the correction value is positive or negative is also stored in the memory of the slave RTC 21 along with the correction set value, which is an absolute value. Specifically, the absolute value and sign information of the correction value are set together in the correction register.

[0063] Next, with reference to FIG. 8, a standard radio wave data transmission process when master unit 1 transmits standard radio wave data will be described.

[0064] The parent unit 1 is normally in a sleep state. In S1, the parent unit controller 8 determines whether or not the start-up date and time D10 has arrived based on the time information acquired using the parent unit RTC 3. If it is not the start-up date and time D10, the result in S1 is "NO" and the parent unit 1 remains in the sleep state until the start-up date and time D10 arrives. On the other hand, if the start-up date and time D10 has arrived, the result in S1 is "YES" and the process proceeds to S2.

[0065] In S2, the master controller 8 determines whether or not there has been communication from the slave 11, specifically, whether or not the wireless module 5 has received a call signal from the slave 11. If the wireless module 5 has not received a call signal from the slave 11 and there has been no communication from the slave 11, the master controller 8 determines "NO" in S2 and proceeds to S3. At this time, if the master controller 8 does not receive a call signal from the slave 11 for a certain period of time (about one minute) from the start-up date and time D10 of the slave 11, for example, it determines that the communication has failed. The master controller 8 repeats this determination at predetermined time intervals (for example, every one to two minutes).

[0066] In S3, the base unit controller 8 determines whether communication with the handset 11 has failed a predetermined number of times (for example, three times) in succession. If the number of times that communication with the handset 11 has failed in succession is less than the predetermined number, the base unit controller 8 determines "NO" in S3, returns to S2, and waits for a call signal to arrive from the handset 11.

[0067] On the other hand, if the number of consecutive communication failures with the slave unit 11 reaches a predetermined number, the master unit controller 8 determines "YES" in S3, determines that an abnormality has occurred in the communication between the master unit 1 and the slave unit 11, and proceeds to S4. In S4, the master unit controller 8 performs communication error processing and turns on an LED or the like for displaying an error on the display unit 7 of the master unit 1. This causes the master unit 1 to notify that a communication error has occurred.

[0068] When the wireless module 5 receives a call signal from the slave unit 11 and there is communication from the slave unit 11, the master unit controller 8 determines "YES" in S2 and proceeds to S5. In S5, communication is established between the master unit 1 and the slave unit 11, so the master unit controller 8 transmits the standard radio wave data acquired from the standard radio wave data setting circuit 9 to the slave unit 11 using the wireless module 5. Note that the transmission of the standard radio wave data is not limited to one time. The master unit 1 may transmit the standard radio wave data to the slave unit 11 multiple times. When the processing of S5 ends, the processing from S1 onwards is repeated.

[0069] Next, with reference to FIG. 9, a pseudo standard time signal transmission process when the slave unit 11 transmits a pseudo standard time signal will be described.

[0070] The slave unit 11 is normally in a sleep state. In S11, the slave unit controller 30 determines whether the start-up date and time D11 has arrived based on the time information acquired using the slave unit RTC 21. If it is not the start-up date and time D11, the slave unit controller 30 determines "NO" in S11 and maintains the sleep state until the start-up date and time D11 arrives. On the other hand, if the start-up date and time D11 has arrived, the slave unit controller 30 determines "YES" in S11 and proceeds to S12.

[0071] In S12, the slave controller 30 determines whether the spare startup time has elapsed since the startup date and time D11. If the spare startup time has not elapsed, the slave controller 30 determines "NO" in S12 and waits until the spare startup time has elapsed. On the other hand, if the spare startup time has elapsed, the wait is complete, so the slave controller 30 determines "YES" in S12 and proceeds to S13.

[0072] In S13, the handset controller 30 transmits a call signal to the base unit 1 through the wireless module 23. This establishes communication between the handset 11 and the base unit 1. Note that even if the handset 11 transmits a call signal to the base unit 1, communication may not be established if a malfunction occurs in either the handset 11 or the base unit 1, or if the radio wave conditions between the handset 11 and the base unit 1 deteriorate. In this case, not only the base unit 1 but also the handset 11 may be configured to perform error processing. Furthermore, in addition to the call signal, the handset 11 may transmit a status signal to the base unit 1 according to the status of the handset 11, such as the battery consumption status. In this case, the base unit 1 may determine whether the handset 11 is normal or abnormal based on the status signal from the handset 11, and if the handset 11 is in an abnormal state, may notify the user of the abnormality of the handset 11 using the display unit 7 or the like.

[0073] When communication is established between the slave unit 11 and the master unit 1, the process proceeds to S14, where the slave unit controller 30 determines whether or not the master unit 1 has transmitted standard radio wave data and acquired time information. If the slave unit controller 30 has not received standard radio wave data, the slave unit controller 30 determines "NO" in S14, returns to S13, and waits until the standard radio wave data is transmitted from the master unit 1. On the other hand, if the slave unit controller 30 has received standard radio wave data from the master unit 1, the slave unit controller 30 determines "YES" in S14 and proceeds to S15.

[0074] S15 shows a specific example of a slave unit time correction means. In S15, slave unit controller 30 calculates accurate time information based on the standard radio wave data acquired from master unit 1. Slave unit controller 30 corrects the time information calculated using slave unit RTC 21 based on the accurate time information. Specifically, slave unit controller 30 calculates the time error caused by slave unit RTC 21 based on the accurate time information. Slave unit controller 30 then sets and updates correction settings and the like to offset the time error. As a result, slave unit RTC 21 will keep accurate time based on the new correction settings.

[0075] When the process of S15 is completed, the process proceeds to S16, where it is determined whether this is the first time the slave device RTC 21 is corrected. That is, whether this is the first time the slave device RTC 21 is corrected may be determined by whether the correction setting value is an initial value (e.g., a value at the time of shipment from the factory) or by referring to a flag that records whether correction has been performed. If this is the first time the slave device RTC 21 is corrected, the process returns "YES" in S16 and proceeds to S17. In S17, the startup standby time is shortened from its initial value (e.g., 1 minute). Specifically, the slave device controller 30 changes the startup standby time to one-third of the initial value (e.g., 20 seconds). The initial value and the shortened value of the startup standby time are set appropriately taking into consideration the time accuracy of the slave device RTC 21, etc. When the process of S17 is completed, the process proceeds to S18.

[0076] On the other hand, if this is not the first correction of the slave device RTC 21, the determination in S16 is "NO" and the process proceeds to S18. In S18, the slave device controller 30 transitions to the sleep state again. Note that if the time interval between the end time of the processes in S15 to S17 and the start time Ts is short, the sleep process in S18 may be omitted.

[0077] In the next step S19, the slave controller 30 determines whether the start time Ts has been reached. If the start time Ts has not been reached, the slave controller 30 determines "NO" in S19 and waits until the start time Ts is reached. On the other hand, if the start time Ts has been reached, the slave controller 30 determines "YES" in S19 and proceeds to S20.

[0078] In S20, slave controller 30 outputs accurate time information acquired using slave RTC 21 to pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24. Pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 generates a pseudo standard radio wave signal in which the time code (standard radio wave data) is modulated based on the acquired time information, and causes coil 24B to emit the pseudo standard radio wave. At this time, the pseudo standard radio wave does not need to be emitted continuously, and may be emitted at predetermined time intervals (for example, from several tens of seconds to several minutes).

[0079] In the following S21, the slave controller 30 determines whether the end time Te has been reached. If the end time Te has not been reached, the slave controller 30 determines "NO" in S21, returns to S20, and continues emitting the pseudo standard time radio wave. On the other hand, if the end time Te has been reached, the slave controller 30 determines "YES" in S21 and proceeds to S22. In S22, the slave controller 30 stops emitting the pseudo standard time radio wave and then enters a sleep state. When the processing of S22 is completed, the slave controller 30 repeats S11 and subsequent steps.

[0080] Thus, according to this embodiment, the radio-controlled clock repeater comprises a master unit 1 that transmits standard radio wave data as a time information signal according to standard time (standard time), and a slave unit 11 that receives the standard radio wave data from the master unit 1 and outputs a pseudo standard radio wave. The slave unit 11 comprises a wireless module 23 (slave unit side communication unit) that receives the time information signal from the master unit 1, a pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 that outputs a pseudo standard radio wave based on the time information signal, and a slave unit controller 30 (slave unit control means) that controls the wireless module 23 and the pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24. The slave unit controller 30 is connected to a slave unit RTC 21 that keeps time, and corrects the time kept by the slave unit RTC 21 based on the time information signal received by the wireless module 23.

[0081] In this case, slave unit 11 is mounted between the back of wall-mounted radio-controlled clock C and wall surface W so that it overlaps with the radio-controlled clock C. This positions slave unit 11 near radio-controlled clock C, so that slave unit 11 outputs a pseudo standard time signal, which can be delivered to radio-controlled clock C without being affected by the surrounding environment. Furthermore, slave unit controller 30 corrects the time kept by slave unit RTC 21 based on the time information signal from master unit 1. Therefore, even if an error occurs in the time kept by slave unit RTC 21 due to the surrounding environment such as temperature, the time error of slave unit RTC 21 can be reduced based on the time information signal from master unit 1.

[0082] Furthermore, radio waves with shorter wavelengths than standard radio waves (for example, radio waves in the 900 MHz band) are used for communication between the master unit 1 and the slave unit 11. Therefore, even if the master unit 1 and the slave unit 11 are placed in different rooms, communication between the master unit 1 and the slave unit 11 is possible. As a result, the slave unit 11 can receive a time information signal from the master unit 1 and output a pseudo standard radio wave based on the time information signal. Note that, although LPWA wireless communication is performed between the master unit 1 and the slave unit 11 in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, various types of wireless communication including Bluetooth (registered trademark), BLE, etc. may be performed between the master unit 1 and the slave unit 11.

[0083] Furthermore, since the slave unit 11 is powered by the power from the battery unit 22A, it does not need to be connected to a commercial power source. Therefore, the slave unit 11 can be used even in an environment where a commercial power source is not located near the wall-mounted radio-controlled clock C.

[0084] Slave unit controller 30 has a sleep state in which wireless module 23 and pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 are stopped, and an active state in which wireless module 23 and pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 are driven when the time kept by slave unit RTC 21 reaches a preset start date and time D11 (predetermined date and time). When in the active state, slave unit controller 30 corrects the time kept by slave unit RTC 21 based on the time information signal received by wireless module 23. This reduces the time error of slave unit 11, allowing slave unit 11 to operate at the same accurate time as master unit 1 as much as possible.

[0085] In addition, the slave controller 30 controls the wireless module 23 so that the wireless module 23 receives a time information signal from the master 1 after the start-up standby time has elapsed from the start-up date and time D11, and the slave controller 30 sets the subsequent start-up standby time to be shorter than before the time measured by the slave RTC 21 is corrected for the first time.

[0086] Therefore, even if there is an error between the time kept by the slave unit RTC 21 and the time kept by the master unit 1, the error can be tolerated by the startup reserve time, and communication can be established between the slave unit 11 and the master unit 1. Furthermore, the slave unit controller 30 sets the startup reserve time thereafter to a shorter time than before the first correction of the time kept by the slave unit RTC 21. Before the first correction of the time kept by the slave unit RTC 21, the magnitude of the time error of the slave unit RTC 21 is unknown. In contrast, after the first correction of the time kept by the slave unit RTC 21, the magnitude of the time error of the slave unit RTC 21 decreases compared to before the first correction, and can be suppressed to, for example, a maximum of several seconds. Therefore, even if the backup drive time of the slave unit 11 is set to a short time, communication can be established between the slave unit 11 and the master unit 1. As a result, the backup drive time of the slave unit 11 can be shortened, and power consumption of the slave unit 11 can be reduced.

[0087] The slave unit controller 30 enters an active state at predetermined intervals of one day to thirty days. This allows the slave unit 11 to enter a sleep state on days other than working days, thereby reducing power consumption. In the first embodiment, the slave unit 11 is activated every week, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the slave unit 11 may be activated every one to six days, or every seven to thirty days. The slave unit 11 is activated every appropriately set, taking into consideration the time accuracy of the radio-controlled clock C, the power consumption of the slave unit 11, and the like.

[0088] When a predetermined period has elapsed, the slave unit controller 30 causes the pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 to output a pseudo standard radio wave from a predetermined start time Ts to an end time Te during the night of the day. A radio-controlled clock C generally receives a standard radio wave at a predetermined time during the night and adjusts the time. For this reason, the start time Ts and end time Te are set so that the time at which the radio-controlled clock C receives the standard radio wave falls within the range from the start time Ts to the end time Te. This allows the radio-controlled clock C to receive the pseudo standard radio wave from the slave unit 11 and adjust the time. Note that if the radio-controlled clock C receives a standard radio wave during the day and adjusts the time, the start time Ts and end time Te may be set so that the pseudo standard radio wave is transmitted for that time.

[0089] When slave controller 30 enters the active state, it causes pseudo standard radio waves to be output from pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 based on the corrected time of slave RTC 21. Therefore, slave 11 corrects the time of slave RTC 21, and then outputs pseudo standard radio waves based on the corrected time. As a result, pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 can output pseudo standard radio waves based on the accurate corrected time, and the time of radio-controlled clock C can be synchronized with standard time with high accuracy.

[0090] The master unit 1 includes a master unit RTC 3 that keeps time, and a master unit controller 8 (master unit control means) connected to the master unit RTC 3. The master unit controller 8 acquires the time synchronized with the voltage waveform of the commercial AC power supply based on the periodicity of the voltage waveform from the commercial AC power supply, and corrects the time kept by the master unit RTC 3 every day (predetermined period) based on the acquired time.

[0091] This allows the time error of the master RTC 3 to be corrected based on the commercial AC power voltage waveform, even if the master RTC 3 is unable to obtain accurate time information via standard time signals, the Internet, or other sources.

[0092] Furthermore, because the slave unit 11 is attached to the back of the radio-controlled clock C, the pseudo standard time signal can be transmitted within a range of approximately 10 to 50 cm (e.g., 30 cm), making it possible to reduce the output of the pseudo standard time signal. As a result, the average current of the slave unit 11 can be reduced to, for example, 0.2 mA / h or less, and the frequency of battery replacement in the slave unit 11 can be reduced to, for example, about once per year.

[0093] The slave unit 11 is equipped with an adjuster mechanism 14 that can adjust the relative position of the slave unit 11 to the radio-controlled clock C along the vertical direction of the radio-controlled clock C. Therefore, when the slave unit 11 is placed on the back of the radio-controlled clock C, even if part of the slave unit 11 is exposed (protrudes) above or below the radio-controlled clock C, the relative position of the slave unit 11 to the radio-controlled clock C can be adjusted using the adjuster mechanism 14. This allows the whole or most of the slave unit 11 to be covered by the radio-controlled clock C, and the slave unit 11 can be hidden behind the radio-controlled clock C.

[0094] Moreover, slave unit 11 is equipped with a wireless module 23 (slave unit side communication unit) that receives the time information signal, and a pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 that has a coil 24B as an antenna and outputs a pseudo standard radio wave from coil 24B based on the standard radio wave data (time information signal), and adjuster mechanism 14 can adjust the position of coil 24B with respect to the vertical direction of radio-controlled clock C. Therefore, the relative positions of coil 24B of slave unit 11 and receiving antenna A of radio-controlled clock C can be adjusted so that the sensitivity of receiving antenna A of radio-controlled clock C when receiving the pseudo standard radio wave is increased.

[0095] The pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 includes a capacitor 24C electrically connected to a coil 24B, and the coil 24B and the capacitor 24C form a resonant circuit with a Q value of 40 kHz. Therefore, the pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 can efficiently emit a 40 kHz pseudo standard radio wave from the coil 24B with low power consumption.

[0096] The pseudo standard radio wave output unit 24 is not limited to outputting a 40 kHz pseudo standard radio wave, and may output a 60 kHz pseudo standard radio wave. In this case, the coil 24B and the capacitor 24C form a resonant circuit with a Q value of 60 kHz. The pseudo standard radio wave frequency may be selected to output either 40 kHz or 60 kHz.

[0097] The slave controller 30 causes the pseudo standard time signal output unit 24 to output a pseudo standard time signal at 40 kHz. This allows the pseudo standard time signal output unit 24 to output a pseudo standard time signal at 40 kHz every predetermined period. The slave controller 30 may also be configured to cause the pseudo standard time signal output unit 24 to output a pseudo standard time signal at 60 kHz.

[0098] Although the slave unit 11 is provided with an adjuster mechanism 14 that can adjust its position relative to the radio-controlled clock C in the vertical direction (up and down), the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the slave unit 11 is small enough to be hidden behind the radio-controlled clock C, and the radio-controlled clock C can receive the pseudo standard radio wave from the slave unit 11, the adjuster mechanism 14 may be omitted. In other words, the mounting fixture 14E may be fixed in a state where it cannot be displaced in the up and down direction.

[0099] Moreover, the slave unit 11 does not necessarily have to be placed on the back of the radio-controlled clock C, but may be placed anywhere near the radio-controlled clock C within the range where the pseudo standard radio wave can reach.

[0100] In the first embodiment, the pseudo standard radio wave transmission process of slave device 11 involves correcting the time of slave device RTC 21 and outputting a pseudo standard radio wave after acquiring a time information signal (standard radio wave data) from master device 1. The present invention is not limited to this, and in the pseudo standard radio wave transmission process of slave device 11, even if it is not possible to acquire a time information signal (standard radio wave data) from master device 1, slave device 11 may output a pseudo standard radio wave as long as the time of slave device RTC 21 has been corrected.

[0101] In this case, as in the pseudo standard time signal transmission process according to the modified example shown in FIG. 10, if the slave unit 11 cannot acquire the standard time signal data in S14, it determines "NO" in S14 and proceeds to S31. In S31, it determines whether the time of the slave unit RTC 21 has been corrected. If the time of the slave unit RTC 21 has been corrected, it determines "YES" in S31 and executes the process proceeding to S18. As a result, the slave unit 11 outputs the pseudo standard time signal based on the corrected time of the slave unit RTC 21. On the other hand, if the time of the slave unit RTC 21 has not been corrected, it determines "NO" in S31 and proceeds to S22. At this time, because there is a possibility that the time error of the slave unit RTC 21 is large, the slave unit 11 does not output the pseudo standard time signal, enters a sleep state, and waits until it can acquire a time information signal (standard time signal data) from the master unit 1 at the next startup date and time D11.

[0102] In the first embodiment, the slave device 11 corrects the time of the slave device RTC 21 and outputs the pseudo standard time signal on the same day. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the slave device RTC 21 may correct the time and output the pseudo standard time signal on different days.

[0103] 11 and 12 show a second embodiment. The second embodiment is characterized in that the wireless module of the slave device (slave device side communication unit) has a function of relaying communication between the master device and other slave devices. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0104] 11 and 12 illustrate an example in which the parent device 1 is connected to, for example, seven child devices 411 to 417. The child devices 411 to 417 according to the second embodiment are configured in substantially the same manner as the child device 11 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, each of the child devices 411 to 417 includes a wireless module 42 as a child device-side communication unit. However, the wireless module 42 has a function of relaying communication between the parent device 1 and the other child devices 411 to 417. In other words, the child devices 411 to 417 are capable of hop communication.

[0105] In FIG. 11, two slave devices 411 and 415 are directly connected to the base device 1. On the other hand, for example, slave device 412 is located in an area where radio waves from the wireless module 5 of the base device 1 cannot reach. Even in this case, the wireless module 42 of slave device 411, which is located in an area where radio waves can reach, relays the radio waves, allowing communication between slave device 412 and the base device 1. Furthermore, the wireless modules 42 of slave devices 411 and 412 relay the radio waves, allowing communication between slave devices 413 and 416 and the base device 1. The wireless modules 42 of slave devices 411 to 413 relay the radio waves, allowing communication between slave devices 414 and 417 and the base device 1.

[0106] Furthermore, the wireless modules 42 of the slave devices 411 to 417 have an automatic routing function that automatically searches for a communication path to the master device 1 and forms a communication network. Therefore, even if a problem occurs in the slave device 411, the remaining slave devices 412 to 417 can still be connected to the master device 1.

[0107] If a problem occurs in child device 411, the connection between child device 411 and child device 412 is cut off. At this time, the connection between parent device 1 and five child devices 412, 413, 414, 416, and 417 is also cut off. Even in this case, by using child device 415, which is directly connected to parent device 1, instead of child device 411, the connection between parent device 1 and five child devices 412, 413, 414, 416, and 417 can be restored (see FIG. 12).

[0108] Thus, the second embodiment can also achieve substantially the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the wireless modules 42 (slave-side communication units) of the slave devices 411 to 413 have a function of relaying communication between the master device 1 and the other slave devices 411 to 413. As a result, the range of applicable locations of the slave devices 411 to 413 that can be operated by one master device 1 can be expanded.

[0109] In the second embodiment, an example has been described in which seven slave devices 411 to 417 are connected to one master device 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. The number of slave devices connected to one master device may be two to six, or eight or more. Furthermore, if all of the slave devices 411 to 417 can be directly connected to the master device 1, the wireless module 42 may be one that does not have a relay function.

[0110] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and partial substitution or combination of the configurations shown in different embodiments is possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 1 base unit 3. Main unit real-time clock (main unit RTC) 5 Wireless module (parent device communication section) 8. Parent controller (parent control means) 11,411 to 417 handsets 12 Handset casing 13 Hook and Loop 14 Adjuster mechanism 21 Child Real Time Clock (Child RTC) 22 Power supply section 23, 42 Wireless module (child device communication unit) 24 Pseudo standard radio wave output section 25 Display section 26 Setting section 30 Child device controller (child device control means)

Claims

1. A radio-controlled clock repeater including a master unit that transmits a time information signal according to standard time, and a slave unit that receives the time information signal from the master unit and outputs a pseudo standard radio wave, The base unit and the slave unit communicate with each other using radio waves in the 900 MHz band. The slave unit is attached between the back surface of the wall-mounted radio-controlled clock and the wall surface so as to overlap the radio-controlled clock, The parent unit corrects the time based on the periodicity of the voltage waveform from the commercial AC power supply, and the child unit corrects the time based on the time information signal from the parent unit, The slave unit is a slave-side communication unit that receives the time information signal from the master unit; a pseudo standard time signal output unit that outputs the pseudo standard time signal based on the time information signal; a slave control means for controlling the slave communication unit and the pseudo standard radio wave output unit, The slave control means It is connected to a slave real-time clock that keeps time. A radio-controlled clock repeater characterized by comprising a slave time correction means for correcting the time kept by the slave real-time clock based on the time information signal received by the slave side communication unit.

2. the slave control means has a sleep state in which the slave communication unit and the pseudo standard radio wave output unit are stopped, and an active state in which the slave communication unit and the pseudo standard radio wave output unit are driven when the time measured by the slave real-time clock reaches a predetermined date and time, A radio-controlled clock repeater as described in claim 1, characterized in that when the active state is entered, the slave control means corrects the time measured by the slave real-time clock using the slave time correction means based on the time information signal received by the slave side communication unit.

3. the slave unit control means controls the slave unit communication unit so that the slave unit communication unit receives the time information signal from the master unit after a standby startup time has elapsed from the predetermined date and time; The radio-controlled clock repeater according to claim 2, characterized in that the slave control means sets the standby startup time thereafter to a shorter time than before the slave time correction means corrects the time measured by the slave real-time clock for the first time.

4. 3. The radio-controlled clock repeater according to claim 2, wherein the slave control means is set to the active state at predetermined intervals of one day to thirty days.

5. The radio-controlled clock repeater according to claim 2, characterized in that, when the slave control means enters the active state, it outputs the pseudo-standard radio wave from the pseudo-standard radio wave output unit based on the corrected time of the slave real-time clock.

6. The parent device is A parent real-time clock that keeps time; a master control means connected to the master real-time clock; The radio-controlled clock repeater of claim 1, characterized in that the parent unit control means acquires a time synchronized with the voltage waveform of the commercial AC power supply based on the periodicity of the voltage waveform from the commercial AC power supply, and corrects the time measured by the parent unit real-time clock at predetermined intervals based on this acquired time.

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