Electronic Timepiece Leap Second Display Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic timepieces require a lengthy standby period to receive leap second information, causing users to wait before they can check corrected time, as the information is transmitted at intervals of 12.5 minutes, leading to an undesirable delay in time correction.
Innovation Solution
An electronic timepiece with a display control section that allows displaying corrected time using received time information before acquiring leap second information, including a timing section for acquiring time information, a leap second acquisition section for acquiring leap second information, and a display control section that informs users of impending leap second information reception through standby indicators, enabling quick time checking without waiting for leap second reception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the electronic timepiece waits to receive leap second information before displaying corrected time, then time accuracy is improved, but the time required to display corrected time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic timepiece performs preliminary time correction using time information received from satellite signals before leap second information is available. The time correction section corrects internal time information based on time information acquired by the timing section, allowing the display to show corrected time immediately rather than waiting for leap second information.
Solution Approach 2:
The time correction process is segmented into two independent sections: a time correction section that operates continuously using time information, and a leap second correction section that operates when leap second information is available. This segmentation allows the time display to be updated immediately with available corrections while maintaining the option to apply additional leap second corrections later.
2Reliability
If the electronic timepiece continuously monitors for leap second information, then reception reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The leap second acquisition section operates periodically rather than continuously, activating only when specific conditions are met (when no leap second information is stored or when current time falls within semiannual leap second reception periods). This periodic operation maintains reception reliability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the already-acquired time information from the timing section to determine when to activate the leap second acquisition section. By leveraging existing time data to trigger leap second reception only when necessary, the system achieves reliable leap second information acquisition while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption from continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic timepiece includes a display section, a display control section, a reception section, a clock section, a timing section, a leap second acquisition section, a time correction section that corrects internal time information by using time information acquired by the timing section, and a leap second correction section that corrects the internal time information by using leap second information acquired by the leap second acquisition section. In a case where the operation of the timing section is followed by the operation of the leap second acquisition section, the time correction section corrects the internal time information by using the time information acquired by the timing section, and the display control section causes the display section to display, before the leap second acquisition section acquires the leap second information, time based on the internal time information corrected by the time correction section.