Electronic Watch Controller Voltage Threshold Segmentation

Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic watches face usability issues when battery voltage drops, causing immediate shifts to power saving mode during fast-forward hand movements in normal mode, disrupting normal hand movement operations.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a controller that switches to power saving mode when battery voltage falls below a second threshold value during modification mode operations, while maintaining the normal mode until voltage drops below a first threshold value, allowing continued modification operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If a single voltage threshold value is used for switching to power saving mode, then power consumption is reduced when battery voltage drops, but modification operations cannot be performed when voltage is between normal and fast-forward reference values

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidmodification operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The voltage threshold is segmented into two distinct values: a first voltage threshold for time display mode and a second voltage threshold for modification mode. This segmentation allows the system to apply different threshold criteria depending on the operational context, enabling modification operations to continue until the second (lower) threshold is reached, while still switching to power saving mode when the first (higher) threshold is exceeded during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The voltage threshold dynamically changes based on the operational mode. When in time display mode, the first voltage threshold applies; when in modification mode, the second voltage threshold applies. This dynamic adjustment of the threshold parameter allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements, maintaining usability during modification operations while ensuring power saving when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Use of energy by moving object

If the power saving mode is shifted to when battery voltage is greater than normal reference value and less than or equal to fast-forward reference value during fast-forward operation, then power consumption is reduced, but hand movement modification cannot be completed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidhand movement modification

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The voltage threshold is segmented into two distinct values: a first voltage threshold for time display mode and a second voltage threshold for modification mode. This segmentation allows the system to apply different threshold criteria depending on the operational context, enabling modification operations to continue until the second (lower) threshold is reached, while still switching to power saving mode when the first (higher) threshold is exceeded during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The voltage threshold dynamically changes based on the operational mode. When in time display mode, the first voltage threshold applies; when in modification mode, the second voltage threshold applies. This dynamic adjustment of the threshold parameter allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements, maintaining usability during modification operations while ensuring power saving when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If a higher voltage threshold is used to ensure modification operations can be performed, then usability is improved, but power consumption increases when battery voltage drops

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveusabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The voltage threshold is segmented into two distinct values: a first voltage threshold for time display mode and a second voltage threshold for modification mode. This segmentation allows the system to apply different threshold criteria depending on the operational context, enabling modification operations to continue until the second (lower) threshold is reached, while still switching to power saving mode when the first (higher) threshold is exceeded during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The voltage threshold dynamically changes based on the operational mode. When in time display mode, the first voltage threshold applies; when in modification mode, the second voltage threshold applies. This dynamic adjustment of the threshold parameter allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements, maintaining usability during modification operations while ensuring power saving when appropriate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12050437B2Electronic watch

Publication Date: 2024.07.30 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

The electronic watch includes a controller configured to perform switching between a time display mode which displays a time, a modification mode in which at least one of hands is moved in accordance with an operation of the operation device, and a power saving mode which consumes less power than in the time display mode by stopping at least one of the hands. The controller switches to the power saving mode when a battery voltage is detected to be less than a first voltage threshold value while the time display mode is performed, and switches to the power saving mode when the battery voltage to be less than a second voltage threshold value which is lower than the first voltage threshold value while the modification mode is performed.