Electronic Watch Hand Positioning for Reception State Clarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic watches do not clearly distinguish between reception inhibition and reception result states, leading to user confusion about whether the watch is actively receiving satellite signals.
Innovation Solution
An electronic watch with a reception circuit, a hand, an operation device, a storage unit, a display controller, and a reception controller that sets switchable reception permission and inhibition states. The watch displays reception results and states using the same hand, preventing user misunderstanding by indicating different positions for reception success, failure, and inhibition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the same hand is used to display both reception inhibition state and reception result, then the device complexity is reduced, but the user may misunderstand the current reception state
Solution Approach 1:
The dial is divided into distinct positional zones: a first position for reception success, a second position for reception failure, and a third position for reception inhibition. By segmenting the display space into clearly separated positions, the patent enables a single hand to indicate multiple different states without user confusion, as each state corresponds to a uniquely identifiable location on the dial.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the dial are assigned different meanings based on their positions. The first position indicates reception success, the second position indicates reception failure, and the third position indicates reception inhibition. This local differentiation of meaning across spatial positions allows the same hand to convey multiple distinct information states through its position alone.
2Reliability
If additional buttons are added to clearly indicate reception inhibition state, then the state indication clarity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing operation buttons are designed to serve multiple functions. The same buttons that control hand movement for displaying reception results also control the display of reception inhibition state. This multi-functionality allows the patent to provide clear state indication without adding dedicated buttons, as the existing buttons can indicate both reception results and inhibition states through different hand positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the indication functions for reception results and reception inhibition state into a single display mechanism. By combining these functions and using the same hand position system to indicate both types of information, the patent eliminates the need for separate control buttons, thereby maintaining device simplicity while ensuring clear state differentiation.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic watch includes a reception circuit configured to receive a radio wave, a hand, an operation device, a storage unit configured to store a reception result of whether reception by the reception circuit succeeds or fails, and a reception controller configured to switchably set a reception permission state where reception is permitted and a reception inhibition state where reception is inhibited, wherein when first operation of the operation device is performed, the hand indicates a first position in a case in which the reception permission state is set and a reception result stored in the storage unit is a success, indicates a second position in a case in which the reception permission state is set and a reception result stored in the storage unit is a failure, and indicates a third position in a case in which the reception inhibition state is set.