Electronic timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317847-B2
Application number	US-201715448941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Mar 23, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

An electronic timepiece includes: a latch unit that latches and outputs specification data designating a specification in accordance with a latch signal; a signal output unit that outputs one of a plurality of driving signals including driving pulses at different periods based on the specification data output from the latch unit; a driving unit that drives a motor based on the driving signal output from the signal output unit; and a control unit that generates the latch signal so that the latch signal has at least an active level at a timing before generation of each driving pulse in the driving signal with a shortest period of the driving pulse among the plurality of driving signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic timepiece comprising:
a control unit that generates a latch signal and a criterion signal;
a latch unit that latches and outputs specification data designating a specification in accordance with the latch signal;
a signal output unit that (i) receives a plurality of driving signals in accordance with the criterion signal as received from the control unit and (ii) selectively outputs, from among the plurality of driving signals, one of the plurality of driving signals including driving pulses at different periods based on the specification data output from the latch unit; and
a driving unit that drives a motor based on the driving signal output from the signal output unit; and
wherein the control unit generates the latch signal so that the latch signal has at least an active level at a timing before generation of each driving pulse of the driving signal with a shortest period of the driving pulse among the plurality of driving signals.

2. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage unit that stores the specification data,
wherein the latch unit latches the specification data read from the storage unit.

3. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a setting terminal with which one of a plurality of voltages is supplied,
wherein the latch unit latches and outputs the specification data according to the voltage of the setting terminal in accordance with the latch signal.

4. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1 ,
wherein the driving pulse includes a plurality of sub-pulses, and
wherein the control unit sets the latch signal to the active level during a period of the sub-pulses occurring in succession.

5. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control unit generates the latch signal so that the latch signal has the active level at a timing before generation of the driving pulses of each of the plurality of driving signals.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Shirao Akira

Classifications

• G04G5/00

  Setting, i.e. correcting or changing, the time-indication (radio-controlled time-pieces G04R) · CPC title

• G04G3/00 Primary

  Producing timing pulses (driving circuits for stepping motors G04C3/14; producing preselected time intervals for use as timing standards G04F5/00; pulse technique in general H03K; control, synchronisation, or stabilisation of generators in general H03L) · CPC title

• G04C3/14 Primary

  incorporating a stepping motor (G04C3/02 - G04C3/12 take precedence {; generating commutating pulses in primary clocks G04C13/0463}) · CPC title

• G04C3/143

  Means to reduce power consumption by reducing pulse width or amplitude and related problems, e.g. detection of unwanted or missing step · CPC title