Rotation detecting apparatus and electronic timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11327445-B2
Application number	US-201916589194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2019
Priority date	Oct 2, 2018
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A rotation detecting apparatus includes a rotating member, detectors regarding a rotating direction of the rotating member, and a predetermined unit. Each detector detects whether a predetermined standard direction is included in detecting ranges different for each rotating member and outputs a result. The predetermined unit combines the detection result output from each detector and extracts an angle range. The predetermined unit specifies the rotating direction of the rotating member based on changes in the angle ranges extracted a plurality of times occurring in the plurality of times. The detecting range corresponding to each of the plurality of detectors is determined to be able to identify relative positions before and after a change from the angle range extracted by the predetermined unit to the angle range that is clockwise or counterclockwise apart a predetermined number or less to the angle range extracted, the predetermined number being two or more.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotation detecting apparatus comprising:
a rotating member configured to rotate around a predetermined axis according to an operation from outside;
a plurality of detectors,
wherein at each of a plurality of output timings, each of the plurality of detectors is configured to output a bit having one of a first value and a second value,
wherein the first value of the each of the plurality of detectors represents two or more possible angular ranges in which the rotating member is rotated, and the second value of the each of the plurality of detectors represents two or more other possible angular ranges in which the rotating member is rotated,
wherein the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of one of the plurality of detectors is different from the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of another of the plurality of detectors,
wherein the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the one of the plurality of detectors is different from the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the another of the plurality of detectors, and
wherein each of a plurality of combinations of the bits of the plurality of detectors identifies one of a plurality of angle ranges in which the rotating member belong, respectively;

a processor configured to:
at a first of the plurality of output timings, acquire one of the plurality of combinations of the bits identifying one of the plurality of angle ranges and at a second of the plurality of output timings, acquire another of the plurality of combinations of the bits identifying another of the plurality of angle ranges; and
specify a rotating direction of the rotating member based on a change in the one of the plurality of angle ranges and the another of the plurality of the angle ranges identified by the one of the plurality of combinations and the another of the plurality of combinations.

2. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is configured to the detecting range corresponding to each of the plurality of detectors is determined to be able to identify relative positions of the rotating member before and after the change in the one of the plurality of angle ranges and the another of the plurality of the angle ranges.

3. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the change in the one of the plurality of angle ranges and the another of the plurality of angle ranges represent a first angle difference having a first size in a first direction and a second angle difference having a second size in a second direction, and
wherein the processor is configured to:
in a case where the first size of the first angle difference is smaller than the second size of the second angle difference, specify the first direction as the rotating direction; and
in a case where the second size of the second angle difference is smaller than the first size of the first angle difference, specify the second direction as the rotating direction.

4. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the change in the one of the plurality of angle ranges and the another of the plurality of angle ranges represent a first angle difference having a first size in a first direction and a second angle difference having a second size in a second direction, and
wherein the processor is configured to:
in a case where the first size of the first angle difference is a predetermined standard difference or smaller, specify the first direction as the rotating direction; and
in a case where the second size of the second angle difference is the predetermined standard difference or smaller, specify the second direction as the rotating direction.

5. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a portion of adjacent angular ranges between the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the one of the plurality of detectors and the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of another of the plurality of detectors overlap on each other, and
wherein a portion of adjacent angular ranges between the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the one of the plurality of detectors and the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the another of the plurality of detectors overlap on each other.

6. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein a portion of adjacent angular ranges between the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the one of the plurality of detectors and the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of another of the plurality of detectors overlap on each other, and
wherein a portion of adjacent angular ranges between the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the one of the plurality of detectors and the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the another of the plurality of detectors overlap on each other.

7. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein a portion of adjacent angular ranges between the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the one of the plurality of detectors and the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of another of the plurality of detectors overlap on each other, and
wherein a portion of adjacent angular ranges between the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the one of the plurality of detectors and the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the another of the plurality of detectors overlap on each other.

8. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the one of the plurality of detectors and each of the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the another of the plurality of detectors are equal in size.

9. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein each of the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the one of the plurality of detectors and each of the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the another of the plurality of detectors are equal in size.

10. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein each of the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the one of the plurality of detectors and each of the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the another of the plurality of detectors are equal in size.

11. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the one of the plurality of detectors and the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the one of the plurality of detectors are provided by dividing a plurality of positions in one rotation of the rotating member.

12. The rotation detecting apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the first value of the one of the plurality of detectors and the two or more possible angular ranges represented by the second value of the one of the plurality of detectors are provided by dividing a plurality of positions in one rotation of the rotating member.

13. The rotation detecting apparatus according to

Assignees

• Casio Computer Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kato Atsushi
• Minakuchi Mototaka
• Shiratori Chiharu

Classifications

• G04C9/00 Primary

  Electrically-actuated devices for setting the time-indicating means (of secondary clocks G04C13/03) · CPC title

• G01P13/04

  Indicating positive or negative direction of a linear movement or clockwise or anti-clockwise direction of a rotational movement · CPC title

• G04C3/146

  incorporating two or more stepping motors or rotors · CPC title

• G01P13/02

  Indicating direction only, e.g. by weather vane · CPC title

• G04C3/007 Primary

  Electromechanical contact-making and breaking devices acting as pulse generators for setting · CPC title