Radio-controlled timepiece and method of controlling radio-controlled timepiece

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12554231-B2
Application number	US-202318467183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2023
Priority date	Sep 15, 2022
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A radio-controlled timepiece includes a first oscillating unit configured to oscillate at a first frequency and output a clock signal, a receiving unit including a second oscillating unit and configured to receive radio waves including time information, frequency of the second oscillating unit being less temperature-dependent than that of the first oscillating unit and the second oscillating unit being configured to oscillate at a second frequency and output a clock signal, a control unit configured to calculate temperature compensation data for the first oscillating unit based on an oscillation frequency of the first oscillating unit obtained using, as a reference, the clock signal output from the second oscillating unit and on the temperature data acquired by a temperature acquiring unit, and a storage unit configured to store the temperature compensation data. The control unit performs temperature compensation for the first oscillating unit based on the temperature compensation data and the temperature data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A radio-controlled timepiece comprising:
a first oscillating unit configured to oscillate at a first frequency and output a first clock signal; a time measuring unit configured to operate using, as a first reference signal the first clock signal; a receiving unit including a second oscillating unit and configured to receive radio waves including time information, a second frequency of the second oscillating unit being less temperature-dependent than that of the first oscillating unit and the second oscillating unit being configured to oscillate at the second frequency and output a second clock signal; a temperature acquiring unit configured to acquire temperature data; a control unit configured to calculate temperature compensation data for the first oscillating unit based on an oscillation frequency of the first oscillating unit obtained using, as a second reference signal, the second clock signal output from the second oscillating unit and on the temperature data acquired by the temperature acquiring unit; and a storage unit configured to store the temperature compensation data calculated, wherein the control unit performs temperature compensation for the first oscillating unit, based on the temperature compensation data stored in the storage unit and the temperature data acquired by the temperature acquiring unit.

2 . The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein
the radio waves are radio waves transmitted from a positioning satellite.

3 . The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit includes a temperature compensation data generation mode under which the temperature compensation data is calculated in a state where the second oscillating unit operates and an operation of at least part, of the receiving unit, not involved in the outputting of the second clock signal from the second oscillating unit is stopped.

4 . The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 3 , further comprising
an indication unit configured to indicate that the temperature compensation data generation mode is active.

5 . The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit performs the temperature compensation at an interval shorter than an interval at which an automatic reception operation of activating the receiving unit and acquiring the time information is performed, the automatic reception operation be performed on satisfaction of a predetermined automatic reception condition.

6 . The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit changes an interval at which the temperature compensation for the first oscillating unit is performed, depending on whether the reception of the time information by the receiving unit succeeds or fails.

7 . A control method for a radio-controlled timepiece, the radio-controlled timepiece including:
a first oscillating unit configured to oscillate at a first frequency and output a first clock signal, a time measuring unit configured to operate using, as a first reference signal, the first clock signal, a receiving unit including a second oscillating unit and configured to receive radio waves including time information, a second frequency of the second oscillating unit being less temperature-dependent than that of the first oscillating unit and the second oscillating unit being configured to oscillate at the second frequency and output a second clock signal, a temperature acquiring unit configured to acquire temperature data, and a storage unit configured to store temperature compensation data, the control method comprising: causing at least part of the receiving unit including the second oscillating unit to operate to output the second clock signal from the second oscillating unit; measuring an oscillation frequency of the first oscillating unit using, as a second reference signal, the second clock signal output from the second oscillating unit; activating the temperature acquiring unit and measuring the temperature data; calculating the temperature compensation data for the first oscillating unit based on the oscillation frequency of the first oscillating unit and the temperature data; and storing the temperature compensation data in the storage unit.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Fujisawa Teruhiko

Classifications

• H03H9/1021

  the BAW device being of the cantilever type · CPC title

• H03H9/21

  Crystal tuning forks · CPC title

• H03B5/04

  Modifications of generator to compensate for variations in physical values, e.g. power supply, load, temperature · CPC title

• H03B5/36

  active element in amplifier being semiconductor device ({H03B5/323, H03B5/326} , H03B5/38 take precedence) · CPC title

• G04G3/04

  Temperature-compensating arrangements · CPC title