Time adjustment device, timekeeping device with a time adjustment device, and time adjustment method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9639067-B2
Application number	US-201615080673-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2016
Priority date	Jan 20, 2011
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A timepiece can acquire time information in a short time, reduce power consumption, and display the correct time. A timepiece comprises a receiver to receive a satellite signal, and a time information generator to generate internal time information. The receiver runs a first reception process that acquires first information including week information from the satellite signal, a second reception process that acquires second information including leap second information from the satellite signal, or a third reception process that acquires third information including hour, minute and second information from the satellite signal. In the first reception timing, after the internal time information is initialized, the receiver runs the first reception process and runs the second reception process after running the first. In a next reception timing, after the first reception timing, the receiver runs the third reception process if the first and second information are acquired in the first reception timing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A timepiece comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a satellite signal; and
a time information generator configured to generate internal time information;
wherein the receiver is configured to run:
a first reception process that acquires first information including week information from the satellite signal,
a second reception process that acquires second information including leap second information from the satellite signal, or
a third reception process that acquires third information including hour, minute and second information from the satellite signal;

wherein, in a first reception timing, the receiver runs the first reception process and runs the second reception process after running the first reception process;
wherein, in a second reception timing, after the first reception timing, the receiver runs the third reception process if the first and second information are acquired in the first reception timing;
wherein the first reception process does not acquire leap second information; and
wherein the third reception process does not acquire week information.

2. The timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a time information adjustment unit configured to adjust the internal time information based on the week information, the leap second information, or the hour, minute and second information;
a storage configured to record that the internal time information was adjusted using the week information or the leap second information; and
a control circuit configured to control the receiver;
wherein the control circuit controls the receiver to run the first and second reception processes or the third reception process based on the record in the storage of how the internal time information was adjusted.

3. The timepiece described in claim 2 , wherein:
the storage is configured to record that the internal time information was not adjusted using the leap second information when the internal time information reaches a previously-set specific time.

4. The timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a time information adjustment unit configured to adjust the internal time information based on the week information, the leap second information, or the hour, minute and second information; and
a display configured to display time based on the internal time information;
wherein the displayed time is updated after running the second reception process when the second reception process was run after the first reception process was run.

5. The timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the first reception timing is after a system reset.

6. The timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the first reception timing after replacement of a battery.

7. The timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the control circuit controls the receiver to run when a specific reception time is reached.

8. The timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the control circuit controls the receiver to run by operating a crown or button.

9. The timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:
the control circuit controls the receiver to run by detecting a reception environment.

10. A method of operating a timepiece, the method comprising:
receiving a satellite signal;
generating internal time information; and
running:
a first reception process that acquires first information including week information from the satellite signal,
a second reception process that acquires second information including leap second information from the satellite signal, or
a third reception process that acquires third information including hour, minute and second information from the satellite signal;

wherein, in a first reception timing, the receiver runs the first reception process and runs the second reception process after running the first reception process;
wherein, in a second reception timing, after the first reception timing, the receiver runs the third reception process if the first and second information are acquired in the first reception timing;
wherein the first reception process does not acquire leap second information; and
wherein the third reception process does not acquire week information.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Baba Norimitsu

Classifications

• G04R20/04 Primary

  Tuning or receiving; Circuits therefor · CPC title

• G04G21/00

  Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces · CPC title

• G04R20/18

  Decoding time data; Circuits therefor · CPC title

• G04C9/02

  brought into action by radio transmission · CPC title