Electronic timepiece, communication device, and communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9998226-B2
Application number	US-201615158935-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	May 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A control circuit sets a detection period D 1 in which the control circuit detects an output value of a solar cell and receives an optical signal, and charging periods C 1 , C 2 in which a storage battery can be charged, during a reception period for receiving a data signal of transmission data transmitted from a communication target; controls a charging control circuit to disconnect the solar cell and the storage battery, and causes a detection circuit to detect the output value of the solar cell, during the detection period D 1 ; and controls the charging control circuit to connect the solar cell and the storage battery during the charging periods C 1 , C 2.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic timepiece comprising:
a solar cell that receives light and generates power;
a detection circuit configured to detect an output value of the solar cell;
a storage battery charged by power generated by the solar cell;
a charging control circuit configured to connect and disconnect the solar cell and the storage battery; and
a control circuit configured to control the detection circuit and the charging control circuit,
set a detection period in which the control circuit detects the output value of the solar cell and receives an optical signal, and a charging period in which the storage battery can be charged, during a reception period for receiving a data signal of transmission data transmitted from a communication target,
control the charging control circuit to disconnect the solar cell and the storage battery, and cause the detection circuit to detect the output value of the solar cell, during the detection period, and
control the charging control circuit to connect the solar cell and the storage battery during the charging period.

2. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmission coil, and
a coil drive circuit configured to drive the transmission coil;
wherein the control circuit controls the coil drive circuit to transmit a data request signal requesting transmission of the data signal by electromagnetic coupling, and
the reception period is a period after the data request signal is transmitted and until the next data request signal is transmitted.

3. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising:
the data signal is transmitted one bit at a time from the communication target; and
the control circuit sets the detection period and the charging period in each reception period receiving the data signal of one bit.

4. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a data signal storage configured to store the received data signal;
wherein each time one block of data signals is received, the control circuit stores the received one block of data signals, and
controls the charging control circuit to connect the solar cell and the storage battery while storing the one block of data signals to the data signal storage.

5. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a data signal storage configured to store the received data signal;
wherein each time one block of data signals is received, the control circuit stores the received one block of data signals, and
controls the charging control circuit to connect the solar cell and the storage battery during a specific time before or after storing the one block of data signals to the data signal storage.

6. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery voltage detection circuit configured to detect the battery voltage of the storage battery;
wherein if the value detected by the battery voltage detection circuit is greater than or equal to a threshold in the charging period, the control circuit controls the charging control circuit to disconnect the solar cell and the storage battery.

7. The electronic timepiece described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery voltage detection circuit configured to detect the battery voltage of the storage battery;
wherein the control circuit sets the length of the reception period and the charging period according to the value detected by the battery voltage detection circuit.

8. A communication system comprising an electronic timepiece and a communication device;
the electronic timepiece including a solar cell that receives light and generates power;
a detection circuit configured to detect an output value of the solar cell;
a storage battery charged by power generated by the solar cell;
a charging control circuit configured to connect and disconnect the solar cell and the storage battery; and
a control circuit configured to control the detection circuit and the charging control circuit,
set a detection period in which the control circuit detects the output value of the solar cell and receives an optical signal, and a charging period in which the storage battery can be charged, during a reception period for receiving a data signal of transmission data transmitted from a communication device,
control the charging control circuit to disconnect the solar cell and the storage battery, and cause the detection circuit to detect the output value of the solar cell, during the detection period, and
control the charging control circuit to connect the solar cell and the storage battery during the charging period; and

the communication device including a light-emitting device configured to emit light;
a light-emitting device drive circuit configured to drive the light-emitting device; and
a device-side transmission controller configured to control the light-emitting device drive circuit and transmit the data signal by light by changing the emission state of the light-emitting device according to the value of the data signal of the transmission data,
the device-side transmission controller maintaining the emission state of the light-emitting device in the state corresponding to the value of the data signal during a period in the reception period that includes the detection period and is longer than the detection period.

9. The communication system described in claim 8 , wherein:
a first signal and a second signal of different values are included as the data signals in the transmission data; and
the device-side transmission controller executes an evaluation process determining whether the first signals or the second signals contained in the transmission data are most numerous;
causes the light-emitting device to emit if the data signal is the first signal, and turns the light-emitting device off if the data signal is the second signal, when the number of first signals is greater than the number of second signals; and
turns the light-emitting device off if the data signal is the first signal, and causes the light-emitting device to emit if the data signal is the second signal, when the number of second signals is greater than the number of first signals; and

the control circuit of the electronic timepiece receives the first signals and the second signals according to result of the evaluation process.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Baba Norimitsu

Classifications

• H02J7/62

  against overcurrent · CPC title

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J7/663

  using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G04G21/04

  using radio waves (radio-controlled time-pieces G04R) · CPC title

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title