IP Library Granted Patent US 10,831,158
Granted Patent B2
US 10,831,158 · App. 15/933,850 · Granted Nov 10, 2020

Timepiece, motor control device, control method of timepiece, and motor control method

Inventor: Kazumi Sakumoto (Chiba, JP)
Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
G04C9/08G04C3/14G04C3/143G04C3/146G04C99/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,831,158
App. No.
15/933,850
Granted
Nov 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A timepiece includes a motor control unit driving a motor for driving an indicating hand, based on an instruction signal, and a control unit receiving an instruction confirmation signal corresponding to a drive state of the motor in response to the instruction signal from the motor control unit, and determining whether or not the motor is driven in accordance with the instruction signal, based on the instruction confirmation signal.

Claims (33)

1. A timepiece comprising:

a motor control unit driving a motor for driving an indicating hand, based on an instruction signal; and

a control unit receiving an instruction confirmation signal corresponding to a drive state of the motor in response to the instruction signal from the motor control unit, and determining whether or not the motor is driven in accordance with the instruction signal, based on the instruction confirmation signal,

wherein the motor control unit includes a motor drive state determination circuit determining the drive state of the motor, and an instruction confirmation circuit generating an instruction confirmation signal,

wherein in a case where the motor is driven and the instruction signal is input to the motor, the instruction confirmation circuit generates a first instruction confirmation signal,

wherein in a case where the motor is not driven and the instruction signal is input to the motor, or in a case where the motor is driven or is not driven and the instruction signal is not input to the motor, the instruction confirmation circuit generates a second instruction confirmation signal, and

wherein in a case where the control unit receives the first instruction confirmation signal, the control unit determines that the motor is not driven in accordance with the instruction signal.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1 ,

wherein the motor control unit drives a plurality of the motors,

wherein the instruction signal is a command for driving a plurality of the motors, and wherein the motor control unit generates the instruction confirmation signal corresponding to each drive state of a plurality of the motors in response to the instruction signal.

3. The timepiece according to claim 1 ,

wherein the motor control unit drives a plurality of the motors,

wherein the instruction signal is a command for driving the plurality of motors, and

wherein the motor control unit includes a motor drive state determination circuit determining the drive state of the motor, and an instruction confirmation circuit generating an instruction confirmation signal,

wherein in a case where the motors are driven and the instruction signal is input to any one motor of a plurality of the motors, the instruction confirmation circuit generates a first instruction confirmation signal,

wherein in a case where the motors are not driven and the instruction signal is input to all motors of a plurality of the motors, or in a case where at least one of the motors is driven or is not driven and the instruction signal is not input to the motor, the instruction confirmation circuit generates a second instruction confirmation signal, and

wherein in a case where the control unit receives the first instruction confirmation signal, the control unit determines that at least one of a plurality of the motors is not driven due to the command.

4. The timepiece according to claim 1 ,

wherein the instruction signal includes information relating to a type of the motor to be driven and a direction for driving the indicating hand, and

wherein at least one of the control unit and the motor control unit includes a drive pulse generation circuit that sets a drive frequency so as to vary depending on any one of the type of the motor and the direction for driving the indicating hand.

5. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the motor control unit is included in a support body separate from the control unit and detachably attached to the timepiece.

6. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the instruction confirmation signal is connected via a single wire connected to the control unit and the motor control unit.

7. The timepiece according to claim 1 ,

wherein the control unit outputs a gate signal allowing the instruction signal, and

wherein the motor control unit generates the instruction confirmation signal in response to at least one of a start time and an end time of the gate signal.

8. A motor control device comprising:

a motor drive state determination circuit determining a drive state of a motor; and

an instruction confirmation circuit generating an instruction confirmation signal indicating a state where the motor is driven based on an instruction signal,

wherein in a case where the motor is driven and the instruction signal is input to the motor, the instruction confirmation circuit generates a first reception confirmation signal, and

wherein in a case where the motor is not driven and the instruction signal is input to the motor, or in a case where the motor is driven or is not driven and the instruction signal is not input to the motor, the instruction confirmation circuit generates a second reception confirmation signal.

9. A motor control method of a motor control device including a motor drive state determination circuit determining a drive state of a motor, and an instruction confirmation circuit generating an instruction confirmation signal indicating a state where the motor is driven based on an instruction signal, the method comprising:

causing the instruction confirmation circuit to generate a first reception confirmation signal, in a case where the motor is driven and the instruction signal is input to the motor; and

causing the instruction confirmation circuit to generate a second reception confirmation signal, in a case where the motor is not driven and the instruction signal is input to the motor, or in a case where the motor is driven or is not driven and the instruction signal is not input to the motor.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Oct 17, 2024
From: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
To: SEIKO WATCH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 069183/0051 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2018
From: SAKUMOTO, KAZUMI
To: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
Reel/Frame 045332/0026 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2017-076636 · Apr 7, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180292790A1 · Oct 11, 2018