IP Library Granted Patent US 11,237,524
Granted Patent B2
US 11,237,524 · App. 16/135,600 · Granted Feb 1, 2022

Timepiece, electronic device, and method of determining illuminance of timepiece

Inventor: Kazuo Kato (Chiba, JP)
Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
G04C10/02G04G19/08G01J1/42G04C10/04H02S40/38
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,237,524
App. No.
16/135,600
Granted
Feb 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a timepiece including a solar cell that has a solar panel, a secondary battery that is charged from the solar cell, an overcharge prevention circuit that detects a charged state of the secondary battery, and a control unit that short-circuits the solar cell and determines that illuminance of light illuminating the solar panel is equal to or higher than predetermined illuminance in a case where the overcharge prevention circuit is detected to be in an overcharge state.

Claims (10)

1. A timepiece comprising:

a solar cell that has a solar panel;

a secondary battery that is charged from the solar cell;

an overcharge prevention circuit configured to detect a charged state of the secondary battery;

an illuminance detection circuit configured to detect, based on a voltage across end terminals of the solar panel, whether or not light illuminating the solar panel is equal to or higher than a predetermined illuminance, wherein the solar cell, the overcharge prevention circuit, and the illuminance detection circuit are connected in a parallel between a power source terminal and an earthed terminal; and

a control unit configured to short-circuit the solar cell upon determination by the overcharge prevention circuit that the secondary battery is close to being overcharged, wherein upon determination by the overcharge prevention circuit that the secondary battery is close to being overcharged, the control unit is configured to regard light illuminating the solar panel as being equal to or higher than the predetermined illuminance, whereas upon determination by the overcharge prevention circuit that the secondary battery is not close to being overcharged, the control unit is configured to cause the illuminance detection circuit to determine whether or not light illuminating the solar panel is equal to or higher than the predetermined illuminance.

2. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein upon determination by the overcharge prevention circuit that the secondary battery is not close to being overcharged, the control unit is configured to regard the light illuminating the solar panel as being equal to or higher than the predetermined illuminance when the illuminance detection circuit determines that the light illuminating the solar panel is equal to or higher than the predetermined illuminance, whereas upon determination by the overcharge prevention circuit that the secondary battery is not close to being overcharged, the control unit is configured to regard the light illuminating the solar panel as being smaller than the predetermined illuminance when the illuminance detection circuit determines that the light illuminating the solar panel is lower than the predetermined illuminance.

3. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein upon determination by the overcharge prevention circuit that the secondary battery is not close to being overcharged, the control unit is configured to regard the light illuminating the solar panel as being lower than the predetermined illuminance, whereas upon determination by the overcharge prevention circuit that the secondary battery is close to being overcharged, the control unit is configured to regard the light illuminating the solar panel as being equal to or higher than the predetermined illuminance.

4. The timepiece according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit, wherein the predetermined illuminance is illuminance for being able to supply electric power capable of driving the display unit.

5. An electronic device comprising the timepiece according to claim 1 .

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 Sep 19, 2018
From: KATO, KAZUO
To: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
Reel/Frame 046915/0236 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2017-181684 · Sep 21, 2017 · national
JP JP2018-170507 · Sep 12, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190086874A1 · Mar 21, 2019