IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,249,441
Granted Patent B2
US 11,249,441 · App. 16/429,602 · Granted Feb 15, 2022

Electronically controlled mechanical timepiece, control method of an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece, and electronic timepiece

Inventor: Yutaka Yamazaki (Okaya, JP)
G04B17/22G01K7/203G04C3/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,249,441
App. No.
16/429,602
Granted
Feb 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a timepiece having a temperature compensator drivable by a low voltage with low current consumption, and a control method of a timepiece. The timepiece includes an arithmetic circuit, a first switch that controls connection of a temperature compensation table storage to a power supply circuit, and a second switch that controls connection of a device-difference compensation data storage to the power supply circuit. The arithmetic circuit calculates a compensation amount based on a temperature measured by a temperature detector, a temperature compensation data, a device-difference compensation data, and outputs to a frequency adjustment control circuit and a theoretical regulation circuit. The first switch is controlled to the connect state during a first power supply connection period including a temperature compensation data read period. The second switch is controlled to the connect state during a second power supply connection period including a device-difference compensation data read period.

Claims (81)

1. An electronically controlled mechanical timepiece comprising:

a mechanical energy source;

a generator including a rotor driven by the mechanical energy source;

a power supply circuit configured to store electrical energy generated by the generator;

an energy transfer mechanism configured to transfer torque from the mechanical energy source to the rotor;

a time display device connected to the energy transfer mechanism and configured to display time;

a crystal oscillator; and

a rotation controller configured to control rotation of the rotor and including:

an oscillation circuit that causes the crystal oscillator to oscillate,

a frequency divider that frequency divides an oscillation signal output from the oscillation circuit and outputs a reference signal,

a temperature compensator configured to compensate for variation in the reference signal due to temperature,

a rotation detection circuit configured to measure the rotational frequency of the rotor, and

a brake control circuit configured to control braking the rotor according to a difference between the rotational frequency of the rotor and a frequency of the reference signal;

the temperature compensator including

a frequency adjustment control circuit configured to control the oscillation circuit,

a theoretical regulation circuit configured to control the frequency divider,

a temperature detector configured to measure temperature,

an arithmetic circuit,

temperature compensation table storage in which temperature compensation data common to another electronically controlled mechanical timepiece is stored,

device-difference compensation data storage in which device-difference compensation data based on a characteristic of the crystal oscillator is stored,

a first switch configured to control connection and disconnection of the temperature compensation table storage to the power supply circuit, and

a second switch configured to control connection and disconnection of the device-difference compensation data storage to the power supply circuit;

the arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a compensation amount based on a measured temperature detected by the temperature detector, the temperature compensation data, and the device-difference compensation data, and output to the frequency adjustment control circuit and the theoretical regulation circuit;

the first switch controlled to a connect state during a first power supply connection period including a temperature compensation data read period when the temperature compensation data is read from the temperature compensation table storage, and to a disconnect state when not in the first power supply connection period; and

the second switch controlled to a connect state during a second power supply connection period including a device-difference compensation data read period when the device-difference compensation data is read from the device-difference compensation data storage, and to a disconnect state when not in the second power supply connection period.

2. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:

the rotation controller includes a constant voltage circuit;

the oscillation circuit, frequency divider, brake control circuit, temperature compensator, frequency adjustment control circuit, arithmetic circuit, and temperature detector are driven by a constant voltage output from the constant voltage circuit; and

the temperature compensation table storage and device-difference compensation data storage are driven by a power source other than the constant voltage circuit.

3. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:

the temperature measurement period when the temperature detector operates, the temperature compensation data read period, and the device-difference compensation data read period are set to different times.

4. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:

the rotation controller is configured by an IC manufactured in an SOI process; and

the device-difference compensation data storage is configured by FAMOS.

5. The electronically controlled mechanical timepiece described in claim 1 , wherein:

the temperature detector is configured by a RC oscillator circuit driven by a constant current.

6. A control method of an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece including a mechanical energy source;

a generator including a rotor driven by the mechanical energy source;

a power supply circuit configured to store electrical energy generated by the generator;

an energy transfer mechanism configured to transfer torque from the mechanical energy source to the rotor;

a time display device connected to the energy transfer mechanism and configured to display time;

a crystal oscillator; and

a rotation controller configured to control rotation of the rotor and including

an oscillation circuit that causes the crystal oscillator to oscillate,

a frequency divider that frequency divides an oscillation signal output from the oscillation circuit and outputs a reference signal,

a temperature compensator configured to compensate for variation in the reference signal due to temperature,

a rotation detection circuit configured to measure the rotational frequency of the rotor, and

a brake control circuit configured to control braking the rotor according to a difference between the rotational frequency of the rotor and a frequency of the reference signal;

the temperature compensator including a temperature detector configured to measure temperature,

temperature compensation table storage in which temperature compensation data common to electronically controlled mechanical timepieces is stored,

device-difference compensation data storage in which device-difference compensation data specific to an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece is stored,

a first switch configured to control connection and disconnection of the temperature compensation table storage to the power supply circuit, and

a second switch configured to control connection and disconnection of the device-difference compensation data storage to the power supply circuit;

the control method comprising:

a step of operating the temperature detector to measure temperature;

a step of setting the first switch to a connect state, reading the temperature compensation data from the temperature compensation table storage, and setting the first switch to a disconnect state;

a step of setting the second switch to a connect state, reading the device-difference compensation data from the device-difference compensation data storage, and setting the second switch to a disconnect state;

a step of calculating a compensation amount based on a measured temperature, the temperature compensation data, and the device-difference compensation data;

a step of controlling the oscillation circuit according to the compensation; and

a step of controlling the frequency divider according to the compensation.

7. An electronic timepiece comprising:

a time display device configured to display time;

a crystal oscillator;

a power supply circuit;

an oscillation circuit that causes the crystal oscillator to oscillate;

a frequency divider that frequency divides an oscillation signal output from the oscillation circuit and outputs a reference signal; and

a temperature compensator configured to compensate for variation in the reference signal due to temperature, and including

a frequency adjustment control circuit configured to control the oscillation circuit,

a theoretical regulation circuit configured to control the frequency divider,

a temperature detector configured to measure temperature,

an arithmetic circuit,

temperature compensation table storage in which temperature compensation data common to another electronic timepiece is stored,

device-difference compensation data storage in which device-difference compensation data based on a characteristic of the crystal oscillator is stored,

a first switch configured to control connection and disconnection of the temperature compensation table storage to the power supply circuit, and

a second switch configured to control connection and disconnection of the device-difference compensation data storage to the power supply circuit;

the arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a compensation amount based on a measured temperature detected by the temperature detector, the temperature compensation data, and the device-difference compensation data, and output to the frequency adjustment control circuit and the theoretical regulation circuit;

the first switch controlled to a connect state during a first power supply connection period including a temperature compensation data read period when at least the temperature compensation data is read from the temperature compensation table storage, and to a disconnect state when not in the first power supply connection period; and

the second switch controlled to a connect state during a second power supply connection period including a device-difference compensation data read period when at least the device-difference compensation data is read from the device-difference compensation data storage, and to a disconnect state when not in the second power supply connection period.

8. The electronic timepiece described in claim 7 , further comprising:

a constant voltage circuit that drives the oscillation circuit by a constant voltage;

the temperature compensation table storage and device-difference compensation data storage being driven by a power source other than the constant voltage circuit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2019
From: YAMAZAKI, YUTAKA
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049347/0784 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2018-106871 · Jun 4, 2018 · national
JP JP2019-008520 · Jan 22, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190369560A1 · Dec 5, 2019