JP2008139167A - Timepiece - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To significantly improve greatly handleability of a timepiece having various functions. <P>SOLUTION: A multifunctional timepiece 1, having functions for alarm setting or electric wave correction, is equipped with a dial display panel 4 as a display part capable of displaying function information, and thereby can fully display a concrete operation explanation or functional information, such as operation state/setting state on the dial display panel 4. As a result, a user can easily operate relative to various functions and can easily understand the state of operation or setting. Namely, since careful reading of instruction manual or being accustomedness to the operation is not required, handleability of the multifunctional timepiece 1 be made to improve can be significantly. High convenience is also realized, since the time display which is a main function of the timepiece 1 is performed continuously on the dial display panel 4, from normal state through state of functional display. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a timepiece.

Conventionally, multifunctional clocks such as sensor clocks, alarm chronograph clocks, radio clocks, etc. are known, and their display formats are broadly divided into analog display systems using hands and digital display systems using liquid crystal panels. The As an example of the multifunction timepiece, Patent Document 1 discloses an analog display type radio wave correction timepiece.
Here, in the case of an analog display type, a second hand or the like may be used to indicate a predetermined state of a clock function. The predetermined state includes, for example, a radio wave reception state in a radio timepiece. In the analog display type radio wave correction timepiece shown in FIG. 19, the second hand stops when the radio wave reception state is indicated, and the second hand indicates the current second. To “Y” indicating the successful reception of radio waves or “N” indicating the failure.

On the other hand, in the digital display type, status indications such as alarm settings are simply displayed with characters and symbols at the edges and corners of the display panel.
Further, in the case of the digital display type, as shown in FIG. 20, the screen is switched from the normal state where the date, day of the week, and time are displayed ((A) of FIG. 20) to the alarm setting mode screen by button operation ( In FIG. 20 (B)), a setting operation may be performed on this alarm setting dedicated screen.

JP 2006-153652 A

A conventional multi-function timepiece has a problem that there is a small amount of information that can be expressed regarding its function, regardless of whether it is an analog type or a digital type. For this reason, it is not possible to display specific information sufficient to explain the function operation and state, and it is difficult for the user to understand the operation method of the function and the setting state of the function. In addition, with a special new function that is different from the conventional one, there is a possibility that it may be misunderstood that the new function cannot be fully used and the meaning of the operation state is unknown.
In addition, regarding a normal clock function such as time adjustment, since a specific operation procedure cannot be displayed, there is a possibility that time adjustment at the time of battery replacement cannot be performed.

Furthermore, when performing a function operation in the digital display type, when the normal time display screen is switched to a setting screen without time display, the time is not displayed until the operation is completed, and can also be expressed on the setting screen. There was a limit to the amount of information.
In the example of FIG. 20 (B), the alarm setting time is known, but the alarm resetting and canceling operations correspond to the buttons attached to the case around the display panel unless the instruction manual is read. You can only rely on simple explanations such as “ADJUST” and “RESET”.
In addition, if the entire display screen is switched as shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B, the user loses sight of the operation status and does not know what to operate next, or thinks that it is an abnormal operation. There was a possibility.
In other words, there is an inconvenience in that it is necessary to read the instruction manual (manual) or to memorize the operation and status each time the functions of the watch are operated and the settings and status are confirmed. It was.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to greatly improve the usability of a timepiece having various functions.

  A timepiece according to the present invention includes a timekeeping unit for timing, a function operation unit for performing an operation related to the performance of a predetermined function, timekeeping information obtained by the timekeeping unit, operation information for operation of the function operation unit, and the function operation unit. A display unit configured to be able to display function information including at least one of state information indicating a state, and the normal state in which the timing information is displayed and the function information are displayed as the state. The time display information is displayed on the display unit even during the function display state.

According to the present invention, the display unit capable of displaying the function information is provided, and the function information such as the specific operation explanation and the operation state / setting state can be sufficiently displayed on the display unit. It is possible to easily perform the operation without performing the operation, and it is possible to easily understand the state of operation and setting. In other words, since it is not necessary to read through the instruction manual and become familiar with the operation, the usability of a watch equipped with various functions can be greatly improved.
In addition to this, even in the function display state, it is possible to continuously display timekeeping information (display of time etc.), which is the main function of the watch, so when displaying the operating state and setting state and various setting operations Convenience can be improved compared to the conventional case where the time display must be stopped.

Here, the display format of the timekeeping information may be an analog display type provided with a pointer and a dial, a digital display type using numbers or the like, or a digital display type expressing the pointer.
On the other hand, the display format of the function information is configured as a digital display system using various display panels such as a liquid crystal panel (LCD) and an organic EL (electro-luminescence) display in addition to an electrophoretic display described later.

The operation information includes, for example, a time / calendar setting operation, an alarm setting operation, a world time setting operation, a radio wave reception and pointer correction operation on a radio clock, a communication operation on a clock with a communication function, and a sensor clock. These include temperature / humidity measurement operations, and enumeration and selection of these various functions.
On the other hand, status information includes, for example, current time and calendar, alarm setting time, world time, radio wave reception result, current radio wave strength level, data reception result and transmission result, current temperature and humidity, etc. .

  A timepiece according to the present invention includes a timekeeping unit for timing, a function operation unit for performing an operation related to the performance of a predetermined function, timekeeping information obtained by the timekeeping unit, operation information for operation of the function operation unit, and the function operation unit. A display unit configured to be able to display functional information including at least one of state information indicating a state, and the timekeeping information includes display by one or more hands, and at least one or more The pointer is used both for indicating a predetermined state of the functional operation unit by the functional operation unit by a position indicated by the pointer and for indicating the time information. The display unit is configured by the instruction position of the pointer. When the predetermined state is shown, an explanation of the predetermined state is displayed as the state information.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide the display unit capable of displaying the function information, and when the predetermined state is indicated by the pointer, it is possible to display a sufficient explanation about the indicated position of the pointer on the display unit. This makes it easy to understand the operating state, the setting state, and the like indicated by the pointer without being confused by the pointing position of the pointer different from the current time. That is, it becomes unnecessary to read the instruction manual carefully, and there is no possibility of misunderstanding that it is an abnormal operation, so that the usability can be greatly improved.

  In the timepiece of the present invention, it is preferable that the timepiece information includes a pointer and a dial, and the display unit is a display panel as the dial.

  According to the present invention, in the function display state, the function information can be displayed on substantially the entire surface of the display panel that also serves as a dial. Therefore, the amount of information that can be displayed on the display unit of the watch whose screen size is restricted is reduced. It becomes possible to increase. As a result, more sufficient operation explanation, state explanation, and the like can be realized.

  In the timepiece of the present invention, the display unit is a dot matrix type electrophoretic display in which a transistor is used for each dot, and at least the functional information among the timing information and the functional information is stored in the electrophoretic display. Preferably it is displayed.

According to this invention, since the electrophoretic display is higher in contrast than a liquid crystal panel or the like, the visibility of the function information can be increased.
In addition, even with the same dot matrix method, the amount of information was insufficient due to the low contrast of liquid crystal panels, etc., whereas in the present invention, the display performance of this dot matrix method and the high contrast of the electrophoretic display As a result of this, it is possible to display clear characters and figures even if they are small on the display portion of a watch with a limited screen size. As a result, the amount of information that can be displayed on the display unit can be remarkably increased, and the functional information can be enriched in the contents of explanation, so that the usability of the watch can be further improved.
Since the dot matrix method is used, the position and shape of information display are not limited, and the information display position can be arbitrarily laid out within the display area of the display, so that the function information is easy to see and understand.
The electrophoretic display switches between display and non-display on the display surface by applying a voltage between a pair of substrates and moving the electrophoretic particles. When no voltage is applied, the electrophoretic particles Remains at that position and the display state by the particles is maintained. In addition, when this display state is maintained for a long time, a so-called refresh process for returning particles to an appropriate position by applying a voltage may be performed at an appropriate time interval. Since the retention when the display is not switched is high, power saving can be achieved.

  In the timepiece of the present invention, the display unit is configured as a display panel configured to display the time information and the function information, and the display area of the time information shifts from the normal state to the function display state. It is preferable that the function information is displayed in a predetermined area excluding an area where the time information is displayed on the display panel.

  According to this invention, the display size of the time information in the normal state can be increased to increase the visibility of the time information, and the function information display area can be increased without being affected by the time information display area in the normal state. It is possible to arrange the display unit at an easily viewable position.

  Although the display screen is switched when shifting from the normal state to the function display state, the display of the timing information remains on the screen in the function display state unlike the case where the entire display unit is switched to the dedicated screen. For this reason, it can be easily understood that the function display state is different from the normal state, and the user is not confused in the function information display state.

  In the timepiece of the present invention, the timekeeping information and the function information are each displayed in a non-overlapping area on the display unit, and the area in which the function information is displayed is used for information display even in the normal state. Preferably it is possible.

According to the present invention, the display area for timing information and the display area for function information are divided into different areas on the display unit, so that the screen layout can be easily viewed. Here, the display format of the time information may be an analog display type or a digital display type. When the timing information is digital display, the timing information display area and the function information display area may be configured as separate display panels, or the display on the same display panel may be partitioned. Also good.
In addition, in the normal state, various information such as timekeeping information different from the timekeeping information displayed through the normal state and the function display state, such as calendar information, alarm setting information, and timer time display, are displayed in the function information display area. Since it can be displayed, a large amount of information can be displayed in a normal state.
In addition, since the display mode of timing information does not differ in a normal state and a function display state, this point may lead to ease of use.

  In the timepiece of the present invention, it is preferable that a dedicated member for performing an operation of displaying the function information on the display unit is provided.

According to the present invention, if the dedicated member is touched, the function information is displayed without fail, and access to the target function information is facilitated. Therefore, an intuitive and quick operation can be performed regarding the operation of the function.
The displayed function information may be appropriately hidden after a predetermined time has elapsed since the user's operation or after the operation is completed.
The dedicated member can be arbitrarily configured such as a push button, a lever, a dial, and other members capable of both pressing and rotating operations.

Here, the function information includes, for example, a list of functions, a setting state, an operation state, an operation method, a function description, and the like, and may be configured to display a plurality of pieces of information.
In addition, as function information, a menu consisting of items such as a function name list / function details, description of each function, and specific operations related to each function (for example, confirmation, change, release, setting) is configured in a hierarchy, It is also possible to display the same hierarchy for each series. In this way, you can intuitively select the setting information that you want to display by operating the dedicated member multiple times and the items you want to perform, and you can guide to the target function information, so read the instruction manual etc. Is no longer necessary. Such operation guidance based on the hierarchical menu is made possible by incorporating a control unit equipped with a predetermined algorithm into the functional operation unit.

  In the timepiece of the present invention, it is preferable that in the function display state, both the state information and the operation information corresponding to the state are displayed on the display unit.

  According to the present invention, the state information indicating the current state and the operation information that can be operated in the current state are displayed, and while confirming the state information indicating the current state, an appropriate operation is ensured. Therefore, the operability is greatly improved.

  In the timepiece of the present invention, it is preferable that an operation member for operating the functional operation unit is provided, and when the operation member can be operated, an operation description of the operation member is displayed as the operation information.

According to the present invention, in a configuration in which an operation member such as a push button is provided, it is possible to complete a desired operation by operating the operation member while referring to the operation description displayed on the display unit. Become. This greatly improves usability.
Here, since the number of operation members such as buttons that can be provided on the timepiece is usually limited, in a multi-function timepiece, each of the limited operation members must have a plurality of functions. Since the operation description of the operation member is displayed in a timely manner when the operation can be performed, even if a plurality of functions are given to one operation member, the user is not confused.

  According to the present invention, even a watch having many functions and special functions can be easily operated with almost no instruction manual.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
In addition, regarding the description after the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted or simplified.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a wristwatch 1 of the present embodiment. The timepiece 1 is an electronic timepiece with a radio wave correction function that receives a standard radio wave and corrects the time based on time information included in the standard radio wave, and also has an alarm function.
The timepiece 1 includes an analog quartz movement 2 (shown by a broken line in FIG. 1) provided with a control circuit board, an antenna for receiving a standard radio wave, a driving wheel train, a power source, and the like, and a case 3 for housing the movement 2. .
The timekeeping unit in the timepiece 1 includes a crystal oscillation circuit and a frequency dividing circuit mounted on a control circuit board in the movement 2, and performs operations related to performing predetermined functions such as a time display function and a radio wave correction function of the timepiece 1. The functional operation unit to be performed includes a control circuit board and an antenna.

  A dial display panel 4 is provided at a position corresponding to the opening of the case 3, and the dial display panel 4, the hour hand 51, the minute hand 52, and the hands 5 of the second hand 53 allow analog display time display. Done. Here, the display unit of the timepiece 1 of the present embodiment is constituted by the dial display panel 4 and the hands 5.

  A crown 6 and a plurality of operation buttons (operation members) 7, 8 and 9 are provided on the side surface of the case 3, and an operation guide or the like is provided below the dial display panel 4 on the surface of the case 3. An operation guide button 10 as a dedicated member to be displayed is provided.

The dial display panel 4 is a dot matrix type display panel that also serves as a dial for displaying timekeeping information and can display various types of information in any shape in any shape. In the present embodiment, the dial display panel Has been.
A scale indicated by the pointer 5 is displayed on the outer periphery of the dial display panel 4.

  Although not shown in detail, the dial display panel 4 is configured by providing an electrophoretic layer between opposing substrates.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the electrophoretic layer 22 in the dial display panel 4.
The electrophoretic layer 22 is formed by densely arranging a large number of microcapsules 22A, and each microcapsule 22A is filled with an electrophoretic particle dispersion liquid 220 in which a large number of charged particles are dispersed. In the electrophoretic particle dispersion liquid 220, black electrophoretic particles (hereinafter referred to as black particles) 221 and white electrophoretic particles (hereinafter referred to as white particles) 222 are dispersed. In the present embodiment, two-color powders are dispersed. A fluid type electrophoretic layer is formed. The black particles 221 and the white particles 222 are charged with different polarities. In this embodiment, the black particles 221 are charged positively (positive) and the white particles 222 are charged negatively (negatively).

  That is, the segment electrode 201 formed on the display substrate of the dial display panel 4 has a low level potential (L potential), and the common electrode 202 formed on the transparent substrate of the dial display panel 4 has a high level potential (H potential). ), An electric field from the common electrode 202 toward the segment electrode 201 is generated due to the potential difference, the positively charged black particles 221 move to the segment electrode 201 side, and the negatively charged white particles 222 become the common electrode 202 side. Move to.

  Contrary to the white display, when the segment electrode 201 is set to a high level potential (H potential) and the common electrode 202 is switched to a low level potential (L potential), the direction of the electric field is reversed, and the dial display panel The display in 4 is black.

Further, by adjusting the amount of movement of the black particles 221 and the white particles 222 according to the voltage application time, the applied voltage, etc., it is possible to display an intermediate color with a color gradation between black and white.
When the application of the electric field is stopped, the movement of the black particles 221 and the white particles 222 is also stopped, and the display color is maintained as it is.

The timepiece 1 of the present embodiment has a normal state in which the normal time is displayed and a function display state relating to operations of various functions provided in the timepiece 1. In addition, there is a pointer position correction state in which the indicated position of the pointer 5 is corrected based on the time information of the received radio wave, but the description thereof will be omitted.
In the normal state, as shown in FIG. 1, the time is displayed as timekeeping information by the pointer 5 and the dial display panel 4. At this time, a calendar or the like may be displayed on the dial display panel 4.

3 and 4 show the function display state of the timepiece 1.
The dial display panel 4 displays information related to radio wave reception such as “receive”, and a ▲ (black triangle) mark is displayed near the operation button 8 necessary for calling up detailed information regarding this reception. ing. When the operation button 8 pointed to by this ▲ (black triangle) is pressed, menus such as “radio wave intensity” and “previous reception result” are displayed. For example, if the “previous reception result” menu is selected, the message content “radio wave reception failure” indicating the radio wave reception failure is displayed. This message is displayed as function information (specifically, state information) indicating the operation state of the radio wave correction function.

FIG. 4 shows another function display state of the timepiece 1. When the operation guidance button 10 is pressed in the normal state of FIG. 1, the function display state as shown in FIG. 4 is entered, and the function information (status information and operation information) of the alarm function is displayed on the dial display panel 4. .
That is, the dial display panel 4 has a function name “ALARM”, setting state information “9:00 am”, and operation information “change”, “cancel”, and “?”, Respectively. It is displayed as function information of the alarm function.

Each time the operation button 8 is pressed, the display selection is switched between “change”, “cancel”, and “? (Meaning help display)” as operation information, and the operation to be performed is displayed and selected. When the operation guidance button 10 is pressed, instead of displaying “change”, “cancel”, and “?”, The procedure by the operation buttons 7 and 8 for each selected operation is changed to a dial as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the display panel 4.
The operation procedure using the operation buttons 7 and 8 is a position where the user can easily understand the operation, such as an area where “change”, “cancel”, and “?” Are displayed in FIG. 4 and the vicinity of the operation buttons 7 and 8. Displayed on

  Here, in the function display state of FIG. 4, the hour hand 51, the minute hand 52, and the second hand 53 indicate the current hour, minute, and second, respectively, as in the normal state. That is, the hand movement is not stopped.

  In FIG. 4, when only the alarm setting time is confirmed and the setting change such as change or release is not performed, the function information is not displayed after a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation guide button 10 was pressed, and the normal state of FIG. Return to. When changing or canceling, the normal state is restored after the operation is completed.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The multifunction timepiece 1 having an alarm setting function and a radio wave correction function includes a dial display panel 4 as a display unit capable of displaying function information. And function information such as operation status and setting status can be sufficiently displayed. Thereby, the user can easily operate various functions, and can easily understand the state of operation and setting. That is, since it is not necessary to read the manual carefully and to become familiar with the operation, the usability of the multifunction timepiece 1 can be greatly improved.

(2) Even when the normal state shown in FIG. 1 is shifted to the function display state shown in FIG. 4, the time display which is the main function of the timepiece 1 can be continuously performed.

(3) Since the dial plate display panel 4 also serves as a dial plate, the function information can be displayed on substantially the entire surface of the dial plate display panel 4 in the function display state of FIGS. As a result, the amount of information that can be displayed on the dial display panel 4 having a relatively small size can be increased due to the limitation of the clock screen size.

(4) Since the dial plate display panel 4 is a high-contrast electrophoretic display, the visibility of functional information can be increased.
The dial display panel 4 is a dot matrix type electrophoretic display, and can display clear characters and figures even if it is small. As a result, the amount of information that can be displayed is remarkably increased, and the functional information can be enriched in the contents of explanation, so the usability of the watch can be further improved.

(5) Since the dedicated operation guidance button 10 for displaying the operation guidance is provided, the function information is surely displayed when the operation guidance button 10 is touched, and access to the target function information is facilitated. That is, an intuitive and quick operation is possible regarding the operation of the function of the timepiece 1 such as the alarm setting.

(6) On the dial display panel 4, for the operable buttons among the operation buttons 7-9, the operation description of the operation buttons 7-9 is displayed. Therefore, the operation buttons 7-9 are referred to with reference to the operation description. The desired operation can be completed by operating. That is, in the multi-function timepiece 11, a plurality of functions are given to the operation buttons 7 to 9, which can prevent the user from being confused by the operation. In other words, each function of the multifunction timepiece 1 can be operated by a limited number of operation buttons 7-9.

(7) Names of these operation buttons 7 to 9 (in the above example, “switch”, “+”, “−”, etc.) are displayed on the dial display panel 4 in the vicinity of each of the operation buttons 7-9. Since it is displayed in a timely manner according to the contents of the operation to be performed, it is easy to understand the button operation, and the name (for example, “RESET”, “ADJUST”, etc.) around the dial display panel 4 and the operation buttons 7 to 9 Since there is no need to add a mark, the design can be improved.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 6 is an external view of the timepiece 11 of the present embodiment. The timepiece 11 is a digital display type and is equipped with a number of functions to be described later.
The timepiece 11 includes a digital quartz movement 12 (indicated by a broken line in FIG. 6) provided with a control circuit board, an antenna, a battery, etc., a case 3 for housing the movement 12, and an electrophoretic display panel 14 as a display unit. It has.
An IC is mounted on the control circuit board, and this IC is configured to be able to execute an algorithm that realizes a display of a function display unit 142, which will be described later, and an operation using an operation button.

  Note that the timekeeping unit in the timepiece 11 is configured to include a crystal oscillation circuit and a frequency dividing circuit mounted on the control circuit board in the movement 12, as in the timepiece 1 of the first embodiment. A functional operation unit that performs operations related to the performance of predetermined functions such as a radio wave correction function and the like includes a control circuit board and an antenna.

  A plurality of operation buttons (operation members) 16 to 19 are provided on the side surface of the case 3, and an operation guide button as a dedicated member for displaying an operation guide or the like below the display panel 14 on the surface of the case 3. 20 is provided.

The display panel 14 is configured in the same manner as the dial plate display panel 4 of the first embodiment, and is disposed at a position corresponding to the entire surface of the case 3 opening.
The display area of the display panel 14 is divided into a time display unit 141 that displays time, hour, minute, and second as timekeeping information, and a function display unit 142 that displays function information in the function display state.

Here, FIG. 6 shows a normal state of the timepiece 11. In the present embodiment, alarm setting time information and the like are displayed on the function display unit 142 in the normal state. When the operation guide button 20 is pressed in this state, the state of the timepiece 11 shifts to the function display state. Even in the function display state, the time display unit 141 displays the time in the same manner as in the normal state.
7 to 14 show function display states in which various types of function information are displayed on the function display unit 142.

  FIG. 7 shows a state when the operation guidance button 20 is pressed once. Function list information (function list) such as “ALARM”, “communication”, “calendar”,. ) Is displayed. Here, the function display unit 142 displays a selection display D1 indicating the currently selected item among the items of the list and a scroll display D2 indicating the position of the currently selected item in the entire list. By pressing 17 and 19 respectively, the currently selected item in the list changes, so that an item that is not currently displayed on the function display unit 142 can be selected.

Hereinafter, the function information displayed on the function display part 142 for every function with which the timepiece 11 is provided is demonstrated.
FIG. 8 shows a state where the operation guidance button 20 is pressed when the item “ALARM” is selected in the function list as shown in FIG.
The function display unit 142 displays “ALARM”, which is a function name, and a description of a setting state such as an alarm time (see FIG. 6) if an alarm is set, for example. ing.

Next, when the operation guidance button 20 is pressed again, the display changes as shown in FIG. 9, and a list of operations that can be operated with respect to alarm setting is displayed on the function display unit 142. In the present embodiment, a plurality of alarm settings are possible, and “target operation 1” and “target operation 2” shown in FIG. 9 are specifically “alarm-1 setting change”, “ALARM-2 setting change”, etc. are displayed.
In such a target operation list, the alarm setting item to be operated can be selected from the list by the selection display D1 and the scroll display D2.

  When the operation guidance button 20 is further pressed, the display changes as shown in FIG. 10, and the operation procedure guidance corresponding to the operation selected in FIG. 9 is displayed. The operation procedure guidance is configured to be displayed on the function display unit 142 when the operation method using the operation buttons 16 to 19 and the operation guidance button 20 is timely (sequentially).

For example, when “ALARM-1” is selected in the list of FIG. 9, the function display unit 142 of FIG. 10 displays the current set time as the status information and “select the operation to be performed” as the operation information. Please select with the button "," Select "located near the operation button 17, operation choices such as" Change time "," OFF "," Delete "and selection display of this choice. Each is displayed.
Then, when “change time” is selected by operating the operation button 17, the time at the current set time is displayed in a blinking manner, and for example, “the blinking number is changed with the + − button. Hours, minutes, seconds, Press the switch button to switch between AM and PM, press the confirm button to confirm the setting change, and press the cancel button to cancel the operation. "+", "-", "Switch"",""Cancel", and "Confirm" are displayed on the function display unit 142, and the operations indicated by these displays are assigned to any one of the operation buttons 16 to 19 and the operation guide button 20.

Similarly to the above alarm setting, the other functions of the watch 11 are operated according to the display on the function display unit 142, whereby the next operation options and operation methods are sequentially displayed, and the operation can be completed.
That is, when “communication” is selected on the screen of FIG. 7, “state explanation” as communication status information and “next operation guidance” as operation information as shown in FIG. Based on these pieces of information, operations such as confirmation of communication setting status and operation status, data reception / transmission, and the like can be performed.
When “calendar” is selected on the screen of FIG. 7, the function display unit 142 displays “state explanation” as calendar state information and “next operation guidance” as operation information as shown in FIG. Based on this information, the setting state of the calendar can be confirmed and changed.
Similarly, FIG. 13 shows a case where “battery status” is selected in FIG. 7, and FIG. 14 shows a case where “world clock” is selected in FIG. 7. Are displayed on the function display unit 142, and based on these pieces of information, it is possible to check the status relating to the selected operation and perform the operation.
As for the correction of the current time displayed on the time display unit 141, the operation guide is displayed on the function display unit 142 when the operation guide button 20 is pressed and an item for time correction is selected from the function list. According to this operation guide, the correction operation can be completed in substantially the same procedure as the alarm time setting.

According to the second embodiment described above, in addition to substantially the same effects as (1), (2), and (4) to (7) of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(8) Since the display panel 14 is divided into the time display unit 141 for displaying the time and the function display unit 142 for displaying the function information, the screen layout can be easily viewed.
In addition, since the function display unit 142 can be used for displaying various information such as alarm setting information or calendar display in the normal state, a large amount of information can be displayed on the display panel 14 in the normal state. It becomes.

(9) As the function information displayed on the function display unit 142, a menu including a function name list, function details, description of each function, and specific operation items related to each function is hierarchically configured. Therefore, each item can be intuitively selected by operating the operation guidance button 20. Therefore, it is possible to guide to the target function information, and it is unnecessary to read the instruction manual or the like.

(10) In the function display state, since both the state explanation and the operation explanation corresponding to the state are displayed on the function display unit 142, it is possible to surely perform an appropriate operation while checking the current state. Therefore, the operability is greatly improved.

[Modification of Second Embodiment]
FIG. 15 shows a modification of the above-described second embodiment. That is, the time display unit 141 of the clock 11 ′ displays the time by a pointer display instead of a number. This pointer display is a digital display in which the pointer is expressed by each dot of the display panel 14.
That is, on the dot matrix type display panel 14, various displays are possible by each dot.
Note that the time display in the time display unit 141 of the timepiece 11 described above may be configured so that the mode can be switched between the display shown in FIG. 15 and the display shown in FIG.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 16 is an external view of the timepiece 21 of the present embodiment, and shows a normal state of the timepiece 21.
The timepiece 21 includes a display panel 24 that is an electrophoretic display, and the time is displayed over almost the entire surface of the display panel 24 by a digital display in which hands, dials, and the like are expressed by dots. ing.

When the operation guidance button 20 is pressed in the normal state of FIG. 16, the function display state of FIG. 17 is obtained.
In this function display state, the display area of the display panel 24 is divided into a time display unit 241 and a function display unit 242.
In the time display unit 241, the time is displayed in such a manner that the time display displayed on the entire display panel 24 in the normal state is reduced. That is, the area where the time information is displayed on the display panel 24 is narrowed when the normal state is shifted to the function display state.

  The function display unit 242 displays function information regarding the states and operations of various functions provided in the clock 21, and is configured to be guided to a target operation by the operation of the operation guide button 20 or the operation buttons 16-19. Yes.

According to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the effects substantially the same as those described above.
(11) The display area of the time information displayed on substantially the entire surface of the display panel 24 in the normal state is approximately half the size in the function display state. In the present embodiment, the time information display area in the normal state and the function information display area in the function display state are configured to overlap. With such a configuration, the display size of the time information in the normal state can be increased to increase the visibility, and the function display that is the display area of the function information is not affected by the display area of the time information in the normal state. The part 242 can be arranged at a position where the display panel 24 is easy to see.

  In the present embodiment, the pointer and the dial are displayed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the time may be digitally displayed as a number. In short, the size of the area where the time information is displayed. May be configured to become narrower when shifting from the normal state to the function display state.

Next, FIG. 18 shows a timepiece according to a modification of the present invention.
FIG. 18 is a function display state showing the reception result of the standard radio wave. The reception of the standard radio wave is automatically performed at a predetermined time, or is forcibly performed by operating the operation buttons 7 to 9.
In the state of FIG. 18, symbols “Y” and “N” indicating the success or failure of radio wave reception, and “H” and “L” indicating the radio wave strength level are displayed on the outer periphery of the dial display panel 4. It is displayed.
The second hand 53 in this timepiece is used for both the display of the second and the display of the radio wave reception result. In FIG. 18, the indicated position of the second hand 53 is the position “N” indicating the radio wave reception failure. That is, the reception result of the standard radio wave is received, and the second hand 53 moves from the position indicating the current second to the position “Y” or “N” by the driving wheel train.

When the radio wave reception result is indicated by the second hand 53 as described above, the message content “radio wave reception failure” indicating the radio wave reception failure is displayed on the dial plate display panel 4 in the same manner as the indication position of the second hand 53. ing. This message is displayed as function information (specifically, state information) indicating the operation state of the radio wave correction function. In this way, the same content as that indicated by the indication position of the second hand 53 is also displayed on the dial plate display panel 4.
Further, in the vicinity of the operation button 8 on the dial plate display panel 4, an operation explanation is displayed by a character “return to original” and a display of ▲ (black triangle).

In this modification, the following effects are obtained.
(12) When a predetermined state such as a radio wave reception result is indicated by the second hand 53, a sufficient explanation about the indicated position of the second hand 53 is provided to the dial display panel 4. Even if the meaning is not known, the user is not confused. That is, it can be easily understood that the operation of the second hand 53 is not a failure, and the indicated position of the second hand 53 means a reception result. Furthermore, since the operation explanation for returning from the function display state to the normal state is also provided to the dial plate display panel 4, the convenience can be further improved.

(13) Since the second hand 53 is also used for displaying information such as a radio wave reception result, even if the amount of information to be displayed is large relative to the size of the area where the function information is displayed, the second hand 53 It is possible to express information by combining the indicated position and the display on the dial display panel 4. As a result, information can be reliably transmitted to the user.
(14) Further, in the timepiece of the present embodiment, since the second hand 53 can use an existing analog display movement that is also used for displaying information such as a radio wave reception result, it is possible to reduce design and manufacturing costs. Become.

  In addition, although the wristwatch was shown as said each embodiment, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention can be applied not only to this but a pocket watch, a clock, etc.

Although the best configuration, method and the like for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed in the above description, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the invention has been illustrated and described primarily with respect to particular embodiments, but may be configured for the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art in terms of materials, quantity, and other detailed configurations.
Therefore, the description limited to the shape, material, etc. disclosed above is an example for easy understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. The description by the name of the member which remove | excluded the limitation of one part or all of such restrictions is included in this invention.

  The present invention can be used for various devices having a clock function, such as a diving computer, in addition to a clock.

1 is an external view (normal state) of a timepiece according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The schematic diagram which shows the electrophoresis layer of a display panel. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The external view (normal state) of the timepiece which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the modification of the said timepiece (normal state). The external view (normal state) of the timepiece which is 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the function display state of the said timepiece. The figure which shows the timepiece in the modification of this invention. The figure which shows a prior art example. The figure which shows a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

1, 11, 11 ', 21 ... Clock, 2, 12 ... Movement (including functional operation unit), 4 ... Dial display panel (display unit), 5 ... Hand, 6-9 , 16 to 19 ... operation buttons (operation members), 10, 20 ... operation guidance buttons (dedicated members), 14, 24 ... display panel, 141 ... time display unit, 142 ... function Display unit, 241... Time display unit, 242... Function display unit.

Claims (9)

A timekeeping section for timing,
A function operation unit that performs an operation related to the performance of a predetermined function;
A display unit configured to be able to display timekeeping information obtained by the timekeeping unit, operation information related to operation of the functional operation unit, and functional information including state information indicating a state of the functional operation unit; With
As its state, it has a normal state in which the timing information is displayed, and a function display state in which the function information is displayed,
The timepiece information is displayed on the display unit even during the function display state. A timekeeping section for timing,
A function operation unit that performs an operation related to the performance of a predetermined function;
A display unit configured to be able to display timekeeping information obtained by the timekeeping unit, operation information related to operation of the functional operation unit, and functional information including state information indicating a state of the functional operation unit; With
The timekeeping information has a display with one or more pointers,
The at least one or more hands are used both by the function operation unit to indicate a predetermined state of the function operation unit by the indicated position of the pointer and to indicate the time information,
The timepiece is characterized in that an explanation of the predetermined state is displayed as the state information when the predetermined state is indicated by the indication position of the pointer. The timepiece according to claim 1 or 2,
Provided with a pointer and a dial indicating the time information,
The timepiece characterized in that the display section is a display panel as the dial. The timepiece according to claim 1 or 2,
The display unit is a dot matrix electrophoretic display in which a transistor is used for each dot,
At least the function information among the timekeeping information and the function information is displayed on the electrophoretic display. The timepiece according to claim 1 or 2,
The display unit is configured as a display panel configured to display the timekeeping information and the function information,
The display area of the timekeeping information is narrowed when the function display state is shifted from the normal state,
The time information is displayed in a predetermined area excluding an area where the timing information is displayed on the display panel. The timepiece according to claim 1 or 2,
The timekeeping information and the function information are each displayed in a non-overlapping area in the display unit,
The time zone in which the function information is displayed can be used for information display even in the normal state. The timepiece according to claim 1 or 2,
A timepiece comprising an exclusive member for performing an operation of displaying the function information on the display unit. The timepiece according to claim 1 or 2,
Both the state information and the operation information corresponding to the state are displayed on the display unit. The timepiece according to claim 1 or 2,
An operation member for operating the functional operation unit;
An operation description of the operation member is displayed as the operation information when the operation member can be operated.

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