Abstract: A radio wave timepiece A and a quadrature detection device for executing a quadrature detecting method are disclosed including a receiving antenna 14 for receiving a carrier wave of a long wave standard radio wave on which time information is multiplexed, a quadrature detection circuit 18 for performing quadrature detection of the carrier wave in response to a reference clock CK1, commonly used for timekeeping by a time counter 8, to obtain an in-phase component I and a quadrature component Q of the carrier wave for obtaining an amplitude AN,m of the carrier wave, and a time correction means 22, 24, 26 for obtaining time information depending on the amplitude of the carrier wave from the quadrature detection circuit 18. The time counter 8 is responsive to time information delivered from the time correction means to correct current time.

Abstract: In a radio-controlled device for measuring time, a demodulating unit demodulates the time information from the received electric signal based on amplitude information of the target radio wave. The amplitude information is obtained from in-phase and quadrature-phase components of the target radio wave. A phase calculator calculates phase data associated with a phase of the target radio wave based on the in-phase and quadrature-phase components. A variability calculator calculates a variability of the phase data of the target radio wave relative to a reference phase. The reference phase changes at a constant rate in time according to a frequency error. The frequency error is contained in the reference signal relative to a frequency of the target carrier wave. A reception determining unit determines whether reception of the radio-controlled device is good based on the calculated variability.

Abstract: In a synchronous detection method, an input signal is averaged over at least first and second phase ranges of a target carrier wave within each period thereof to obtain at least first and second moving average values of the input signal within the at least first and second phase ranges, respectively. The first phase range corresponds to a positively oscillating phase range of the target carrier wave, and the second phase range corresponds to a negatively oscillating phase range thereof. A difference between the first and second moving averages is calculated as a detection result of the target carrier wave.

Abstract: In a positional information detecting device, a tone-burst signal propagating unit causes a tone-burst signal to propagate through a path. The tone-burst signal is composed of a continuous wave train, the continuous wave train including a plurality of cycles of a constant frequency. A detecting unit detects, at a predetermined position in the path, the tone-burst signal propagating through the path every one cycle of the tone-burst signal to measure a propagation delay time based on the detected signal. The propagation delay time represents a period for which the tone-burst signal has propagated through the path. A phase obtaining unit obtains a phase of the detected signal. A positional information obtaining unit obtains positional information associated with the predetermined position based on the measured propagation delay time and the obtained phase of the detected signal.

Abstract: A signal processing unit includes an integrating unit. The integrating unit is composed of a plurality of digital elements and is operative to integrate a detection signal over every quarter of one cycle of the detection signal to generate an integration value. The integration values to be generated are represented as S1, S2, S3, and S4. A calculating unit includes a plurality of digital elements and performs addition and subtraction on the generated integration values in accordance with the following equations used to calculate an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component of (Ip=S4p?3+S4p?2?S4p?1?S4p) and (Qp=S4.4?S4p??S4p?1+S4p). Where Ip represents the in-phase component and Qp represents the quadrature-phase component. An amplitude obtaining unit obtains an amplitude of the detection signal based on the in-phase component and the quadrature-phase component.

Abstract: A signal processing unit includes an integrating unit. The integrating unit is composed of a plurality of digital elements and operative to integrate a detection signal over every quarter of one cycle of the detection signal to generate an integration value. The integration values to be generated are represented as S1, S2, S3, S4 . . . . A calculating unit includes a plurality of digital elements and performs addition and subtraction on the generated integration values in accordance with the following equations to calculate an in-phase component and a quadrature-phase component: Ip=S4p?3+S4p?2?S4p?1?S4p Qp=S4p?3?S4p?2?S4p?1+S4p where Ip represents the in-phase component, Qp represents the quadrature-phase component, and p=1, 2, 3 . . . . An amplitude obtaining unit obtains an amplitude of the detection signal based on the in-phase component and the quadrature-phase component.

Abstract: In a positional information detecting device, a tone-burst signal propagating unit causes a tone-burst signal to propagate through a path. The tone-burst signal is composed of a continuous wave train, the continuous wave train including a plurality of cycles of a constant frequency. A detecting unit detects, at a predetermined position in the path, the tone-burst signal propagating through the path every one cycle of the tone-burst signal to measure a propagation delay time based on the detected signal. The propagation delay time represents a period for which the tone-burst signal has propagated through the path. A phase obtaining unit obtains a phase of the detected signal. A positional information obtaining unit obtains positional information associated with the predetermined position based on the measured propagation delay time and the obtained phase of the detected signal.

Abstract: In a radio-controlled device for measuring time, a demodulating unit demodulates the time information from the received electric signal based on amplitude information of the target radio wave. The amplitude information is obtained from in-phase and quadrature-phase components of the target radio wave. A phase calculator calculates phase data associated with a phase of the target radio wave based on the in-phase and quadrature-phase components. A variability calculator calculates a variability of the phase data of the target radio wave relative to a reference phase. The reference phase changes at a constant rate in time according to a frequency error. The frequency error is contained in the reference signal relative to a frequency of the target carrier wave. A reception determining unit determines whether reception of the radio-controlled device is good based on the calculated variability.

Abstract: A radio wave timepiece A and a quadrature detection device for executing a quadrature detecting method are disclosed including a receiving antenna 14 for receiving a carrier wave of a long wave standard radio wave on which time information is multiplexed, a quadrature detection circuit 18 for performing quadrature detection of the carrier wave in response to a reference clock CK1, commonly used for timekeeping by a time counter 8, to obtain an in-phase component I and a quadrature component Q of the carrier wave for obtaining an amplitude AN,m of the carrier wave, and a time correction means 22, 24, 26 for obtaining time information depending on the amplitude of the carrier wave from the quadrature detection circuit 18. The time counter 8 is responsive to time information delivered from the time correction means to correct current time.

Abstract: A method for correcting A/D converted output data which corrects digital data obtained by A/D conversion of an analog signal, comprising forming an at least first order polynomial curve approximating an input/output characteristic curve of A/D conversion in a range of input of the analog signal, setting an ideal input/output characteristic line of A/D conversion, deriving a conversion equation for converting coordinates of a point on the approximation polynomial curve to a point of the ideal input/output characteristic line for the same analog signal value, and using this conversion equation to convert A/D converted digital data so as to correct non-linearity of the output data.

Abstract: In a synchronous detection method, an input signal is averaged over at least first and second phase ranges of a target carrier wave within each period thereof to obtain at least first and second moving average values of the input signal within the at least first and second phase ranges, respectively. The first phase range corresponds to a positively oscillating phase range of the target carrier wave, and the second phase range corresponds to a negatively oscillating phase range thereof. A difference between the first and second moving averages is calculated as a detection result of the target carrier wave.

Abstract: A method for correcting A/D converted output data which corrects digital data obtained by A/D conversion of an analog signal, comprising forming an at least first order polynomial curve approximating an input/output characteristic curve of A/D conversion in a range of input of the analog signal, setting an ideal input/output characteristic line of A/D conversion, deriving a conversion equation for converting coordinates of a point on the approximation polynomial curve to a point of the ideal input/output characteristic line for the same analog signal value, and using this conversion equation to convert A/D converted digital data so as to correct non-linearity of the output data.

Abstract: An amorphous magnetic wire comprises a magnetically hard wire portion for propagating a magnetoelastic wave, and a magnetically soft wire portion for generating or detecting the magnetoelastic wave. This amorphous magnetic wire is obtained by producing a magnetic wire in an amorphous state, wire-drawing the amorphous magnetic wire so as to make the amorphous magnetic wire thinner, and annealing a portion of the magnetic wire to make the portion magnetically soft.

Abstract: A light shielding plate rotated by the shaft of an object to be measured is provided with a slit. The distance between the slit and the axis of the shaft varies continuously. A light source and a linear light receiving element are disposed on opposite sides of the light shielding plate.