Abstract: A chronograph timepiece makes it possible to make sure that it normally operates at the time of an initial starting operation such as system resetting without having to perform a difficult operation or the like. When a system reset signal is input to a system reset terminal and it is detected that initial starting has been effected, a processing unit enables a time hand and a chronograph hand to move after permitting the time hand to perform a predetermined demonstration hand movement when both a start/stop switch and a reset switch have not been simultaneously operated; when these switches have been simultaneously operated, the processing unit enables the time hand and the chronograph hand to move without permitting demonstration hand movement.

Abstract: When it is judged that a chronograph second counter and a chronograph minute counter have measured a maximum measurement time, a maximum measurement control unit controls a drive pulse generation circuit so as to drive and stop a motor such that chronograph hand stops at predetermined positions. When, in this state, a restarting operation is performed on a start/stop button, a normal chronograph measurement operation is restarted. At this time, a mechanical structure has been restored to a reset state, so that even at the time of restarting after the measurement of the maximum measurement time, the load at the starting operation is the same as that of the normal operation, thus generating no sense of incongruity.

Abstract: In response to an instruction to start time measurement given by a start/stop button, an in-phase drive control unit outputs an in-phase control signal of a predetermined time width to a drive pulse generation circuit such that a stepping motor is driven, instead of by a first drive pulse, by an initial drive pulse of a longer drive time than the drive pulse. The drive pulse generation circuit rotates the stepping motor by a motor drive signal including a plurality of in-phase main drive pulses. The stepping motor is rotated by one of the main drive pulses included by the motor drive signal to rotate the chronograph hands.

Abstract: In a chronograph timepiece in which the chronograph hands are electrically rotated by a motor drive pulse and are mechanically zero-restoring-controlled, a basic drive control unit controls a motor so as to drive the chronograph hands when it is detected by a contact portion and a setting releasing detection portion that the setting of the chronograph hands by a setting mechanism has been released.

Abstract: In response to a system reset signal inputted into a system reset port, a control circuit sets a general-purpose port to a high level first. Then, when a mode A is set in an integrated circuit for electronic timepiece, the control circuit sets the general-purpose output port to a low level after an elapse of a first time and when a mode B is set, it sets the general-purpose output port to a low level after an elapse of a second time. In this manner, a mode information signal having a pulse width corresponding to the mode is outputted from the general-purpose output port. It thus becomes possible to reduce the size without adding a special configuration for mode confirmation and to perform a confirmation in a short time.

Abstract: When a reset operation or the driving by a correction drive pulse P2 is performed, a stepping motor is driven by a plurality of main drive pulses P0 for initial setting stored in a storage circuit and the stepping motor is rotary driven by a correction drive pulse P2 following the respective main drive pulses P0, so that the main drive pulses P0 with energy as large as or larger than energy by which it is determined to maintain the pulse rank are used as main drive pulses P1 during normal correction drive. It thus becomes possible to perform driving by a main drive pulse suitable for the stepping motor in consideration of a characteristic variation of the stepping motor.

Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit includes a rotation detecting means for detecting an induced signal generated by rotation of a rotor of a stepping motor, and detecting a rotation state of the stepping motor according to whether the induced signal exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage in a predetermined detection section, and a control means for controlling driving of the stepping motor by using any one of a plurality of main driving pulses having energy different from each other or a correction driving pulse having energy higher than energy of each main driving pulse according to a detection result of the rotation detecting means.

Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit includes a rotation detecting means for detecting an induced signal generated by rotation of a rotor of a stepping motor, and detecting a rotation state of the stepping motor according to whether the induced signal exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage in a predetermined detection section, and a control means for controlling driving of the stepping motor by using any one of a plurality of main driving pulses having energy different from each other or a correction driving pulse having energy higher than energy of each main driving pulse according to a detection result of the rotation detecting means.

Abstract: An item information database of a document rating calculation device stores a relation among items of a document and a rating for each item. A document retrieval unit retrieves a document fulfilling a retrieval condition, and, for condition items of the retrieval condition, specifies such item. A fulfilling-item set specifying unit selects a set of related items for each of items fulfilling the condition items of the retrieval condition, in the document retrieved by the document retrieval unit, based on the mutual relation among the items stored in the item information database, and performs a logical operation of the retrieval condition between selected sets of related items to specify a set of fulfilling items. A score calculator calculates a document rating of the retrieved document from the ratings of items in the set of fulfilling items specified by the fulfilling-item set specifying unit and stored in the item information database.

Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit includes a rotation detecting means which detects an induced signal generated by rotation of a rotor of a stepping motor, and detects a rotation state of the stepping motor according to whether the induced signal exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage in a predetermined detection section, and a control means which controls driving of the stepping motor by using any one of a plurality of main driving pulses having energies different from each other or a correction driving pulse with energy higher than energy of each main driving pulse according to a detection result of the rotation detecting means. The detection section is divided into a first section immediately after driving by the main driving pulse, a second section after the first section and a third section after the second section.

Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit and an analogue electronic timepiece can optimize a rank change operation of a main drive pulse by properly determining an available driving force thus realizing the reduction of the power consumption. A detection interval in which a rotation state of a stepping motor is detected is divided into a first interval immediately after driving with a main drive pulse, a second interval which comes after the first interval, and a third interval which comes after the second interval, and a rotation state is detected. A control circuit looks up an interval table which makes respective main drive pulses stored in the control circuit and a length of the second interval, sets the second interval which corresponds to energy of the present main drive pulse. A detection interval determination circuit determines the interval or the intervals in which an induction signal which exceeds a reference threshold voltage is generated.

Abstract: A stepping motor control circuit includes a rotation detecting means which detects an induced signal generated by rotation of a rotor of a stepping motor, and detects a rotation state of the stepping motor according to whether the induced signal exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage in a predetermined detection section, and a control means which controls driving of the stepping motor by using any one of a plurality of main driving pulses having energies different from each other or a correction driving pulse having energy higher than energy of each main driving pulse according to a detection result of the rotation detecting means.

Abstract: A detecting period of a stepping motor is divided into a first segment for detecting an induced signal generated at least in a second quadrant by the rotation of a rotor immediately after the driving of a main driving pulse, a second segment being provided after the first segment for detecting the induced signal in a third quadrant, and a third segment provided after the second segment and the control circuit drives the stepping motor by the predetermined fixed main driving pulse having energy not smaller than the maximum energy when a rotation detecting circuit does not detect the induced signal exceeding a reference threshold voltage in the second segment at the time of the rotational driving by the main driving pulse having the maximum energy.

Abstract: According to a stepping motor control circuit of the invention, a rotation detecting period is divided into a first segment for detecting an induced signal generated at least in a second quadrant by the rotation of a rotor immediately after driving of a main driving pulse, a second segment being provided after the first segment for detecting the induced signal in a third quadrant, and a third segment provided after the second segment and, when a stepping motor detects the induced signal exceeding a reference threshold voltage in the first segment and the second segment, a control circuit controls a pulse down counter circuit to output a pulse down control signal.

Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus, including a sensor unit which optically detects, at a measurement position, a surface of a sheet, for measuring a moving state of the sheet. The sensor unit measures the moving state of the sheet when the sheet is located at the measurement position, and measures a moving state of a surface of the rotary member when the sheet is not located at the measurement position.

Abstract: An invention allows a stepping motor to be reliably driven to rotate when initializing the driving and allows power consumption of the stepping motor to be reduced. The controller, when initializing the driving (for example, replacing a battery), controls a main drive pulse generator to drive a stepping motor using a main drive pulse having a maximum energy and sets the generation cycle of a pulse down control signal of a pulse down counter for pulsing down the main drive pulse to a first cycle to drive the stepping motor, and when pulsing down the main drive pulse to that having a predetermined energy, changes the generation cycle of the pulse down control signal of the pulse down counter to a second cycle.

Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus including a sensor unit for measuring a moving state of a sheet by optically detecting a surface of the sheet conveyed by a conveying unit. The sensor unit measures and compares the moving states of the sheet at a first measurement position and a second measurement position which are distinct from each other in a main scanning direction, to thereby obtain information on a skew state of a skew component of the moving sheet.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a plurality of image sensors imaging a sheet to be conveyed, and a direct sensor unit performing the signal processing of the outputs of the image sensors to detect the movement of the sheet. Here, the plurality of image sensors are provided on the carriage at least at two positions with at least the recording element array diagonally put between the two positions. The plurality of image sensors can image the sheet at two positions separated in a main scan direction and a sub-scan direction.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sheet in a predetermined direction, a printing unit configured to print an image on the sheet, a direct sensor having an image pickup device configured to image the sheet, which is used to sense movement of the sheet by signal processing of an output from the image pickup device, a movement mechanism configured to move the image pickup device in a direction including a component of the predetermined direction, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance mechanism, the printing unit, and the movement mechanism.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus which prints an image on a printing medium by alternately performing printing of an image on the printing medium by using a printing unit and conveyance of the printing medium relative to the printing unit, the conveyance amount in conveyance is corrected by using first and second parameters for correcting the conveyance amount in accordance with different factors. This makes it possible to correct the conveyance amount in accordance with the deviation of the printing position due to the different factors.