Patents by Inventor Norimitsu Baba

Norimitsu Baba has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8644117
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece can improve the frequency of satellite signal reception and reduce power consumption. Such timepiece, e.g., a wristwatch has a GPS device that executes a reception process that locks onto a GPS satellite and receives satellite signals; a reception control unit that controls the reception process; and a solar panel that detects illuminance. The reception control unit includes an illuminance-based reception control unit that runs a reception process based on the detected illuminance, and a scheduled reception control unit that runs a reception process when a preset scheduled time is reached. The illuminance-based reception control unit stops reception when a satellite is not locked onto within a first locking time, and the scheduled reception control unit stops reception when a satellite is not locked onto in a second locking time that is shorter than the first locking time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Matsuzaki, Norimitsu Baba, Katsuyuki Honda, Toshikazu Akiyama
  • Patent number: 8558515
    Abstract: A protection circuit that is used with a power supply that produces charging power, and a storage battery for which normal operation is conditional upon a terminal voltage being less than or equal to a maximum voltage, including: a first switch disposed to a first path that electrically connects the storage battery and the power supply; a second path that electrically connects the storage battery and a load; a voltage detection circuit that detects a terminal voltage of the storage battery; an over-charge detection circuit that monitors the storage battery terminal voltage and controls the first switch to turn off when the terminal voltage is detected to exceed the maximum voltage; and a control circuit that controls the monitoring operation interval of the over-charge detection circuit according to the terminal voltage of the storage battery detected by the voltage detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norimitsu Baba, Katsuyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 8493817
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece that uses electrical power produced by photovoltaic generation as a power source and has a function for receiving microwave signals, including a dial for displaying time information on a front surface thereof, a solar cell that receives light passing through the dial and produces electrical power by photovoltaic generation, and an antenna that is disposed so that at least part of the signal receiving surface opposes at least a part of the back surface of the dial, and receives microwave signals through the dial. The solar cell is not disposed in space between the back side of the dial and the signal receiving surface of the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norimitsu Baba
  • Publication number: 20130052977
    Abstract: A satellite signal reception device can reliably execute a satellite signal reception process. The satellite signal reception device has a reception time setting unit 71 that sets a reception time; a timekeeping unit that keeps internal time; and a scheduled reception control unit 72 that executes a time-based reception process that operates the reception unit when the time kept by the timekeeping unit reaches the reception time. By having a scheduled reception control unit 72, the reception process can be executed when the internal time goes to the reception time set by the reception time setting unit 71. The reception process is therefore executed once a day. The satellite signal reception process can therefore be executed reliably without being affected by how the device is used, the season, weather, or other factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Akiyama, Katsuyuki Honda, Norimitsu Baba, Jun Matsuzaki
  • Publication number: 20130052944
    Abstract: A satellite signal reception device that can desirably receive satellite signals has a charge state detection circuit 43 and a voltage detection circuit 44 that detect if the satellite signal reception device is outdoors, and a control circuit 40. If the satellite signal reception device is determined to be outdoors based on the detection result from the charge state detection circuit 43 and voltage detection circuit 44, the control circuit 40 operates a GPS reception circuit 30. If an indoor state in which the satellite signal reception device is determined to not be outdoors continues for at least a predetermined specific time, the control circuit 40 operates the GPS reception circuit 30 at a preset scheduled reception time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norimitsu Baba, Katsuyuki Honda, Toshikazu Akiyama, Jun Matsuzaki
  • Publication number: 20130051185
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece can adjust the input terminal and suppress power consumption. An electronic timepiece has: a reception unit 8 that receives a satellite signal containing time information from a positioning information satellite; a power supply unit 4 having a battery that supplies drive power; a remaining capacity detection unit 5 that measures the remaining battery capacity; and a control unit 9 that controls satellite signal reception by the reception unit 8. The control unit 9 includes a timekeeping unit 91 that keeps time, a time adjustment unit 99 that adjusts the time kept by the timekeeping unit 91 based on the satellite signal received by the reception unit 8, and a prohibition period setting unit 93 that sets a prohibition period in which receiving a satellite signal is prohibited based on the remaining battery capacity measured by the remaining capacity detection unit 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Honda, Norimitsu Baba, Jun Matsuzaki, Toshikazu Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20130051188
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece can determine the reception state in detail, and can display the reception state with high precision. A GPS wristwatch 1 has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite; a reception level calculating unit 47 that calculates a reception level from the signal strength of the satellite signal; and a reception level display unit 48 that displays the reception level calculated by the reception level calculating unit 47. The reception level calculating unit 47 selects a specific number of satellite signals received from the positioning information satellites in order of greatest signal strength, and calculates the reception level from the signal strengths of the selected satellite signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Akiyama, Katsuyuki Honda, Norimitsu Baba, Jun Matsuzaki
  • Publication number: 20130051187
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece can improve the frequency of satellite signal reception and reduce power consumption. Such timepiece, e.g., a wristwatch has a GPS device that executes a reception process that locks onto a GPS satellite and receives satellite signals; a reception control unit that controls the reception process; and a solar panel that detects illuminance. The reception control unit includes an illuminance-based reception control unit that runs a reception process based on the detected illuminance, and a scheduled reception control unit that runs a reception process when a preset scheduled time is reached. The illuminance-based reception control unit stops reception when a satellite is not locked onto within a first locking time, and the scheduled reception control unit stops reception when a satellite is not locked onto in a second locking time that is shorter than the first locking time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Matsuzaki, Norimitsu Baba, Katsuyuki Honda, Toshikazu Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20130051186
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece enables a simple construction, and an electronic device has the electronic timepiece. A wristwatch 1 has a button A 6; a mode setting unit 32 that sets the operating mode of the wristwatch 1 based on an input operation of the button A 6. Based on the continuous input time that the button A 6 is operated continuously, the mode setting unit 32 changes the operating mode between a timekeeping mode that receives satellite signals from one or more GPS satellites and adjusts the internal time information based on time information contained in a received satellite signal; and a positioning mode that receives satellite signals from three or more GPS satellites and adjusts the internal time information based on time information and positioning information contained in the received satellite signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Honda, Norimitsu Baba, Jun Matsuzaki, Toshikazu Akiyama
  • Publication number: 20120295563
    Abstract: A satellite signal reception device has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite, a reception state display device for displaying the satellite signal reception state, a reception state evaluation unit that determines the reception condition of the satellite signal received by the reception unit, and a display controller that controls the reception state display device to display the reception condition determined by the reception state evaluation unit. The reception state evaluation unit determines the level of the reception condition based on the number of positioning information satellites from which satellite signals are received and the signal level of each received signal, and the display controller controls the mechanical drive unit based on the reception level determining by the reception state evaluation unit to display the reception level using the time display device that displays the time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norimitsu BABA
  • Patent number: 8303512
    Abstract: The present invention realizes calculating a pulse rate accurately, even when a body movement component has no periodical characteristics, by surely removing the body movement component generated in a living organism from a pulse wave component. A pulse wave detecting section includes a pulse wave sensor and outputs a pulse wave detection signal to an MPU functioning as a body motion component removing section. A body motion sensor outputs a body motion detection signal corresponding to a body motion that affects the behavior of venous blood to the MPU. As a result, to the MPU removes the body motion component from the pulse wave detection signal based on the body motion detection signal. A pulse rate calculating section calculates the pulse rate based on the pulse wave detection signal from which the body motion component has been removed. The pulse rate is displayed on a liquid crystal display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Kosuda, Makoto Zakoji, Ichiro Aoshima, Yutaka Kawafune, Norimitsu Baba
  • Patent number: 8265579
    Abstract: A satellite signal reception device has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite, a reception state display device for displaying the satellite signal reception state, a reception state evaluation unit that determines the reception condition of the satellite signal received by the reception unit, and a display controller that controls the reception state display device to display the reception condition determined by the reception state evaluation unit. The reception state evaluation unit determining the level of the reception condition based on the number of positioning information satellites from which satellite signals are received and the signal level of each received signal, and the display controller displaying the reception level output by the reception state evaluation unit on the reception state display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norimitsu Baba
  • Patent number: 8264914
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece wherein, when the week number indicates an n-th cycle from a specific reference date as a cycle number, a date determination information setting unit sets the date determination information using a partial unit that is a different number in each date corresponding to the same week number in a plurality of consecutive cycle numbers, and the date determination unit acquires the date in each cycle number identified by the week number and time of week based on week number cycle information correlating week numbers, cycle numbers, and dates, and determines in which of these dates the partial unit matches the date determination information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norimitsu Baba
  • Publication number: 20120188123
    Abstract: A solar cell, a charge state detection circuit and a voltage detection circuit as a generating state detection circuit that detects the generating state of the solar cell, and a control circuit are provided. The control circuit operates a GPS receiver circuit when a detection value detected by the voltage detection circuit is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value, and resets the threshold value if satellite signal reception by the GPS receiver circuit fails, or if the detection value detected by the voltage detection circuit remains less than the threshold value for a preset generating state detection time or longer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norimitsu Baba
  • Publication number: 20120188854
    Abstract: A time adjustment device can acquire time information in a short time, reduce power consumption, and display the correct time. A GPS wristwatch has a reception unit that receives satellite signals; a time information generating unit that generates internal time information; a reception control unit that controls the reception unit; and a time information adjustment unit that adjusts the internal time information. The time information adjustment unit has a first information time adjustment means that receives first information containing year, month, day, hour, minute, second, and satellite health information, and adjusts the internal time information; a second information time adjustment means that receives second information including leap second information, and adjusts the internal time information; a third information time adjustment means that receives third information of hour, minute, second information, and adjusts the internal time information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norimitsu Baba
  • Publication number: 20110205678
    Abstract: A protection circuit that is used with a power supply that produces charging power, and a storage battery for which normal operation is conditional upon a terminal voltage being less than or equal to a maximum voltage, including: a first switch disposed to a first path that electrically connects the storage battery and the power supply; a second path that electrically connects the storage battery and a load; a voltage detection circuit that detects a terminal voltage of the storage battery; an over-charge detection circuit that monitors the storage battery terminal voltage and controls the first switch to turn off when the terminal voltage is detected to exceed the maximum voltage; and a control circuit that controls the monitoring operation interval of the over-charge detection circuit according to the terminal voltage of the storage battery detected by the voltage detection circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norimitsu Baba, Katsuyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 7932856
    Abstract: A satellite signal reception device has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite, and a reception control component that controls the reception unit to execute a reception process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norimitsu Baba
  • Publication number: 20110063952
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece wherein, when the week number indicates an n-th cycle from a specific reference date as a cycle number, a date determination information setting unit sets the date determination information using a partial unit that is a different number in each date corresponding to the same week number in a plurality of consecutive cycle numbers, and the date determination unit acquires the date in each cycle number identified by the week number and time of week based on week number cycle information correlating week numbers, cycle numbers, and dates, and determines in which of these dates the partial unit matches the date determination information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norimitsu Baba
  • Patent number: 7812763
    Abstract: A time adjustment device has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite, a time information generating unit that generates internal time information, and a time information adjustment unit that adjusts the internal time information. The satellite signal contains satellite time information that is kept by the positioning information satellite. The reception unit includes a signal level acquisition unit that searches for positioning information satellites and acquires the signal level of the satellite signal transmitted from each positioning information satellite, a reception satellite selection unit that selects a positioning information satellite based on the acquired signal level, and a satellite time information acquisition unit that receives the satellite signal transmitted from the positioning information satellite selected by the reception satellite selection unit, and acquires the satellite time information contained in the satellite signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norimitsu Baba, Jun Matsuzaki
  • Publication number: 20100214165
    Abstract: A satellite signal reception device has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite, and a reception control component that controls the reception unit to execute a reception process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norimitsu Baba