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: The present invention aims to prevent a main drive pulse from being moved to a rank having a potential to cause a non-rotating state. A detection segment for detecting a rotating state of a stepping motor is divided into a first segment immediately after the drive with a main drive pulse, a second segment, and a third segment and, when the stepping motor is rotated by the main drive pulse, the main drive pulse is not changed when a detection signal exceeding a reference threshold voltage is detected at least in the first and second segments. When it is detected only in the first and third segments, or detected only in the third segment, the rank is moved upward and, when it is not detected in any segment, or detected only in the first segment, the rank is moved upward after the drive with a corrective drive pulse. When it is detected only in the second segment or detected only in the second and third segments, the rank is moved downward.

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: 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: The present invention can rotationally drive a motor with main drive pulses corresponding to loads with the simple constitution without using a counter circuit. A control circuit, in driving a motor with a second main drive pulse, when a rotation detection signal which is indicative of the rotation of the motor is detected by a rotation detection circuit after a predetermined reference time elapses, continues rotational driving of the motor with the second main drive pulse, when the rotation detection signal is detected before the predetermined reference time elapses, changes the rotational driving of the motor with a first main drive pulse having a shorter pulse width than the second main drive pulse, and when the rotation detection signal is not detected, forcibly rotationally drives the motor with a correction drive pulse having a largest pulse width and, thereafter, rotationally drives the motor with the first main drive pulse.

Abstract: The present invention aims to prevent a nonrotation state from being brought about even when a drive allowance is changed by variations in a stepping motor or the like. A pulse down counter circuit outputs pulse down control signal for subjecting main drive pulse to control pulse down when time is counted for a predetermined time period. When a detecting signal exceeding a reference threshold voltage detected by a rotation detecting circuit is detected at a first detection section at start of a rotation detecting time period, a control circuit resets the pulse down counter circuit. Thereby, a main drive pulse generating circuit is not subjected to control pulse down by the pulse down counter circuit, and therefore, it is prevented that the main drive pulse is subjected to pulse down unnecessarily.

Abstract: The present invention can rotationally drive a motor with main drive pulses corresponding to loads with the simple constitution without using a counter circuit. A control circuit, in driving a motor with a second main drive pulse, when a rotation detection signal which is indicative of the rotation of the motor is detected by a rotation detection circuit after a predetermined reference time elapses, continues rotational driving of the motor with the second main drive pulse, when the rotation direction signal is detected before the predetermined reference time elapses, changes the rotational driving of the motor with a first main drive pulse having a shorter pulse width than the second main drive pulse, and when the rotation detection signal is not detected, forcibly rotationally drives the motor with a correction drive pulse having a largest pulse width and, thereafter, rotationally drives the motor with the first main drive pulse.

Abstract: No counter circuit is used but a simple arrangement is used to allow a motor to be rotation driven by main drive pulses in accordance with a load. A control circuit (103), after starting to use second main drive pulses to drive a motor (105), continues the rotation driving of the motor (105) by use of the second main drive pulses if a rotation detecting circuit (110) detects a rotation detection signal indicative of the rotation of the motor (105) after a passage of a predetermined reference time period. However, the control circuit (103) uses first main drive pulses, which are shorter in pulse width than the second main drive pulses, instead of using the second main drive pulses, to perform the rotation driving of the motor (105) if the rotation detection signal is detected before the passage of the reference time period.

Abstract: A step motor control device detects a rotational driving state of a step motor. In a first detection period immediately after termination of the rotational driving state of the step motor, selected switch elements are controlled so that a first detection signal is obtained. If the step motor is not in a rotational driving state, the first detection signal is suppressed to a low voltage that is equal to or lower than a threshold value. In a second detection period immediately after lapse of the first detection period, selected switch elements are controlled so that a second detection signal of high and stable voltage is obtained in accordance with the rotational driving state of the step motor.

Abstract: A control device detects a rotational driving state of a step motor having a coil. First and second switch elements are connected to each other in series, and a node of the first and second switch elements are connected to one side of the coil during use of the control device. Third and fourth switch elements are connected to each other in series, and a node of the third and fourth switch elements are connected to the other side of the coil during use of the control device. A first series circuit has a fifth switch element connected in parallel with the first switch element. A second series circuit has a sixth switch element connected in parallel with the third switch element. A control section controls an on/off operation of the third switch element at a given frequency after a given period has elapsed in a state where the fourth and fifth switch elements are turned on.

Abstract: To enable to easily stop a second hand at a 0 second position even in an analog electronic timepiece operating a hand at a high period. A dividing circuit outputs a low frequency pulse signal and a high frequency pulse signal at predetermined frequencies to a control circuit. The control circuit outputs the low frequency pulse signal of 4 pulses per second aligned at equal intervals when it is detected by a detecting circuit that an operating portion is not operated and outputs repeatedly the high frequency pulse signal of consecutive 4 pulses at every second when it is detected by the detecting circuit that the operating portion is operated. A motor driving circuit and a motor normally operate a second hand in response to the low frequency pulse signal and repeats, at a period of 1 second, operation of fast feeding the second hand and thereafter stopping the second hand during a predetermined period of time in response to the high frequency pulse signal.

Abstract: To reduce power consumption without braking a step motor. In a given period after transistors are turned on and a motor is rotationally driven, the transistors are turned on, and the other transistors are turned off, and after the given period has elapsed, the on/off operation of the transistor is controlled at a given frequency in a state where the transistors are maintained in an on state, to thereby detect whether or not the motor rotates. Also, In a given period after the transistors are turned on and the motor is rotationally driven, the transistors are turned on and the other transistors are turned off, and after the above given period has elapsed, the on/off operation of the transistor is controlled at a given frequency in a state where the transistors are maintained in the on state, to thereby detect whether or not the motor rotates.

Abstract: To more surely detect the presence/absence of the rotation of a step motor with a simple structure. In a first detection period immediately after stopping driving of the motor, transistors turn on, the on/off operation of a transistor is controlled at a given frequency, and a detection signal generated in a resistor is taken out from a terminal. Because a current flows in an opposite direction of an equivalent diode of the transistor, the detection signal in the case where the motor does not rotate is suppressed to a low voltage that is equal to or lower than a threshold value. In a second detection period immediately after lapse of the first detection period, the transistors turn on, the on/off operation of the transistor is controlled at a given frequency, and a detection signal generated in a resistor is taken out from the terminal.

Abstract: To be able to detect the presence or absence of rotation of a rotor in early stages. When a drive pulse is supplied from a driving circuit to a stepping motor for driving a chronograph hand, a rotor rotates, producing an induction voltage in a rotor-driving coil of an hour hand-driving stepping motor. A rotation detection circuit outputs a rotation detection signal indicating that the rotor has rotated when the number of zero cross points of the induction voltage during the period when a drive pulse is being supplied is more than a given number or a given time. When the number of the zero cross points does not reach the given number or a certain time comes, the circuit outputs a non-rotation detection signal indicating non-rotation to the control circuit. The control circuit receives the non-rotation detection signal from the rotation detection circuit and controls the driving circuit to drive the motor again with a higher-energy drive pulse.

Abstract: A mechanical time piece has a mainspring for generating a rotational force and a front train wheel for undergoing rotation in accordance with a rotational force generated by the mainspring. An escapement and speed control apparatus controls rotation of the front train wheel and has a timed annular balance for undergoing reciprocal rotational movement, an escape wheel and pinion for undergoing rotation in accordance with rotation of the front train wheel, and a pallet fork for controlling rotation of the escape wheel and pinion in accordance with rotational movement of the timed annular balance. A switch mechanism outputs an ON signal when a rotational angle of the timed annular balance becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold angle and outputs an OFF signal when the rotational angle of the timed annular balance does not exceed the threshold angle.

Abstract: To provide an analog electronic timepiece capable of driving a motor by a drive pulse having a narrow pulse width without deteriorating mechanical strength of a stator. A control circuit controls a switch in a normally closed state and switches through in a normally opened state, controls the switch to a closed state at an initial period of a drive pulse when the drive pulse is supplied to a motor via a motor driving circuit and controls the switch to a closed state during a successive period successive to the initial period. Thereby, the motor is supplied with the drive pulse having a predetermined wave height value during the initial period and the drive pulse having a wave height value smaller than the predetermined wave height value and capable of controlling to rotate the motor during the successive period, a saturation time period of a saturable portion in a stator of the motor is shortened and the motor is driven by a drive pulse having a narrow pulse width.

Abstract: To enable to easily stop a second hand at a 0 second position even in an analog electronic timepiece operating a hand at a high period. A dividing circuit outputs a low frequency pulse signal and a high frequency pulse signal at predetermined frequencies to a control circuit. The control circuit outputs the low frequency pulse signal of 4 pulses per second aligned at equal intervals when it is detected by a detecting circuit that an operating portion is not operated and outputs repeatedly the high frequency pulse signal of consecutive 4 pulses at every second when it is detected by the detecting circuit that the operating portion is operated. A motor driving circuit and a motor normally operate a second hand in response to the low frequency pulse signal and repeats, at a period of 1 second, operation of fast feeding the second hand and thereafter stopping the second hand during a predetermined period of time in response to the high frequency pulse signal.