With Wireless Synchronization Patents (Class 368/47)
  • Patent number: 11990689
    Abstract: The disclosed system may include an enclosure that is configured to house internal electrical components disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB). The system may also include a first antenna feed that is electrically connected to the PCB, to the enclosure, and to a radiating coupling arm configured for wireless communication in a first wireless communication band. The system may further include a second antenna feed that is electrically connected to the PCB and to an antenna configured for wireless communication in a second, different wireless communication band. The system may also include a first grounding leg that forms an electrical ground between the PCB and the enclosure, and a second, switchable grounding leg positioned away from the first grounding leg. This switchable grounding leg may provide a controllable electrical ground between the PCB and the enclosure. Various other methods and apparatuses are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sung Hoon Oh, Yonghua Wei, Md Rashidul Islam, Qian Qiao, Ulf Jan-Ove Mattsson, Geng Ye, Bruno Cendon Martin
  • Patent number: 11899403
    Abstract: A method (P1) for coding a solar time, called the initial solar time (Hs1), associated with a geographical location (Loc) and with a day (J1) of the year, wherein the method includes selecting SEL(Href, Nb1) a reference time (Href) and an initial number of bits (Nb1) as a function of the type of initial solar time (Hs), computing CALC(Nm1) a number of minutes (Nm1) separating the initial solar time (Hs1) and the reference time (Href), coding COD(Hs1) the number of minutes (Nm1) in the initial number of bits (Nb1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Thierry Bonnet, Jiri Husak
  • Patent number: 11824635
    Abstract: A hardware module includes a high stability oscillator, a satellite signal receiver, a processor, and electrical contacts. The high stability oscillator is configured to provide a first timing reference output. The satellite signal receiver is configured to receive signals transmitted by location positioning satellites and provide a second timing reference output. The processor is configured to use the first timing reference output from the high stability oscillator and the second timing reference output from the satellite signal receiver to determine an absolute physical hardware clock value and provide the absolute physical hardware clock value to a host system. The electrical contacts are configured to allow the hardware module to be electrically and physically coupled to and removable from the host system as a single physical module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc.
    Inventor: Ahmad Byagowi
  • Patent number: 11803163
    Abstract: An electronic watch includes a time display, an antenna, a first substrate including a light-emitting element, a second substrate including a light-receiving element, a gear including a through hole passing light from the light-emitting element therethrough, the gear being disposed between the first and second substrates, and first and second conduction members electrically coupling the first and second substrates. The second substrate includes a first wiring electrically coupled to the first substrate via the first conduction member, and a second wiring electrically coupled to the second substrate via the second conduction member. Halfway on at least one of the first and second wirings, a circuit element is coupled in series that, compared to electrical resistance when a direct current flows in the wiring, increases electrical resistance when an alternating current generated by a radio wave received by the antenna flows in the wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Inventor: Yasuo Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11757207
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a battery; a display; a circuit board provided at a rear of the battery; and at least one second antenna provided at a rear of the battery, wherein the at least one second antenna includes a magnetic body and a conducting wire that is wound around the magnetic body multiple times in a first direction with respect to a first axis that is substantially parallel with a surface of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventors: Ki-Jung Kim, Jung-Youel Bang, Hyung-Bin Noh, Sung-Won Park
  • Patent number: 11747770
    Abstract: A watch includes an hour hand having a first conductive portion and rotating about an hour hand shaft, a seconds hand having a second conductive portion and rotating at a rotational speed faster than that of the hour hand about a seconds hand shaft, which is coaxial with the hour hand shaft, and a planar inverted-F antenna disposed, in plan view viewed from a direction parallel to the hour hand shaft, at a position overlapping a rotation range of the first conductive portion and a rotation range of the second conductive portion, and receiving a radio wave, and when the planar inverted-F antenna receives a radio wave, a controller, after rotating the seconds hand and then stopping the seconds hand at a reception indication position, rotates the hour hand such that the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion overlap each other in the plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Chisato Tezuka
  • Patent number: 11703812
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a clock circuit, a signal receiver configured to receive signals including time information, a processor configured to control a changing operation of changing a current time measured by the clock circuit based on the time information obtained from the signal receiver and controls a presenting operation of whether or not the changing operation is successful. The processor controls the changing operation based on a first flag indicating whether or not the signal receiver successfully receives the time information. The processor controls the presenting operation based on a second flag indicating whether or not the changing operation is successful within a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hayato Hori, Shuto Oikawa
  • Patent number: 11543784
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus to automatically detect clocks within a given space and synchronize each clock within the given space to display the correct time is provided. The system includes a time component adjusting device including a communication module configured to detect and connect to clocks within the vicinity of the time component adjusting device, generate a clock tracking profile for each of the clocks, and ensure that each of the clocks depict the accurate time. The time component adjusting device also seeks to prevent desynchronization of clocks upon occurrence of events such as daylight savings and leap seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventor: Tivadar Bodorlo
  • Patent number: 11532872
    Abstract: A portable electronic apparatus includes a case, a solar cell disposed in the case, a GPS antenna as an antenna section disposed in the case, including a base as a nonconductive member and a conductive body disposed on a surface of the nonconductive member, and adapted to receive a positioning satellite signal, and a circuit board disposed in the case, and electrically connected to the solar cell and the antenna section, and the antenna section overlaps the solar cell in a planar view viewed from a normal direction of light receiving surfaces of the solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironori Hasei, Noriaki Hiraide
  • Patent number: 11409246
    Abstract: A time display apparatus includes a display section that displays the time, a first receiver that receives a wireless signal containing information on the time zone corresponding to a destination from a transmitter provided in a moving object, a second receiver that receives a satellite signal from a positioning satellite to perform positioning and calculates position information, and a processor that is capable of selectively executing a first process of setting time to be displayed on the display section based on the time zone information and a second process of setting the time to be displayed on the display section based on the position information and does not execute the second process for the period until the processor determines that a predetermined condition is satisfied in a case where the first receiver has received the wireless signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Senichi Mokuya
  • Patent number: 11387941
    Abstract: A signal transceiving system includes: a first signal transceiver terminal; and a second signal transceiver terminal wired coupled to the first signal transceiver terminal. The first signal transceiver terminal transmits a digital signal to the second signal transceiver terminal. In response to detection of a first signal edge, the second signal transceiver terminal starts counting of a first time slot. Based on a count of at least one signal edge detected during the first time slot, the second signal transceiver terminal judges the digital signal as being logic “0” or logic “1”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
    Inventor: Yao-Jen Chang
  • Patent number: 11372377
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a receiver that executes reception process to capture a position information satellite transmitting leap second information and receive a satellite signal transmitted from the captured position information satellite and a controller that acquires the leap second information on the basis of the satellite signal received by the receiver, in which the controller determines whether or not to stop the reception processing on the basis of a type of the satellite signal receivable from the position information satellite captured by the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: Toshikazu Akiyama
  • Patent number: 11360435
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a case (case body) including a bottom wall and a sidewall integrated with each other, having an opening, and having a receiving surface provided as part of the sidewall and along the circumferential edge of the opening, a light transmissive member that covers the opening and is placed on the receiving surface, and a bezel provided in a position outside the sidewall that forms the receiving surface and so attached to the case as to be pressed toward the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Noriaki Hiraide
  • Patent number: 11300931
    Abstract: An external element of a timepiece or a piece of jewelry includes a body made of an insulating ceramic material, the body including a housing, a wireless communication system disposed in the housing, and at least one part of a surface of the external element includes a layer of metallic visual appearance, the layer being obtained by carburization, nitridation, or a combination of carburization, nitridation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd
    Inventors: Yvan Ferri, Loic Curchod
  • Patent number: 11287780
    Abstract: An inverted-F antenna is included in an electronic timepiece without increasing the thickness of the electronic timepiece. In an electronic timepiece having a dial, a plastic calendar plate disposed on the back cover side of the dial, and a main plate disposed on the back cover side of the calendar plate, a first conductor element, second conductor element, and a shorting element shorting the first conductor element and second conductor element are formed in unison with the calendar plate, enabling the calendar plate to function as an inverted-F antenna. The first conductor element is disposed on the dial side surface of the calendar plate, and superimposed with the dial in a plan view. The second conductor element is disposed on the main plate side of the calendar plate, and superimposed in the plan view with the first conductor element. The shorting element is disposed to the side of the calendar plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Hironobu Yamamoto, Tadashi Aizawa
  • Patent number: 11243500
    Abstract: An electronic device and a time correction system acquire time zone-related information through a network and correct the current time at the current location, and reduce power consumption. An electronic timepiece has a time display unit; a communicator that connects to abase station; and a controller. The controller executes a base station information acquisition process of acquiring from the base station base station information unique to the base station, an acquired information evaluation process determining whether or not to acquire time zone-related information based on the base station information, a time zone information acquisition process of acquiring time zone-related information based on the base station information when acquiring time zone-related information is determined in the acquired information evaluation process, and a time correction process of correcting the displayed time based on the acquired time zone-related information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventor: Katsutoyo Inoue
  • Patent number: 11243499
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for setting a quartz watch, the watch comprising an optical sensor and a microcontroller configured to receive electrical signals generated by the optical sensor, the method being performed by way of a portable electronic appliance comprising a point light source and a microcontroller configured to control said point light source, the method comprising the following steps: placing the optical sensor of the watch facing the point light source of the electronic appliance on the order of the microcontroller of the electronic appliance, flashing the point light source of the electronic appliance so as to form a sequence of light pulses corresponding to a coding of setting parameters, the sequence then being received by the optical sensor of the watch decoding the received light sequence, by way of the microcontroller of the watch, in order to recover the setting parameters on the order of the microcontroller of the watch, setting the watch according to the setting para
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Lagorgette, Raphael Balmer, Jean-Bernard Peters
  • Patent number: 11245357
    Abstract: A vibration device has a substrate including a first surface and a second surface located on an opposite side to the first surface, a heater provided on the first surface side of the substrate, a temperature sensor provided on the first surface side of the substrate, a vibration element disposed on the first surface side of the substrate, a lid including a third surface joined on the first surface side and a fourth surface located on an opposite side to the third surface, and a circuit provided on one of the first surface, the second surface and the fourth surface, and including a temperature control circuit configured to control the heater based on an output of the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junichi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11237524
    Abstract: Provided is a timepiece including a solar cell that has a solar panel, a secondary battery that is charged from the solar cell, an overcharge prevention circuit that detects a charged state of the secondary battery, and a control unit that short-circuits the solar cell and determines that illuminance of light illuminating the solar panel is equal to or higher than predetermined illuminance in a case where the overcharge prevention circuit is detected to be in an overcharge state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventor: Kazuo Kato
  • Patent number: 11231688
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic timepiece enabling reducing the size of an electronic timepiece. The electronic timepiece has an antenna having a first conductor element connected to a feed, a second conductor element superimposed with the first conductor element in plan view, and a dielectric disposed between the first conductor element and second conductor element, and the antenna holds a specific timepiece part. The specific timepiece part is preferably a dial, solar panel, or circuit board. The antenna also preferably has a shorting element that shorts the first conductor element and second conductor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventor: Hironobu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11221591
    Abstract: In an electronic timepiece, a plurality of electric motors, a secondary battery, and a planar antenna are disposed so as not to overlap each other in a plan view when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a dial, in the plan view, a first conductive member and a second conductive member which connect a solar battery and a printed circuit board to each other are disposed in a region different from a region where the planar antenna is disposed when a plane region of the dial is divided into two regions with an imaginary straight line passing through a plane center position of the dial, and the first conductive member and the second conductive member are disposed with a space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Inventor: Yasuo Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11150612
    Abstract: A portable radio-controlled watch includes a watch glass, an antenna that is formed on a backside of a circumference of the watch glass so as to be along the circumference, a feeder electrode adjacent to the antenna, a receiving circuit, an antenna connecting line that is at least a part of a connection circuit connecting the feeder electrode with the receiving circuit, where the antenna connecting line is directly connected to a back surface of the feeder electrode and extends in a direction away from the watch glass, and a dielectric that is disposed below the antenna and covers at least a part of the antenna in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuji Naka, Ken Kitamura, Akira Kato, Yohsuke Noma
  • Patent number: 11119449
    Abstract: The electronic timepiece has a receiver that receives standard time signals; a detector that samples the received signal and detects the signal level; a calculator that computes, based on the detected signal level, the total signal width of a first level signal in 1-second, and the continuous time of the second level signal; and a code evaluator that determines the code transmitted in the signal based on the calculated total. The signal contains a first code and a second code in which the total signal width of the first level signal in 1 second is the same; the first code is a code that transmits the first level signal in 1 second; the second code is a code that transmits two first level signals separated by a second level signal in 1 second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Inventor: Takuya Tanabe
  • Patent number: 11073621
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a dial, a solar battery on a rear surface side of the dial, and an antenna on a rear surface side of the solar battery so as to receive a radio wave. The solar battery includes a solar cell for generating power and a first non-power generating section which transmits the radio wave to the antenna. The solar cell includes a metal electrode, a semiconductor layer on the dial side of the metal electrode, and a transparent electrode on the dial side of the semiconductor layer. The metal electrode and the transparent electrode are excluded from the first non-power generating section, and the semiconductor layer is included within at least a portion of the first non-power generating section. The solar battery further includes a non-conductive member which regulates light transmittance on the dial side of the semiconductor layer in the first non-power generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Inventors: Norimitsu Baba, Keiichi Mukaiyama
  • Patent number: 11036188
    Abstract: A wristworn device having a conductive dial, the conductive dial having a top side and a bottom side; a conductive case body including a conductive case back; a circuit block, and an antenna operatively coupled to the circuit block, for receiving and transmitting RF signals, wherein at least the antenna is positioned on the bottom side of the conductive dial, and further wherein the antenna and circuit block are inside the conductive case body, wherein the conductive dial and the conductive case body are physically separated; and wherein spacing created between the conductive case body and the conductive dial permits RF signals to be transmitted from out of the wristworn device on the top side of the conductive dial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Timex Group USA, INC.
    Inventors: Claudia Reiling, Thomas Oberhofer, Helmut Zachmann, Felix Poguntke
  • Patent number: 11018432
    Abstract: The invention concerns an assembly for an antenna operating in a slot mode. It is also directed to an electronic wristwatch-like device comprising such antennas. The antenna assembly comprises at least one circuit board of an electronic device, a conductive body arranged at a distance from said at least one circuit board, at least one feed element for coupling an electromagnetic signal between said conductive body and said circuit board, and wherein at least one conductive rim structure is running peripheral to at least one said circuit board. The conductive rim and the conductive body define at least one slot mode antenna between themselves. The length of a slot mode antenna is defined between two points at which said conductive body is connected to said conductive rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Suunto OY
    Inventors: Eero Varjonen, Panu Perko, Mikko Sepänniitty, Erik Lindman
  • Patent number: 10996636
    Abstract: The communication device includes a receiver, a counter, an operation member and a processor. The receiver receives an external time from an external device. The counter clocks time. The operation member receives a time correction operation to correct the time clocked by the counter. The processor corrects the time clocked by the counter to the received external time. The processor sets a frequency at which the time correction process is performed after the operation member receives the time correction operation, higher than a frequency at which the time correction process is performed before the operation member receives the time correction operation, until a predetermined time elapses. In the time correction process, when the difference between the time clocked by the counter and the external time received by the receiver is within a predetermined range, the processor corrects the time clocked by the counter to the external time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Morohoshi
  • Patent number: 10978805
    Abstract: The invention concerns an assembly for an antenna operating in a slot mode. It is also directed to an electronic wristwatch-like device comprising such antennas. The antenna assembly comprises at least one circuit board of an electronic device, a conductive body arranged at a distance from said at least one circuit board, at least one feed element for coupling an electromagnetic signal between said conductive body and said circuit board, and wherein at least one conductive rim structure is running peripheral to at least one said circuit board. The conductive rim and the conductive body define at least one slot mode antenna between themselves. The length of a slot mode antenna is defined between two points at which said conductive body is connected to said conductive rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Suunto OY
    Inventors: Eero Varjonen, Panu Perko, Mikko Sepänniitty, Erik Lindman
  • Patent number: 10915071
    Abstract: A device having: one or more processors for determining an elapsed time since a correction of a calculated date and time; estimate a degree of deviation included in the calculated date and time, based on the elapsed time; and in response to estimating the degree of deviation to be equal to or smaller than a predetermined range, execute a method by which the one or more processors: generate an expected code sequence of a code sequence to be received from a satellite; control a satellite radio wave receiver to receive the code sequence; determine whether there is a match between the expected code sequence and the code sequence; in response to determining that there is a match, obtain a present date and time information represented by the expected code sequence; and correct the calculated date and time, based on the present date and time information obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Oshita, Akihiro Kuroha
  • Patent number: 10917441
    Abstract: A communications system includes a transmission device configured to transmit information as a communication message to a network at a predetermined frequency according to a type of information and a reception device configured to receive the transmitted communication message, wherein a first type of information to be transmitted at a first frequency and a second type of information to be transmitted at a second frequency higher than the first frequency are transmitted as different communication messages to the network, and wherein the reception device detects the occurrence of an abnormal state in the network on the basis of the number of receptions of the second type of information until the next first type of information is received after the first type of information is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Wakita
  • Patent number: 10802448
    Abstract: Provided is technology that suppresses increasing the thickness of the electronic timepiece when a member is provided to obscure the area where the solar battery is not located above the antenna. An electronic timepiece has: an optically transmissive dial; a solar battery having a photovoltaic solar cell; an antenna disposed relative to the dial in the direction in which the external light is emitted, and configured to receive radio signals; and a cover member having a first part disposed between the dial and the antenna. In plan view, the antenna has a part that does not overlap the solar cell; the first part has a part that does overlaps the part of the antenna that does not overlap the solar cell; and in section view perpendicular, has an overlap between the first part and the solar battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Sawada
  • Patent number: 10798439
    Abstract: A receiving apparatus, a sending apparatus, and a data processing method that are configured to execute processing related with time information corresponding to a variety of operations. The receiving apparatus receives metadata that includes information for executing processing related with time information in accordance with a mode corresponding to two or more pieces of time information and executes the processing related with the time information on the basis of the received metadata, thereby executing the processing related with the time information corresponding to a variety of operations. The technology is applicable to television receivers, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takahashi, Yasuaki Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 10795319
    Abstract: A device having one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to acquire time information by performing one or more of a first acquisition operation to control a communicator to communicate with an external device to receive signals including the time information, and a second acquisition operation to control one or more radio wave receivers to receive transmission radio waves with signals including the time information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kosuke Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10558174
    Abstract: Provided is an electronic timepiece capable of receiving satellite signals from multiple types of positioning information satellites, and capable of shortening the time required to correct the internal time. The electronic timepiece has a receiver; an estimator that estimates internal time error; a mode setter configured to set a time correction mode according to the estimated error; a selector that selects the type of positioning information satellite according to the time correction mode that was set; a time adjustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10503123
    Abstract: An analog electronic timepiece, including: a hand which is provided to be rotatable; and a processor which makes the hand perform at least one of an acceleration operation and a deceleration operation as a speed change operation when the hand is made to perform a fast forward movement, the acceleration operation being an operation of gradually increasing a fast forward speed of the hand from a stopped state when the fast forward movement is started, and the deceleration operation being an operation of gradually decreasing the fast forward speed until the hand comes into the stopped state when the fast forward movement is ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kosuke Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10466655
    Abstract: A processor controls an oscillation circuit such that a frequency of a clock signal is close to a reference frequency based on a frequency of a carrier wave of a standard radio wave and the frequency of the clock signal. In this manner, since the processor controls the frequency of the clock signal by using the carrier wave of the standard radio wave of which the frequency is managed with high accuracy, it becomes possible to improve accuracy of an internal time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazumi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10446924
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece having a case of which at least part is metal, a magnetic shield, and a planar antenna can suppress a drop in the sensitivity of the planar antenna. The electronic timepiece 1 has a case 10 of which at least part is metal, and hands and a movement disposed inside the case 10. The movement includes a circuit board 23, a planar antenna 40 attached to the circuit board 23, a motor that drives the hands, and magnetic shields 91, 92 superimposed in plan view with at least part of the motor and not superimposed in plan view with the planar antenna. The shortest distance D1 between the antenna electrode 42 of the planar antenna 40 and the metal part of the case 10 is greater than the shortest distance D2 between the antenna electrode 42 and the magnetic shield 91.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Teruhiko Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 10401801
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes a counter, a near field communication unit, a standard electric wave receiving unit and a control unit. The counter is configured to count current time. The near field communication unit is configured to communicate with a terminal by near field communication electric waves and to receive first time information. The standard electric wave receiving unit is configured to receive standard electric waves and to acquire second time information. The control unit changes current time counted by the counter, based on the first or second time information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Kitamura
  • Patent number: 10393784
    Abstract: Radio-frequency (RF) signal analysis includes slow-time signal processing and fast-time signal processing. Incoming RF pulses are captured according to a resource scheduling configuration. The fast-time signal processing is to prioritize the captured RF pulses for slow-time signal processing based on dynamic pulse-grading criteria. The slow-time signal processing is to perform relevance evaluation of the prioritized RF pulses, and to adjust the dynamic pulse-grading criteria and the resource scheduling configuration based on the relevance evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Jeffery Jay Logan, Harry B. Marr, Jr., Ian S. Robinson
  • Patent number: 10341213
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to generate a clock also before reception of a packet in a reception device. A reception device has: a storage unit storing a true time-stamp included in a received packet including audio data and the true time-stamp expressing reproduction time of the audio data; a timer counting time; a dummy time-stamp generation unit generating a dummy time-stamp as a false time-stamp; a comparator comparing time based on the true time-stamp stored in the storage unit or the dummy time-stamp and time indicated by the timer; and a clock generation unit generating a clock in accordance with a comparison result of the comparator. The comparator performs comparison using the dummy time-stamp until a predetermined condition is satisfied and, after the predetermined condition is satisfied, performs comparison using the true time-stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi Shigehisa, Teruhisa Takeda, Akihito Sakai, Hirohisa Furukawa
  • Patent number: 10320635
    Abstract: System and techniques are described which provide a method for time correlated monitoring of nodes in a network. A statistics request message is sent from a centralized control point to a node in a network having a plurality of nodes, wherein the statistics request message contains a centralized control point time stamp tn of when the message was sent. The statistics request message is received at the node which records a node timestamp ta when the message was received in the node. Node statistics are converted to system time at the centralized control point according to a first delta between tn and ta to generate adjusted node statistics. A second delta is determined at the centralized control point which is applied to the adjusted node statistics to provide consistent system time information for feedback or presentation through a network attached user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Talari Networks Incorported
    Inventors: Todd Martin, Adam Phillip Schultz
  • Patent number: 10310091
    Abstract: A system and method for providing time stamps protected from GPS timing signal attacks. A GPS receiver receives a GPS time data, and a local clock provides local time data. A controller initiates the local clock with the GPS time data. It continuously monitors the GPS time data by calculating any difference error between current GPS time data and local time data, and determining whether the error exceeds a threshold value. If the error does not exceed the threshold value, the GPS time data is used to discipline the local clock data and the disciplined output is used for the time stamp. If the error exceeds the threshold value, the local time data is used for the time stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Gerardo Trevino, Ben A. Abbott
  • Patent number: 10281882
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece has a reception device; an input device; a detection device that detects a start reception operation of the input device and outputs a start reception signal; a manual reception controller that operates the receiver and executes a reception process if the start reception signal output from the detection device is received; an automatic reception controller that determines if an automatic reception condition is met, and operates the reception device to execute the reception process if the automatic reception condition is met; and a reception setter that enables or disables operation of the automatic reception controller. The reception setter enables operation of the automatic reception controller if the start reception signal output from the detection device is received if operation of the automatic reception controller is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 10197680
    Abstract: A method for use with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver is provided. The method includes obtaining a first system time from a satellite of a first satellite navigation system, obtaining a second system time from a satellite of a second satellite navigation system, calculating a difference between the first system time and the second system time to obtain a number of leap seconds between Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the second satellite system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Gary Lennen
  • Patent number: 10114341
    Abstract: A method of setting inertia of and/or poizing a timepiece sprung balance assembly including: manufacturing a balance and a balance spring irreversibly assembled to each other; fixing an outer coil of the balance spring in position in a tamperproof manner to a balance spring stud which is immobilized in a tamperproof manner by irreversible attachment to a balance cock; determining a peripheral surface of the balance, every point of which is remote from the balance spring by a first predefined distance; performing a re-machining operation only on the peripheral area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Thierry Conus, Marco Verardo, Christian Charbon
  • Patent number: 10042329
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece enables displaying multiple times and easily correcting the displayed time. An electronic device has a correction mode setting unit that sets a first time correction mode for adjusting a first time, or a second time correction mode for adjusting a second time, in response to a correction mode setting operation; and a display control unit that moves an indicator hand to a first indicated position indicating that the hands to be corrected are first hands when the first time correction mode is set, and moves the indicator hand to the second indicated position indicating that the hands to be corrected are second hands when the second time correction mode is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshikazu Akiyama
  • Patent number: 10009116
    Abstract: Either the electronic timepiece or the communication device of a communication system has a first communicator, and the other has a second communicator. The first communicator has a first transmitter including a transmission coil and a drive circuit configured to drive the transmission coil, and is configured to transmit signals by communicating through electromagnetic coupling; and an first receiver including a photodetector and a detection circuit that detects the output value of the photodetector, and configured to receive signals by optical communication. The second communicator has an second transmitter including a light-emitting device and a drive circuit that drives the light-emitting device, and configured to transmit signals by optical communication; and a second receiver including a reception coil and a detection circuit that detects the output value of the reception coil, and configured to receive signals by communicating through electromagnetic coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Norimitsu Baba, Hirokazu Nishijima
  • Patent number: 10001758
    Abstract: A time information receiver that receives a standard radio wave containing a time code and analyzes the time code based on a demodulated signal of the standard radio wave includes a falling edge cycle measurement part that measures a falling edge cycle of the demodulated signal over a measurement period set in advance and counts an occurrence in which the falling edge cycle is determined to coincide with any of 400 ms, 700 ms, 1300 ms, and 1600 ms, a low level width measurement part that measures a low level width over the measurement period whenever the falling edge cycle of the demodulated signal occurs and counts an occurrence in which the measured low level width is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold greater than 300 ms but smaller than 500 ms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9977406
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a case that is made of a conductive material, a bezel that is made of a nonconductive material, a patch antenna that is disposed inside the case and at the back side of the dial, and a bezel that is made of a ceramic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Teruhiko Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9952561
    Abstract: A radio timepiece, including: a satellite radio wave receiver; a ground wave receiver; a memory; and a controller, wherein the controller performs area determination operation of determining whether a current position is located within a geographical range where the ground wave receiver is capable of acquiring notice information regarding implementation/non-implementation of the leap second adjustment, when the controller determines that the current position is located within the geographical range, the controller controls the ground wave receiver to acquire the notice information, the controller determines, with the notice information, whether the leap second adjustment is scheduled to be implemented at an implementation candidate timing of the leap second adjustment, and when the controller determines that the leap second adjustment is scheduled to be implemented, the controller changes the leap second correction information at or after the implementation candidate timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sekitsuka, Takeshi Matsue