JPH01201698A - Time data display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive power saving by providing a display means which is brought to electric conduction in a period in which display data has been inputted, and executes a rewriting operation of an ECD element. CONSTITUTION:A signal corresponding to the present time is inputted at a prescribed time interval to a comparing means 20 from a timer means 19. Simultaneously, the comparing means 20 operates, reads out stored data of a storage means 5 and compares both of them. In this case, when it is decided that the compared data are satisfying a prescribed condition, display data is outputted to a display means 3. As for the display means, its display state is maintained even in the course of stopping by providing an electrochromic display element (ECD element) 3. Accordingly, the power consumption is limited in advance by stopping an electric conduction in a period in which rewriting of the display is not required, so that the electric conduction can be executed when the display data is outputted form the comparing means 20 and a change period of the display data is detected. In such a way, the power consumption can be curtailed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a device that displays pre-stored data in correspondence with the passage of time, such as an electronic timetable, and in particular, Related to things that reduce power consumption.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, devices installed in station premises to display various information such as train departure times have either been primitive devices in which the display contents can be changed manually, or conversely, devices have been installed using large-scale computers to display various information such as train departure times. Large-scale systems that centrally manage display data were common.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, while display devices that manually change data can be constructed at low cost, they are cumbersome to operate and often display errors, making it difficult to display important data such as timetables. Not suitable for

On the other hand, although the centralized control system using a large computer can accurately display complex data, it has many problems, such as high production costs, the need for dedicated wiring, and limited installation locations.

To address the above problem, a display device that operates independently using a ficrocomputer can be considered, but simply applying a conventional time display device as it is would consume a lot of power, and this method requires continuous display over a long period of time. Seed display devices must be driven by commercial power, and installation locations are still limited. However, it is clear that if the device is simply driven by batteries, it will be less convenient to use, such as the usable time being short and the purpose of use being limited.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned disadvantages, and an object of the present invention is to provide a time data display device that automatically displays data, saves power, and is capable of long-term battery operation. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a time data display device according to the present invention, which includes timer means for generating a signal corresponding to the current time at predetermined intervals; A storage means that stores data corresponding to the time in advance, and a signal that is activated every time a signal is output from the above-mentioned timer means, and should be displayed when predetermined conditions are met by comparing the signal with the data in the storage means. A comparison means for outputting data, and a display means comprising an electrochromic display element (hereinafter abbreviated as "rECD element"), which is energized during a period when display data is input to perform an annotation operation of the ECD element. We are prepared.

[Operation] With the above configuration, a signal corresponding to the current time is input from the timer means to the comparison means at predetermined time intervals. At the same time, the comparison means operates, reads out the data stored in the storage means, and compares the two. At this time, if it is determined that the compared data satisfies a predetermined condition, the display data is directed to the display means and output.

The display means includes an ECr, ) element in the display section, so that the display state is maintained even when the display is stopped. Therefore, by stopping the power supply during the period when the display does not need to be rewritten to limit power consumption, and by energizing it when display data is output from the comparing means and a change period of the display data is detected. , the power consumption can be reduced.

[Example] An example in which the present invention is implemented in an electronic timetable installed in a station premises to display information such as train departure times will be shown below, but the present invention is not limited to this. Of course, the present invention can be applied to various display devices that display data.

As shown in FIG. 2, the display device according to the present invention is integrally housed in a flat rectangular main body case 1 and operates independently, and is installed in a place where it can be easily seen, such as on a wall surface. .

On the front of the main body case 1, in addition to fixed information 2 such as "current time" and "first time", a display surface 4 using an ECD element 3 as a display means is provided, and electronic information provided inside the main body case 1 is provided. Under control from the circuit 5, data that changes in accordance with the passage of time is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic circuit +Q5 includes a power supply section 6 that supplies a predetermined power to the entire device, a data processing section 7 that performs data processing operations, a control section 8 that regulates the operation timing of each section, and a processing section. It is composed of a display section 9 that displays data.

The power supply unit 6 is capable of outputting a stable voltage vO of, for example, about 5V regardless of load fluctuations, and has an AC drive mode and a DC drive mode, and one of them is selectively used. That is, in the AC drive mode, the power plug 10
A commercial power source of 100 V AC is inputted through the AC power supply circuit 11, and the M electric power R@voltage vO is step-down rectified by the constant voltage power supply circuit 11 and used. On the other hand, in the DC drive mode, the output from the battery unit 13 containing a predetermined number of batteries 12 is stabilized via a constant voltage circuit 14 using a constant voltage element such as a Zener diode, and a predetermined DC voltage vO is output. possible.

The data processing section 7 is a chip microcomputer.
The central 9I! performs predetermined arithmetic processing. ! Riso f
15 and the I10 device L that exchanges signals with the outside.
ROM 17 or RA provided as a storage means.
The processing operation is regulated according to a program stored in advance in M18.

The control section 8 includes a timer circuit y819 that generates a signal corresponding to the current time, and a switching circuit 20 that regulates the timing of voltage application to each section.

The timer circuit 19 receives time data S specifying the current time.
It consists of a real-time clock IC that can independently form a clock pulse, and a counter that forms a timer signal S1 that is output at one-minute intervals using the IC's clock pulse. ,
Time data S towards the I10 device 16 of the data processing section 7
o to the switching circuit 20 as a timer signal SL.
Output each.

The switching circuit 20 is latched into an on state every time the timer signal S1 is input from the timer circuit 19, and applies the output voltage Vo from the power supply section 6 to the data processing section 7 and the display section 9 to perform a series of data processing. After this, the latch is released and turned off by inputting the processing end signal S2 from the data processing section 7, cutting off the power supply to both sections 7 and 9 and entering the power saving mode.

The display unit 9 is a display unit drive circuit with approximately the same configuration as the conventional one! ′?
It consists of an I21 and an ECD element 3 provided on the display surface 4 on the front of the main body case.Using the memory characteristics of the ECD element 3, the current display is normally maintained without energization, and the switching circuit During the period when the power supply voltage vO is applied from 20 onward, a display rewriting operation is performed according to the display data S3 output from the data processing section 7.

Fig. fjS4 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the entire circuit described above, in which power is normally supplied from the power supply section 6 to the control section 8 only, and every time it is confirmed that one minute has elapsed in step 1, the switching circuit 20 is turned on in step 2. is turned on, a voltage Vo is applied to the data processing section 7 and the display section 9, and a series of data processing shown in steps 3 to 6 is performed.In step 7, the switching circuit 20 is turned off and the next data processing cycle starts. wait.

When a predetermined power supply voltage vO is applied to the data processing unit 7 in step 2, the program in the ROM 17 is started in step 3 to start data processing.

First, in step 4, time data So is sent from the timer circuit 19.
is read and compared with data previously stored in the ROM 17 in step 5. Here, in the ROM 17, as shown in FIG. 5, the departure time and departure home number of the N introduction to be displayed are written in hours, minutes, and the home number from the upper address to the higher address in the data area. Groups are stored in order of earliest departure time. Therefore, timer times! 81
The current time taken out from 9 is compared with the time of the stored data, and two sets of data exceeding the current time and the current time data are output to the display section 9 as display data S3.

At this time, power is being supplied to the display unit 9 from the power supply unit 6 via the switching circuit 20, so the display by the ECD element 3 provided on the front of the main body case in step 6 is performed in substantially the same manner as before, and the display data is Rewriting corresponding to S3 is performed.

When the rewriting is completed, the data processing section 7 outputs the rewriting completion signal S2 to the switching circuit 20 in step 7, turns off the power to the data processing section 7 and the display section 9, and returns to step 1, where the timer circuit 19 It waits for the next timer signal St to be output.

Note that by advancing the output timing of the timer signal S+ from the timer circuit 19 every minute from the response time of the ECD element 3, for example, by about 100 m5, the current time display by the ECD element 3 can be adjusted. The delayed rewriting and display is corrected, and the current time is displayed accurately in synchronization with the actual minute change.

In addition, instead of separately providing the timer circuit 19, the data processing section 7 equipped with a power saving mode is always operated, and while the processing section 7 measures the time according to a program, an interrupt operation is performed at predetermined time intervals. Data processing may also be performed.

Furthermore, as for the method of retrieving data from the storage means, instead of comparing the times and retrieving the corresponding data, it is also possible to simply retrieve and display the data in order from the top every time the timer signal S1 is input. It is.

Also, when power is applied to the display section 9, the data for the display section 9 may need to be replaced! Power consumption can be further reduced if the process is performed only when authorized.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, pre-stored data is read out in accordance with the current time, so data can be displayed automatically without requiring any human effort.

Furthermore, it is possible to save power by performing data rewriting processing intermittently, and by providing an ECD element 3 in the data display means and limiting energization to the necessary minimum except during the data processing period. Designed for the power supply section! It has excellent effects such as making it possible to use even 1J.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the present invention. Figures 2 to 5 show an example of implementing the present invention in an electronic timetable, and the 21st! I is a perspective view showing the external shape, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic circuit, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operating procedure, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the data storage state in the memory. 3. . . . ECD element, 6. . . . Power supply section, 7. . . Data processing section, 8. .. Control section, 9. ...Switching circuit. Inventor Somei Japanese-style room Shoji Atsuki

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Timer means for generating a signal corresponding to the current time at predetermined intervals; storage means capable of storing data corresponding to the time; Comparing means operates to compare the signal with data in the storage means and outputs data to be displayed when predetermined conditions are met; and an electrochromic display element, which is energized during a period when display data is input. , and display means for performing a display rewriting operation.