Patent Publication Number: US-2016223993-A1

Title: Electronic device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/472,810, filed Aug. 29, 2014, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-181106, filed Sep. 2, 2013, the entire disclosures of both of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an electronic device. 
     2. Related Art 
     As an electronic device has higher integration levels and more functions, various measurement modes are implemented in a stopwatch which measures time. For example, as JP-A-7-55962 shows, as a user operates an operation button, it is possible to confirm a lap time value even during measurement while traveling, and to record the measured timing information in a memory. 
     In recent years, as a global positioning system (GPS) represents, a technology which takes a measurement of a position of a moving object by using a satellite positioning system by a satellite and measures movement information of the moving object based on a time change of the measured position, is known. There is provided a watch which implements the measuring function and the timing function, and has many functions that display various types of information while traveling based on the movement information and the timing information. 
     However, it is required that various types of information which are displayed in a display region of the watch be displayed in a large size so that the user is able to visually confirm it even while traveling. As a result, status information which shows a measurement state is displayed in a small size in an empty region of the display region. Accordingly, the user cannot easily determine whether or not the measurement is in progress, and it is easy for the user to cause a measurement error. 
     SUMMARY 
     An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to easily confirm a measurement state visually. 
     The invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE  1   
     This application Example is directed to an electronic device including: a measurement portion which measures a lapse of time; an indication portion which indicates a measurement with respect to the measurement portion; a display portion which displays a measurement result measured by the measurement portion on a display screen; and a display control portion which switches a display color of the display screen corresponding to a measurement state of the measurement portion. 
     According to this configuration, the measurement portion measures based on an indication of the indication portion, and the display color of the display screen which displays the measurement result on the display portion is switched according to the measurement state of the measurement portion. For this reason, by visually confirming the display color of the display screen, it is possible to easily recognize the measurement state. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE 2 
     In the electronic device according to the application example described above, it is preferable that the indication portion indicates an initiation and a stop of the measurement, that the measurement portion transits to a measurement state or a non-measurement state according to the indication of the indication portion, and that the display control portion switches the display color to a first color when the measurement portion is in the measurement state, and switch the display color to a second color when the measurement portion is in the non-measurement state. 
     According to this configuration, since the display color of the display screen is switched to the first color when the measurement portion is in the measurement state, and the display color of the display screen is switched to the second color when the measurement portion is in the non-measurement state, it is possible to immediately recognize the measurement state of the measurement portion by visually confirming whether the display color of the display screen is the first color or the second color. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE 3 
     In the electronic device according to the application example described above, it is preferable that the display control portion switches the display color of at least a part of an area of the display screen corresponding to the state of the measurement portion. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE 4 
     In the electronic device according to the application example described above, it is preferable that the display screen includes a character area and a background area, and the display control portion switches at least one display color of the character area and the background area. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE 5 
     In the electronic device according to the application example described above, it is preferable the display screen is displayed in white and in black, and the display control portion switches the white color and the black color to each other. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE 6 
     In the electronic device according to the application example described above, it is preferable that the indication portion indicates the stop of the measurement when the measurement portion is in the measurement state and a predetermined condition is established. 
     According to this configuration, it is possible that the measurement portion in the measurement state transits to in the non-measurement state when the predetermined condition is established. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE 7 
     In the electronic device according to the application example described above, it is preferable that a position calculation portion which calculates the positional information based on a signal from a positioning satellite is provided, and the measurement portion measures the movement information based on the lapse of time and the positional information. 
     According to this configuration, it is possible to measure the movement information of the device itself, based on the positional information which is based on the signal from the positioning satellite, and the lapse of time. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE 8 
     In the electronic device according to the application example described above, it is preferable that the movement information is a movement distance which considers a position where the measurement is initiated as a starting point, and the display portion displays the movement distance. 
     APPLICATION EXAMPLE 9 
     In the electronic device according to the application example described above, it is preferable that an acceleration detection portion which detects acceleration and calculates a movement amount based on the detected acceleration is provided, and that the measurement portion calculates the movement distance based on the movement amount calculated by the acceleration detection portion when the position calculation portion cannot calculate the positional information. 
     According to this configuration, it is possible to calculate the movement distance based on the movement amount calculated by the acceleration detection portion even when the position calculation portion cannot calculate the positional information. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating an outline of a GPS system. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a running watch according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a flow of a process in the running watch according to the embodiment of the invention. 
         FIGS. 4A to 4E  are views illustrating transition of display screens. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
     Embodiment 
     Hereinafter, an appropriate example of an electronic device according to the invention will be described. Here, an outline of a running watch  10  which is an electronic device that receives and uses a signal for positioning or the like by a radio wave from a positional information satellite or the like that constitutes a communication system, will be described as an example. In the embodiment, a GPS system is assumed as the communication system. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and various satellite positioning systems can be assumed. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating an outline of a GPS system. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a GPS satellite  90 , which is a positioning satellite, is a positional information satellite that orbits on a predetermined orbit above the Earth, and transmits a satellite signal which superposes a navigation message or the like at a microwave of 1.57542 GHz, for example, to the ground. The GPS satellite  90  has an atomic timepiece mounted thereon, and includes GPS time information which is extremely accurate time information that is timed by the atomic timepiece in the satellite signal. For this reason, the running watch  10  which is provided with a function as a GPS receiver can receive the satellite signal and display an accurate time by correcting a progress or a delay of an internal time. 
     In addition, the satellite signal includes orbital information which shows a position on the orbit of the GPS satellite  90 . In other words, the running watch  10  can perform a positioning computation. In general, by receiving the satellite signal transmitted from each of four or more GPS satellites  90 , the running watch includes a function that performs the positioning computation by using the orbital information and the GPS time information which are included in the received satellite signal. By performing the positioning computation, the running watch  10  can easily correct the time by matching a current position, or the like. Besides, if the satellite signal is used, various applications, such as displaying a current position, taking a measurement of a movement distance, or taking a measurement of a movement speed, are possible. In the running watch  10 , the information can be displayed in a digital manner by a liquid crystal panel  12 . 
     In the embodiment, the running watch  10  includes an exterior case  11  and a belt  19  for installing the exterior case  11  to an arm  18 . On a side surface of the exterior case  11 , operation buttons  16  ( 16   a,    16   b,    16   c,  and  16   d ) are provided. The operation buttons  16  function as an indication portion, and are assigned to be able to indicate a selection of a measurement mode, an initiation of the measurement, a temporary stop of the measurement, a completion of the measurement, setting the display of the liquid crystal panel  12 , or the like, as the user pushes the operation button. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the running watch  10 . The running watch  10  includes a GPS antenna  22 , a GPS position calculation portion  20 , a sensor portion  24 , a process portion  30 , an operation portion  40 , a timepiece portion  42 , a communication portion  44 , a display portion  46 , and a storage portion  50 . 
     The GPS position calculation portion  20  is a module which uses the satellite signal transmitted from the GPS satellite  90  and measures a position or a movement speed vector. 
     After obtaining the orbital information of an almanac (astronomical calendar) or an ephemeris (broadcast ephemeris) from a navigation message or the like transmitted from the GPS satellite  90 , and obtaining an approximate position of the GPS satellite  90  based on the obtained almanac, the GPS position calculation portion  20  obtains a specific position of the GPS satellite  90  based on the ephemeris. Furthermore, the GPS position calculation portion  20  determines four GPS satellites  90  which are the targets to be received based on the obtained positional information, receives radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted from each of the determined GPS satellites  90  by the GPS antenna  22 , and obtains the satellite signal by processing and decoding the received RF signals. 
     The GPS position calculation portion  20  extracts measurement information which is necessary for analyzing the satellite signal. The measurement information includes an amount that is referred to as a code phase or a Doppler frequency that captures the satellite signal, or an amount that is referred to as a pseudo range or a pseudo range rate between the running watch  10  and the GPS satellite  90 . By using the measurement information, the GPS position calculation portion  20  performs computation of a known position and computation of the movement speed vector, and calculates the positional information of the device itself. Furthermore, the GPS position calculation portion  20  corresponds to the position calculation portion. 
     The sensor portion  24  functions as the acceleration detection portion which detects acceleration, and is a sensor unit which is configured to have an inertial sensor that is an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor, for example. 
     The operation portion  40  is an input apparatus which is configured to have an operation button  16  or the like, and outputs the signal showing that the buttons are pushed to the process portion  30 . 
     The timepiece portion  42  is a timepiece inside the running watch  10 , and is configured to have a crystal oscillator or the like which is a quartz crystal resonator and an oscillation circuit. The time information of the timepiece portion  42  is output to the process portion  30  at any time. 
     The communication portion  44  is a communication apparatus for transmitting and receiving the information used in the apparatus between the outside information processing apparatuses according to control of the process portion  30 . Examples of the communication technique of the communication portion  44  can include various methods, such as a wire connection method via a cable in conformity to a predetermined communication standard, a connection method via an intermediate apparatus which also serves as a charger referred to as a cradle, or a wireless connection method by using near-field wireless communication. 
     The display portion  46  is a display apparatus which is configured to have a liquid crystal display (LCD) as a liquid crystal panel  12 , and displays various types of information based on the display signal output from the process portion  30 . 
     The process portion  30  is a processor which generally controls each functional portion of the running watch  10  according to a program  52  stored in the storage portion  50 , and is configured to have a processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital signal processor (DSP). 
     In the embodiment, the process portion  30  includes a movement distance measurement portion  32 , a time measurement portion  34 , and a display control portion  36 , as main functional portions. Here, the movement distance measurement portion  32  and the time measurement portion  34  correspond to the measurement portion. 
     The movement distance measurement portion  32  measures the movement distance or the movement speed which considers a reference position where the measurement is initiated as the starting point, based on the positional information of the device itself calculated by the GPS position calculation portion  20 . Furthermore, when the GPS position calculation portion  20  cannot calculate the positional information of the device itself, an aspect can be assumed in which the movement distance measurement portion  32  calculates the movement amount based on an output signal of the inertial sensor of the sensor portion  24 , and derives the movement distance or the like based on the calculated movement amount. 
     The time measurement portion  34  measures the lapse of time or the like, based on the time information output from the timepiece portion  42 . 
     Furthermore, the process portion  30  can calculate a pace, lap time, split time, a movement locus, and consumed calories, based on information which is related to a distance measured by the movement distance measurement portion  32  and information which is related to time measured by the time measurement portion  34 . 
     The display control portion  36  generates a display screen which shows a measurement result measured by the movement distance measurement portion  32  or the time measurement portion  34 , a calculation result calculated by the process portion  30 , and a searching state of the GPS satellite  90  by the GPS position calculation portion  20 , and performs a control to display the generated display screen on the display portion  46 . 
     In the embodiment, according to a process circumstance of the process portion  30 , the display control portion  36  transits to any one of a satellite search display mode which displays a display screen (search screen) showing a searching state of the GPS satellite  90 , a time display mode which displays a display screen (home screen) displaying current time, and the measurement mode which measures or calculates the movement information, such as traveling time or traveling distance of the user, and displays a display screen (chronograph screen) showing the calculation result. 
     The measurement mode can display plural information, such as the movement distance or temporal information measured by the movement distance measurement portion  32 , the time measurement portion  34 , and the process portion  30  on one chronograph screen, for example, display only the information of the movement distance on the chronograph screen, based on a selection operation of the user. 
     The display control portion  36  has a display color switching portion  38 . While the measurement mode is performed, when a state transits from the measurement state to the non-measurement state or from the non-measurement state to the measurement state, according to the indication from the operation portion  40  or the process portion  30 , by switching the display color of the displayed chronograph screen to a color corresponding to the transited state, the display color switching portion  38  has a function that visually shows a current transition state to the user. Furthermore, the non-measurement state can be assumed as a reset state which initializes a measurement value, or as a temporary stop (pause) state which can continue the measurement. 
     For example, when the user pushes the operation button  16  set to initiate the measurement, the movement distance measurement portion  32  and the time measurement portion  34  initiate the measurement corresponding to the operation button  16 , and the display control portion  36  displays the character area of the chronograph screen displayed in the display color (first color) which shows the measurement state, on the display portion  46 . In addition, when the user pushes the operation button  16  set to stop the measurement, the movement distance measurement portion  32  and the time measurement portion  34  stop the measurement, and the display control portion  36  displays the character area of the chronograph screen displayed in the display color (second color) which shows the non-measurement state, on the display portion  46 . 
     Furthermore, the transition from the measurement state to the non-measurement state is not limited to the button operation. For example, when the movement distance measurement portion  32  and the time measurement portion  34  are in the middle of the measurement, and a predetermined condition, for example, the movement speed is a predetermined value or lower, the process portion  30  functions as the indication portion and indicates the stop of the measurement to the movement distance measurement portion  32  or the time measurement portion  34 . Furthermore, when the measurement is stopped under this condition, the measurement is resumed if the movement speed exceeds the predetermined value. 
     In the embodiment, when the display portion  46  displays the display screen in white and black, and the display color switching portion  38  performs the measurement mode, a white color and a black color are replaced and inverted according to the measurement state or the non-measurement state. In other words, in a case of the measurement state, the character area which shows the information on the chronograph screen is displayed in black, and the background area is displayed in white (refer to  FIG. 4D ). In addition, in a case of the non-measurement state, the character area on the chronograph screen is displayed in white, and the background area is displayed in black (refer to  FIG. 4E ). Furthermore, as the user performs the setting, it is possible to reverse the display pattern of the measurement state and the non-measurement state. In addition, by characteristics of the liquid crystal panel  12 , an aspect can be assumed in which the display pattern is determined, in consideration of reducing a power consumption by reducing the area in black. 
     Furthermore, the embodiment is not limited to the inversion display of the display color. For example, an aspect can also be assumed in which color information corresponding to the state of the measurement is set in advance, and the display color of the character area or the display color of the background area corresponding to the measurement state and the non-measurement state is switched. In addition, the state which can be transited is not limited to the measurement state and the non-measurement state, and the transition among three or more other states can be assumed. 
     In addition, the display color of the entire area displayed by the liquid crystal panel  12  may be switched, and the display color only in a part of the area which displays predetermined information may be switched. In addition, when the display color is switched, an aspect can also be assumed in which a switching of the display color of the chronograph screen is notified to the user, by flashing the chronograph screen, or by repeatedly switching a current display color and a display color to be switched over at predetermined times. 
     The storage portion  50  is configured to have a storage apparatus, such as a read only memory (ROM), a flash ROM, or a random access memory (RAM), and stores a program  52  for controlling the running watch  10  by the process portion  30  or data  54  for performing various application processes. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a flow of a process in the running watch  10 , and describes with appropriate reference to a view illustrating the transition of the display screen in  FIGS. 4A to 4E . Furthermore, in the following description, the display control portion  36  is described to be limited to an aspect in which only the movement distance is displayed on the chronograph screen. 
     When the running watch  10  is activated, the process portion  30  transits to a waiting state which is a home position. At the same time, the display control portion  36  transits to a time display mode, and displays the current time on the display portion  46  as a home screen, as illustrated in  FIG. 4A  (Step S 100 ). 
     Next, the process portion  30  determines whether or not the GPS satellite searching is indicated (Step S 101 ), and repeats the determination of Step S 101  when the GPS satellite searching is not indicated by the user (NO in Step S 101 ). 
     In the embodiment, if a predetermined operation button  16  is pushed when the home screen is displayed, a selection screen (not illustrated) is displayed, and the GPS satellite searching is indicated to be performed when the user selects a chronograph function from the selection screen. In this manner, when the GPS satellite searching is indicated (YES in Step S 101 ), the process portion  30  captures the plurality of GPS satellites  90  and receives the satellite signal (Step S 102 ), and calculates the positional information based on the received satellite signal. In this case, the display control portion  36  transits to a satellite searching display mode, and displays the search screen which shows the searching state as illustrated in  FIG. 4B , on the display portion  46 . 
     Next, the process portion  30  transits the measurement indication from the user to the waiting state. At the same time, the display control portion  36  transits to the measurement mode, and displays the chronograph screen in the display color which shows the non-measurement state, as illustrated in  FIG. 4C , on the display portion  46  (Step S 104 ). In this case, the movement distance measured by the movement distance measurement portion  32  is initialized, and the movement distance displayed on the display portion  46  is displayed as an initial value. 
     Next, the process portion  30  determines whether or not the measurement initiation is indicated from the user (Step S 106 ). Here, when the measurement initiation is not indicated from the user (NO in Step S 106 ), the process portion  30  determines whether or not the transition to the home screen is indicated from the user (Step S 120 ). When the transition to the home screen is indicated (YES in Step S 120 ), the process goes back to Step S 100 . Meanwhile, when the transition to the home screen is not indicated (NO in Step S 120 ), the process goes back to Step S 104 . 
     In addition, when the measurement initiation is indicated from the user (YES in Step S 106 ), the process portion  30  initiates the measurement process (Step S 108 ), and initiates the measurement of the lapse of time and the movement distance. 
     Furthermore, as illustrated in  FIG. 4D , the display control portion  36  displays the chronograph screen in the display color which shows the measurement state, on the display portion  46  (Step S 110 ). 
     Next, the process portion  30  determines whether or not the temporary stop of the measurement is indicted from the user (Step S 112 ). Here, when the temporary stop of the measurement is not indicted from the user (NO in Step S 112 ), the process goes back to Step S 108  and continues the measurement process at a predetermined time interval. 
     Meanwhile, when the temporary stop of the measurement is indicted from the user (YES in Step S 112 ), the display control portion  36  displays the chronograph screen in the display color which shows the non-measurement state, on the display portion  46 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4E  (Step S 114 ). In this case, the movement distance measured by the movement distance measurement portion  32  is maintained, and the movement distance measured by this process is displayed on the display portion  46 . 
     Next, the process portion  30  determines whether or not a reset of the measurement is indicated from the user (Step S 116 ). Here, when the reset of the measurement is indicated from the user (YES in Step S 116 ), the measurement information, such as the movement distance, is reset (Step S 117 ), and the process goes back to Step S 104 . 
     Meanwhile, when the reset of the measurement is not indicated from the user (NO in Step S 116 ), the process portion  30  determines whether or not the temporary stop is indicated to be lifted from the user (Step S 118 ). Here, when the temporary stop is not indicated to be lifted from the user (NO in Step S 118 ), the process goes back to Step S 114 . 
     Meanwhile, when the temporary stop is indicated to be lifted from the user (YES in Step S 118 ), the process goes back to Step S 108  and continues the measurement process at the predetermined time interval. In this case, the movement distance measured by the movement distance measurement portion  32  is added to the movement distance displayed on the display portion  46  and counted, and the counted movement distance is displayed on the display portion  46 . 
     Furthermore, in the embodiment, the above processes are performed continuously. When a system reset of the running watch  10  is indicated, after the process portion  30  performs an initialization process, the process from the Step S 100  is performed. 
     According to the above-described embodiment, the following is effective. 
     (1) Since the running watch  10  changes and displays the display color on the display portion  46  corresponding to a case where the set measurement items are in the middle of the measurement, and to a case where the set measurement items are stopped, the user can easily confirm the measurement state visually by the display color. Therefore, when the measurement is temporarily stopped in accordance with the temporarily stopped traveling, the user can easily confirm whether or not the measurement is resumed when the traveling is resumed. 
     (2) As the character area is displayed in black and the background area is displayed in white during the measurement, it is possible to improve visibility of display information while traveling. 
     There is a case where the apparatus which performs the above method is realized by a single apparatus, and there is a case where the apparatus is realized by combining a plurality of apparatuses. The apparatus includes various aspects. 
     Each configuration and the combination thereof in each embodiment is an example. The configuration can be added, omitted, changed, and modified without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, the embodiment of the invention is not limited, and limited only to the scope of the appended claims.