JPS633274B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention is applicable to devices that are convenient to use with a constant timer set, such as a rice cooker,
This invention relates to timer devices used in alarm clocks, video tape recorders, and the like.

Construction of conventional rice cookers and their problems Taking conventional rice cookers as an example, they were generally time-setting type with an analog or digital timer. That is, subtract the current time from the time you want to start cooking rice, and set how many hours later you want to start cooking rice using an analog or digital timer. However, with this configuration, it is troublesome to calculate how many hours later it will be, and furthermore, when setting a timer, you have to set the time every day even though the time to cook rice is almost fixed. It's very difficult to use. In addition, some video tape recorders have time-setting timers that can store the current time, but while there is no need to worry about calculating how many hours later it will be, if the time is changed, the new time will be stored. ,
That time remains the timer time until the next change. Therefore, it is not possible to record only series programs by setting the time of the timer that is always used at a constant value, and the system is inconvenient to use.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a timer device that solves these conventional problems, and aims to improve the operability of the device.

Composition of the Invention The timer device of the device of the present invention includes a reserved time setting means for setting a reserved time, and a designation for specifying whether the reserved time set by the reserved time setting means is to be used temporarily or constantly. a first memory means for storing a temporarily used reserved time; a second memory means for storing a permanently used reserved time; and a reserved time in the first memory means. a reserved time selection means that selects the first stored time only when the time has been rewritten and a second stored time otherwise; a display means that displays the selected reserved time; and a display means that displays the current time. The timer is composed of clock means for measuring time, comparison means for comparing the current time from the clock means and the selected reserved time and outputting a matching signal, and starting means for starting an operation based on this output. When operating, the reserved time in the second storage means is always called up and used, and the reserved time in the first storage means is used only when it is rewritten.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The figure shows an example of a rice cooker, in which 1 is the rice cooker main body, 2 is a rice cooking lid, 3 is a handle of the rice cooking lid, and 4 is an operating section provided on the front of the rice cooker main body 1. The configuration of the operating section 4 is shown below.

5 is a key switch that sets the "hour" digit of the reservation time, 6 is a key switch that sets the "minute" digit,
7 is an LCD display device that displays the reservation time; 8;
Reference numerals 9 indicate light emitting diodes indicating the operating modes of the rice cooker, 10 a start switch for starting timer operation, and 11 a switch for specifying whether the reserved time to be set is for constant use or for temporary use.

Next, the operation will be briefly explained based on FIG.

First, if the time to cook rice is 7 p.m. every day, press the designated switch 11, press the "hour" and "minute" key switches 5 and 6, and select "PMM7:
00”. After that, press the start switch 10
When is pressed, the timer operation is started, the light emitting diode 8 of the timer emits light, and if the reserved time and the current time match, that is, at 7:00 p.m., rice cooking will start. This reserved time is stored as the second memory time, and if you want to start the timer operation again and start cooking rice at 7:00 p.m., press the start switch 1.
Just press 0. Also, if you want to temporarily change the reservation time due to unexpected customers or holidays, do not press designated switch 11, but press key switches 5 and 6.
The reserved time is changed, that is, the first stored time is set. Then, as described above, when the start switch 10 is pressed, rice cooking starts at the reserved time. However, after that, the second memory time (7:00 PM) stored for constant use is displayed on the display device 7, and that time is set as the next reserved time, and the start switch 10
You can start cooking rice at that time by simply pressing . Note that when rice cooking starts, the light emitting diode 9 emits light.

In FIG. 3, 12 is a reservation time setting means;
This corresponds to the key switches 5 and 6 mentioned above. Reference numeral 13 denotes a reservation time designation means, which corresponds to the designation switch 11. That is, when the time is set by the reservation time setting means 12, it is checked whether the designated switch 11 is pressed at the same time, and if it is pressed, the time is stored in the second storage means 14, and if it is not pressed, the time is stored in the second storage means 14. It is stored in the first storage means 15. All of these processes are performed within the microcomputer, and the time is stored in RAM.

The reservation time selection means 16 first stores the first storage means 1.
5, it is determined whether the first memory time stored in step 5 has been rewritten, and if it has been rewritten, the first memory time is determined, and if not, the first memory time stored in the second storage means 14 is determined. Select the memory time of 2, and display the LCD display means 17 (corresponding to the display device 7).
Displays the reserved time. Here, when there is a signal from the timer start means 18 (corresponding to the start switch 10), the reservation time selection means 16 sends the selected time to the next comparison means 19. The comparison means 19 compares the current time from the clock means 20 with the aforementioned selected time (reserved time), and if they match, sends a match signal to the next start means 21. The starting means 21 receives this signal and turns on the rice cooker to start cooking rice. When rice cooking starts, reservation time selection means 1
6 starts the operation again, selects the next reserved time, and displays it on the display means 17. That is, at this time, if there is no change in the reserved time (if there is no signal from the reserved time setting means 12), the second stored time is automatically selected. Therefore, if the timer starting means, that is, the start switch 10 is pressed without changing the reserved time, the second stored time becomes the next reserved time and the timer operation is started. This operation is repeated unless the reserved time is changed.

Note that the operation of the reserved time selection means 16 may be restarted at the end of rice cooking.

Next, the processing performed by the microcomputer will be explained based on FIG. In step 22, it is determined whether there is a change in the reservation time. That is, it is determined whether the key switches 5 and 6 have been pressed. If there is a key input, it is determined in step 23 whether or not that time is a time that is always used by listening to the state of the designated switch 11. If the time is always used
Remember that time in RAM2, otherwise
Store in RAM1. In the subsequent step, that time M is displayed.

In step 24, the start switch input is heard and determined, and if there is an input, the current time is read and
Otherwise, return to step 22. Current time N
When read, the displayed time M and the current time N are compared and determined in step 25, and if they match, rice cooking is started. If not, wait until there is a match. Then return to step 22. Note that if the reserved time is not changed in step 22, the time in RAM2 is displayed and the process moves to the following step.

Although the above embodiment has been explained using a rice cooker as an example, the timer device of the present invention can be used in devices such as alarm clocks and video tape recorders, which are convenient to use by setting a constant time. is obvious.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above-mentioned embodiments, the timer device of the device of the present invention is a time setting type and can specify the time, and once the reserved time for constant use is set, the timer device can be set with one touch operation. can work. Moreover, even if the reserved time is changed, the next reserved time is automatically set to the time for regular use, so the operability of the device is extremely improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view of a rice cooker equipped with a timer device showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a front view showing the operation section of the timer device of the rice cooker, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the timer device. , FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing by the microcomputer. 12...Reservation time setting means, 13...Reservation time specifying means, 14...Second storage means, 15...First storage means, 16...Reservation time selection means, 17
... Display means, 19 ... Comparison means, 20 ... Clock means, 21 ... Start means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reservation time setting means for setting a reservation time, and a reservation time designation means for specifying whether the reservation time set by the reservation time setting means is to be used temporarily or constantly; A first storage means for storing a reserved time for temporary use, a second storage means for storing a reserved time for constant use, and a first storage means for storing a reserved time for permanent use, and a second storage means for storing a reserved time for temporary use, and a second storage means for storing a reserved time for permanent use. a reservation time selection means for selecting one stored time and a second stored time for other times; a display means for displaying the selected reservation time; a clock means for measuring the current time; 1. A timer device for equipment, comprising a comparison means for comparing the current time and a selected reserved time and outputting a coincidence signal, and a start means for starting an operation based on this output.