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US 2003/0193842 A1Published application
Time display system, method and device
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorShelton E. Harrison
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorShelton E. Harrison
Estimating the term…
A time display device (“TDD”)—equally adaptable to watches, clocks, computers, phones, and vehicles—indicates the current hour of the day by displaying a color that refers an observer to the disclosed color-to-hour matrix, thereby eliminating the traditional hour hand or digit altogether. Alternately adaptable to months, the system may be used with both mechanical and electronic displays. Various disclosed minute indicators provide minute indication by shape, complexity, company logo, air bubbles, or other novel methods. Environmental sensors allow switching between functions. TDD appearance is user-customizable via Internet. Birthstones, gemstones, and precious metals are alternately used as stand-alone time indicators.
A method for conveying the current time of day in hours and minutes, said method comprising the following steps:
A method of conveying the current time of day, said method comprising the following steps:
The method in 10 wherein said minute-indicating means comprises a white minute hand, a liquid, a bubble, or a gas.
A time display device comprising:
A method of switching between computer-implemented functions performed by a device, said method comprising the following steps:
A system for communicating the current time of day comprising:
The device in claim 33 wherein said switching means comprises a compass, a level, a gyroscope, a motion sensor, a GPS receiver, or a light sensor.
A time display device comprising:
The device 55 wherein said first precious material comprises a semiprecious or precious stone, such as diamond, ruby, emerald or sapphire, or precious metal, such as silver or gold.
The device 56 wherein said first time period is an hour, a month, or a zodiac sign.
A system comprising:
An apparatus configured to indicate both the current minute of the hour and the current hour of the day through the display of (a) a single numerical digit and (b) no other indicator of the current minute or hour.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Indicating the time optically by electric means: combined electro-optical and electro-mechanical displays
Indicating the time by other means or by combined means
Indicating the time optically by electric means
Visual time or date indication means: by building-up characters using a combination of indicating elements and by selecting desired characters out…
Term end not estimated
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documents or patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clocks, watches, and electronic displays.
FIG. 1A depicts a flowchart illustrating the process by which a color-to-hour matrix is created and deployed.
FIG. 1B depicts a group of colors, including rainbow colors, non-rainbow colors, and precious material colors, called a color pool.
FIG. 1C depicts a group of colors that is a subset of the colors in the color pool depicted in FIG. 1B.
DEFINITIONS: as used herein, “time display device” or “TDD” signifies any device which displays the time of day, including, but not limited to, video displays (e.g., LCD, LED, plasma, etc.); flat-panel and other electronic video displays and any object in which a color display can be embedded; wearable displays; wristwatches; key palettes; personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal information managers (PIMs), and other handheld computers; VCRs; car stereos; pagers; phones; wall, desk, grandfather, tower, alarm and water clocks; microwave ovens and other appliances; cable TV set-top boxes; and any other mechanical or electric device that includes a visible time display. It is further understood that each TDD includes a power supply sufficient to power its time display, data processing, data storage, and/or timekeeping functions, such as a battery, photovoltaic cell, self-winder, or power cord configured to plug into a wall outlet; a timekeeping device, such as a quartz or mechanical movement or a receiver for atomic clock radio frequency transmissions; and, if a liquid crystal display or other electronic display is used in the given TDD, sufficient data processing and storage (RAM/ROM) hardware to drive the electronic display, as well as any software necessary to serve that function and to render graphical images. It is further understood that each part of a TDD is made of a material appropriate to the function of that part; thus, plastic, metal, glass, synthetic materials, stainless steel, lubricant, quartz, silicon, leather, textiles, and other materials are used in the construction of the described alternative TDD's in accordance with known engineering principles and practices.
“Hour information” denotes the time of day information which typically appears to the left of the “:” in digital time format, or which is conveyed by an hour hand in a traditional analog clock.
“Active hour” denotes the particular hour information being presented as the “current hour of the day” at a particular moment in time by a time display device. For example, if the current time of day being displayed is 3:45 PM, then the active hour is 3, i.e., the current hour of the day.