Back to results
US 5,228,013 AGranted
Clock-painting device and method for indicating the time-of-day with a non-traditional, now analog artistic panel of digital electronic visual displays
OwnerRussell J. Bikinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microelectronic-based timekeeping apparatus having several display means, such as liquid crystal displays, that change color to indicate the time-of-day, and user accessible switches for setting modes of operation, are mounted within an aluminum frame. Time-of-day is represented by the dynamically changing relationship among the several display means. Display means consist of light valves alone, or light valves in combination with a backlighting means. The apparatus is suitable for integration with a work of abstract art and may be free-standing or hung on a wall.
Claims13
A method of digitally displaying time-of-day information with color-coded images (including black and white) visually generated for human interpretation by an electronic display device, the method comprising the steps of:
- indicating a time-of-day as being ante meridian (AM) or post meridian (PM) time by digital switching a first color-coded image between a first color and a second color;
- indicating an hour of said time-of-day by pulsing said first color-coded image between said first color and said second color to represent a three hour quadrant within a larger twelve hour AM/PM period;
- refining the indicating of said hour of said time-of-day by digitally switching a second, a third, and a fourth color-coded image between said first color and said second color such that one to all three of said second through fourth color-coded images are switched to display said first color and the remainder are switched to display said second color to represent a first, second, or third specific hour representing said time-of-day within said three hour quadrant;
- indicating a minute-of-said-hour of said time-of-day by pulsing at least one of said second, third and fourth color-coded images one through four times between said first and said second color to represent a first through fourth fifteen minute quadrant of an hour;
- refining the indicating of said minute of said minute-of-said-hour of said time-of-day by digitally switching a fifth, a sixth, and a seventh color-coded image between said first color and said second color such that one to all three of said fifth through seventh color-coded images are switched to display said first color and the remainder are switched to display said second color to represent a first, second or third five minute period within said fifteen minute quadrant;
- and
- further refining the indicating of said minute of said minute-of-said-hour of said time-of-day by pulsing at least one of said fifth, sixth and seventh color-coded images one to five times between said first and second colors to represent a specific minute within said specific five minute period wherein said time-of-day is displayed for interpretation by a human observer.
4 more elements
A method of encoding and communicating time-of-day information for interpretation by a human observer a visual display, the method comprising the steps of:
- partitioning and displaying on an electronic display panel a color-coded digital representation of a 24-hour period into two first subunits each of which are a digital representation of a 12 hour period;
- partitioning and displaying on said electronic display panel each of said first subunits into four second subunits each of which are a digital representation of a three hour period;
- partitioning and displaying on said electronic display panel each said second subunit into three third subunits each of which are a digital representation of a one hour period;
- partitioning and displaying on said electronic display panel each said third subunit into four fourth subunits each of which are a digital representation of a fifteen minute period;
- partitioning and displaying on said electronic display panel each said fourth subunit into three fifth subunits each of which are a digital representation of a five minute period;
- and
- partitioning and displaying on said electronic display panel each said fifth subunit into five sixth subunits each of which are a digital representation of a one minute period.
4 more elements
A clock-painting device for indicating a time-of-day in a non-traditional, non-analog artistic panel, comprising:
- liquid crystal display (LCD) means including a first through a third type of digitally-controlled areas in which an hour of the time-of-day is communicated by said first and second areas and in which a minute of the time-of-day is communicated by said second and third areas;
- AM/PM control means for maintaining a steady state condition of said first digitally-controlled area according to whether the time-of-day is AM or PM;
- hour-quadrant control means for periodically blinking said first digitally-controlled area according to which three-hour quadrant of a twelve hour period is relevant to the time-of-day;
- hour control means for maintaining a steady state condition of said second digitally-controlled area according to whether a first, second or third hour of said three-hour quadrant is relevant to the time-of-day;
- minute-quadrant control means for periodically blinking said second digitally-controlled area according to which fifteen-minute quadrant of said first, second or third hour is relevant to the time-of-day;
- five-minute control means for maintaining a steady state condition of said third digitally-controlled area according to whether a first, second or third five-minute period of said fifteen-minute quadrant of said hour is relevant to the time-of-day;
- and
- one-minute control means for periodically blinking said third digitally-controlled area according to which one-minute of said five-minute period is relevant to the time-of-day.
5 more elements
A method of digitally displaying time-of-day information with color-coded images visually generated for human interpretation by an electronic display device, the method comprising the steps of:
- indicating an hour of a time-of-day by changing said first color-coded image between a first color through a fourth color to represent a three-hour quadrant within a larger twelve hour AM/PM period;
- refining the indicating of said hour of said time-of-day by changing a second, a third, and a fourth color-coded image between said first through fourth colors such that one to all three of said second through fourth color-coded images are switched to display said first through fourth colors and the remainder are switched to display another of said first through fourth colors to represent a first, second, or third specific hour representing said time-of-day within said three-hour quadrant;
- indicating a minute-of-said hour of said time-of-day by changing at least one of said second, third and fourth color-coded images between said first through fourth color to represent a first through fourth fifteen-minute quadrant of an hour;
- refining the indicating of said minute of said minute-of-said-hour of said time-of-day by changing a fifth, a sixth, and a seventh color-coded image between said first color through said fourth color and a fifth color such that one to all four of said fifth through seventh color-coded images are switches to display said first through fifth colors and the remainder are switched to display another of said first through fifth colors to represent a first, second or third five-minute period within said fifteen-minute quadrant;
- and
- further refining the indicating of said minute of said minute-of-said-hour of said time-of-day by changing at least one of said fifth, sixth and seventh color-coded images between said first through fifth colors to represent a specific minute within said specific five-minute period wherein said time-of-day is displayed for interpretation by a human observer.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.