Timepiece

• US 20030198141A1
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Diarmiud John St. Colum Bland, Donald R. Brewer
• Original Assignee: Diarmiud John St. Colum Bland, Donald R. Brewer
• Inventors: Brewer, Donald R., Bland, Diarmiud John St. Colum
• Application Number:
  US10/425,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20030198141A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/84
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133545 Dielectric stack polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/00 Visual time or date indication means
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0082 by building-up characters using a combination of indicating elements and by selecting desired characters out of a number of characters or by selecting indicating elements the positions of which represents the time, i.e. combinations of G04G9/02 and G04G9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0094 using light valves, e.g. liquid crystals

Abstract

A watch face uses liquid crystal displays along with a reflective polarizer to produce backgrounds with selective appearances. Therein, the watch employs a polarizer to produce polarized light that is passed downward to a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display selectively rotates or does not rotate the polarized light. If the light is rotated, a reflective polarizer layer located beneath the liquid crystal display reflects the rotated light back upward off its surface to provide the watch face with a first color. If the light is not rotated, then the light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer to a reflective dial surface disposed beneath. The light is then reflected off the dial surface to provide the watch face with a second color. The present invention includes a watch employing a watch face with selectively changing backgrounds which is capable of displaying two or more colors while having a watch face that has reduced overall thickness and can be made to display unique optical effects and patterns.

Claims

1. A watch face with selective backgrounds comprising:

a polarizer layer for polarizing light passing therethrough;

a liquid crystal display disposed beneath the polarizer layer wherein the liquid crystal display selectively rotates or does not rotate polarized light;

a reflective polarizer layer located beneath the liquid crystal display and positioned in a first orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing a first background on the watch face and non-rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer; and

a reflective layer disposed beneath the reflective polarizer layer wherein the light passed through the reflective polarizer layer reflects off the reflective layer producing a second background on the watch face.

2. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a neutral polarizer.

3. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a colored polarizer.

4. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the liquid crystal display is a twisted nematic liquid crystal display.

5. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the liquid crystal display is an electronically controlled birefringence liquid crystal display.

6. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the reflective polarizer layer is positioned in a second orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein non-rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing the first background on the watch face and rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer.

7. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the reflective layer is a patterned surface.

8. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

9. The watch face of claim 7 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

10. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the reflective layer is a mirrored surface.

11. The watch face of claim 7 wherein the patterned surface is an analog clock face.

12. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the first and second background are colored.

13. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the first background is a first color and the second background is a second color.

14. The watch face of claim 1 wherein the first background is a silvered mirror.

15. The watch face of claim 1 further comprising a color changing layer disposed directly above or directly below the liquid crystal display.

16. The watch face of claim 15 wherein the coloring lay changing comprises a colored polarizer.

17. The watch face of claim 15 wherein the color changing layer comprises a retardation film.

18. The watch face of claim 1 wherein said watch face includes a hole extending axially therethrough to provide for movement of analog time watch hands.

19. The watch face of claim 1 wherein said watch face is disposed within a watch module.

21. The watch face of claim 1 further comprising voltage switching means, wherein said switching means controls a voltage applied to said liquid crystal display.

20. The watch module of claim 20 wherein said module is round and said watch face is octagonal.

22. The watch face of claim 22 wherein said voltage switching means is electronically actuated.

23. The watch face of claim 22 wherein said voltage switching means is manually actuated.

24. The watch face of claim 22 wherein said voltage switching means alternates between a first and a second voltage.

25. The watch face of claim 24 wherein said first voltage produces the first background and said second voltage produces the second background.

26. The watch face of claim 25 further comprising means for adjusting said second voltage.

27. The watch face of claim 27 where in means for adjusting is electronically actuated.

28. The watch face of claim 27 where in means for adjusting is manually actuated.

29. A watch face with selective backgrounds comprising:

a polarizer layer for polarizing light passing therethrough;

a liquid crystal display disposed beneath the polarizer layer wherein the liquid crystal display is divided into a plurality of distinct segments, wherein each segment selectively rotates or does not rotate polarized light;

a reflective polarizer layer located beneath the liquid crystal display and positioned in a first orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing a first background on the watch face and non-rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer; and

a reflective layer disposed beneath the reflective polarizer layer wherein the light passed through the reflective polarizer layer reflects off the reflective layer producing a second background on the watch face.

30. The watch face of claim 29 wherein said plurality of distinct segments comprise a digital time display.

31. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a neutral polarizer.

32. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a colored polarizer.

33. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the liquid crystal display is a twisted nematic liquid crystal display.

34. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the liquid crystal display is an electronically controlled birefringence liquid crystal display.

35. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the reflective polarizer layer is positioned in a second orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein non-rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing the first background on the watch face and rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer.

36. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the reflective layer is a patterned surface.

37. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

38. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

39. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the reflective layer is a mirrored surface.

40. The watch face of claim 36 wherein the patterned surface is an analog clock face.

41. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the first and second background are colored.

42. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the first background is a first color and the second background is a second color.

43. The watch face of claim29 wherein the first background is a silvered mirror.

44. The watch face of claim 29 further comprising a color changing layer disposed directly above or directly below the liquid crystal display.

45. The watch face of claim 44 wherein the color changing layer comprises a colored polarizer.

46. The watch face of claim 44 wherein the color changing layer comprises a retardation film.

47. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the watch face facilitates analog or digital time display.

48. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the watch face includes a hole extending axially therethrough to provide for analog time movement of watch hands.

49. The watch face of claim 29 wherein the watch face is disposed within a watch module.

50. The watch module of claim 29 wherein said module is round and said watch face is octagonal.

51. The watch face of claim 29 further comprising a voltage switching means, wherein said voltage switching means controls a voltage selectively applied to at least one of a plurality of segment patterns, wherein each pattern is comprised of at least one of the plurality of distinct segments.

52. The watch face of claim 51 wherein said voltage switching means alternates the voltage between a first voltage and a second voltage.

53. The watch face of claim 52 wherein said first voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said plurality of segment patterns to rotate polarized light and said second voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said plurality of segment patterns to not rotate polarized light.

54. The watch face of claim 51 wherein said voltage switching means is electronically actuated.

55. The watch face of claim 51 wherein said voltage switching means is manually actuated.

56. The watch face of claim 52 further comprising means for adjusting said second voltage.

57. The watch face of claim 56 where in means for adjusting is electronically actuated.

58. The watch face of claim 56 where in means for adjusting is manually actuated.

59. The watch face of claim 51 further comprising a pattern selection means, wherein said selecting means controls the selection of at least one of the plurality of patterns.

60. The watch face of claim 59 wherein said pattern selection means is electronically actuated.

61. The watch face of claim 59 wherein said pattern selection means is manually actuated.

62. A watch face with selective backgrounds comprising:

a polarizer layer for polarizing light passing therethrough;

a first liquid crystal display disposed beneath the polarizer layer wherein the first liquid crystal display is divided into a plurality of distinct segments, wherein each segment selectively rotates or does not rotate polarized light;

a second liquid crystal display disposed beneath the first liquid crystal display, wherein the second liquid crystal display selectively rotates or does not rotate polarized light;

a reflective polarizer layer located beneath the second liquid crystal display and positioned in a first orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing a first background on the watch face and non-rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer; and

a reflective layer disposed beneath the reflective polarizer layer wherein the light passed through the reflective polarizer layer reflects off the reflective layer producing a second background on the watch face.

63. The watch face of claim 62 wherein said plurality of distinct segments in the first liquid crystal display comprise a digital time display.

64. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a neutral polarizer.

65. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a colored polarizer.

66. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the liquid crystal displays are twisted nematic type liquid crystal displays.

67. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the liquid crystal displays are electronically controlled birefringence liquid crystal displays.

68. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the reflective polarizer layer is positioned in a second orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein non-rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing a first background on the watch face and rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer.

69. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the reflective layer is a patterned surface.

70. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

71. The watch face of claim 69 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

72. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the reflective layer is a mirrored surface.

73. The watch face of claim 69 wherein the patterned surface is an analog clock face.

74. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the first and second background are colored.

75. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the first background is a first color and the second background is a second color.

76. The watch face of claim 62 wherein the first background is a silvered mirror.

77. The watch face of claim 62 further comprising a color changing layer disposed directly above or directly below either of the liquid crystal displays.

78. The watch face of claim 77 wherein the coloring lay changing comprises a colored polarizer.

79. The watch face of claim 77 wherein the color changing layer comprises a retardation film.

80. The watch face of claim 62 wherein said watch face includes a hole extending axially therethrough to provide for movement of analog time watch hands.

81. The watch face of claim 62 wherein said watch face is disposed within a watch module.

82. The watch module of claim 81 wherein said module is round and said watch face is octagonal.

83. The watch face of claim 62 further comprising voltage switching means, wherein said switching means controls a primary voltage selectively applied to at least one of a plurality of segment patterns, wherein each pattern is comprised of at least one of the plurality of distinct segments in the first liquid crystal display, and a secondary voltage applied to said second liquid crystal display.

84. The watch face of claim 83 wherein said voltage switching means is electronically actuated.

85. The watch face of claim 83 wherein said voltage switching means is manually actuated.

86. The watch face of claim 83 wherein said voltage switching means alternates the primary voltage between a first and a second voltage, and the secondary voltage between a third and a fourth voltage.

87. The watch face of claim 86 wherein said first voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said plurality segment patterns to rotate polarized light and said second voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said plurality segment patterns to not rotate polarized light, and wherein said third voltage causes the second liquid display to rotate polarized light and said fourth voltage causes the second liquid display to not rotate polarized light.

88. The watch face of claim 86 wherein said third voltage produces the first background and said fourth voltage produces the second background.

89. The watch face of claim 86 further comprising means for adjusting said primary and secondary voltages.

90. The watch face of claim 89 where in means for adjusting is electronically actuated.

91. The watch face of claim 89 wherein means for adjusting is manually actuated.

92. The watch face of claim 83 further comprising a pattern selection means, wherein said selection means controls and selects the at least one of said plurality of segment patterns.

93. The watch face of claim 92wherein said pattern selection means is electronically actuated.

94. The watch face of claim 92 wherein said pattern selection means is manually actuated.

95. A watch face with selective backgrounds comprising:

a polarizer layer for polarizing light passing therethrough;

a first liquid crystal display disposed beneath the polarizer layer wherein the first liquid crystal display selectively rotates or does not rotate polarized light;

a second liquid crystal display disposed beneath the first liquid crystal display, wherein the second liquid crystal display is divided into a plurality of distinct segments, wherein each segment selectively rotates or does not rotate polarized light;

a reflective polarizer layer located beneath the second liquid crystal display and positioned in a first orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing a first background on the watch face and non-rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer; and

a reflective layer disposed beneath the reflective polarizer layer wherein the light passed through the reflective polarizer layer reflects off the reflective layer producing a second background on the watch face.

96. The watch face of claim 95 wherein said plurality of distinct segments in the second liquid crystal display comprise a digital time display.

97. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a neutral polarizer.

98. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a colored polarizer.

99. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the liquid crystal displays are twisted nematic type liquid crystal displays.

100. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the liquid crystal displays are electronically controlled birefringence liquid crystal displays.

101. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the reflective polarizer layer is positioned in a second orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein non-rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing a first background on the watch face and rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer.

102. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the reflective layer is a patterned surface.

103. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

104. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

105. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the reflective layer is a mirrored surface.

106. The watch face of claim 102 wherein the patterned surface is an analog clock face.

107. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the first and second background are colored.

108. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the first background is a first color and the second background is a second color.

109. The watch face of claim 95 wherein the first background is a silvered mirror.

110. The watch face of claim 95 further comprising a color changing layer disposed directly above or directly below either of the liquid crystal displays.

111. The watch face of claim 110 wherein the coloring lay changing comprises a colored polarizer.

112. The watch face of claim 110 wherein the color changing layer comprises a retardation film.

113. The watch face of claim 95 wherein said watch face includes a hole extending axially therethrough to provide for movement of analog time watch hands.

114. The watch face of claim 95 wherein said watch face is disposed within a watch module.

115. The watch module of claim 114 wherein said module is round and said watch face is octagonal.

116. The watch face of claim 95 further comprising voltage switching means, wherein said switching means controls a primary voltage selectively applied to at least one of a plurality of segment patterns, wherein each pattern is comprised of at least one of the plurality of distinct segments in the second liquid crystal display, and a secondary voltage applied to said first liquid crystal display.

117. The watch face of claim 116 wherein said voltage switching means is electronically actuated.

118. The watch face of claim 116 wherein said voltage switching means is manually actuated.

119. The watch face of claim 116 wherein said voltage switching means alternates the primary voltage between a first and a second voltage, and the secondary voltage between a third and a fourth voltage.

120. The watch face of claim 119 wherein said first voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said plurality segment patterns to rotate polarized light and said second voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said plurality segment patterns to not rotate polarized light, and wherein said third voltage causes the second liquid display to rotate polarized light and said fourth voltage causes the second liquid display to not rotate polarized light.

121. The watch face of claim 119 wherein said third voltage produces the first background and said fourth voltage produces the second background.

122. The watch face of claim 119 further comprising means for adjusting said primary and secondary voltages.

123. The watch face of claim 122 where in means for adjusting is electronically actuated.

124. The watch face of claim 122 wherein means for adjusting is manually actuated.

125. The watch face of claim 116 further comprising a pattern selection means, wherein said selection means controls and selects the at least one of said plurality of segment patterns.

126. The watch face of claim 125 wherein said pattern selection means is electronically actuated.

127. The watch face of claim 125 wherein said pattern selection means is manually actuated.

128. A watch face with selective backgrounds comprising:

a polarizer layer for polarizing light passing therethrough;

a first liquid crystal display disposed beneath the polarizer layer wherein the first liquid crystal display is divided into a first plurality of distinct segments, wherein each segment selectively rotates or does not rotate polarized light;

a second liquid crystal display disposed beneath the first liquid crystal display, wherein the second liquid crystal display is divided into a second plurality of distinct segments, wherein each segment selectively rotates or does not rotate polarized light;

a reflective polarizer layer located beneath the second liquid crystal display and positioned in a first orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing a first background on the watch face and non-rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer; and

a reflective layer disposed beneath the reflective polarizer layer wherein the light passed through the reflective polarizer layer reflects off the reflective layer producing a second background on the watch face.

129. The watch face of claim 128 wherein said first plurality of distinct segments in the first liquid crystal display comprise a digital time display.

130. The watch face of claim 128 wherein said second plurality of distinct segments in the second liquid crystal display comprise a digital time display.

131. The watch face of claim 128 wherein said first and second pluralities of distinct segments in the first and second liquid crystal displays each comprise a digital time display.

132. The watch face of claim 131 wherein said digital time displays complement one another.

133. The watch face of claim 128 wherein said first plurality of distinct segments in the first liquid crystal display comprise a digital character display.

134. The watch face of claim 133 wherein said first and second pluralities of distinct segments in the first and second liquid crystal displays each comprise a digital character display.

135. The watch face of claim 134 wherein said digital character displays complement one another.

136. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a neutral polarizer.

137. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the polarizer layer comprises a colored polarizer.

138. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the liquid crystal display is a twisted nematic liquid crystal display.

139. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the liquid crystal display is an electronically controlled birefringence liquid crystal display.

140. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the reflective polarizer layer is positioned in a second orientation relative to said polarizer layer, wherein non-rotated light reflects off the reflective polarizer layer producing a first background on the watch face and rotated light is transmitted through the reflective polarizer layer.

141. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the reflective layer is a patterned surface.

142. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

143. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the reflective layer is a colored surface.

144. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the reflective layer is a mirrored surface.

145. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the patterned surface is an analog clock face.

146. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the first and second background are colored.

147. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the first background is a first color and the second background is a second color.

148. The watch face of claim 147 wherein the first background is a silvered mirror.

149. The watch face of claim 128 further comprising a color changing layer disposed directly above the first liquid crystal display or directly below the second liquid crystal display.

150. The watch face of claim 149 wherein the color changing layer comprises a colored polarizer.

151. The watch face of claim 149 wherein the color changing layer comprises a retardation film.

152. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the watch face facilitates analog or digital time display.

153. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the watch face includes a hole extending axially therethrough to provide for analog time movement of watch hands.

154. The watch face of claim 128 wherein the watch face is disposed within a watch module.

155. The watch module of claim 154 wherein said module is round and said watch face is octagonal.

156. The watch face of claim 128 further comprising voltage switching means, wherein said switching means controls a primary voltage selectively applied to at least one of a first plurality of segment patterns, wherein each pattern is comprised of at least one of the plurality of distinct segments in the first liquid crystal display, and a secondary voltage selectively applied to at least one of a second plurality of segment patterns, wherein each pattern is comprised of at least one of the plurality of distinct segments in the second liquid crystal display.

157. The watch face of claim 156 wherein said voltage switching means is electronically actuated.

158. The watch face of claim 156 wherein said voltage switching means is manually actuated.

159. The watch face of claim 156 wherein said voltage switching means alternates the primary voltage between a first and a second voltage, and the secondary voltage between a third and a fourth voltage.

160. The watch face of claim 159 wherein said first voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said first plurality of segment patterns to rotate polarized light and said second voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said second plurality of segment patterns to not rotate polarized light, and wherein said third voltage causes the each distinct segment in the at least one of said second plurality of segment patterns to rotate polarized light and said fourth voltage causes each distinct segment in the at least one of said fourth plurality of segment patterns to not rotate polarized light.

161. The watch face of claim 159 wherein said third voltage produces the first background and said fourth voltage produces the second background.

162. The watch face of claim 159 further comprising means for adjusting said primary and secondary voltages.

163. The watch face of claim 162 where in means for adjusting is electronically actuated.

164. The watch face of claim 162 wherein means for adjusting is manually actuated.

165. The watch face of claim 156further comprising a pattern selection means, wherein said selection means controls and selects the at least one of each said pluralities of segment patterns.

166. The watch face of claim 165 wherein said pattern selection means is electronically actuated.

167. The watch face of claim 165 wherein said pattern selection means is manually actuated.

168. The watch comprising:

a watch case comprising within a display unit and two batteries, wherein

said batteries are positioned alongside said unit.

169. The watch of claim 168, further comprising an analog watch movement.

170. The watch of claim 168, wherein said display unit comprises a printed circuit board and a liquid crystal display.

171. The watch of claim 170, further comprising an analog watch movement.

172. The watch of claim 168, wherein said batteries are 1.5 volt silver oxide batteries.

173. The watch of claim 168 wherein said display unit includes a hole extending axially therethrough to provide for movement of analog time watch hands.