Electronic time-telling device

• US 20030214885A1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elevator 01:02 Limited
• Original Assignee: Elevator 01:02 Limited
• Inventors: Paul, Melissa, Powell, Summer, Salonen, Liisa
• Application Number:
  US10/146,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20030214885A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/223
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 45/0007 Light-, colour-, line-, or spot-effects caused by parts or pictures moved by the clockwork disc-shaped indicating parts G04B19/046, G04B19/202; figures or parts thereof for indicating the time, moved by the clockwork G04B25/06
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0064 in which functions not related to time can be displayed digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a wearable electronic device with a miniature, flat, high-resolution, full color screen for a face, designed to display time and provide entertainment through the use of motion graphics. Animations on the miniature screen display time through alphanumeric sequences, “hands” or through other graphic structures. The timepiece may display time on the miniature screen in typical digital-or analog-style formats, in a moiré format, or other graphic formats where the graphic and/or video forms are an integral part of the time-telling display, and replace or augment the use of either hands or numbers. The timepiece may be worn on the person as a wristwatch, a pendant, an armband, a pin, or other wearable item.

Claims

1. A time telling device, comprising:

a display;

a first image adapted for display on said display; and

a second image adapted for display on said display;

wherein a way said first image overlaps and overtakes said second image tells a time of day.

2. The time telling device according to claim 1, wherein:

said display is a color display.

3. The time telling device according to claim 2, wherein:

said first image comprises a first color;

said second image comprises a second color different from said first color; and

said first color of said first image and said second color of said second image are color-blended in overlapped areas on said color display while in motion.

4. The time telling device according to claim 1, wherein:

said time telling device is mounted on a wristwatch.

5. The time telling device according to claim 1, wherein:

neither said first image nor said second image are traditional clock face images.

6. The time telling device according to claim 2, wherein:

said color display is a liquid crystal display.

7. The time telling device according to claim 6, wherein:

said color display is back-lit.

8. The time telling device according to claim 2, wherein:

said color display is an active liquid crystal display.

9. A method of telling time on a color display, comprising:

creating for display on a display a first graphic image;

creating for display on said display a second graphic image; and

creating visual motion between said first graphic image and said second graphic image by moving both said first graphic image and said second graphic image in relation to one another so that said first graphic image overlaps and eventually overtakes said second graphic image, an amount of overtaking telling a time of day.

10. The method of telling time on a color display according to claim 9, wherein:

a color of said first image is blended with a color of said second image in said overlapped portion.

11. The method of telling time on a color display according to claim 10, wherein:

said first graphic image comprises at least a first color;

said second graphic image comprises at least a second color different from said first color; and

a color of said overlapped portion results from said first color mixed with said second color.

12. Apparatus for telling time on a color display, comprising:

means for creating for display on a display a first graphic image;

means for creating for display on said display a second graphic image; and

means for creating visual motion between said first graphic image and said second graphic image by moving both said first graphic image and said second graphic image in relation to one another so that said first graphic image overlaps and eventually overtakes said second graphic image, an amount of overtaking telling a time of day.

13. The apparatus for telling time on a color display according to claim 12, wherein:

said means for creating visual motion blends a color of said first image with a color of said second image in said overlapped portion.

14. The apparatus for telling time on a color display according to claim 12, wherein:

said first graphic image comprises at least a first color;

said second graphic image comprises at least a second color different from said first color; and

a color of said overlapped portion results from said first color mixed with said second color.