Device for displaying variable data for small screens

• US 20040218472A1
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terrace Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar, Raghunath, Mandayam Thondanur
• Granted Patent: US 7,035,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/10
• 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 9/02 by selecting desired characters out of a number of characters or by selecting indicating elements the position of which represent the time, e.g. by using multiplexing techniques G04G9/0082 takes precedence

Abstract

A device and method for displaying variable data comprises: logic for displaying a gauge that comprises a closed two-dimensional shape. The two-dimensional shape comprises a linear pointer inside the shape, the location of the pointer being determined as a function of a change in an item of data during a predetermined time interval. A device and method for displaying variable data comprises: logic for displaying an annular graph representing changes in a quantifiable item of data during a predetermined time interval, wherein the annular graph is positioned around a clock face. A computer program product comprises instructions for: displaying a graphical representation of variable data comprising displaying a gauge; and also for: displaying an annular graph representing changes in a quantifiable item of data during a predetermined time interval, wherein the annular graph is positioned around a clock face.

Claims

1. A device for displaying variable data, the device comprising:

logic for displaying a gauge comprising a closed two-dimensional shape comprising a linear pointer inside the shape, the location of the pointer being determined as a function of a change in an item of data during a predetermined time interval.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the shape is a circle.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the shape is a polygon.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the linear pointer is an outward pointing arrow in the middle of the shape.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the item of data comprises a price of a stock.

6. The device of claim 5 further comprising logic for displaying the ticker symbol of the stock whose price is displayed in association with the shape.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the shape is a circular gauge comprising

a line originating at the center of the gauge

wherein the line points up when the value of the data item has not changed during the predetermined time interval and

wherein an increase in the value is represented by a position of the line within a first or second quadrant of the circular gauge with the angle of the position indicating the amount of the change, and

wherein a decrease in the value is represented by a position of the line within a third or fourth quadrant of the circular gauge with the angle of the position indicating the amount of the change.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the position representing an upward change is a 5 o'"'"'clock position when the change is twenty-five percent or more above the value at the beginning of the predetermined time interval.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the position representing a downward change is a 7 o'"'"'clock position when the change is twenty-five percent or more below the value at the beginning of the predetermined time interval.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the position representing a downward change is a 10 o'"'"'clock position when the change is ten percent below the value at the beginning of the predetermined time interval.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein the gauge is shown in reverse video when the value of the item increases during the interval and in normal display mode when the value decreases during the interval.

12. The device of claim 6 wherein the most recently received price of the stock is displayed in association with the name of the stock.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising an application specific integrated circuit comprising the logic for displaying a gauge comprising a closed two-dimensional shape comprising a linear pointer inside the shape, the location of the pointer being determined as a function of a change in an item of data during a predetermined time interval.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a wristband for enabling a user to wear the device.

15. The device of claim 1 further comprising a clock mechanism for determining the time and a display driver for displaying the time.

16. A method for displaying a graphical representation of variable data comprising displaying a gauge;

the gauge comprising a closed two-dimensional shape comprising a linear pointer inside the shape, the location of the pointer being determined as a function of a change in an item of data during a predetermined time interval.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying a circular gauge.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying a polygonal gauge.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying an outward pointing arrow.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying a price of a stock.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising identifying the stock whose price is displayed in association with the shape.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying a circular gauge comprising a line originating at the center of the gauge wherein the line points up when the value of the data item has not changed during the predetermined time interval and wherein an increase in the value is represented by a position of the line within the first or second quadrants of the circular gauge with the angle of the position indicating the amount of the change.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying a representation of an upward change as a 5 o'"'"'clock position when the change is twenty-five percent or more above the value at the beginning of the interval.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying a representation of a decrease in the value by a position of the line that is within the third or fourth quadrants of the circular gauge.

25. The method of claim 16 further comprising displaying a representation of a decrease in a value of the data item during the predetermined interval when the position of the line is at the seven o'"'"'clock position.

26. A device for displaying variable data, the device comprising:

logic for displaying an annular graph representing changes in a quantifiable item of data during a predetermined time interval, wherein the annular graph is positioned around a clock face.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein a starting point of the annular graph is positioned at the 9 o'"'"'clock position on the watch face and the ending point of the annular graph is positioned at the 4:

30 o'"'"'clock position on the watch face, so that the annular graph encompasses a section of the clock face representing a stock trading day.

28. The device of claim 26 wherein

a symbol representing the quantifiable item of data is displayed in close proximity to the annular graph, and;

a quantity representing the lowest value of the quantifiable item of data;

a quantity representing the value of the quantifiable item of data at the outset of the predetermined time interval; and

a quantity representing the highest value of the quantifiable item of data are presented at their respective positions around the annular graph.

29. A method for displaying variable data comprising:

displaying an annular graph representing changes in a quantifiable item of data during a predetermined time interval, wherein the annular graph is positioned around a clock face.

30. A computer program product comprising instructions for:

displaying a gauge;

the gauge comprising a closed two-dimensional shape comprising a linear pointer inside the shape, the location of the pointer being determined as a function of a change in an item of data during a predetermined time interval.

31. A computer program product comprising instructions for:

displaying an annular graph representing changes in a quantifiable item of data during a predetermined time interval, wherein the annular graph is positioned around a clock face.