Cycle computer display apparatus

• US 20050253820A1
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Noriyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,612,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/20 Cycle computers as cycle accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 2025/003 with gear indicating means, e.g. a display
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/122 Speed recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/16 for erasable recording, e.g. magnetic recording
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A cycle computer display apparatus is provided with a touch panel for the rider to input data into the cycle computer. The cycle computer includes a display screen for producing visual images and a controller that selectively controls the visual images and the touch panel such that sensor areas of the touch panel are correlated to images formed on the display screen. Preferably, the controller produces several different display modes with button images of different sizes. The controller further correlates the touch panel to the different size button size images so that when the rider touches the touch panel in the area corresponding to the button image, the appropriate control program is executed by the controller.

Claims

1. A cycle computer display apparatus comprising:

a display screen configured to produce a plurality of visual images;

a touch panel input unit superimposed on at least a portion of the display screen that output a selection signal upon being touched; and

a controller configured to selectively control the visual images to produces a plurality of display modes that are displayed on the display screen in response to the selection signal that is produced by one or more of the touch sensors being touched, the controller being further configured to selectively display at least one first button image on the display screen and selectively define a first sensor area of the touch panel input unit that correspond to the first button image in a first display mode, and the controller being further configured to selectively display at least one second button image on the display screen and selectively define a second sensor area of the touch panel input unit that correspond to the second button image in a second display mode, the first sensor area defining the first button image of the first display defining a different size area than the second sensor area defining the first button image of the second display.

2. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to display the second display mode in response to the selection signal that is produced by touching the first button image.

3. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to selectively display a plurality of the first button images in the first display mode.

4. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the controller is further configured to display the second display mode in response to the selection signal that is produced by touching one of the first button images.

5. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the controller is further configured to display a different display mode in response to the selection signal that is produced by touching the first button images.

6. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the first button images in the first display mode cover a majority of the display screen.

7. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the controller is further configured to selectively display a plurality of the second button images in the second display mode.

8. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the first display mode has a total number of the first button images that is greater than a total number of the second button images in the second display mode.

9. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the first button images in the first display mode cover a majority of the display screen, and

the second button images in the first display mode cover a majority of the display screen.

10. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the controller is further configured to display environmental data within an area defined by at least one of the first button images in the first display mode.

11. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the controller is further configured to display the second display mode in response to the selection signal that is produced by touching the first button image.

12. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the controller is further configured to display environmental data within an area defined by at least one of the second button images in the second display mode.

13. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the controller is further configured to change the environmental data within the area of the second button images in response to the one of the second button images being touched.

14. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the controller is further configured to select the environmental data that will be displayed next within the area of the second button images in response to the one of the second button images being touched based upon one or more of the environmental being displayed in another one of the second button images in the second display mode.