Device and method for display of azimuthal and other information

• US 20070193045A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salim Kahil, Susan Kahil
• Original Assignee: Salim Kahil, Susan Kahil
• Inventors: Kahil, Salim, Kahil, Susan
• Application Number:
  US11/359,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20070193045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/355.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/20 Observing the compass card or needle

Abstract

Embodiments of the inventive display device for indicating of azimuthal and other information are provided, comprising at least one preferably circular configuration of light emitting elements, control unit, magnetic sensor. An imaginable straight line, extending from the device display'"'"'s center to an actuated element, determines azimuthal direction. One uniquely shaped element is actuated when the device is oriented towards the north magnetic pole by said imaginable line extending through said unique element. When the device'"'"'s orientation changes, said unique element is de-actuated. A user, by regulating means, may preset a desirable direction by actuating an element coincided with the direction. The device is capable to “remember” the direction; when its orientation changes, another element is actuated, still showing the desirable direction. Some embodiments of the device may exhibit timepiece, calendar, temperature and other information. Azimuthal information may be displayed in a predetermined color position order of the light emitting elements.

Claims

1. A device for display of information comprising

a plurality of light emitting elements arranged into a number of configurations positioned on the face of the device;

and

control means for actuation and de-actuation of the light emitting elements.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein

the control means comprising

a control unit configured to process an internal program, or an external command, or a combination thereof, and to actuate and de-actuate the light emitting elements;

and

a magnetic sensor capable to determine a magnetic orientation of the device in the earth magnetic field, said sensor associated with said control unit.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein

the light emitting elements each comprising at least one light emitting diode.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein

the light emitting elements performed of several colors, and

the light emitting elements disposed in a predetermined color position order along each of said number of configurations.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein

said number of configurations positioned concentrically on the face of the device.

6. The device according to claim 5 further comprising

at least one light emitting element arranged in the center of said configurations.

7. The device according to claim 1 further comprising

a regulating means particularly enabling a user to select and preset a desirable orientation of the device;

the regulating means associated with said control means.

8. The device according to claim 7 wherein

the control means comprising

a control unit configured to process at least one internal program or one external command, or to keep in memory and process at least one user preset orientation, or a combination thereof, to actuate and de-actuate the light emitting elements according to the output of the processing;

and

a magnetic sensor capable to determine a magnetic orientation of the device in the earth magnetic field, said sensor associated with said control unit.

9. The device according to claim 8 further comprising at least one of the following:

a timepiece means capable to indicate current time, and configured to be activated in a timepiece mode;

a calendar means capable to indicate a current date or a day of week, and configured to be activated respectively in a calendar mode or in a day of week mode;

a temperature sensor means capable to indicate outside current temperature, and configured to be activated in a temperature mode;

any combination of the above enumerated means;

wherein said regulating means particularly enabling a user to select and activate said modes of the device;

said control means configured to actuate said light emitting elements enabling them to exhibit information of the current time, current date, day of week, and outside current temperature on the face of the device, depending on activation of a mode chosen from said modes enumerated above.

10. The device according to claim 1 further configured for encapsulation into a wrist mountable casing.

11. The device according to claim 1 further configured for integration into a cellular telephone, laptop computer, PDA, camera, or another device containing a visual monitor means.

12. The device according to claim 1 further configured for input of azimuthal and other information by means of BlueTooth, or WiFi, or RF, or IR communication channels, or any combination thereof.

13. A method for display of information comprising the acts of

providing a plurality of light emitting elements arranged into a number of configurations positioned on the face of the device;

providing control means for actuation and de-actuation of the light emitting elements, said control means associated with said light emitting elements;

providing said control means with instructions on actuating predetermined patterns of said light emitting elements in response to predetermined input information;

entering input information into said control means;

displaying the input information by actuating the patterns of the light emitting elements responsive to the input information.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein

the input information comprises

orientation information about an instant orientation of the device in the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, and

desirable direction information about a user'"'"'s desirable direction in the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, in relation with said orientation information;

and

the pattern of the light emitting elements actuated so that indicating essentially the same desirable direction information independent on the successive instant orientations of the device.