Apparatus for displaying time-of-day data adaptively to different time zones

• US 5,258,964 A
• Filed: 09/09/1991
• Issued: 11/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Iguchi, Kazuaki, Koma, Noriko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cumming, William D.
• Application Number:
  US07/756,656
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 379/59, 379/58, 379/56, 368/21, 368/23, 368/41, 368/51, 368/186, 455/181
• US Class Current: 368/47
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0076 in which the time in another time-zone or in another city can be displayed at will
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A cellular mobile station is operable in a telephone mode and a time data display mode. During the time display mode, the station constantly receives an area identifying code transmitted from a cellular mobile communications system. On crossing a boundary between adjoining cell-site areas, a time difference value is entered from a keypad into a location of a memory corresponding to the received code. This process is continued on a learning basis to store as many time difference values into the memory as there are cell-site areas along the route of a journey. Following the learning process, the station constantly receives an area identifying code and recalls one of the stored time difference data from the memory corresponding to a code received on crossing a boundary and modifies displayed timepiece data with the recalled time difference.

Claims

1. A time-keeping apparatus comprising:

a timepiece for constantly generating time-of-day data;

receiving means for receiving area identifying codes transmitted from a cellular mobile communications system which covers a plurality of areas, wherein said receiving means receives a unique area identifying code as the time-keeping apparatus is moved respectively from one area to another of said plurality of areas;

a memory having a plurality of time difference data prestored in memory locations accessible as a function of said unique area identifying code received respectively by said receiving means;

read control means for recalling one of the prestored time difference data from a location of said memory corresponding to said unique area identifying code and modifying said time-of-day data in accordance with said one of the prestored time difference data; and

a display unit for displaying the modified time-of-day data.

2. A time-keeping apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said read control means comprises means for determining whether a difference exists between an area identifying code most recently received by said receiving means and a previously received area identifying code and for recalling said time difference data from said memory if said difference is determined.

3. A time-keeping apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the time difference data is indicative of a time difference of a local area with respect to a user'"'"'s home area.

4. A time-keeping apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said read control means comprises buffer means for storing time difference data recalled from said memory and adder means for combining data stored in said buffer means with the time-of-day data from said timepiece, said display unit displaying the combined data.

5. A time-keeping apparatus comprising:

a timepiece for constantly generating time-of-day data;

receiving means for receiving area identifying codes transmitted from a cellular mobile communications system which covers a plurality of areas, wherein said receiving means receives a unique area identifying code as the time-keeping apparatus is moved respectively from one area to another of said plurality of areas;

a memory;

data entry means for manually entering time difference data;

write control means for storing one of a plurality of successive time difference data entered from said data entry means into a location of said memory corresponding to the unique area identifying code;

read control means for recalling time difference data from said memory from a location corresponding to an area identifying code subsequently received by said receiving means and for modifying said time-of-day data with the time difference data recalled from the memory; and

a display unit for displaying the modified time-of-day data.

6. A time-keeping apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said read control means comprises means for determining whether a difference exists between an area identifying code most recently received by said receiving means and a previously received area identifying code and for recalling said time difference data from said memory if said difference is determined.

7. A time-keeping apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the time difference data is indicative of a time difference of a local area with respect to a user'"'"'s home area.

8. A time-keeping apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said read control means comprises buffer means for storing time difference data recalled from said memory and adder means for combining data stored in said buffer means with the time-of-day data from said timepiece, said display unit displaying the combined data.

9. A method for displaying timepiece data, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving an area identifying code from a cell site of a cellular mobile communications system, said area identifying code identifying the cell site;

b) storing a time difference value input by a keypad into a memory location corresponding to the code received by the step (a);

c) repeating the steps (a) and (b) to store a plurality of time difference values in memory locations corresponding to successively received area identifying codes;

d) receiving an area identifying code from a cell site of said cellular mobile communications system;

e) recalling one of the time difference values from a memory location corresponding to the code received in the step (d);

f) modifying timepiece data in accordance with the recalled time difference value; and

g) displaying the modified timepiece data.