Method and apparatus for setting a clock in a computer system

• US 5,583,833 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 12/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Capps, Stephen P., Gannholm, Martin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US08/484,702
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/185-190
• US Class Current: 368/185
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 5/00 Setting, i.e. correcting or changing, the time-indication radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/14 Time supervision arrangements, e.g. real time clock
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A method for resetting a real-time clock of a pen-based computer system characterized by the steps of: displaying an image of an analog clock face with an hour hand and a minute hand on the screen of a pen-based computer system; determining whether a clock-setting stroke has been made with a stylus upon the image of the analog clock face; resetting the real-time clock to correspond to the clock-setting stroke; and moving at least one of the hour hand and the minute hand in response to the clock-setting stroke. An apparatus for resetting a real-time clock of a pen-based computer system is characterized by: a digital processor; a real-time clock coupled to the digital processor; a screen assembly coupled to the digital processor; a display mechanism for displaying an image of an analog clock on the screen assembly; a detection mechanism for detecting a clock-resetting stroke on the image of the analog clock by a stylus; and a resetting mechanism for resetting the real-time clock in response to the clock-resetting stroke.

Claims

1. A method for setting a real-time clock in a pen-based computer system comprising:

displaying an image of an analog clock face on the screen of a pen-based computer system, said analog clock face having an origin at a center location thereof, with an image of an hour hand corresponding to the current hour in a real-time clock of said pen-based computer system, said hour hand extending radially outwardly from said origin, and an image of a minute hand corresponding to the current minute in said real-time time clock, said minute hand extending radially outwardly from said origin, said images of an hour hand and a minute hand having different lengths;

making a clock-setting stroke with a stylus means upon said image of an analog clock face, said clock-setting stroke having a first end point and second end point;

comparing a characteristic of said hour hand and a characteristic of said minute hand to a characteristic of said clock-setting stroke, or the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke and the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke, to determine which of said hour hand and said minute hand to move in response to said clock-setting stroke;

moving either said hour hand or said minute hand in response to said clock-setting stroke, as determined by said comparing of said hour hand and said minute hand to said clock-setting stroke, to a position indicated by either of said first endpoint and said second endpoint of said clock-setting stroke to produce thereby an updated indication of the current hour and minute; and

,

updating said real-time clock to correspond to said updated indication of the current hour and minute.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said clock-setting stroke extends radially outwardly from said origin.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of comparing comprises determining whether the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke is smaller than the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke or whether the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke is greater than or equal to said clock setting stroke;

and said step of moving comprises moving said hour hand in response to a determination that the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke is smaller than the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke, and moving said minute hand in response to a determination that the angle between said minute hand and said clock-setting stroke is greater than or equal to the angle between said hour hand and said clock-setting stroke.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of comparing comprises determining which of said hour hand or said minute hand is closer in length to the length of said clock-setting stroke;

and said step of moving said hour hand or said minute hand comprises moving said hour hand in response to said clock-setting stroke when it is determined that said hour hand is closer in length to the length of said clock-setting stroke, and moving said minute hand in response to said clock-setting stroke when it is determined that said minute hand is closer in length to the length of said clock-setting stroke.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said clock-setting stroke is formed from at least two pixels.