Method and system for periodically displaying a clock on a viewing screen

• US 6,864,922 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2001
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yang, Hong, Chow, Jenny Su
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos M
• Application Number:
  US09/781,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 348/564, 348/563, 348/565, 348/553, 348/569, 348/589, 345 23- 26, 345/902
• US Class Current: 348/564
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/14 Time supervision arrangements, e.g. real time clock
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

A periodic clock display method and system for a viewing device, such as a television set. A clock is displayed on a viewing device according to a first time interval and a second time interval. The first time interval determines how long the viewing device displays the clock. After the first time interval is finished, the clock is removed from the viewing device. The second time interval determines how long the clock remains off the viewing device. When the second time interval is complete, the clock is again displayed on the viewing device for the duration of the first time interval. This continues indefinitely until the user turns the periodic clock display function off.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a clock on a viewing device comprising:

displaying options for a clock display function;

determining selected clock display options; and

intermittently displaying the clock in accordance with the determined clock display options;

wherein the options further comprise an option to turn the clock display function on or off; and

wherein the clock display options comprise a first time interval that determines an amount of time the clock is displayed on the viewing device during the intermittently displaying of the clock in accordance with the determined clock display options.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the clock display options further comprise a second time interval that determines an amount of time where the clock is not displayed between the intermittent displaying of the clock on the viewing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the options further comprise a default option, where the determining the selected clock display options comprises determining that the default option is to be implemented such that the clock is displayed according to default preset clock display time parameters.

4. A system for displaying a clock on a viewing device comprising:

a display;

a selection device; and

options for setting a periodic clock display function, where the options are displayed on the display;

wherein the options set the periodic clock display function as determined from the selection device such that a clock is periodically displayed on the display according to the periodic clock display function;

wherein the options comprise an option to turn the clock display function on or off, and further comprise clock display time parameters for the clock display function defining the periodic display of the clock;

wherein the clock display time parameters comprise a first time interval that determines an amount of time the clock is displayed on the display when periodically displayed.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the time parameters further comprise a second time interval parameter that determines an amount to time between clock appearances on the device where the clock is not displayed.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the options further comprise a default option, wherein when the default option is selected, the clock is displayed according to default preset clock display time parameters.

7. A system for periodically displaying a clock on a television screen, the system comprising:

a television display screen;

a device for generating a clock display, and for setting clock display options;

a selection device; and

options for setting a periodic clock display function, the options comprising;

a first time interval parameter that determines an amount of time the clock is displayed on the television display screen; and

a second time interval parameter that determines an amount of time between clock appearances on the television display screen when the clock is not displayed such that the clock is periodically displayed on the television display screen.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the device is a set-top box.

9. A method for displaying a clock on a viewing device comprising:

displaying options for a clock display function;

determining selected clock display options; and

intermittently displaying the clock in accordance with the determined clock display options;

wherein the determining the selected clock display options comprises determining a first time interval where the first time interval defines how long the clock is displayed on the viewing device during the intermittently displaying of the clock, and determining a second time interval where the second time interval defines how long the clock is not displayed on the viewing device between the intermittently displaying of the clock.