User interface features for a watch

• US 8,125,855 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Ishihara, James Alec, Burton, Maximillian P., Prstojevich, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/011,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20110122732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 368/62, 368 82- 84, 368/107, 368/113
• US Class Current: 368/113
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 10/00 Apparatus for measuring unknown time intervals by electric means

Abstract

A watch provides a chronographic function while the watch is in a “sport” mode. If a user activates a button relating to the chronographic function, such as a “start/lap” button, then the light for the watch will automatically activate. The light may remain active for a significantly long time, such as a period of six seconds or more. Alternately or additionally, if a user activates a button while the watch is in a “performance” or “sport” mode, then the light will automatically activate regardless of the button being activated. Still further, the chronographic function of the watch may be configured to not measure a lap time that is lower than a preset threshold value, such as, for example, three seconds.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

in a timing device having a performance mode configured to monitor athletic performance data, a second mode, and a light-dedicated function that activates a light in both the performance mode and the second mode, detecting operation of the performance mode;

receiving an input to a non-light-dedicated function while the timing device is operating in the performance mode;

wherein if said input is in an input for an active performance process, said input is executed and the light is illuminated; and

wherein if said input is not an input for the active performance process, then the light is not activated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the light is illuminated for a preset time of six or more seconds.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing a second input to cause the timing device to operate in the second mode.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the timing device causes illumination of the light for a longer period of time in the performance mode than in the second mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-light-dedicated function corresponds to monitoring completion of a lap.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-light-dedicated function corresponds to a split time.

7. A watch comprising:

a display;

a light command button;

a light configured to, in response to an activation of the light command button, illuminate the display;

a performance mode comprising at least one performance process configured to monitor athletic performance data;

at least one nonperformance mode;

a processor; and

a tangible computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform a method comprising;

receiving a user input from a button that is not the light command button;

determining whether the user input is an input for a performance process that is currently active;

wherein if the user input is in an input for the active performance process, the input is executed and the light is illuminated; and

wherein if the user input is not an input for the active performance process, then no action is taken responsive to the user input.

8. The watch of claim 7, wherein an illumination control module causes the light to illuminate for six or more seconds upon a determination that the user input is in an input for the active performance process.

9. A watch comprising:

a display;

at least one function button;

a light configured to, in response to an activation of the at least one function button, illuminate the display;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor perform a method comprising;

receiving a user input from the at least one function button;

determining whether the watch is in a performance mode or a second mode;

wherein if the watch is in the performance mode, the light is illuminated for a first given duration; and

wherein if the watch is not in the performance mode, the light is illuminated for a second given duration which is less than the first duration.

10. The watch of claim 9, further comprising:

a mode determination module configured to process a second input to cause the watch to operate in the second mode.

11. The watch of claim 10, wherein the mode determination module instructs an illumination control module to activate the light for a longer period of time in the performance mode than in the second mode.

12. The watch of claim 9, wherein the at least one function button corresponds to monitoring completion of a lap.

13. The watch of claim 9, wherein the at least one function button corresponds to a split time.