Clock objects having visual graphical indicators with interactive time shifting

• US 8,416,261 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lawson, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, CHANTE E
• Application Number:
  US13/529,714
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 345/672, 386/21, 715/810, 715/864, 315/362
• US Class Current: 345/619
• 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: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/37 Details of the operation on graphic patterns G09G5/38 takes precedence

Abstract

The embodiments provide a data processing apparatus including a graphics controller configured to obtain a subset of selected time zones among a plurality of available time zones and generate a plurality of clock objects. Each clock object may be a graphical representation of a different time zone of the selected subset, and each clock object may provide a visual graphical indicator for a respective time zone. The data processing apparatus may include a user interface configured to display an arrangement of the plurality of clock objects and receive a command shifting to a travel mode time. The graphics controller may be configured to update the plurality of clock objects according to the command including providing an updated local time corresponding to the travel mode time for each selected time zone and adjusting the visual graphical indicator according to the updated local time for each selected time zone.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions configured to implement,

a graphics controller configured to obtain a subset of selected time zones among a plurality of available time zones and generate a plurality of clock objects, each clock object being a graphical representation of a different time zone of the selected subset, each clock object providing a visual graphical indicator for a respective time zone; and

a user interface configured to display an arrangement of the plurality of clock objects and receive a command shifting to a travel mode time,

the graphics controller configured to update the plurality of clock objects according to the command including providing an updated local time corresponding to the travel mode time for each selected time zone and adjusting the visual graphical indicator according to the updated local time for each selected time zone,

wherein the graphics controller configured to adjust the visual graphical indicator includes changing a position of the visual graphical indicator on each clock object.

2. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphics controller is configured to update the plurality of clock objects over a period of time having a plurality of time intervals such that a local time is updated and the visual graphical indicator is adjusted at each time interval according to the travel mode time at a respective time interval.

3. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphics controller configured to obtain a subset of selected time zones among a plurality of available time zones includes selecting a default number of time zones.

4. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user preferences database configured to store the subset of selected time zones,

wherein the graphics controller configured to obtain a subset of selected time zones among a plurality of available time zones includes obtaining the subset of selected times zones from the user preferences database.

5. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each clock object includes a background color, and the graphics controller is configured to change the background color for each clock object according to the updated local time for a respective selected time zone.

6. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of clock objects includes a time zone indicator that indicates a current time zone of a user.

7. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each clock object provides a day name, month name and day of month corresponding to a current local time, and the graphics controller is configured to update one or more of the day name, the month name and the day of month according to the updated local time for one or more of the selected time zones.

8. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visual graphical indicator includes one of a graphical representation of a sun and a graphical representation of a moon.

9. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphics controller configured to adjust the visual graphical indicator includes drawing the visual graphical indicator differently depending on a velocity of a movement on the user interface.

10. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface configured to receive a command shifting to a travel mode time includes receiving information indicating a gesture from a user on the user interface.

11. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an application launcher configured to launch an application based on a secondary command.

12. The data processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the application is one of a calendar application, a voice application, and a text message application.

13. The data processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the application launcher is configured to populate a calendar entry of the calendar application with the updated local time.

14. The data processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a hierarchical list generator configured to generate a hierarchical list of the plurality of available time zones, the hierarchical list arranging the plurality of available time zones in a tree structure having a plurality of levels including a top level, the top level providing a time zone category and a world region category,

wherein the user interface is configured to display the plurality of available times zones according to the hierarchical list in order to permit a user to edit the subset of selected time zones.

15. A method for updating time zone data across multiple time zones by at least one processor, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the at least one processor, a subset of selected time zones among a plurality of available time zones;

generating, by the at least one processor, a plurality of clock objects, each clock object being a graphical representation of a different time zone of the selected subset, each clock object providing a visual graphical indicator for a respective time zone;

displaying, by the at least one processor, an arrangement of the plurality of clock objects on a user interface;

receiving, by the at least one processor, a command shifting to a travel mode time; and

updating, by the at least one processor, the plurality of clock objects according to the command including,

providing an updated local time corresponding to the travel mode time for each selected time zone; and

adjusting the visual graphical indicator according to the updated local time for each selected time zone including changing a position of the visual graphical indicator on each clock object.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the updating the plurality of clock objects according to the command includes:

updating the plurality of clock objects over a period of time having a plurality of time intervals such that a local time is updated and the visual graphical indicator is adjusted at each time interval according to the travel mode time at a respective time interval.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each clock object includes a background color, and the updating the plurality of clock objects according to the command includes:

changing the background color for each clock object according to the updated local time for a respective selected time zone.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the visual graphical indicator includes one of a graphical representation of a sun and a graphical representation of a moon.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause one or more processors to perform a process, the instructions comprising instructions to:

obtain a subset of selected time zones among a plurality of available time zones;

generate a plurality of clock objects, each clock object being a graphical representation of a different time zone of the selected subset, each clock object providing a visual graphical indicator for a respective time zone;

display an arrangement of the plurality of clock objects on a user interface;

receive a command shifting to a travel mode time; and

update the plurality of clock objects according to the command including,

providing an updated local time corresponding to the travel mode time for each selected time zone; and

adjusting the visual graphical indicator according to the updated local time for each selected time zone including changing a position of the visual graphical indicator on each clock object according to the updated local time for each selected time zone.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions to:

update the plurality of clock objects over a period of time having a plurality of time intervals such that a local time is updated and the visual graphical indicator is adjusted at each time interval according to the travel mode time at a respective time interval.