Electronic device and method providing improved world clock feature

• US 8,817,579 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Klassen, Gerhard Dietrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US13/610,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20130003505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 368 21- 23, 368/239, 368241-242, 368/14
• US Class Current: 368/21
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0076 in which the time in another time-zone or in another city can be displayed at will

Abstract

An improved electronic device and method provide an improved clock feature that includes an improved world clock function.

Claims

1. A method on an electronic device comprising enabling the electronic device to output on a display a plurality of times comprising:

a first time that is prevalent in a first time zone;

a second time that is prevalent in a second time zone, and

a third time that is prevalent in a third time zone;

enabling the electronic device to detect being situated in a first time zone;

enabling the electronic device to output, responsive to the detection;

the first time as being a current time;

the second time as being a secondary time, and

the third time as being another secondary time;

enabling the electronic device to determine that the electronic device has been moved into the second time zone;

enabling the electronic device to output, responsive to the determining;

the second time as being the current time;

the first time as being a secondary time, and

the third time as being another secondary time;

enabling the electronic device to determine that the electronic device has been moved into the third time zone; and

enabling the electronic device to output, responsive to the determining;

the third time as being the current time, and

the first time and the second time as each being a secondary time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the electronic device to output the current time with a first visual object, and enabling the electronic device to output the secondary time with a second visual object smaller than the first visual object.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the electronic device to output the current time at a first predetermined location on the display, and

enabling the electronic device to output the secondary time at a second predetermined location on the display different than the first predetermined location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first predetermined location comprises a position disposed on the display above the second predetermined location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the electronic device to output;

the first time with use of a visual object, and

the second time with use of another visual object; and

responsive to the determining, enabling the electronic device to output;

the first time as being the secondary time by altering the appearance of the visual object, and

the second time as being the current time by altering the appearance of the another visual object.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, responsive to the determining, enabling the electronic device to output:

the first time as being the secondary time by altering the location on the display of the visual object, and

the second time as being the current time by altering the location on the display of the another visual object.

7. An electronic device comprising a processor, a display, and a memory, the memory comprising computer executable instructions for:

enabling the electronic device to output on the display a plurality of times comprising;

a first time that is prevalent in a first time zone;

a second time that is prevalent in a second time zone, and

a third time that is prevalent in a third time zone;

enabling the electronic device to detect being situated in a first time zone;

enabling the electronic device to output, responsive to the detection;

the first time as being a current time;

the second time as being a secondary time, and

the third time as being another secondary time;

enabling the electronic device to determine that the electronic device has been moved into the second time zone;

enabling the electronic device to output, responsive to the determining;

the second time as being the current time;

the first time as being a secondary time, and

the third time as being another secondary time;

enabling the electronic device to determine that the electronic device has been moved into the third time zone; and

enabling the electronic device to output, responsive to the determining;

the third time as being the current time, and

the first time and the second time as each being a secondary time.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising instructions for:

enabling the electronic device to output the current time with a first visual object, and

enabling the electronic device to output the secondary time with a second visual object smaller than the first visual object.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising instructions for:

enabling the electronic device to output the current time at a first predetermined location on the display, and

enabling the electronic device to output the secondary time at a second predetermined location on the display different than the first predetermined location.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first predetermined location comprises a position disposed on the display above the second predetermined location.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising instructions for:

enabling the electronic device to output;

the first time with use of a visual object, and

the second time with use of another visual object; and

responsive to the determining, enabling the electronic device to output;

the first time as being the secondary time by altering the appearance of the visual object, and

the second time as being the current time by altering the appearance of the another visual object.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising instructions for, responsive to the determining, enabling the electronic device to output:

the first time as being the secondary time by altering the location on the display of the visual object, and

the second time as being the current time by altering the location on the display of the another visual object.

13. A method on an electronic device comprising:

enabling the electronic device to detect being situated in a first time zone;

enabling the electronic device to display, responsive to the detection;

a first time prevalent in a first time zone as being a current time with use of a first visual object showing the first time;

a second time prevalent in a second time zone as being a secondary time with use of a second visual object showing the second time; and

a third time prevalent in a third time zone as being another secondary time with use of a third visual object;

enabling the electronic device to determine that the electronic device has been moved into the second time zone;

enabling the electronic device to display, responsive to the determining;

the second time as being the current time by altering the time shown by the first visual object to correspond to the second time, and

the first time and third times as each being a secondary time by altering the times shown by the second and third visual objects;

enabling the electronic device to determine that the electronic device has been moved into the third time zone; and

enabling the electronic device to display, responsive to the determination;

the third time as being the current time by altering the time shown by the first visual object;

the first time and the second time as each being a secondary time by altering the times shown by the second and third visual objects.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the second visual object and the third visual object is smaller than the first visual object.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

enabling the electronic device to output the current time at a first predetermined location on the display, and

enabling the electronic device to output the second and third times at second and third predetermined locations on the display different than the first predetermined location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first predetermined location comprises a position disposed on the display above the second and third predetermined locations.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising, displaying a first tag in association with the first visual object, and a second tag in association with the second visual object, and responsive to determining that the electronic device has been moved into the second time zone, displaying the first tag in association with the second visual object and the second tag in association with the first visual object.

18. An electronic device comprising a processor, a display, and a memory, the memory comprising computer executable instructions for:

enabling the electronic device to detect being situated in a first time zone;

enabling the electronic device to display, responsive to the detection;

a first time prevalent in a first time zone as being a current time with use of a first visual object showing the first time;

a second time prevalent in a second time zone as being a secondary time with use of a second visual object showing the second time; and

a third time prevalent in a third time zone as being another secondary time with use of a third visual object;

enabling the electronic device to determine that the electronic device has been moved into the second time zone;

enabling the electronic device to display, responsive to the determining;

the second time as being the current time by altering the time shown by the first visual object to correspond to the second time, and

the first time and third times as each being a secondary time by altering the times shown by the second and third visual objects;

enabling the electronic device to determine that the electronic device has been moved into the third time zone; and

enabling the electronic device to display, responsive to the determination;

the third time as being the current time by altering the time shown by the first visual object;

the first time and the second time as each being a secondary time by altering the times shown by the second and third visual objects.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein at least one of the second visual object and the third visual object is smaller than the first visual object.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising instructions for:

enabling the electronic device to output the current time at a first predetermined location on the display, and

enabling the electronic device to output the second and third times at second and third predetermined locations on the display different than the first predetermined location.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the first predetermined location comprises a position disposed on the display above the second and third predetermined locations.

22. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising instructions for displaying a first tag in association with the first visual object, and a second tag in association with the second visual object, and responsive to determining that the electronic device has been moved into the second time zone, displaying the first tag in association with the second visual object and the second tag in association with the first visual object.