Electronic wrist-worn device and method of controlling the same

• US 20020013535A1
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Original Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
• Inventors: Puolakanaho, Pertti, Nissila, Seppo
• Granted Patent: US 6,745,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/519
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/02 Divers' equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2011/021 Diving computers, i.e. portable computers specially adapted for divers, e.g. wrist worn, watertight electronic devices for detecting or calculating scuba diving parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/08 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic wrist-worn device, such as a heart rate monitor, a sportsman'"'"'s watch or a diving computer, and its control method. The outside of the casing of the device comprises a bottom surface to be placed against the wrist, a top surface (304), and a side surface (308) between the bottom surface and the top surface (304). On the top surface (304) of the casing there is provided a first display (306) connected to the control electronics. On the side surface (308) of the casing there is provided a second display (400, 402, 404; 406) connected to the control electronics. The best viewing angle of the first display (306) and the best viewing angle of the second display (400, 402, 404; 406) are at an angle of 60 to 120 degrees with respect to each other.

Claims

1. An electronic wrist-worn device comprising

a casing of the device, the outside of the casing comprising a bottom surface to be placed against the wrist, a top surface on the casing side facing away from the bottom surface, and a side surface between the bottom surface and the top surface;

control electronics of the device inside the casing;

a first display connected to the control electronics and positioned on the top surface of the casing;

a second display connected to the control electronics and positioned on the side surface of the casing.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the best viewing angle of the first display and the best viewing angle of the second display are at an angle of 60 to 120 degrees with respect to each other.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the angle is substantially a straight angle.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the second display is a liquid crystal display.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the second display is a touch screen.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the second display is a LED display comprising at least one LED.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the second display comprises LEDs of different colours.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the second display comprises a yellow and/or green and/or red LED.

9. A device according to claim 6, wherein information is displayed using the blinking frequency of the LED.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the second display is integrated with at least one push-button or turn-button of the device'"'"'s user interface.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein an optic is attached in front of the second display to magnify the information displayed on the display or to direct it to a specific viewing angle.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one push-button or turn-button of the device'"'"'s user interface is connected to the control electronics of the device, the control electronics receiving from the push-button or turn-button a signal on the basis of which the control electronics selects the information to be displayed on the second display.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the second display shows information that relates to a variable measured during physical exercise performed by the user of the device.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein the variable is exercise time and/or speed and/or distance travelled and/or intensity.

15. A device according to claim 13, wherein the variable relating to physical exercise which is walking or running is the pace.

16. A device according to claim 13, wherein the variable relating to physical exercise which is swimming is the stroke frequency.

17. A device according to claim 13, wherein the variable is the user'"'"'s heart rate measured with the device.

18. A device according to claim 13, wherein the information comprises an indication of whether the measured variable is within the target zone, and/or above the target zone and/or below target zone.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein the second display comprises a yellow LED to inform that the measured variable is below the target zone.

20. A device according to claim 18, wherein the second display comprises a green LED to inform that the measured variable is within the target zone.

21. A device according to claim 18, wherein the second display comprises a red LED to inform that the measured variable is above the target zone.

22. A device according to claim 18, wherein the second display. comprises at least one LED the low-frequency blinking of which indicates that the measured variable is below the target zone.

23. A device according to claim 18, wherein the second display comprises at least one LED the non-illumination of which indicates that the measured variable is within the target zone.

24. A device according to claim 18, wherein the second display comprises at least one LED the high-frequency blinking of which indicates that the measured variable is above the target zone.

25. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a sensor connected to the control electronics, the control electronics using the control received from the sensor to control the on- and off-states of the first display and/or the second display.

26. A device according to claim 25, wherein the sensor detects whether the device is in the water or in the air.

27. A device according to claim 26, wherein the control electronics controls the second display to the on-state when the device is in the water.

28. A method for controlling an electronic wrist-worn device, the method comprising:

reading settings stored in a memory;

controlling, on the basis of the settings-, a first display connected to the control electronics and positioned to the electronic device on the outside top surface of its casing facing away from the bottom surface of the casing to be placed against the wrist, and a second display connected to the control electronics and positioned to a side surface between the bottom surface and the top surface.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the best viewing angle of the first display and the best viewing angle of the second display are at an angle of 60 to 120 degrees with respect to each other.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the angle is substantially a straight angle.

31. A method according to claim 28, wherein settings made by the user are received through a user interface connected to the device'"'"'s control electronics.

32. A method according to claim 28, wherein the second display shows information that relates to a variable measured during physical exercise performed by the user of the device.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the variable is exercise time and/or speed and/or distance travelled and/or performance.

34. A method according to claim 32, wherein the variable relating to physical exercise which is walking or running is the pace.

35. A method according to claim 32, wherein the variable relating to physical exercise which is swimming is the stroke frequency.

36. A method according to claim 32, wherein the variable is the user'"'"'s heart rate measured with the device.

37. A method according to claim 32, wherein the information comprises an indication of whether the measured variable is within the target zone, and/or above the target zone and/or below target zone.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the second display comprises a yellow LED to inform that the measured variable is below the target zone.

39. A method according to claim 37, wherein the second display comprises a green LED to inform that the measured variable is within the target zone.

40. A method according to claim 37, wherein the second display comprises a red LED to inform that the measured variable is above the target zone.

41. A method according to claim 37, wherein the second display comprises at least one LED the low-frequency blinking of which indicates that the measured variable is below the target zone.

42. A method according to claim 37, wherein the second display comprises at least one LED the non-illumination of which indicates that the measured variable is within the target zone.

43. A method according to claim 37, wherein the second display comprises at least one LED the high-frequency blinking of which indicates that the measured variable is above the target zone.

44. A method according to claim 28, wherein the control electronics of the device uses the control data received from a sensor connected to the control electronics to control the on- and off-states of the first display and/or the second display.

45. A method according to claim 44, wherein the sensor detects whether the device is in the water or in the air.

46. A method according to claim 45, wherein the control electronics controls the second display to the on-state when the device is in the water.