Electronic timepiece with physical transducer

• US 4,705,406 A
• Filed: 11/03/1986
• Issued: 11/10/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karel Havel
• Original Assignee: Karel Havel
• Inventors: Havel, Karel
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US06/926,511
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10-12, 368/82, 368/223, 368/239
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/025 for measuring physiological data
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/12 using light valves, e.g. liquid crystals

Abstract

A timepiece includes a variable color display for indicating time in digital format and a physical transducer for measuring values of a physical quantity. The color of the display may be controlled in a plurality of steps in accordance with the output of the physical transducer.

Claims

1. The method of simultaneously indicating values of time and values of a physical quantity, on a single variable color digital display means, by cuasing a digital indication of time to be exhibited on said display means and by controlling the color of said digital indication in accordance with the values of said physical quantity.

2. A timepiece comprising:

timekeeping means;

variable color digital display means for providing a digital indication of time;

physical transducer means for measuring a physical quantity and for developing output electrical signals related to the values of said physical quantity; and

color control means responsive to said output electrical signals of said physical transducer means for controlling the color of said digital indication in accordance with the values of said physical quantity.

3. A timepiece comprising:

timekeeping means;

variable color digital display means for providing a digital indication of time;

temperature transducer means for measuring temperature and for developing output electrical signals related to the values of temperature; and

color control means responsive to said output electrical signals of said temperature transducer means for controlling the color of said digital indication in accordance with the values of temperature.

4. A timepiece as defined in claim 3 more characterized by:

said temperature transducer means including comparison means for effecting a comparison of measured value of temperature with a plurality of respectively different predetermined limits to determine the range in which the measured value of temperature lies, and for developing comparison signals accordingly; and

said color control means being responsive to said comparison signals for controlling color of said display means in a plurality of steps such that its color corresponds to the range in which the measured value of temperature lies.

5. A timepiece as defined in claim 3 more characterized by:

said temperature transducer means including comparison means for effecting a comparison of measured value of temperature with a low and high predetermined limits to determine whether the measured value of temperature is lower than said low predetermined limit, or higher than said high predetermined limit, or within the bounds of said low and high predetermined limits, and for developing comparison signals accordingly; and

said color control means being responsive to said comparison signals for illuminating said display means in a first color when the measured value of temperature is lower than said low predetermined limit, in a second color when the measured value of temperature is higher than said predetermined limit, and in a third color when the measured value of temperature is within the bounds of said low and high predetermined limits, said first, second, and third colors being respectively different.

6. A timepiece as defined in claim 3 more characterized by:

said temperature transducer means including comparison means for effecting a comparison of measured value of temperature with six progressively increasing predetermined limits, defining seven ranges, to determine in which one of said seven ranges the measured value of temperature lies, and for developing comparison signals accordingly; and

said color control means being responsive to said comparison signals for illuminating said display means in one of seven respectively different color according to the range in which the measured value of temperature lies.

7. A timepiece comprising:

timekeeping means;

variable color character display means for indicating time in a character format;

atmospheric pressure transducer means for measuring atmospheric pressure and for developing output electrical signals related to values of atmospheric pressure; and

color control means responsive to said output electrical signals of said atmospheric pressure transducer means for controlling color of said display means in accordance with values of atmospheric pressure.

8. A timepiece as defined in claim 7 more characterized by:

said atmospheric pressure transducer means including comparison means for effecting a comparison of measured value of atmospheric pressure with a plurality of respectively different predetermined limits to determine the range in which the measured value of atmospheric pressure lies, and for developing comparison signals accordingly; and

said color control means being responsive to said comparison signals for controlling color of said display means in a plurality of steps such that its color corresponds to the range in which the measured value of atmospheric pressure lies.

9. A timepiece as defined in claim 7 more characterized by:

said atmospheric pressure transducer means including comparison means for effecting a comparison of measured value of atmospheric pressure with a low and high predetermined limits to determine whether the measured value of atmospheric pressure is lower than said low predetermined limit, or higher than said high predetermined limit, or within the bounds of said low and high predetermined limits, and for developing comparison signals accordingly; and

said color control means being responsive to said comparison signals for illuminating said display means in a first color when the measured value of atmospheric pressure is lower than said low predetermined limit, in a second color when the measured value of atmospheric pressure is higher than said high predetermined limit, and in a third color when the measured value of atmospheric pressure is within the bounds of said low and high predetermined limits, said first, second, and third colors being respectively different.

10. A timepiece as defined in claim 7 more characterized by:

said atmospheric pressure transducer means including comparison means for effecting a comparison of measured value of atmospheric pressure with six progressively increasing predetermined limits, defining seven ranges, to determine in which one of said seven ranges the measured value of atmospheric pressure lies, and for developing comparison signals accordingly; and

said color control means being responsive to said comparison signals for illuminating said display means in one of seven respectively different colors according to the range in which the measured value of atmospheric pressure lies.

11. The method of simultaneously indicating values of time and values of temperature, on a single variable color digital display means, by causing a digital indication of time to be exhibited on said display means and by controlling the color of said digital indication in accordance with the values of temperature.