Cycle computer display apparatus

• US 7,612,759 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US10/843,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20050253820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,001 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 345/104, 178 1801- 1805, 715/825, 482/4, 482/8, 482/9, 482/54, 482/57
• US Class Current: 345/104
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/20 Cycle computers as cycle accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/22 electronic, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 2025/003 with gear indicating means, e.g. a display
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/002 for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/122 Speed recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/16 for erasable recording, e.g. magnetic recording
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A cycle computer display apparatus is provided with a touch panel for the rider to input data into the cycle computer. The cycle computer includes a display screen for producing visual images and a controller that selectively controls the visual images and the touch panel such that sensor areas of the touch panel are correlated to images formed on the display screen. Preferably, the controller produces several different display modes with button images of different sizes. The controller further correlates the touch panel to the different size button size images so that when the rider touches the touch panel in the area corresponding to the button image, the appropriate control program is executed by the controller.

Claims

1. A cycle computer display apparatus comprising:

a display screen configured to produce visual images;

a touch panel input unit associated with at least a portion of the display screen that produces at least one output selection signal upon being touched; and

a controller configured to selectively control the visual images displayed on the display screen, the controller being configured to selectively display a plurality of button images on the display screen in a first display mode and to selectively display at least three different bicycle environmental data displays within a first button image of the button images in the first display mode,

the controller being further configured to switch the bicycle environmental data display displayed in the first button image between the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays in response to receiving an output selection signal from the touch panel input unit when the first button image is touched without changing the remaining button images in the first display mode.

2. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

one of the button images is a mode-change button image, which does not display the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays in the first display mode, and

the controller is configured to switch to a second display mode upon receiving an output selection signal from the touch panel input unit when the mode-change button image is touched in the first display mode.

3. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the controller is configured to selectively display a plurality of button images on the display screen in the second display mode that are different from the button images displayed in the first display mode.

4. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the button images in the first display mode have different sizes and locations to those in the second display mode.

5. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the number of button images in the first display mode is different than the number of button images in the second display mode.

6. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is configured to selectively display the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays within a second button image of the button images in the first display mode.

7. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the controller is further configured to switch the bicycle environmental data display displayed in the second button image between the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays in response to receiving an output selection signal from the touch panel input unit when the second button image is touched, and

the controller is further configured to not display in the second button image the bicycle environmental data display that is displayed in the first button image when the second button image is touched.

8. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first button image has a larger area than an area of each of the remaining button images in the first display mode.

9. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to automatically switch between the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays after a predetermined period of time.

10. A cycle computer display apparatus comprising:

a display screen configured to produce visual images;

a touch panel input unit associated with at least a portion of the display screen that produces output selection signals upon being touched; and

a controller configured to selectively control the visual images displayed on the display screen, the controller being configured to selectively display a plurality of button images on the display screen in a first display mode, to selectively display one of at least three different bicycle environmental data within a first button image of the button images in the first display mode, and to selectively display one of the at least three different environmental data displays in a second button image of the button images in the first display mode,

the controller being further configured to selectively display at least one of the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays within either of the first or second button images without changing the size, shape or location of the first and second button images in the first display mode.

11. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

one of the button images is a mode-change button image, which does not display the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays in the first display mode, and

the controller is configured to switch to a second display mode upon receiving an output selection signal from the touch panel input unit when the mode-change button image is touched in the first display mode.

12. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the controller is configured to selectively display a plurality of button images on the display screen in the second display mode that are different from the button images displayed in the first display mode.

13. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the button images in the first display mode have different sizes and locations to those in the second display mode.

14. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

the number of button images in the first display mode is different than the number of button images in the second display mode.

15. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

one of the first and second button images has a larger area than an area of each of the remaining button images in the first display mode.

16. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the controller is further configured to selectively display the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays within a third button image of the button images in the first display mode.

17. The cycle computer display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the controller is further configured to switch the bicycle environmental data display displayed in the first button image between the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays in response to receiving an output selection signal from the touch panel input unit when the first button image is touched,

the controller is further configured to switch the bicycle environmental data display displayed in the second button image between the at least three different bicycle environmental data displays in response to receiving an output selection signal from the touch panel input unit when the second button image is touched, and

the controller is further configured to not display in the second button image the bicycle environmental data display that is displayed in the first button image when the second button image is touched.