GB2193352A

GB2193352A - Digital timepiece

Info

Publication number: GB2193352A
Application number: GB08717944A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Carr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-07-31
Filing date: 1987-07-29
Publication date: 1988-02-03
Also published as: GB8717944D0; GB8618673D0

Abstract

A digital timepiece has a set of figures 21 representing 'hours' and a set 22 representing minutes. An indicator is provided to distinguish a display of 'minutes past the hour' from 'minutes to the hour'. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the hour and minute figures are interchangeable and the indicator 25 is a letter and located adjacent to each set of figures. Only one letter 'm' is illuminated to indicate that the adjacent set represents the 'minute' set. Alternatively, the letter is an 'h' indicating the hour set. In a modification the indicator distinguishes the 'minutes' from the 'hours' by size or colour. In another modification the hour set is located between two 'minute' sets, only one of which is illuminated to indicate minutes before the hour or minutes after the hour. In a further modification, Fig. 3 words such as TO and PAST are located between a minute set on the left and an hour set on the right and the words are selectively illuminated to display minutes to the hour or minutes past the hour. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Digital timepiece This invention relates to a digital timepiece, particularly but not exclusively for use by children.

When reading the time off an analog watch or clock the time is normally expressed in minutes past the hour until the hands are at half-past the hour and then minutes to the hour. With digital watches or clocks however, the time is read only in minutes past the hour.

Thus, for example, 12.37 can also be expressed as 23 minutes to one O'clock.

It can be difficult for a person, particularly a child or an elderly person used to expressing time in minutes past and minutes to the hour to relate digital timings of 31 minutes and less to the hour to minutes to the hour and an object of this invention is to obviate or mitigate said difficulty.

According to the present invention there is provided a digital timepiece adapted to illuminate on a display face a set of figures to selectively represent 'hours', a set of figures to selectively represent 'minutes', and indicator means to change the relationship of a displayed hour figure and displayed minute figure whereby the time can be visually expressed as minutes past the hour or minutes to the hour.

Preferably the positional relationship of the 'hour' and 'minute' figures is interchangeable and the indicator means is adapted to distinguish one set of figures from the other.

Preferably also the indicator means comprises a pair of markers adapted to be separately illuminated, each being located adjacent to a set of figures and only one of which markers is illuminated to indicate that the adjacent set of figures represents the minute (or hour) set of figures.

Alternatively the indicator means may comprise a variation in the colour or size of one set relative to the other set to distinguish the minute figure from the hour figure. The hour figures may be located between two sets of 'minute' figures and said indicator means illuminates one or other of said minute figures to indicate minutes before the hour or minutes after the hour.

The indicator means may comprise words between the two sets of figures, the words being selectively illuminated to indicate minutes to the hour and minutes past the hour respectively.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of the display face of a digital timepiece according to the invention; and Figure 3 illustrates a modified display face.

Referring to the drawings, the display face 20 has two pairs of seven segment displays to provide a set of figures to selectively represent 'hours' and a set to selectively represent 'minutes'. In the preferred embodiment, the display face 20 indicates an hour Fig. 21 and a minute Fig. 22; it also has a display 23 to indicate a.m. or p.m. and may also have an alarm display 24. Adjacent to the minute Fig.

22, is an illuminated indicator 25, in this embodiment, the letter 'm', to indicate that the adjacent figure is the minute figure.

In Fig. 1 the minute indicater 25 is on the right hand side, so the display indicates a time of one minute past 12.

In Fig. 2, the minute indicator 25 is on the left hand side, so the display indicates 10 minutes to one, (as opposed to a display of 12.50 on a standard digital timepiece).

Thus, after the time display of Fig. 1 had moved from 12;01 to 12:30, the next change to occur is the positional interchange of the hour and minute figures to read 29.01, and the minute indicater 25 on the left hand side is illuminated to replace the one on the right.

Modifications (not shown) may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

1) The indicator either may be an 'h' to indicate the hour figure.

2) The indicator means may be other than a marker, e.g. the hour and minute figures may be distinguished by colour or size.

3) The hour and minute figures may be other than interchangeable, e.g. a row of three sets of figures may be provided of which the centre set is the hour figure; only one of the other two sets is illuminated at a time, depending on whether the time is 'before the hour' or 'after the hour'.

In a further modification, as shown in Fig. 3, the words TO and PAST are located between the two sets of figures, with the 'minute' set 22 on the left and the 'hour' set 21 on the right. Only one of these words is illuminated at a time to indicate minutes TO the hour or minutes PAST the hour.

In the illustrated example, the time is 27 minutes to 9.

The words TO and PAST may be replaced by 'BEFORE' and 'AFTER'.

1. A digital timepiece adapted to illuminate on a display face a set of figures to selectively represent 'hours', a set of figures to selectively represent 'minutes', and indicator means to change the relationship of a displayed hour figure and displayed minute figure whereby the time can be visually expressed as minutes past the hour or minutes to the hour.

2. A digital timepiece as claimed in claim 1, in which the positional relationship of the 'hour' and 'minute' figures is interchangeable and the indicator means is adapted to distinguish one set of figures from the other.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Digital timepiece This invention relates to a digital timepiece, particularly but not exclusively for use by children. When reading the time off an analog watch or clock the time is normally expressed in minutes past the hour until the hands are at half-past the hour and then minutes to the hour. With digital watches or clocks however, the time is read only in minutes past the hour. Thus, for example, 12.37 can also be expressed as 23 minutes to one O'clock. It can be difficult for a person, particularly a child or an elderly person used to expressing time in minutes past and minutes to the hour to relate digital timings of 31 minutes and less to the hour to minutes to the hour and an object of this invention is to obviate or mitigate said difficulty. According to the present invention there is provided a digital timepiece adapted to illuminate on a display face a set of figures to selectively represent 'hours', a set of figures to selectively represent 'minutes', and indicator means to change the relationship of a displayed hour figure and displayed minute figure whereby the time can be visually expressed as minutes past the hour or minutes to the hour. Preferably the positional relationship of the 'hour' and 'minute' figures is interchangeable and the indicator means is adapted to distinguish one set of figures from the other. Preferably also the indicator means comprises a pair of markers adapted to be separately illuminated, each being located adjacent to a set of figures and only one of which markers is illuminated to indicate that the adjacent set of figures represents the minute (or hour) set of figures. Alternatively the indicator means may comprise a variation in the colour or size of one set relative to the other set to distinguish the minute figure from the hour figure. The hour figures may be located between two sets of 'minute' figures and said indicator means illuminates one or other of said minute figures to indicate minutes before the hour or minutes after the hour. The indicator means may comprise words between the two sets of figures, the words being selectively illuminated to indicate minutes to the hour and minutes past the hour respectively. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of the display face of a digital timepiece according to the invention; and Figure 3 illustrates a modified display face. Referring to the drawings, the display face 20 has two pairs of seven segment displays to provide a set of figures to selectively represent 'hours' and a set to selectively represent 'minutes'. In the preferred embodiment, the display face 20 indicates an hour Fig. 21 and a minute Fig. 22; it also has a display 23 to indicate a.m. or p.m. and may also have an alarm display 24. Adjacent to the minute Fig. 22, is an illuminated indicator 25, in this embodiment, the letter 'm', to indicate that the adjacent figure is the minute figure. In Fig. 1 the minute indicater 25 is on the right hand side, so the display indicates a time of one minute past 12. In Fig. 2, the minute indicator 25 is on the left hand side, so the display indicates 10 minutes to one, (as opposed to a display of 12.50 on a standard digital timepiece). Thus, after the time display of Fig. 1 had moved from 12;01 to 12:30, the next change to occur is the positional interchange of the hour and minute figures to read 29.01, and the minute indicater 25 on the left hand side is illuminated to replace the one on the right. Modifications (not shown) may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 1) The indicator either may be an 'h' to indicate the hour figure. 2) The indicator means may be other than a marker, e.g. the hour and minute figures may be distinguished by colour or size. 3) The hour and minute figures may be other than interchangeable, e.g. a row of three sets of figures may be provided of which the centre set is the hour figure; only one of the other two sets is illuminated at a time, depending on whether the time is 'before the hour' or 'after the hour'. In a further modification, as shown in Fig. 3, the words TO and PAST are located between the two sets of figures, with the 'minute' set 22 on the left and the 'hour' set 21 on the right. Only one of these words is illuminated at a time to indicate minutes TO the hour or minutes PAST the hour. In the illustrated example, the time is 27 minutes to 9. The words TO and PAST may be replaced by 'BEFORE' and 'AFTER'. CLAIMS

3. A digital timepiece as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the indicator means comprises a pair of markers adapted to be separately illuminated, each being located adjacent to a set of figures and only one of which markers is illuminated to indicate that the adjacent set of figures represents the minute (or hour) set of figures.

4. A digital timepiece as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the indicator means comprises a variation in the colour or size of one set relative to the other set to distinguish the minute figure from the hour figure.

5. A digital timepiece as claimed in claim 1, in which the hour figures are located between two sets of 'minute' figures and said indicator means illuminates one or other of said minute figures to indicate minutes before the hour or minutes after the hour.

6. A digital timepiece as claimed in claim 1, in which the indicator means comprises words between the two sets of figures, the words being selectively illuminated to indicate minutes to the hour and minutes past the hour respectively.

7. A digital timepiece substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.