GB2393561A

GB2393561A - Clock with coloured display panels for dyslexic persons

Info

Publication number: GB2393561A
Application number: GB0214654A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Greta Corke
Original assignee: Royal College of Art
Current assignee: Royal College of Art
Priority date: 2002-06-25
Filing date: 2002-06-25
Publication date: 2004-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2022-06-25
Also published as: GB2393561B; GB0214654D0

Abstract

A 12 or 24 hour clock comprises a number of panels 14 that when energised transmit a number of different colours, such that each complete panel energised represents the hours and each energised panel area representing the minutes. The number of panels can be four, six, eight or twelve and the number of different colours that each panel area is capable of transmitting is either 12 or 24 divided by the number of panels. A controller which may be a micro-processor energises the panels so that panels are energised over the hours and areas of panels are energised over the minutes such that each panel area does not transmit the same coulours twice in any 24 hour period. The panels may be set so as the colours represent periods of the day such as morning, evening and night thus allowing the user to distinguish between the three cycles in any 24 hour period. The clock being particularly useful for persons with dyslexia or used by other persons reading the numbers provided under each panel (figure 20).

Description

1 2393561

CLOCK Technical Field

The present invention relates to a clock, especially a clock that can readily be 5 used by dyslexics.

Background Art

Dyslexics have difficulty in reading both analogue and digital clocks because they have trouble with special awareness. The present invention provides a 10 clock that can be read more easily by dyslexics and also provides a clock that can readily be read also by non-dyslexics.

Disclosure of Invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a 24-hour clock 1 5 comprising: À a number of panels each having addressable areas that are capable, when energised, of transmitting a number of different colours, the energising of successive panels signifying successive hours and the ..

.....DTD: energsmg of successive areas m a panel sgmfyng successive 20 minutes; À a controller, which is preferably a microprocessor, that is capable of energising successive panels over the course of successive hours and energising successive addressable areas of a panel over successive minutes so that over the course of one hour successive areas of one 25 panel are energised and over the course of successive hours successive panels are energised; wherein the number of panels is four, six, eight or twelve and the number of different colours that each area is capable of transmitting is at least 24 divided by the number of panels in the clock and wherein the controller controls the

energisation of the successive areas of the panels so that over the course of any twenty four hour period, each area does not transmit the same colour twice.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a 12 5 hour clock comprising: À a number of panels each having addressable areas that are capable, when energised, of transmitting a number of different colours, the energising of successive panels signifying successive hours and the energising of successive areas in a panel signifying successive 10 minutes; À a controller, which is preferably a microprocessor, that is capable of energising successive panels over the course of successive hours and energising successive addressable areas of a panel over successive minutes so that over the course of one hour successive areas of one 15 panel are energised and over the course of successive hours successive panels are energised; wherein the number of panels is four or six and the number of dit'f'erent colours that each area is capable of transmitting is at least 12 divided by the number of panels in the clock and the controller controls the energisation of the successive 20 areas of the panels so that over the course of any twelve hour period, each area does not transmit the same colour twice.

Preferably, the areas of each panel transmit the same colour as each other as the panel areas are energised over the course of an hour. It is not necessary for 25 adjacent panels to have the same colour and indeed it is preferred that adjacent panels transmit different colours. In particular, it is especially preferred that, over the run of panels in the clock. the colour progresses from a first colour through a mixture of the first colour and a second colour to the second colour alone. Thus, it is possible for the first panel to transmit pure blue and the last

l panel to transmit pure yellow with the intermediate panels transmitting a green colour of different mixtures of blue and yellow. During the next following cycle of illumination, i.e. the next time an individual panel is illuminated, each panel will transmit a different colour as compared to that transmitted in the 5 prior cycle. Thus, in a second cycle, the first panel could now transmit yellow and the last panel now transmit magenta with the intermediate panels transmitting intermediate colours. If a third cycle is necessary, the first panel could transmit magenta and the last panel cyan, again with the intermediate panels transmitting intermediate colours.

If six or more panels are provided in the clock, it is preferred that the panels be grouped together in two or more groups since the human eye cannot readily count at a glance numbers in excess of four or five. The groupings may be brought about by physically locating the panels of a group adjacent to each 15 other or by including markers dividing off individual groups of panels.

The panels are preferably screens or parts of a screen having individually addressable pixels (the pixels or groups of pixels, such as rows or columns of pixels, forming the said areas of the panels). Such a screen can be, for example, 20 a liquid crystal display or an array of; for example, light emitting diodes.

The controller will generally be a microprocessor having a time module. It is possible to implement the control oi'the microprocessor in software in a programmable microprocessor using known standard programming language 25 and known programming techniques that can be readily implemented by a reasonably skilled programmer. Alternatively, the software can readily be incorporated in a stamp chip.

The panels can be arranged in a line or an array or in a circle mimicking a clockface. 5 Brief Description of Drawings

I'here will now be described, by way of example only, two embodiments of the clock according to the present invention by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I is a perspective view of a first clock in accordance with the 10 present invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second clock of the present invention, Best Mode of Carryina out the Invention Referring initially to Figure 1, there is shown a clock in accordance with the 15 present invention. The clock includes a housing 10 having a front face 12 provided with a row of eight panels 14. Each panel includes addressable areas that are capable, when energised, of transmitting a number of different colours.

In this embodiment, the panels are liquid crystal displays and the addressable areas are columns or rows of the display. Each panel in the clock signifies an 20 hour and successive lines of each panel 14 signifies the passage of minutes or seconds through the hour. Thus, in Figure 1, the first three panels are fully illuminated indicating that three hours have elapsed since the start of the current cycle. The successive energisation (and therefore illumination) of the lines of'each panel can take place vertically (i.e. in rows) or horizontally (i.e. in 25 columns). Because it is difficult to discern at a glance how many panels are energised when there are more than about flour or five energiscd panels, the clock is divided into two groups of four panels, the two groups being separated by a

s differently coloured marker bar 16. Such an arrangement facilitates rapid reading of the clock.

An important aspect of the present invention is that, in any one cycle of 5 lighting up the panels of the clock. the panels have different colours to the other panels of the clock and each panel does not transmit the same colour within any two cycles in a 12 hour period (if the clock is a 12 hour clock) or in a 24 hour period (if the clock is a 24 hour clock), so that the user can tell from the colours of the panels which cycle in the 12 or 24 hour clock exists at that 10 time. By using colour coding, it is easier and quicker to read the time.

Preferably, the colours graduate from the first panel to the last panel in the clock; Nor example, the first panel could be yellow and the last panel cyan with the intermediate panels being varying shades of green.

In the 8 panel clock shown in Figure 1, the clock will undergo three sequences of illumination in each 24 hour period. The 24 hour period could notionally be divided into three cycles: morning (extending from 8. 00am through to 3.59pm), evening (extending from 4.00pm through to 11. 59am) and night (extending 2() from 12.00 midnight through to 8.59am). Indeed, the individual user can use the sequence to signify any time span that is suitable to his/her lifestyle.

It is preferred that the first and last panels of the sequences are pure primary colours. 'I'hus, the morning could extend t'rom yellow to magenta, the evening 25 from magenta to cyan the night from cyan to yellow. 'I'his allows the user readily to distinguish between the three cycles in any 24 hour period.

As will be appreciated, each panel can be a region of a larger display or can be an individual panel.

The clock could be a 12 hour clock or a 24 hour clock, that is to say the colours are repeated every 12 hours or every 24 hours.

5 In order to make the clock more readily readable by people who are not used to it' the hour numbers can be given on, or adjacent to, each panel. For example, a panel that gradually fills up to indicate the minutes between 9 o'clock and 10 o'clock could have a 9 at one end and a 10 at the other end. Other numbering arrangements are of course possible. Figure 2 shows an arrangement in which 10 the hours are shown indicating a time of exactly I I o'clock.

I'he present invention can readily be implemented in software using a programmable microprocessor with a time module. The programming is straightforward for any reasonably competent programmer. A stamp chip may 15 be alternatively provided that controls the panels in the way described.

Claims

/ / CLAIMS

1. A 24-hour clock comprising: À a number of panels each having addressable areas that are capable, 5 when energised, of transmitting a number of different colours, the energising of successive panels signifying successive hours and the energising of successive areas in a panel signifying successive minutes; À a controller, which is preferably a microprocessor, that is capable of 10 energising successive panels over the course of successive hours and energising successive addressable areas of a panel over successive minutes so that over the course of one hour successive areas of one panel are energised and over the course of successive hours successive panels are energised; 15 wherein the number of panels is four, six, eight or twelve and the number of different colours that each area is capable of transmitting is at least 24 divided by the number of panels in the clock and wherein the controller controls the energisation of the successive areas of the panels so that over the course of any twenty four hour period, each area does not transmit the 20 same colour twice.

2. A 1 2-hour clock comprising: À a number of panels each having addressable areas that are capable, when energised, of transmitting a number of different colours, the 25 energising of successive panels signifying successive hours and the energising of successive areas in a panel signifying successive minutes; À a controller, which is preferably a microprocessor, that is capable of energising successive panels over the course of successive hours and

I energising successive addressable areas of a panel over successive minutes so that over the course of one hour successive areas of one panel are energised and over the course of successive hours successive panels are energised; 5 wherein the number of panels is four or six and the number of different colours that each area is capable of transmitting is at least 12 divided by the number of panels in the clock and the controller controls the energisation of the successive areas of the panels so that over the course of any twelve hour period, each area does not transmit the same colour twice.

3. A clock as claimed in claim I or claim 2 wherein the areas of each panel transmit the same colour as each other as the panel areas are energised over the course of an hour.

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4. A clock as claimed in any one of claims I to 3 wherein adjacent panels transmit different colours to each other.

5. A clock as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first panel to be energised transmits a first colour and the last panel to be energised transmits a second 20 colour and the intermediate panels transmit a mixture of the first colour and the second colour in increasing proportions of the second colour.

6. A clock as claimed in any one of claims of I to 5, wherein the panels are energised in cycles, in each cycle the panels of the clock are successively 25 energised and wherein, in any cycle. an individual panels will transmit a different colour as compared to that in the prior cycles in the 12 or 24 hour period of the clock as the case may be.

7. A clock as claimed in any one of claims I to 6 which includes two or more groups of panels.

8. A clock as claimed in claim 7, wherein the panels of each group are 5 physically grouped together and the individual groups are physically separated from each other.

9. A clock as claimed in claim 7, wherein the panels of each group are divided from the panels of the other groups by markers.

10. A clock as claimed in any one of claims I to 9, wherein the panels are screens or parts of a screen having individually addressable pixels and wherein pixels or groups of pixels form the addressable areas.

15

1 1. A clock as claimed in claim 10, wherein the screen is a liquid crystal display or an array of light emitting diodes.