This invention relates generally to wearable electronic devices, such as timepieces, and in particular, to an electronic device, such as for example and not limitation, a watch, that has multiple display capabilities. More specifically, the electronic device of the present invention incorporates a rotatable ring for displaying changeable informational indicia. When provided in combination with a coordinatingly rotatable display hand, an advantageous and more versatile “analog type” display in an electronic device is provided.
Display hands that “point” to indicia on the dial of a device, such as a watch, whether it be the day, a number (i.e. to tell time or elapsed time, etc.) or pressure indicia (e.g. see U.S. Pat. No. 5,02,016) are known. Rotating rings, positioned under the dial, are also well known and used to display such things as the date (e.g. “1”-“31”).
However, further advancements in the art are believed to be achievable. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a rotatable ring that has thereon indicia relating to one or more modes (and/or a single mode utilizing more than one scale, as more fully disclosed below) in order to provide an electronic device that displays information with the use of hands (i.e. in an “analog manner”), thus having increased display functionality.
It is believed that the functionality to provide the foregoing advantages and achieve the objectives set forth below are provided by the present invention.
It is thus an objective of the present invention to overcome the perceived deficiencies in the prior art.
It is yet another objective and advantage of the present invention to provide an electronic device that has increased display capabilities using for example, display hands and one or more display windows with a rotatable ring being positioned thereunder.
It is still another objective and advantage of the present invention to provide an electronic device that has increased display capabilities using a minimum number of display hands yet still obtaining increased display functionality.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an electronic device of the type disclosed herein that can be utilized with all the features and components disclosed in application Ser. No. 10/441,417.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the disclosure hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
To overcome the perceived deficiencies in the prior art and to achieve the objects and advantages set forth above and below, the present invention is, generally speaking, directed to wearable electronic devices, such as electronic timepieces and watches in particular.
In a preferred embodiment, the wearable multimode electronic device of the type wherein information is conveyed in an analog manner at least in part by the use of at least one display hand, wherein the wearable electronic device includes a dial having a dial side and an opposite side, wherein the dial has at least one window, and the display hand is positioned on the dial side of the dial, wherein the wearable multimode electronic device comprises a first actuation mechanism, operatively coupled to the at least one display hand, for rotating the at least one display hand in at least one of a clockwise and counterclockwise direction; a ring, positioned on the opposite side of the dial and operatively coupled to a second actuation mechanism that rotates the ring in at least one of a clockwise and counterclockwise direction, wherein the ring has provided thereon informational indicia; a controller, operably coupled to both the first and second actuation mechanisms, for causing the first actuation mechanism to rotate the at least one display hand in at least one of the clockwise and counterclockwise direction, and causing the second actuation mechanism to rotate the ring in at least one of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions; wherein at least a portion of the ring is viewable through the at least one window such that informational indicia corresponding to the mode or scale which the electronic device is operating is visible in the at least one window, and wherein the rotation of the ring changes the informational indicia that is visible in the at least one window; and wherein the positioning of the display hand as it rotates in the one of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions over the window conveys the information by referring to particular informational indicia, and wherein the controller operatively controls the positioning of the hand so that the hand can convey the information in the analog manner.
In the preferred embodiment, the wearable multimode electronic device is a wristwatch.
The above set forth and other features of the invention are made more apparent in the ensuing Description of the Preferred Embodiments when read in conjunction with the attached Drawings, wherein:
Identical reference numerals in the figures are intended to indicate like parts, although not every feature in every figure may be called out with a reference numeral.
Reference is first made generally to
Generally speaking, electronic device 10 comprises a module, generally indicated at 15, which itself includes a housing 17, in which are disposed many components, the material ones of which pertain to the present invention being hereinafter disclosed. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure will omit, for purposes of brevity, certain basic and very well known concepts regarding the construction of an analog watch, such as for example, the basic construction and arrangements of gears and/or gear trains to rotate a plurality of “standard” hands, such as an hour hand 18 and a minute hand 20, as being well within the purview of one skilled in the art.
As illustrated in
In accordance with the present invention, electronic device 10 comprises one or more “display hands” aside from the conventional hour and minute hand. For example,
In the embodiment illustrated in
As positioned in module 15, motor M1 is provided to rotate hour hand 18 and minute hand 20 in a known manner. Specifically, hour hand 18 and minute hand 20 are coupled to a gear train for conveying the rotational activity generated by the rotor of motor M1. In a similar manner, hand 22 is rotated by stepper motor M2 and another gear train is provided to convey the rotational activity generated by the rotor of motor M2 to hand 22. The construction of the respective gear trains are well within the purview of one ordinarily skilled in the art, and again, reference may be made to the aforementioned '417 application for details thereof. In the preferred embodiment, motor M2 is a bi-directional stepper motor thus being able to rotate in either direction, and the construction of acceptable stepper motors to functionally operate in this manner are widely available and well within the understanding of those skilled in the art. Motor M1 need not be bi-directional as would be known to one skilled in the art. It is also well within the skill of the designer to design an appropriate gearing ratio to provide for the desirable display rotation or movement of display hand 22. That is, it may be desirable for the incremental rotation of hand 22 to be quite small, thus providing for precise increments and display measurements, again all of which is disclosed in the '417 application if not already known to the ordinarily skilled artisan.
Specifically, ring 50 is operatively coupled to an actuation mechanism, generally indicated at M3, that rotates ring 50 in at least one of a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. In the preferred embodiment, actuation mechanism M3 is a stepping motor (and preferably, but not necessarily, a bi-directional stepping motor). A gear assembly operatively couples motor M3 to ring 50. In the preferred embodiment, the gear assembly comprises a wheel 60 on which is a pinion 62, which is coupled to ring 50 via teeth on pinion 62 being in meshing alignment with teeth 52 of ring 50. The gearing assembly may also include an intermediate wheel 64, which itself also includes a pinion 66 that is in meshing alignment with the outer teeth of wheel 60. In this way, the rotation of the one or more wheels (e.g. wheel 60 and wheel 64) causes the rotation of ring 50. Stepping motor M3 comprises a rotor 70, which in the preferred embodiment, is rotatably coupled to one of the wheels of the gearing assembly (i.e. wheel 64). That is, rotor 70 will preferably comprise teeth that meshingly align with the outer teeth on wheel 64. The selection of a suitable stepping motor and the arrangement and/or positioning of the components are all within the purview of one skilled in the art. Of course, it should be understood that the number of wheels included in the gearing assembly may be more or less than that disclosed herein, and are really one of design choice for the intended function and based upon a number of known criterions, such as power and torque constraints.
The illustrated arrangement of stepping motor M3 and the associated gearing assembly is but only one example, as one skilled in the art could easily, as a matter of design choice, arrange the components differently yet achieve the functional equivalency. For example, the gears may be arranged to engage and meshingly rotate ring 50 on its outer circumference instead of on its inner circumference as illustrated. Also, the particular position of motor M3 or its alignment may change and may only be a function of packaging constraints in module 15. Again, none of the foregoing changes materially affects the function of the present invention.
As best illustrated in
For example, ring 50 as illustrated in
In the second example, the informational indicia on ring 50 could correspond to more than one mode. For example, the information indicia indicated as 1-10 could relate to a lap counter, while the informational indicia indicating 10-100 may be temperature (obviously, the scale for temperature could be broadened (e.g. −10° to 100° C.) to encompass a more realistic/practical range). Likewise, the 100-1000 scale may be replaced with a 40-220 scale to represent heart rate, while yet the fourth scale (not shown) may have a scale indicative of blood pressure or the like. The importance being that the various scales (or other informational indicia) could all be unrelated if they correspond to different modes.
Additionally, there could be a mixture of the foregoing examples, e.g. there are two related scales corresponding to a single mode while the remaining two scales are unrelated (e.g. HR and blood pressure). Similarly, the informational indicia need not be in the form of a scale but could be other information (days of the week (“SUN,” “MON,” “TUE,” “WED,”) or compass headings ( “N” “W” “E” “S”, if practical or desired) just to name a few).
A controller provides the proper and accurate controlling, positioning and rotation of ring 50. Details of the controller, generally indicated at 100, can likewise be found in the aforementioned '417 application with reference to controller 100 therein, and the controller of the present invention preferably comprises all of the functional features described therein to carry out the objectives and features of the present invention. The added functionality particular to the present invention shall now be disclosed.
General reference may be made to
Reference may also be made to
An input/output control circuit 110 controls the crown actuations and pushbutton switches of
Reference should be made to the '417 application for a more detailed description of the features and elements to interface electronic device 10 to “the outside world,” as
Although the preferred embodiment provides that controller 100 is highly integrated wherein all timing and display functionality is controlled in controller 100, alternate embodiments could separate the timekeeping functions from those processing and displaying stored or sensed data, as would be understood by one skilled in the art.
Whether using sensors (internal or external (e.g. a transmitter, such as a heartrate transmitter by way of example)) or stored data (such as that which is downloadable), known methodologies provide for the smooth display of information using display hand 22. For example, to determine the number of pulses and direction to move a rotor of a stepper motor to its next position it is necessary to know where the rotor is in terms of a number of pulses, subtract that from the new sensor (or stored) value converted to pulses, and based on the magnitude and sign of the difference, pulse the stepper motor the number of pulses needed to move the rotor the desired amount and in the desired direction. In an alternate embodiment the calculations above can be performed using converted sensor (or stored) values in digital format and then, by applying the appropriate scale factors, develop the number of pulse determined above.
Similar control of motor M3 permits the proper rotation of ring 50, wherein controller 100 will signal motor control circuit 109 to step the respective stepper motor a predetermined number of steps in a direction to change the informational indicia visible in window 35. Well known programming techniques along with the above methodology, allow controller 100 to determine whether and when to signal motor control circuit 109 to step the respective stepper motor so that a different scale or mode display can be visible through window 35.
Once the appropriate scale/mode is visible, the '417 application provides an excellent description of particular examples of moving hand 22 to accurately convey information using stored, sensed or transmitted data.
With a ring that can display various scales or mode informational indicia, a single electronic device can be manufactured with improved display functionality being selectively displayable on one display (and even in one window) and in one electronic device.
It will thus be seen that the present invention is both patentably different from and a significant improvement over known devices. Specifically, the present invention provides a unique way to clearly display, and makes easily comprehendible, information relating to external parameters, as well as time-based or nontime-based information that may be programmed into or otherwise stored in the timepiece. Additionally, the present invention can incorporate a wide range of sensor circuits and arrangements for measuring external parameters and have such measurements clearly and easily displayable. Moreover the particular use of a coordinated ring and display hand allows for easy and increased display functionality and also provides an aesthetically improved device.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, in place of ring 50 and a mere elongated member may be used. Such an embodiment may require additional consideration as it relates to features to keep the member in place (e.g. springs, etc.) but such an embodiment is nevertheless covered hereby. Also, while ring 50 illustrates/discloses four (4) scales and/or modes, more or less than four (4) are certainly contemplated and covered hereby. Likewise, additional informational indicia may be provided on the ring/member so that the user can actually see, on the ring, what mode/scale (e.g. “heart rate” or altitude (ft)”) he/she is actually in. Lastly, other externally transmitted information may be transmitted to device 10 and displayed, such as a fuel level in a gas tank or a credit card information as long as the scale on the ring is appropriately labeled.
Moreover, it should be understood that nothing herein (nor in the claims) requires that the entire indicia corresponding to the particular mode or scale be visible at any one time. For example, the present invention contemplates and covers an embodiment wherein the scale or other informational indicia relating to the mode is wider than the width of the display window, thereby permitting only a portion of the scale or mode to visible in the display window at any one time. In accordance with at least one example, such an embodiment may be desirable because of the display advantages created thereby.
For example, if the information indicia relates to a heartrate scale (e.g. 40-220), it may be advantageous if the scale is wider than the window thereby permitting larger indicia to be provided. Moreover, using the pushers (or other means for rotating the ring or elongated member (e.g. the controller in combination with memory that retains prior workout information)), the ring may be manually or automatically rotated in order to “center” a user's target/goal heartrate (e.g. at the 6 o'clock position). In this way, the user may be provided a way to make it easier and/or more convenient to see one's heartrate (e.g. or if the user is close to the target rate) by merely judging/assessing the angle of the hand (e.g. straight downward). Such an embodiment may be advantageous when, practically speaking, during a workout, the entire scale may not be useful (e.g. the user may never get to the high end (e.g. 220 bpm) and presumably would not be at the low end (e.g. 40 bpm) during exercise. To be sure, rotation of the ring or elongated member may be achieved by use of manual pushers, or the controller itself may store information based on prior workouts (and thus be able to rotate the ring/member as appropriate). In addition, because the controller can maintain information regarding the particular position of the ring or elongated member, any rotation (e.g. to display merely a different section of a scale) thereof can thus be taken into account (i.e. adjusted for) when coordinating the rotation and indications provided by display hand 22. For example, if the ring is rotated to “center” a specific target range or heartrate, it is ensured that the positioning/calibration of display hand 22 (via the controller) is adjusted so that rotation over the window indicates the correct indicia on the ring or elongated member. That is, the rotation of display hand 22 is adjusted by the particular indicia visible at any one time through the display window.
This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 10/441,417, filed on May 20, 2003, the subject matter of which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10441417 | May 2003 | US |
Child | 11141973 | May 2005 | US |