GB2207262A

GB2207262A - Analogue/digital watch calculator fascia

Info

Publication number: GB2207262A
Application number: GB08715801A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arne Norderhaug
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-07-06
Filing date: 1987-07-06
Publication date: 1989-01-25
Also published as: GB8715801D0

Abstract

A watch calculator has analogue display of time, digital display(s) for the calculator and twelve of the calculator buttons located around the analogue display so that the buttons for numbers 1-9 lie in positions corresponding to the hours 1-9 of the analogue watch display; the buttons corresponding to 10, 11 and 12 o'clock having other functions-e.g. zero, point and function change. There may also be further buttons elsewhere on the fascia to simplify operation and/or provide more functions. The hands of the analogue display are either mechanical or generated by activation of segments such as on a liquid crystal display. The analogue and digital displays could be in different areas of the fascia or in separate layers (the top layer being transparent where not activated or when switched off), thus allowing switching between analogue and digital displays in the same space. <IMAGE>

Description

NNALOGUESDIGITAL WATCH CALCULATOR FASCIN This invention relates to a watch calculator (or calculator watch) with analogue indication of the time.

Watch calculators conventionally each have a digital display and a panel of buttons in rows - typically a grid pattern with 4 rows, each with 4 buttons. This means that either they must be inconveniently large because of the difficulties with operating the buttons near the centre of the grid (and also because it is somewhat inefficient to have buttons and display in separate areas rather than arranging at least some of the buttons around the display), or the buttons must be placed so close together that they are difficult or impossible to operate with human fingers.

There appears to be a substantial preference for analogue display of the time (i.e. display by the familiar z hands rotating to indicate hours3 minutes and seconds), but with so much space taken up by the calculator buttons, analogue time indication is hardly practicable on conventional watch calculators. Even with only digital display of time3 finger operated, conventional watch calculators need to be substantially larger than the familiar analogue watch, and3 clearly, watch calculators with analogue time display and finger operated buttons in a grid would be unpracticably large.

The present invention overcomes these problems and adds the advantage of the calculator buttons being easy to find as they are placed in the familiar positions of the hours of a conventional clock face i.e.

the calculator buttons for the numbers l - 9 lie in positions corresponding to the hours 1 - 9 on the analogue watch display.

Three further buttons should be located in the positions corresponding to 10, 11 and 12 hours - e.g. number 0 positioned at 10 o'clock, point (".") at 11 oVclock and "cancel" or a button for changing the functions of the other buttons at 12 0' clock.

It may be desirable to have more than 12 buttons. Some convenient, possible locations for further buttons are therefore indicated on the accompanying drawings (see below).

(If there are only 12 buttons, each calculator operation would require the use of 2 buttons: both the change function button and the second function of one of the other buttons.) The present invention will thus have analogue time indication and, for calculator operation and other functions for which display of numbers are relevant, at least one digital display.

The present invention has at least the following three advantages over conventional watch calculators: I Both analogue display of time and finger operated calculator buttons can be accommodated on a watch with a fascia hardly larger than that of a conventional analogue watch (particularly if 2 layers of Liquid Crystal Display are used - see below for detailed description of this possibility).

II The buttons are much easier to press individually with a finger.

This is because they are quite widely spaced, effectively in one row (in a circle), instead of the conventional four or more rows close together, and because all (or nearly all) the buttons are at the outside edge of the watch.

III The positions of the buttons are much more easily identified.

(With illuminated digital display use of the calculator is facilitated even in the dark as people who do not remember the conventional positions of the numbers on a calculator - but do know the positions of the hours on a clock face - can much more readily find the right calculator buttons.) In addition to the above advantages, it should be noted that the the present invention facilitates considerable scope for attractive visual fascia designs (particularly with the "credit card button" versions described below).

Several embodiments of the present invention are indicated on the accompanying drawings which presents six variations ("types"). They all show watch fascia with analogue time indication, at least one digital display and calculator buttons 1 - 9 as per the present invention.

The analogue display could either be mechanical or nonmechanical (e.g. a "Liquid Crystal Display") If it is LCD, the watch could have 2 layers of display and thus alternate between showing analogue time and digit within the same area of the watch face. (See Figs. 1 - 4 of the accompanying drawings.) The digital display could obviously indicate various functions in addition to the calculator numbers (e.g. dual time, stop watch alarm time! date). It could be in the same place as the analogue time display (Figs. 1 - 4) or separate (Figs. 5 - 8).

The buttons could be of a conventional3 protr-uding type or be flat as often seen on so-called "credit card" calculators. The latter facilitates water proof construction and much of the scope for artistic innovation referred to above (see Figs. 3! 4, 6, and 7).

The most poignant features of the present invention will now be described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows type 1 in analogue mode.

Type 1 is a double layer version3 i.e. one layer has -analogue display (say the underneath layer - either mechanical or liquid crystal display) and another layer has a digital liquid crystal display (say the top layer, transparent when not activated).

It has 16 buttons, i.e. 4 buttons in addition to the 12 buttons placed in a circle round the analogue watch fascia.

The buttons in positions for lO, 11 and 12 o'clock are labelled 3 " . " and "F" (+or changing calculator Function). The 4 additional buttons are marked "SET"3 "LIGHT"! "MODE" and "CANCEL". (Pressing the "MODE" button would cause a change to the digital display shown on Fig. 2.) The time is indicated by the long hand pointing to the calculator button labelled "2", the short hand pointing between buttons labelled "7" and "8" - near to button "7" - and seconds indicator pointing to the button labelled ".", thus showing 10 minutes and 55 secunds past 7 otclock.

Flgure 2 shows type 1 in its digital mode (e.g. showing day3 date, calculator numbers, stop watch time and symbols for alarm and modes etc.) Figure 3 shows type 2 in analogue mode (analogue time layer activated). Type 2 is a double layer version like type l, but it has only 12 buttons plus a button on the side for light. The time indicated is 25 seconds past 2 o'clock.

Figure 4 shows type 2 in digital mode (digital display layer activated).

Fires 5, 6, 7 and 8 show types :33 4 5 and 6 which are all single layer versions - i.e. they have separate analogue and digital displays.

Type 3 (Fig. 5) has 2:3 buttons, type 4 (Fig. 6) has 21 buttons and type 6 (Fi. 8) has 19 buttons).

Type 5 (Fig. 7) has 19 buttons like type 6, but the buttons are of a cr-edit card calculator type3 i.e. non-protruding3 pressure sensitive parts of the surface of the fascia.

Claims

1 R watch calculator with analogue time indication and at least one digital display and on which 12 calculator buttons are placed round the analogue time display in such a manner that the buttons for the numbers 1 - 9 lie in positions corresponding to the hours 1 - 9 on the analogue watch display with the remaining buttons having other functions.

2 A watch calculator as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the analogue display of time is in a layer of liquid crystal - or another transparent material which can indicate clock hands over another display capable of displaying the numbers pertaining to the use of the calculator; arranged so that the analogue layer is transparent where not activated in order that the digital display, which is beneath and which may be activated (made visible), as a whole or in parts or not at all3 and seen through the analogue layer.

3 n watch calculator as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the analogue display of time is provided either by mechanical hands or otherwise underneath a layer of liquid crystal which is capable of displaying numbers pertaininy to calculator operation and other display and which may be induced to be wholly or partly transparent to reveal the analogue hands underneath.

4 A watch calculator as claimed in Claim 1 wher-ein the analogue and the digital displays are in separate areas of the watch fascia.

5 A watch calculator as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 with more than the 12 buttons referred to in Claim 1.

6 1 watch calculator substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 - 8 of the accompanying drawings