CA1129659A - Multi-functional digital time displays - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure Balanced digital time displays for presenting read-outs in which (A) minute digits are positioned to trail hour digits during the first half of each hour, and are then reversed to lead the hour digits during the second half of each hour, (B) the minute digits are operated to count minutes up to a peak value of 30 during the first half of each hour, and then down to 00 with advancement of the hour digits to the next hour during the second half of each hour, (C) second digits are positioned below the hour and minute digits and (D) the second digits are operated to count seconds up to a peak value of 30 during the first half of each minute, and then down to 00 during the second half of each minute.
In a modified embodiment, quadri-balanced digital time displays for presenting readouts in which (A) during the first quarter of an hour, minute digits are positioned in a relatively upper area trailing hour digits and operated to count minutes from 01 to 15, (B) during the second quarter hour, minute digits are positioned in a relatively lower area trailing hour digits and operated to count minutes from 16 to 30, (C) during the third quarter hour, minute digits are reversed and positioned in a relatively lower area leading hour digits and operated to count minutes from 29 to 15, and (D) during the fourth quarter hour, minute digits arc reversed and positioned in a relatively upper area leading hour digits and operated to count minutes from 14 to 00, with the hour digits having been advanced to the next hour during the third and fourth quarter hours.
In a further modified embodiment, a 13-element array of digital time display elements is selectively energizable to display relatively large hour digits of value 0 to 9, or relatively small minute digits of value 0 to 9 in a relatively upper or a relatively lower posi-tion. Three such arrays, to ether with two vertical line display elements, in ordered horizontal alignment, provide a compact, multi-functional display capable of performing balanced or quadri-balanced digital time keeping. Four such arrays aligned horizontally provide another compact, multi-functional display capable of performed balanced, quadri-balanced or chronographic digital time keeping.

Description

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MULTI-FUNCTIONAL DIGITAL TIME DISPLAYS

Background of the Invention 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to time keeping and, more particularly, to the use of digital time displays for general purpose time keeping. The term "general purpose", as applied to digital time displays or digital time keep-ing in context of the ensuing description, is used qualitatively to refer to the general time keeping needs and practices of ordinary individuals oc~upied with their usual activities on a day-to-day basis, as dis-tinguished from specialized time monitoring procedures used in particular circumstances, e.g., scientific experiments, computer operations, games and sporting events, etc.

2. Description of the Prior Art ._ .
General purpose digital time displays have been available to consumers over the past several years in a variety of products, e.g. wrist watches, clocks, clock-radios and numerous other articles. Such displays generally consist of a horizontal array of hour and minute digits separated by a colon, with the hour digits positioned to the left and the minute digits to the right, and with the minute digits being driven to count values up from 01 to 59 and, one minute later, to reset to 00, with a simultaneous increase in the value of the hour digits to that of the next hour. On occasion, with liquid crystal type displays, second digits are also provided, positioned to the right of the minute digits and also driven to count seconds up from 01 to 59, with ~2~3~9 resetting to 00 one second later, when the value of the minute digits is increased to the next minute. In other instances, such as with light emitting diode type dis-plays, switching is employed to display second digits alone, counted as described above but without a simul-taneous display of hour and minute digits.
Although such displays and products have been commercially successful, they have not displaced com-pletely, or even to a major extent, their analog counter-parts and competition. The latter are based upon the conventional twelve-hour dial face with hour, minute and, optionally, second hands rotating through 360 to indicate the time by the progressive positions of the hands relative to spaced markings applied along the dial perimeter. Many consumers, both prospective and actual, have found currently available general purpose digital time displays to be inconvenient, awkward, difficult to use or otherwise objectionable in compari-son to analo~ time displays, and often because of poorly perceived or definable reasons.
Although it appears to be commonly accepted that conventional general purpose digital time displays ex-cel in informing the user of the present time at the moment of the readout, it is also recognized that burden-some mental calculations are required to translate that readout in the viewer's mind into grosser time contexts, e.g. the position of the precise time relative to a larger interval such as an hour or half hour, or how much time remains before the next hour or hal~ hour, or how much time has passed or is to pass in relation to the occurrence of other exact times as previous or 6~

future references. Thus, conventional general purpose digital time displays suffer from the basic drawback of isolating the present time without also providing rapidly comprehendible indications of ~he larger time contexts which individuals ordinarily rely upon to carry out their general activities and for which analog time displays are far superior because of the graphic overall picture of gross time presented by their hand positions relative to the dial face markings. These and like problems in the usP of conventional digital time displays have been described specifically, for example, in a survey reported in the November 1976 issue of Consumer Reports (Vol. 41, No. 11), a well known consumer products evaluation journal.
Summary of the Invention The present invention provides balanced, quadri-balanced and compact, multi-functional digital time dis-play systems and methods which avoid or alleviate the above-described disadvantages of conventional general purpose digital time displays. The invention is based upon a recognition of the fundamental character of analog time displays as superior for informing the viewer of gross time contexts because of the symmetry or balance that is inherent in their geometries, together with the realization that substantial advantages and improvements can be achieved if analogous balance is incorporated in digital time displays.
In one of its broad aspects, the invention pro-vides a display of the digit value of the present hour in a relatively leading readout position and of increasing digit values of minutes in a relatively trailing position ::.
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5~3 at the commencement of each hour, followed by an increase of the hour digit value to that of the next hour in a relatively trailing readout position accompanied by decreasing digit values of minutes in a reversed rela-tively leading readout position during a subsequent por-tion of the same hour and before the actual commencement of the next hour. This basic principle may be combined with the refinement of simultaneously displaying in-creasing digit values of seconds during a first portion of each minute and thereafter displaying decreasing digit values of seconds during a subsequent portion of the same minute to inform the viewer at a glance of the positional relationship of any exact time readout to the larger time contexts of each current minute, half hour and hour.
In another of its broad aspects, the present invention also provides quadri-~balanced digital time display systems and methods which provide an additional advantage of distinguishing the current quarter hour from amongst the four quarters of an hour and thereby making evident the relationship between any exact present time and the current quarter hour, suGh being denoted by the designation "quadri-balanced".
This advantage is achieved by the use of digital time displays in which, during the first quarter of a present hour, minute digits are positioned in a relative-ly upper area trailing hour digits and operated to count increasin~ digit values of minutes, e.g~ from 01 to 15.
Next, during the second quarter hour, minute digits are positioned in a relatively lower area trailing the hour digits and operated to count further increasing digit values of minutes, e.g. from 16 to 30. Thereafter, during the third quarter hour, the hour digits are in-creased to the value of the next hour, and minute digits are reversed and positioned in a relatively lower area leading the hour digits and operated to count decreasing digit values of minutes, e.g. from 29 to 15. Finally, during the fourth quarter hour, minute digits are re-versed and positioned in a relatively upper area leading the displayed next hour digits and operated to count further decreasing values of minutes, e.g. from 14 to 00.
1'his cycle is repeated for each successive hour.
The foregoing results in the sequencing of four sets of rninute digits in a clockwise rotation around hour digits, synchronized with the progress of time rom start to end of each hour. Since these sets are geometrically distinguished from each other and in direct correspondence with the quarter-hour positions traversed by a conventional analog minute hand during its hour-long 360 rotation, the viewer:is given, at a glance, an immediately comprehendible picture of the present quarter hour, without having to read the actual values of the displayed hour and minute digits. This, in turn, makes evident the relationship between any exact time readout represented by those actual values and the intervals of the present quarter hour and the present half hour. The quadri-balanced systems and methods of this invention thus enable digital time dis-plays, without loss of digital precision, to simulate the graphics of progressively larger current time in-tervals, in a manner analogous to the operation of often preferred analog time displays.

Some of the balanced and~quadrl-balanced systems disclosed herein comprise a minimum of~five or six 7-element or 10-element arrays of digital time display elements arranged in a horizontal row, each array being selectively energizable to display digits of value O to 9. Use of such groups of five or six arrays results in the appearance of vacant spaces in nearly half or more of the display background as the arrays undergo the various changes in digit formats, values and read-out positions to display balanced or quadri-balanced digital time. The appearance of such spaces has the advantage of reinforcing in the viewer's mind the time significance of the shifting geometries presented by the displays, as described herein.
In still another of its broad aspects, the pre-sent invention provides a solution for those instances in which it may be desired to implement balanced or quadri-balanced digital time keeping, without the above-mentioned vacant spaces. In this regard, the invention comprises broadly a 13-element array of digital time display elements which may be selectively energized to display relatively large hour digits of value O to 9, or relatively small minute digits of -value O to 9 in either a relatively upper or a relative-ly lower position.-This three-way functionality enables grouping three of the 13-element arrays with two vertical line display elements in an ordered horizontal alignment to carry out balanced or quadri-balanced digital time keeping, substantially without the vacant spaces re-ferred to above. Moreover, by eliminating the need ~L~2~

for two 0-9 digit displaying arrays, compared to the minimum number of five used in the other systems re-ferred to above, the minimum horizontal width of the arrangement of the present invention is substantially reduced to provide a more compact, multi-functional display.
The new 13-element array also may be used in a horizontal group of Eour to obtain a display which is capable of carrying out balanced, quadri-balanced or chronographic digital time keeping, with the last being unambigously distinguished by its geometry from the first two. This multi-functional group of four arrays is also more compact than the previously-described minimum number of five, due to elimination of the need for one 0-9 digit displaying array.
The principles of balance and immediate com-prehendibility of both gross and exact time contexts provided by the new digital time displays described herein are further apparent in preferred emkodiments of the invention. Accordingly, other features and advantages of the invention will be evident from the ensuing detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a front view of energizable digital display elements arranged for balanced digital time displays in accordance with one embodiment of the inven-tion.
FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the FIG. 1 em-bodiment in a representative display during the first half of an hour.

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FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the FIG. 2 embodiment in a representative display during the second half of the same hour.
FIG. 4 is a front view of energizable digital display elements arranged for quadri--balanced digital time displays in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a similar view showing the FI~. 4 embodiment in a representative display during the first quarter of an hour.
FIG. 6 is a similar view showing the FIG. 4 embodiment in a representative display during the second quarter of the same hour.
FIG. 7 is a similar view showing the FIG. 4 embodiment in a representative display during the third quarter o~ the same hour.
FIG. 8 is a similar view showing the FIG. 4 embodi~ent in a representative display during the fourth quarter of the same hour.
FIG. 9 is a front view of a compact, multi-functional digital time display using three 13-element arrays in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 10 is a similar view showing the FIG. 9 embodiment in a representative first quarter or first half hour display.
FIG. 11 is a similar view showing the FIG. 9 embodiment in a representative second quarter hour dis-play.
FIG. 12 is a similar view showing the FIG. 9 embodiment in a representative third quarter hour display.

~L~?~6~3 FIG. 13 is a similar view showing the FIG. 9 embodiment in a representative fourth quarter or second half hour display.
FIG. 14 is a front view of another embodiment of the invention using four 13-element arrays.
FIG. 15 is a similar view showing the FIG. 14 embodiment in a chronographic timing mode.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring to FIG. 1, illustrated there is a horizontally oriented background 10, bordered by the opposite side perimeters 12 and 13, and upper and lower perimeters 14 and 16. Arranged on this background are four pairs of energizable display elements 18a and b, 22a and b, 24a and b, and 26a and b. These pairs con-sist of two 7-segment arrays oE light emitting diode or li~uid crystal display elements, each array being selectively energizable to display each of the digits from O to 9, thereby presenting in each array pair the tens and ones units of digital time values to the viewer.
The display element pairs 18 and 24 are of the same overall size and positioned at the left and right sides of the background 10. The display element pair 22 is of smaller overall size than the pairs 18 and 24, and is positioned at the center of the background 10, between the pairs 18 and 24. The display element pair 26 is the smallest in overall size compared to pairs 18, 22 and 24, and is also positioned at the center of the background 10, perpendicularly below pair 22. An energizable horizontal line display element 28 is positioned between the centrally located display element pairs 22 and 26.

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An energizable arrowhead display element 30 is positioned adjacent the right end of the horizontal line display element 28, pointing toward the ~lement pair 24.
Above the upper perimeter 14 is another horizontal background 32, substantially narrower than background 10, and on which is arranged a set of three groups of energizable display elements 34a, b and c, which may be selectively energized in conventional manner to display the first three letters of the days of the week. To the right of the elements 34 is another pair of 7-segment arrays of energizable display elements 36a and b, similar to the pairs 18, 22, 24 and 26, which may be selectively energized to display the date of each day of the month in conventional manner. The element pair 36 is the smallest in overall size, compared to the pairs 18, 22, 2~ and 26.
Referring to FIG. 2, illustrated there is energization of the array of elements 18b to display the digit "9", the pair of elements 22a and b to dis-play the digits "18", the pair of elements 26a and b to display the digits l'25", and the horizontal line ele-ment ~3,`all of the other energizable elements within the background 10 of FIG. 1 being de-energized and thereby blanked. Accordingly, the FIG. 2 display in-forms the viewer that the present time is eighteen minutes after the ninth hour (A.M. or P.M.), and more precisely, that twenty-five seconds of that eighteenth minutes have elapsed or remain, depending on whether the values of seconds are increasing or decreasing.
This instantaneous time can be readily compre-hended without confusion or ambiguity in view of several . ~:

factors. First, the sizes of the digits are graduated, hours being largest, minutes intermediate, and seconds smallest in overall size, thus presenting appearances having direct correspondence with the magnitudes of the time intervals being displayed by the respective digits. Secondly, there is no interruption presented to the viewer's vision between the leading hour digits 18b and the trailing minute digits 22a and b, whereas the latter are purposely separated by the horizontal line 28 from the second digits 26a and b. These geometries are maintained throughout the operation of the illustrated balanced digital time displays, there- ~
by retaining visually recognizable features in the sizes and positions of all the digits despite the reversals of the relative lead:ing and trailing positions of the hour and minute digits during respective first and second halves of each hour. Also, in accordance with the invention, the second digits 26 are being driven to count up to and down from a peak value of 30 and if the display is read for at least two consecutive seconds, the increasing or decreasing progression in the values of the second digits will be immediately apparent, further distinguishing such values from those of the adjacent hour and minute digits. The end result is that the format of the display itself promotes immediate recognition and understanding of the time values and significances of the respective digits.
In adaition, the display elements 34a, b and c, and 36a, and b, in the upper narrower background 32, have been energized to inform the viewer of the day of the week "MON" and the date of the day of the month "24", 1~.2~6~9 thus providing along with the time all the other in-formation generally useful for carrying out ordinary daily activities.
Referring to FIG. 3, illustrated there is the display arrangement of FIG. 1 energized in such manner that the pair of elements 24a and b display the digits "10", the pair of elements 22a and b display the digits "06", the pair of elements 26a and b display the digits "09", the horizontal line element 2~ and the arrowhead element 30 display an arrow pointing to the right, all other display elements within the background 10 of FIG.
1 being blanked. Thus, reading the display from left to right, the viewer is informed immediately that the time is six minutes before the next approachin~ hour (10 o-clock~, and even more precisely, where values of seconds are decreasing, that there are nine seconds of the sixth minute remaining before that hour. The arrow ~ormed by elements 28 and 30 emphasizes the significance in the readout of the leading position of the minute digits relative to the hour digits, vlz. that the minute values on display are those which remain and are decreasing before the arrival of the next hour. Furthermore, this reversal of position immediately distinguishes the display from the opposite mode shown in FIG. 2, so that there can be no confusion or ambiguity in reading the two modes during the first ;
~ and second halves of each hour.
; In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the position of the hour digits alternate at successive half hour intervals, between left and right sides of minute and second digits maintained in stationary position at the center of the display, to establish the leading and trailing positions of hours relative to minutes re-quired for the balanced digital time displays described herein. The converse of this arrangement also may be used by maintaining the hour digits in fixed position at the center of the display and by alternating the position of the minute digits between the left and right sides thereof at half hour intervals to establish the necessary balanced leading and trailing relationships.
For example, the arrays 18 and 24 of FIG. 1 may be altered to the size and relatively upper level of arrays 22 to serve as such alternating minute digits, the arrays 22 may be increased to the size and level of arrays 18 to serve as the stationary hour digits, with the arrays 26 for display of seconds tif used) lowered to provide room for the larger stationary hour digits, in analogous ~".~
manner to the seconds display of FIG. 4.
The above modification will achieve a closer analogy, in the balanced digital display, to the path of the minute hand in conventional analog time displays, wherein the minute hand, during the first half of each - hour, traverses a semicircle to the right of and ~ trailing the 12-o-clock-6-o-clock axis, and ~`:
conversely during the second half of each hour, the minute hand sweeps through a semicircle to the right of and leading that axis. Because the alternately transposed trailing and leading minute digits relative to central stationary hour digits undergo similar position changes and relationships, the above described modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 may be regarded as preferable.

Referring to FIG. 4, illustrated there is a horizontally oriented display background 110 outlined by side perimeters 112 and 114, and upper and lower perimeters 116 and 118. At the center of background 110 is an energizable vertical line element 120 and, to its right, a 7-segment array of energizable elements 122. The elements 120 and 122 consist of light emitting diode or liquid crystal display elements which may be energized to display hour digit values ranging from 1 to 12.
Below the elements 120 and 122 is another pair of 7-segment arrays of energizable display elements 124a and b, of suostantially smaller size than elements 120 and 122 and positioned in a smaller background 126 defined by the U-shaped extension 128 projecting down-wardly from lower perimeter 11~. The elements 124a and b may be energized to display digits counting seconds from 01 to a peak value of 30 and, thereafter, from 29 to 00.
To the ri~ht of elements 120 and 122 is a pair of 10-segment ladder-like arrays of energizable elements 130a and b. Each array is composed of four equi-spaced horizontal line elements (analogous to ladder steps) and three pairs of equi-spaced interspersed vertical line elements (analogous to ladder side rails). This arrangement enables use of the uppermost seven elements (three horizontals and two pairs of interspersed verticals) to display digits ranging from 0 to 15 in a relatively upper area to the xight of elements 120 and 122, i.e. an upper part of the space or readout position trailing those elements. Conversely, energization of the lowermost seven elements (again three horizontals and two pairs of interspersed verticals) will enable display of digits from 16 to 30 shifted in position to a relatively lower area to the right of the elements 120 and 122, i.e. a lower part of the space or readout position trailing those elements. The central two horizontal and two vertical elements of each ladder array are thus shared during the total count from 01 to 30 Since the overall height of the ladder arrays 130a and b is the same as that of elements 120 and 122, and since the horizontal elements of the arrays 130a and b are equally spaced, it will be evident that the above described digits positioned in relatively upper or lower areas will, in either case, be about 2/3 the size of those displayed by elements 120 and 122, but also considerably larger than those displayed by ele-ments 124a and b. Also, when the ladder arrays 130a and b display digits in the relatively upper area to the right of elements 120 and 122, the remaining 1/3 area below them will be vacant, whereas the converse will occur when the digits are in the relatively lower area, leaving the remaining 1/3 area above empty.
Another pair of ladder-like arrays of display elements 132a and b, identical in size and general function to 130a and b, is positioned to the left of elements 120 and 122. Elements 132a and b may be energized to display digits from 29 to 15 in a re-latively lower area, i.e. a lower part of the space or readout position leading elements 120 and 122, followed by a shift to digits ranging from 14 to 00 : .
: . :' ~Z~'3 positioned in a relatively upper area, i.e. an upper part of the space or readout position leading elements 120 and 122, with 1/3 upper and lower areas respectively unoccupied, in analogous manner to the operation of arrays 130a and b.
Referring to FIG. 5, illustrated there is the arrangement of FIG. 4 energized in a manner such that the elements 122 display the digit "9", the elements 130a and b display the digits "14", and the elements 124a and b display the digits "25". This display informs the viewer that the exact present time is fourteen minutes past the ninth hour (A.M. or P.M.) and, more precisely, that twenty-five seconds of that fourteenth minute have elapsed or remain, depending on whether seconds are increasing to or diminishing from the peak value of thirty.
Since the minute digits are in a relatively upper readout position trailing the hour digit, the viewer is also informed that the present time is within the first quarter hour of the prese~t hour, without having to read the values of the digits. Since the intermediate-sized minute digits are trailing the larger centrally-positioned hour digit in a relatively upper area comprising the uppermost 2/3 of the height of the hour digit (with the remaining 1/3 of the trail-ing space empty~, this is sufficient to make immediately known the existence of the first quarter of the present hour, independently of digit values. The geometry of the display thus simulates that of a conventional analog minute hand positioned in the first quarter of the com-plete circle it traverses during the course of an hour.

Referring to FIG. 6, illustrated there is the arrangement of FIG. ~energized in a manner such that the elements 122 display the digit "9", the elements 130a and b display the digits "23", and the elements 124a and b display the digits "13".
This display informs the viewer that the exact present time is twenty-three minutes past the ninth hour and that thirteen seconds of that twenty-third minute have elapsed or remain, depending upon the current direction of the seconds count up to or down from the peak value of thirty. The geometry of the display also makes immediately known the fact that the present time is within the second quarter of the current hour, independently of digit values, because the minute digits have shifted in position to the lowermost 2/3 o~ the space trailing the hour digit, leavi ng the remaining 1/3 space above empty.
The FIG. 6 display thus simulates the positioning of a conventional analog minute hand in the consecutive second quarter of the complete circle it traverses during the course of an hour. This means that at a glance and without having to read the digit values, the viewer is informed by such geometry that the present time is within the second quarter of the current hour.
ReEerring to FIG. 7, illustrated there is the arrangement o FIG. 4 energized in a manner such that the elements 120 and 122 display the digits "10", the elements 132a and b display the digits "18", and the elements 124a and b display the digits `'05".
In this display, the minute digits have been .. , ~

reversed to lead the hour digits relative to the left-to-right readout direction, and the value of the hour digits has been increased to that of the approaching next hour. Therefore, the d-splay informs the viewer that the exact present time is the eighteenth minute before the on-coming tenth hour and that five seconds of that minute have elapsed or remain, depending again on whether seconds are increasing or decreasing re-lative to the peak value of thirty.
The switching of the minute digits to a position leading the hour digits in FIG. 7, and the resultant emptying of the entire trailing space occupied by the now de-energized elements 130a and b, immediately signifies, independent of the digit values, that the first half of the current hour has elapsed and less than the second half remains. As earlier mentioned, this simulates a conventional analog minute hand crossing from right to left sides of the 12-o-clock-6-o-clock axis between the equal halves of the complete circle it traverses during the course of an hour.
This effect is reinforced by the increase of the value of the hour digits to that of the next hour, which simulates the positioning of a conventional analog hour hand closer, after the half hour point, to the dial mark which represents the next approaching hour.
Moreover, the relatively lower position of the minute digits, comprising the lowermost 2/3 part of the space adjacent to and leading the hour digits, signi-fies that the present time is within the third quarter of the current hour, simulating the positioning of a conventional analog minute hand in the consecutive

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third quarter of the complete circle it traverses during the course oE an hour.
Referring to FIG. 8, illustrated there is the arrangement of FIG. 4 energized in a manner such that the elements 120 and 122 display the digits "10", the elements 132a and b display the digits "06"~ and the elements 124a and b display the digits "19".
This display informs the viewer that the exact present time is the sixth minute before the :
on-coming tenth hour and that nineteen seconds of that minute have elapsed or remain, depending upon whether the seconds count is increasing or decreasing. Also, the minute digits have shifted to a relatively upper !::
area comprising the uppermost 2/3 part of the space adjacent to and leading the hour digits, leaving the remaining 1/3 part below empty. This signifies, at a glance and independent of the digit values, that the present time is within the last quarter of the current hour, simulating the positioning o~ a con-ventional analog minute hand in the consecutive fourth quarter of the complete circle it traverses during the course of an hour.
Referring to FIG. 9, illustrated there is a horizontally oriented background 210 outlined by side perimeters 212 and 214, and upper and lower perimeters 216 and 218. Substantially filling background 210 are two energizable vertical line display elements 220a and b, and three 13-element arrays of energizable dis-play elements 222a, b and c, aligned horizontally in the order 220a, 222a, 222b, 220b and 222c.
The lower perimeter 218 includes a central, downwardly projecting U-shaped extension 224 which de-flnes a smaller, lowermost display background 226. In it is a pair of 7-element arrays of energizable display elements 228a and b, each array of which may be selec-tively energized to display digit values from 0 to 9, so that the pair can be used to display digit values of seconds from 01 up to 30 and then down from 29 to 00 during each minute interval.
Referring to the first of the 13-element arrays 222a, as illustrative of all three, 222a, b and c, it includes five horizontal display elements, one, desig-nated "u", in an uppermost position and anothar, desig~
nated "d", in a lowermost position, the vertical distance in between comprising the overall height of the array.
Two of the remaining three horizontal elements are positioned in between the outermost elements u and d, one, designated "um", above the horizontal mid-line of the vertical distance between u and d, and the other, designated "dm", below the mid-line. Elements um and dm are preferably spaced approximately equal from each other and from, respectivel~ the outermost elements u and d, so that they divide the vertical distance between the latter into approximately equal one-third parts.
The fifth horizontal element, designated "m", is positioned preferably at the mid-line of the distance between the outermost elements u and d, which posi~ion also coincides with the mid-line of the distance between the internal horizontal elements um and dm in the illustrated embodiment.
The left ends of the horizontal elements u, um, m, dm and d are in substantial vertical alignment and bridged by a set of four vertical elements designated from top to bottom as "vl", "v2", "v3" and "v4".
Similarly, the right ends of the horizontal elements are in substantial vertical alignment and bridged by a set of four vertical elements designated as "vrl", "vr2", "vr3" and "vr4". A small rightward mis-alignment of all the elements from true vertical is preferably incorporated to achieve digit displays slanting verti-cally to the right for a more attractive appearance.
The adjoining ends of the horizontal and verti-cal elements are separated by narrow spaces, as illustrated, to isolate and permit each element to be electrically energized independently of the others.
In this connection, all the joints between the proxi-mate ends of the horizontal e]ements u, um, dm and d and of the vertical elements v1-4 and vrl-4 adjoining thereto are mitered. In contr.ast, the proximate ends of the horizontal element m and of the vertical elements v2, v3, vr2 and vr3 adjoining thereto are squared off to form butt joints. This is preferred in order to present maximum visual continuity through the vertical elements when the array is energized to display digits, without loss of significant horizontal continuity when-ever the horizontal element m is energized to display large hour digits, as will be evident from further description below.
The 13-element array 222a can function in three ways. First, the horizontal elements u, m and d and all the vertical elements v1-4 and vrl-4 can be selectively energized in combinations to display hour digits of value O to 9 having a height corresponding to the distance between elements u and d, and thus being relatively large.
Second, the horizontal elements u, um and dm and vertical elements v1-3 and vrl-3 can be selective-ly energized in combinations to display minute digits of value 0 to 9 having a height corresponding to the distance between elements u and dm, which also com-prises the upper two-thirds o the distance between elements u and d. Thus, these minute digits are re-latively smaller than the hour digits and in a relative-ly upper position.
Third, the horizontal elements um, dm and d and vertical elements v2-~ and vr2-4 can be selectively energized in combinations to display minute digits of value 0 to 9 having a height corresponding to the distance between elements um and d, which also com-prises the lower two-thirds oE the distance between elements u and d. Thus, these minute digits are relatively smaller than the hour digits and in a relatively lower position.
The above description of the 13-element array 222a and its unctional capabilities applies equally to the identical arrays 222b and 222c.
In addition to the three 13-element arrays 322a-c, the FIG. 9 embodiment includes the vertical line display elements 220a and b, which have a height substantially equal to the distance between the hori-zontal elements u, d and which are used to display the tens unit values in the hour digits 10 r 11 and 12.
These vertical line display elements, although each a single element electrically energizable across its i;t~

entire height at a yiven time, are preferably provided with the illustrated indentations, designated "i", positioned at the levels corresponding to the vertical positions of elements um and dm in the adjacent 13-element arrays 222a and 222c, and shaped to complement the appearance of the mitered joints of the latter when hour digits of 10 or higher are displayed.
FIGS. 10-13 illustrate the extergization of the specific elements of FIG. 9 to achieve representative balanced or quadri~balanced digital time displays, as previously described in connection with FIGS. 1-8.
FIGS. 10 and 13 are representative of the use of FIG.
9 for balanced digital time displays during the con-secutive first and second halves o each hour, as pre-viously explained. FIGS. 10-13 are representative of the use of FIG. 9 for quadri-balanced time displays during the consecutive four quarters of each hour, as previously explained.
The displays of FIGS. 9-13 achieve all the important features of the previously described balanced and quadri-balanced digital time displays. In addition, the displays of FIGS. 9-13 at all times substantially fill the display background without the appearance of large vacant spaces. Thereore, they may be implemented in smaller physical dimensions, especially in the hori-zontal direction of readout, to provide more compact appearances which ntay be esthetically more attractive to consumers.
In this connection, the butt joints between the proximate ends of the central horizontal element m and of the adjoining vertical elements v2,3 and vr2,3 are 6~5~

highly desirable, since this mlnimizes the appearance of apparent vertical discontinuities in all digits in-corporating these joints and, at most, can only show incompletely cornered joints when the element m is dis-played in the hour digits 2,4,5,6 and 9. However, since those hour digits are relatively large in compari-son to the minute digits (in which all joints are always mitered or completely butted~, esthetic objection to the slightly discontinuous joints at the extremities of ele-ment m in the specified hour digits should be minimal.
Still another advantage of the displays illustrated in FIGS. 9-13 is that the identical FIG. 9 arrangement of display elements can be used to carry out either balanced or quadri-balanced digital time keeping. This permits the manufacturer to incorporate in one product, e.g.
wrist watch, clock, clock radio, etc., appropriate switching between the respective energizing circuitry to give the user the option to choose between either timing system at any desired time.
Referring tQ FIG. 14, illustrated there is another embodiment of the present invention which is based upon the use of four 13-element arrays 230a,b,c and d, each identical in constiuent elements and func-tional capabilities to the arrays 222a,b and c of FIG.
9. Also in common with the FIG. 9 embodiment is a pair of 7-element arrays 232a and b for display of seconds in the same manner as described for the array 228a and b.
The array group 230a-d provides at least the three 13-element array group of FIG. 9, with other sets of vertical display elements also available.

~3 ~

Therefore, it will be obvious that the FIG. 14 embodi-ment also may be energized to display balanced or quadri-balanced digital time keeping, in analogous manner to the description of FIGS. 9-13.
In addition, the FIG. 1~ embodiment is provided with an uppermost horizontal strip display background 234 in which energizahle display elements are included for showing vertically-oriented abbreviated names of the days of the week, in "SUN" to "SAT" horizontal order.
Background 23~ further includes a vertical line display element 236 which may be energized to partition the remainder of the background from the portion containing the abbreviated days of the wee}c. In that remaining portion is an uppermost pair of 7-element arrays 238a and b, each array being independently energizable to display digits of value 0 to 9. Within the internal unoccupied spaces of array 238a are provided ener~i-zable vertically-oriented letter displays "HR" as an abbreviation of hour. Within the main display back-ground 210 and above the arrays 230a and b are provided the energizable letter displays "MIN" as an abbreviation of minutes. Similarly, within the uppermost unoccupied spaces of and between the arrays 230c and d are placed energiæable letter displays "SEC" as an abbreviation of seconds. ~n energizable dot display element 240 is included at the bottom of the unoccupied space between arrays 232a and b.
During general purpose balanced or quadri-balanced time keeping with FIG. 14, the display elements in the uppermost display background 234 are selectively energized to display each day of the week separately (the others being respectively blanked), and the arrays 238a and b are energized to display the corresponding date of the month. Accordingly, the line display ele-ment 236, the letter display elements "HR", "MIN" and "SEC", and the dot display element 240, are all de-energized and blanked during such operation. Background 234 then serves to inform the user of the current day, its position in the week-long period simulated by the calendar-like strip background 234 and its date in the current month.
FIG. 15 illustrates the conversion of the FIG.
14 embodiment from its above-described general purpose time keeping condition to another appearance suitable for chronographic time keeping. This conversion is achieved by de-energizing and blanking the displays of the day-name and month-date in the uppermost back-ground 234, as well as array 232a in the lowermost background 226, and by simultaneously energizing arrays 230a and b to display relatively large leading zero digits, arrays 230c and d to display relatively smaller trailing zero digits, array 232b to display a relative-ly still smaller zero digit below the zero digit of array 230c, dot element 240 to display a decimal point before the zero digit of array 232b, vertical line ele-ment 236 to partition background 234 into a relatively small segment to the right, and the letter elements to display the abbreviations "HR", "MIN" and "SEC" in the illustrated positions.
The above-described conversion immediately dis-tinguishes the appearance of the FIG. 15 display ~rom the general time keeping condition of FIG. 14. The s~

uni~ue appearance in FIG. 15 of the zero digits, the decimal point, the partition line, and the letter abbre viations for hour, minute and second, and the simultan-eous disappearance of the day-name and month-date and array 232a, make it impossible to confuse the time significances of the two appearances.
Moreover, the FIG. 15 display presents an ad-vantageous appearance having a logical order in the scale of time magnitudes for chronographic digital time keeping. In particular, FIG. 15 incrementally steps the viewer's vision down rom displays of hours, to minutes, to seconds, to tenths of seconds, with the sizes of the latter three digits being graduated in the same order. The partitioned segment at the top reserved for display of hours is maintained blank without a zero digit, since in most instances chrono-graphic time keeping is completed in less than an hour and the distraction of an unnecessary zero digit is, therefore, avoided. In the event of longer intervals, the display of accumulated hour digits in a partitionad segment outside the field containing the minute, second and tenth second digits ~backgrounds 210 and 226~ also avoids confusion or distraction from the higher fre-quencies and usually more significant time intervals of the latter three digits in chronographic timing.
Thus, FIG. 15 provides a display for carrying out improved chronographic time keeping in such known ways as accumulated elapsed time, accumulated lap times, accumulated elapsed time with pauses, and count down of a preset time interval, without confusion with general purpose time keeping and with more readily com-prehendible time significances of the chronographic display.

For purposes of clarity, it is pointed out that in the claims, the five horizontal elements of the 13-element arrays illustrated in FIGS. 9-15 are recited in terms defined, respectively, as follows: ~ -Element Claim "u" "highest"
"um" "second highest"
"m" "central"
"dm" "second lowest"
"d" "lowest"
The invention has now been described in terms of its fundamental operating principles and specific preferred embodiments thereof. One of the principal advantages of the disclosed balanced, quadri-balanced and compact, multi-functional digital time displays is their capability o informing the viewer at a glance, and without having to read the values of any displayed digits, whether the presellt time is within the first or second half of the existing hour, or the first, second, third or fourth quarter of the existing hour. Since the formats of the display modes geometri-cally distinguish these respective half hour or quarter hour intervals, such information is immediately compre-hendible from the display and enables the viewer much more readily to appreciate the significance and relation-ship of the present exact time, represented by the hour-minute digit values, to the larger quarter hour, half hour and hour time intervals of interest in general time keeping throughout the day.
A similar advantage is achieved with regard to the interval of each minute by coun-ting and displaying seconds up from 01 to a peak value of 30 and back down to 00, in synchronism with the total minute interval.

This enables the viewer by mere observation, in two seconds, of the upward or downward progression of such values to comprehend whether present time is within the first or second half of the current minute. By reading `~
the specific instantaneous value of such digits, the viewer also is able readily to determine precisely when the current minute will reach or has passed its half way point, or will come to its end.
Other important advantages of the balanced or quadri-balanced digital time displays of the present invention are the substantial reduction of digit values and the overall system simplification which are presented to the viewer. Since minutes and seconds are counted only up to a peak value of 30, the range of digit values required is reduced to half that of conventional displays (i.e. 00-30 vs. 00-59). Combined with the fact that such narrower range is traversed in equal increasing and de-creasing paths during each minute and hour, the net effect is manifest simplification of the system derived from fewer and smaller numbers displayed in balanced progressions which visibly distinguish between equal halves of each hour and which are more compatible with the genèral time keeping needs of individuals engaged in day-to-day activities.
The foregoing translates into particularly tangible benefits when having to make determinations of future time inter~als which approach or bridge across the next hour from a specific present time.
Referring, for example, to FIG. 7, a viewer wishing to make an appointment forty minutes later than the so-displayed present time need only subtract the dis-played minutes value from the forwardly-projected forty-minute period to determine that the time of the appointment will be twenty-two minutes past 11 o-clock (40-18=22). Or, if the viewer is requested to meet another person at fifteen minutes past 11 o-clock, a simple addition will determine that he has thirty-three minutes in which to keep the appointment (18+15=33). Such simplification alleviates the burden-some mental calculations which individuals have hereto-fore considered objectionable in the use of conventional digital time displays.
It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the illustrative preferred embodiments described above may be modified in a variety of ways without departing from the fundamental principles of the in-vention. For example, while all of the embodiments display ~oth minutes and seconds, the seconds display can be eliminated where that degree of precision is not required or desired, and the remaining hour and minute displays will provide all of the other ad-vantages and benefits previously described.
Although some of the illustrative embodiments have been described as displaying the 00 minute digit value marking the start of an hour in the upper lead-ing readout position shown in FIG. 8, if desired the smallest minute digit value in that position can be terminated at 01, and the 00 value transferred for display in the upper trailing positions, e.g. FIGS.
5 and 10, in order to begin each hour in a more familiar manner to the viewer.

.i6.5~9 Similarly, the viewer can be given the option to switch the display during the second half of any hour in such manner as to return the value of the dis-played hour digits to that of the current hour and to convert the value of the displayed minute digits to total elapsed minutes of the current hour. This may be considered desirable when checking or resetting the displays in comparison to conventional telephone or radio announcements of accurate time signals, or in other situations encountered in general day-to-day activities.
In the illustrative embodiments of FIGS. 1-3, the display of second digits i5 shown to be within the overall display background with the hour and minute digits. Such second digits may be alternatively displayed in a central, downwardly projecting U-shaped background as illustrated in the subsequent embodiments.
If desired, the separating elements 28 and 30 may then be deleted as unnecessary. Alternatively, the line element 28 may be used together with additional shorter sloping line elements, oriented upwardly adjacent the leading end and downwardly adjacent the trailing end of element 28, relative to the readout direction, to underscore displayed minute digits and simultaneously signify that the values thereof are increasing and decreasing, respectively, during the first and second halves of each hour.
In the illustrative embodiments of FIGS. 4-8, the tops and bottoms of the two pairs of 10-segment ladder-like-arrays are level with the tops and bottoms SI.~

of the hour display elements 120 and 122 for stream-lining and compactness. However, other proportions of minute digits relative to hour digits can be implement~d. For example, the total vertical height of the ladder arrays can be expanded with retention of the equal spacing between the horizontal elements, whereby in use the relatively upper and lower posi-tioned minute digits will extend beyond the tops and bottoms of the hour digits to enhance the impression of quarter hour time intervals progressing clockwise around the hour digits. Alternatively, the ladder arrays may be substituted on each side of the hour display elements with two separate pairs of conven-tional 7-segment display arrays aligned vertically over each other. This wil]. en~ble shifting the positions of the minute digits between the upper and lower halves of the trailing and leading spaces flanking the hour digits, with the other halves correspondingly empty, thereby simulating in more analogous proportions the quarter circle traverses of a conventional analog minute hand.
Also, although the illustrative embodiments have been described in specific terms of electrically energizable display elements, such as the light emitting diode or liquid crystal displays currently used in con-ventional digital time displays, it is evident that the invention may be implemented as well with mechanical display elements such as rotating wheels or tapes pre-senting incremental digit values on their surfaces for viewing through open or shuttered apertures or windows.
Generally, all forms of display elements which are Z'~6~5~3 operable to display digits in formats r value sequences and readout positions conforming to the principles of the invention may be used to achieve the advantages and improvements which have been described.
Accordingly, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrative pre~erred embodiments but encompasses the subject matter delineated by the appended claims and all e~uivalents thereof.

Claims (17)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are de-fined as follows:

1. In a digital time display system based upon display of digits to indicate the values of hours, minutes and, optionally, seconds, the improvement characterized by, at the commencement of each hour, the hour and minute digits are presented for readout in leading and trailing positions, respectively, the hour digits are controlled to display the value of the current hour and the minute digits are controlled to display increasing values of minutes; thereafter, during the same current hour and before the commence-ment of the next hour, the hour and minute digits are reversed and presented for readout in trailing and leading positions, respectively, the reversed hour digits are advanced to display the value of the next hour and the reversed minute digits are controlled to display decreasing values of minutes.

2. A system as in claim 1 in which second digits are included and controlled to display increas-ing values of seconds during a first portion of a current minute and thereafter, during a subsequent portion of the same minute, to display decreasing values of seconds.

3. A system as in claim 1 in which the minute digits, during the first half of each hour, are controlled to display increasing values of minutes from 01 to 30, and thereafter, during the second half of each hour, to display decreasing values of minutes from 29 to 00.

4. A system as in claims 2 or 3 in which the second digits, during the first half of each minute, are controlled to display increasing values of seconds from 01 to 30, and thereafter, during the second half of each minute, to display decreasing values of seconds from 29 to 00.

5. A system as in claims 1, 2 or 3 in which, during the first quarter of each hour, the minute digits are presented in a relatively upper trailing position; during the second quarter of the hour, the minute digits are presented in a relatively lower trailing position; during the third quarter of the hour, reversed minute digits are presented in a relatively lower leading position; and during the fourth quarter of the hour, the reversed minute digits are presented in a relatively upper leading position.

6. A system as in claims 1, 2 or 3 in which during the first quarter of each hour, the minute digits are presented in a relatively upper trailing position; during the second quarter of the hour, the minute digits are presented in a relatively lower trailing position; during the third quarter of the hour, reversed minute digits are presented in a relatively lower leading position; and during the fourth quarter of the hour, the reverse minute digits are presented in a relatively upper leading position; and during the first quarter of each hour the minute digits are controlled to display increasing values of minutes from 01 to 15; during the second quarter of the hour the minute digits are controlled to display further increasing values of minutes from 16 to 30;
during the third quarter of the hour, the reversed minute digits are controlled to display decreasing values of minutes from 29 to 15; and during the fourth quarter of the hour, the reversed minute digits are controlled to display further decreasing values of minutes from 14 to 00.

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7. A system as in claim 1 in which the size of the hour digits is larger than the size of the minute digits, and the size of the minute digits is larger than the size of the second digits.

8. A system as in claims 1, 2 or 3 in which during the first quarter of each hour, the minute digits are presented in a relatively upper trailing position;
during the second quarter of the hour, the minute digits are presented in a relatively lower trailing position;
during the third quarter of the hour, reversed minute digits are presented in a relatively lower leading position;
and during the fourth quarter of the hour, the reversed minute digits are presented in a relatively upper leading position; for display of the minute digits, there is used a plurality of 10-element arrays of display elements, each array comprising four equi-spaced horizontal line elements analogous to ladder steps, and three pairs of spaced vertical line elements interspersed with the four horizontal elements analogous to ladder side rails, whereby the seven elements of the array comprising the uppermost three horizontal and two pairs of interspersed vertical elements may be used to display any of the digits 0-9 in a relatively upper position, and whereby the seven elements of the array comprising the lowermost three horizontal and two pairs of interspersed vertical elements may be used to display any of the digits 0-9 in a relatively lower position.

9. A system as in claims 1, 2 or 3 in which during the first quarter of each hour, the minute digits are presented in a relatively upper trailing position; during the second quarter of the hour, the minute digits are presented in a relatively lower trailing position; during the third quarter of the hour, reversed minute digits are presented in a relatively lower leading position; and during the fourth quarter of the hour, the reversed minute digits csm/?

are presented in a relatively upper leading position;
for display of the hour digits and the minute digits, there is used a plurality of 13-element arrays of display elements, each array comprising five horizontal line elements spaced vertically apart from each other, with the respective left and right ends thereof in substantial vertical alignment, each array further comprising two sets of four vertical line elements bridging, respectively, the aligned left ends and the aligned right ends of the five horizontal elements, whereby in each array, (i) the highest, central and lowest horizontal elements and all the vertical elements are selectively displayable in combinations to display relatively large digits, (ii) the highest, second highest and second lowest horizontal elements and the vertical elements bridging the aligned ends thereof are selectively displayable in combinations to display smaller digits, relative to (i), in a relatively upper position, and (iii) the lowest, second lowest and second highest horizontal elements and the vertical elements bridging the aligned ends thereof are selectively displayable in combinations to display smaller digits, relative to (i), in a relatively lower position.

10. In a system for display of digits in more than one position, the improvement characterized by, an array of four equi-spaced horizontal line elements analogous to ladder steps, and three pairs of spaced vertical line elements interspersed with the four horizontal elements analogous to ladder side rails, means for displaying seven elements of the array comprising the uppermost three horizontal and two pairs of spaced vertical interspersed elements to display any of the digits from 0 to 9 in a relatively upper position, and means for displaying seven elements of the array comprising the lowermost three horizontal and two pairs of spaced vertical interspersed elements to display any of the digits from 0 to 9 in a relatively lower position, whereby the digits share a common area during shifts between the relatively upper and lower positions.

11. In a system for display of digits in more than one position, the improvement characterized by, a 13-element array of digital display elements comprising five horizontal line display elements spaced vertically apart from each other, with the respective left and right ends thereof in substantial vertical alignment, and further comprising two sets of four vertical line display elements bridging, respectively, the aligned left ends and the aligned right ends of the five horizontal elements, whereby (i) the highest, central and lowest horizontal elements and all the vertical elements are selectively displayable in combinations to display relatively large digits, (ii) the highest, second highest and second lowest horizontal elements and the vertical elements bridging the aligned ends thereof are selectively display in combinations to display smaller digits, relative to (i), in a relatively upper position, and (iii) the lowest, second lowest and second highest horizontal elements and the vertical elements bridging the aligned ends thereof are selectively displayable to display smaller digits, relative to (i), in a relatively lower position.

12. In a digital time keeping method based upon display of digits to indicate the values of hours, minutes and, optionally, seconds, the improvement characterized by the steps of displaying the digit value of a current hour at the commencement thereof, displaying increasing digit values of minutes in a readout position which trails the displayed current hour, increasing the displayed current hour to the csm/?

digit value of the next hour before the commencement of the next hour, and displaying decreasing digit values of minutes in a reversed readout position which leads the displayed next hour before the commencement of the next hour.

13. A method as in claim 12 which further includes the step of displaying increasing digit values of seconds during a first portion of each minute, and thereafter displaying decreasing digit values of seconds during a subsequent portion of the same minute.

14. A method as in claim 12 which further includes the steps of displaying, during the first half of each hour, increasing digit values of minutes from 01 to 30, and thereafter, during the second half of each hour, displaying decreasing values of minutes from 29 to 00.

15. A method as in claims 12, 13 or 14 which further includes the steps of displaying, during the first half of each minute, increasing digit values of seconds from 01 to 30, and thereafter, during the second half of each minute, displaying decreasing values of seconds from 29 to 00.

16. A method as in claim 12 which further includes the steps of displaying during the first quarter of each hour, minute digits which trail the hour digits in a relatively upper position; displaying during the second quarter of each hour, minute digits which trail the hour digits in a relatively lower position; displaying during the third quarter of each hour, minute digits which lead the hour digits in a relatively lower position; and displaying during the fourth quarter of each hour, minute digits which lead the hour digits in a relatively upper position.

17. A method as in claim 16 which further includes the steps of displaying during the first quarter of each hour, increasing digit values of minutes from csm/?

01 to 15; displaying during the second quarter of each hour, further increasing digit values of minutes from 16 to 30; displaying during the third quarter of each hour, decreasing digit values of minutes from 29 to 15; and displaying during the fourth quarter of each hour, further decreasing digit values of minutes from 14 to 00.