CA2497513C - Enhanced quadribalanced digital time displays - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention improves conventional quadribalanced displays, such as those employed in digital time displays for general purpose timekeeping. Increasing digital minutes are displayed on the right flank of centrally positioned digital present hours, in relatively upper and lower positions during the first and second quarter hours, followed by decreasing digital minutes displayed on the left flank of digital next hours, in relatively lower and upper positions during the third and fourth quarter hours. Markers are simultaneously displayed in one or more of the three quarter hour minute positions not containing digital minutes at any one time to inform the viewer that such marked positions are functional elements of the display but not activated as the current time is being displayed in another of said minute positions. A single displaceable crown control is also provided for facilitating the operation of a timepiece embodying such enhanced quadribalanced time displays and methods.

Description

ENHANCED QUADRIBALANCED DIGITAL'fIME DISPLAYS
This application is a divisional of Application No. 2,395,294 filed January 12, 2001.
Background of the Iwention I_ Field of the Invention This invention relates to timekeeping and, more particularly, to the use of digital time displays for general purpose timekeeping, as most individuals typically undertake in going about their daily activities while watching and keeping track of the time.

II. Description of the Prior Art Quadribalanced digital time displays are described in U.S. Patent No.
4,271,497. Those displays comprise centrally positioned current hour digits flanked on the right by increasing minu~:e digits which are displayed in upper and lower positions relative to the hour digits during the first and second quarter hours.
Thereafter, incremented next hour digits. are flanked on the left by decreasing minute digits which are displayed in lower and upper positions relative to the hour digits during the third and fourth quarter hours. In this way the four quarter hours are precisely defined, balanced and visually differentiated, while elapsed and future time are viewed during the respective first and second halves of each hour.
III. Recognition of Problems in the Prior Art It has now been discovered that the previous quadribalanced displays have certain characteristics which .are not the most desirable. In particular, as the respective quarter hoots are displayed from the first through the fourth, the corresponding minute displays occupy only a limited portion of the total space surrounding the centrally positioned hours. Throughout the hour, most of this space remains completely empty, thus giving 3S some viewers a sense of incompleteness and a contradictory or incorrect suggestion that these spaces are not functional in the overall display, at least while they remain blank.
By way of contrast and example, most conventional dial watches and clocks are not characterized in the szime way. They usually f~ave from four to twelve hour digits.
with or without intermediate minute hash marks, positioned around the periphery of the dial.
thereby making the viewer visually conscious of the fact that the entire area swept around the dial by the hour and minute hands has a role in defining the time at one time or another during the course of an hour. The lack of similar symbolism and effects in the quadribalanced displays of C1.S. Patent No. 4,271,497 potentially detracts from their utility and appeal to consumers.
Summar~r of the Invention The present invention significantly improves the conventional quadribalanced displays discussed above. In the enhanced quadribalanced displays of the present invention, one or more of the quarter hour positions not occupied by digital minutes at any one time isJarc; provided with markers which serve to inform the viewer that such positions are functional parts of the overall display hut not activated because the current time is defined by digital minutes being displayed in another part of the display. In this way, the emptiness of most of the space around the centrally positioned digital hours is eliminated. Instead, preferably, all four of the respective quarter hour minute positions are controlled to contain active digital displays comprising digital minutes in each of the respective first to fourth quarters and, for purposes of both differentiation and completeness, markers in the :respective other three quarter hour positions which remind the viewer that those spaces are functional although not then involved in defining the current time. The enhancement of the previously described quadribalanced displays in this manner provides considerable improvement in the appeal and utility of such systems for general purpose timekeeping. Further, a single displaceable crown control is provided for facilitating the operation of timepieces embodying such enhanced displays.
Other features and. details of the invention will be evident from the subsequent specific description, taken in connection with the drawings.
Brief Des~~~tion of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a copy of FIG. 1 of U.S. Patent No. 4,271,497 with added solid and dashed line circles around certain inboard corners of the digital minute elements (relative to the center of the display).
FIG. 2 is a view of the corners included within the solid line circles of FIG.

in detail.
FIG. 3 is a view of the corners included within the solid line circles of FIG
and simultaneously activated to show the resulting markers that are used in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 4-7 are views of representative time displays that are presented to the viewer during the four quarter lhours in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a view of the corners included witlun the dashed line circles of FIG.
in detail, as in FIG. 2, showing an alternative embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the markers formed by the S alternative embodiment of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing another embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 1 lA-11D are 'views of representative quarter hour time displays presented to the viewer with the embodiment of FIG. 10.
FIGS. 12A-12D a~~e views of another embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 13A-13D are views of quarter hour markers that are presented to the viewer with the embodiment of FIGS. 12A-12D.
FIG. 14 is a chart ,vhich illustrates a preferred embodiment of a single displaceable crown adapted four controlling all of the setting functions of a timepiece that is programmed to display enhanced quadribalanced digital time pursuant to this invention, coupled with a programmable alarm.
escr'lption of the Preferred Embodiment Referring now to F'IG. 1, digital display elements 10, 12 are at the center of the display and activatable to shove hours of values one to twelve, as previously explained in U.S. Patent No. 4,271,497.
Flanking the hour <;lements 10, 12 on the right is a pair of 10-segmented digital display elements 14, 16 which are activatable to show increasing minutes of values zero to 30 during the first half hour, in relatively upper and lower positions generated by activating the uppermost 7 of the 10 segments during the Frst quarter hour and the lowermost 7 of the 10 segment; during the second quarter hour, while the hour elements 10, 12 are displaying the current hour. Similarly, a second pair of 10-segmented digital display elements 18, 20 flanks the hour display elements 10, 12 on the left.
This pair is activatable to show decreasing minutes of values 29 to zero during the second half hour, in relatively lower and upper positions generated by activating the lowermost 7 of the 10 segments during the third quarter hour and the uppern~ost 7 of the 10 segments during the fourth quarter hour, while the hour elements 10, 12 are displaying the next hour.
Finally, digital display elements 22, 24 are located below the centrally positioned hour elements 10, 12 and are activatable to show incrementing digital seconds of values 0 to 59 during each minute of the first half lour and decrementing digital seconds of values 59 to 0 during each minute of the second half hour.
The foregoing is a summary of the disclosure of U.S. Patent No. 4,271,497, further details of which can be understood by reference to the patent document.
Referring again to the digital display elements 16 and 20 of FIG. l, it will be seen that the uppermost and lowermost inboard corners thereof are enclosed within solid line circles. The reason for this will be understood by reference to FIG. 2 in which the same corners are shown in detail.
As illustrated, each corner includes the terminal ends of the two uppermostllowermost horizcmtal and vertical elements most closely adjacent to each other on opposite sides of a ~rery small 45 ° slanted gap analogous to a mitered joint. The same structure is shown in ttie analogous corners of the display elements 30b and 32a of FIG. 1 of U.S. Patent No. 4,?.71,49?. However, in FIG. 2 of this application, each of the above-referenced adjacent ends of the circled horizontal and vertical corner elements are severed and separated a second time from the remainder of the element, at the same 45 °
angle, to provide a pair of much smaller segments 26, 28 that can be separately activated to serve as markers, in accordance with the present invention.
Such separate activation of all four pairs is portrayed in FIG. 3. As there seen, the severed display segments in the four corners form inclined double dashes, preferably at substantially 45° angles, and thus oriented in positions which tend to surround the central area occupied by the digital hour elements 10, 12. As a result, the viewer is given a sense of rotational motion by these markers, analogous to the sweep of the minute hand of a conventional dial watch, instead of the emptiness manifested in the display of the previously cited patent.
The resulting overrll effects of differentiation and completeness are shown by the representative quarter hom time displays of FIGS. 4 through 7. In FIG. 4 the current time is four minutes and 15 seconds past nine during the first quarter hour, produced by selective activation of the corresponding elements of the hour, minute and seconds display elements in FIG. 1. In addition, the remaining three lowermost and uppermost inboard corner segments of the digital minute elements 16 and 20 have been simultaneously activated to form the three sets of inclined double dash markers at the tops and bottom of the spaces where the forthcoming current minutes of time will be displayed during the second through fourth quarters of the same hour.
It should be understood that the small marker segments 26, 28 will also be activated whenever necessary to display the full length of their particular elements as part of the digital minute value being displayed. Thus, in FIG. 4, vertical marker segment 28 is activated to provide the full length of the corresponding inboard vertical leg of the digital minute value 4.
FIG. S displays a representative second quarter hour current time of twenty six minutes and twenty one seconds past the ninth hour, with the inclined double dash marks preferably simultaneously activated in the remaining three spaces where current minutes are; normally shown during the first, third and fourth quarter hours. Both inboard marker segments 26, 28 are also activated to provide the full lengths of the corresponding lowermost horizontal and vertical legs of the digital minute value 6.
FIG. 6 displays a representative third quarter hour current time of eighteen minutes and five seconds before the tenth hour. Simultaneously, inclined double dash markers are preferably activated in the spaces where current minutes are normally shown during the first, second and fourth quarter hours. As in FIG.
4, the inboard vertical marker segment 28 is also simultaneously activated to provide the full length of the corresponding lowermost vertical leg of the digital minute value 1 in the tens of minutes position.
FIG. 7 completes the cycle by displaying a representative fourth quarter time of eight minutes and twenty seven seconds before the tenth hour.
Simultaneously-activated i~.nclined double dash markers preferably appear in the spaces where current minutes were earlier normally displayed during the previous three quarter hours. Also, both inboard marker segments 26, 28 are simultaneously activated to provide the full lengths of the corresponding horizontal and vertical legs of the digital minute value 0 in the tens of minutes position. Thus, by contributing difFerentiation and completeness of active and inactive quarter hour areas of the overall display, the newly ;marked displays exemplified in FIGS. 4-7 demonstrate the enhancement achieved by the present invention compared to the previous quadribalanced displays of U.S. Patent No. 4,271,497.
FIGS. 8 andl 9 portray an alternative embodiment of this invention. In particular, FIG. 8 shows the even more inwardly located inboard corners of the digital minute elements 14, 18 which are enclosed within the dashed line circles of FIG. 1.
These comers are also severed and separated in the manner described for FIG.
2.
However, whereas the severed corners of FIG. 2 result in the inclined double dash markers of FIG. 3 having sequences of alternate negative (slanting down from left to right) and positive (slanting; up from left to right) slopes during the respective four quarter hours, the opposite sequence of positive-negative-positive-negative slopes are formed in FIGS. 8 and 9 due to the correspondingly opposite orientations of the corners respectively circled. in the solid and dashed lines of FIG. 1. The end result is that the alternative markers of FIG. 9 create a spot lighting or highlighting effect to the central area of the display, in contrast to the surrounding or rotationally sweeping sense of motion generated by the markers of FIG. 3 around the center of the display.

Another preferred embodiment of digital display elements for practicing this invention is illustrated in FIG. 10 which includes all of the display elements of FIG. I in a modified Form. Therefore, corresponding elements in FIG. 10 have been given the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1, preceded with a 100 prefix. e.g., element 10 in FIG. 1 is referenced as l 10 in FIG. 10, and so forth. In addition, FIG. 10 includes display elements 130 which are useful for displaying abbreviated first-two-letter names of the days of each week. the additional elements 132 are also included for displaying the dates of the days of each month.
A principal difference between FIGS. 1 and 10 is that all of the display I0 elements of the latter have sharp pointed ends, shaped substantially as symmetrical arrowheads or spear points, with enclosed angles of substantially 90°.
These pointed ends are spaced and nested together as closely as possible, such that the spaces between them are aligned preferably at substantially 45 ° of inclination. As a result, alt of the time values displayed by the elements 110-124 of FIG. 10 gain enhanced symmetry of sizes and shapes.
I ~ In addition, the severed inboard corners of elements I 16 and 120 in FIG.
10 (markers 1 ?6, 128), analogous to those shown within solid circles in FIG. 1, have a different shape than the corresponding corner elements 26, 28 in FIG. 2. The latter comprise four pairs of markers, each element of which is shaped substantially as a parallelogram with two pairs of parallel opposite sides. In FIG. i0, the analogous markers comprise element pairs each of 20 which is trapezoidal in shape with only one pair of parallel opposite sides.
As a result, each of the FIG. 10 markers extends toward the quarter hour space it marks with diverging sllanted edges at its near ends and with squared off straight edges at its opposite far ends. 'hhis creates a distinctive shape that expands and enlarges 25 toward the empty quarter hour :.pace and at the same time closes off the space with an opposite straight-edged boundary that marks the uppermost or lowermost extent of the space. This contrasts from the :;harp points that define the near and far ends of the markers of FIG. 1 due to the fact that they are shaped as pairs of parallelograms that lack squared off, right angled corners as in FI.G. 10.
FIGS. 11A-I ID iillustrate representative time/day/date displays obtained during respective first through fi~urth quarter hours by activation of the corresponding elements of FIG. 10. The differences in the symmetries of element sizes and shapes, as well as the different shapes of these markers, can he seen by comparison with the representative 3j displays of FIGS. 4-7 derived from FIG. 1.
FIGS. 12A-12D illustrate a variation of markers derived from FIG. 10 which provides a more stylized and streamlined sequence of quarter hour markers 2?6, ?38 compared to FIGS. I 1 A-1 1 D. in FIGS. 12A-12D only the analogous inboard severed corners of the FIG. l0 minute elements that generate such markers are shown on a somewhat enlarged scale to facilitate comprehension. As can be seen, the second sets of severance lines in each of these pairs extend from the sharp points at the ends of the -G-elements, at an acute angle across each element until the inner hori2ontal and vertical edges thereof are reached and severed. Therefore, the resulting triangular sections of these ends of the minute elements can be seF~arately activated to generate quarter hour markers having the shapes shown in FIGS. 13A-13D. Like the markers in FIGS. I lA-l 1D, the markers in FIGS. 13A-13D point toward i:he minute positions being marked with diverging inner edges at their relatively near ends, but extend back to sharp points at their opposite relatively far ends. Such shapes more closely resemble the shapes of the digital minutes displayed during the respective quarter hours and therefore may be more preferred as reminiscent markers which inform the viewer that such marked positions wilt be used to tell time at the appropriate intervals of each hour.
The marker shapes illustrated in FIGS. 13A-I 3D are based on second severance lines oriented at angha and having lengths which create markers shaped substantially as isosceles triangles. However, other angles, lengths and orientations of such severance lines can obviously b~e adopted to create generally analogous but specifically 1 S different shapes and sizes of such markers.
Moreover, the m~~rker shapes in FIGS. 13A-13D, having an overall appearance of arrowheads, create symbolic suggestions that enhance the graphic effects produced by such markers. In particular, during the f rst half hour, the midpoint of such period is in between the first and second quarter hours. FIGS. 13A and 13B
correspondingly display divergence and convergence of the backs of the an owheads, angled to open toward and close away from quarter hour positions, thus symbolizing expansion and contraction of these respective quarter hour intervals. Also, the second marker, FIG. 13B, points toward the direction that the remaining third and fourth quarter hours will be 'S displayed.
Similarly, the mwkers of FIGS. 13C and 13D provide analogous advantages.
The backs of these markers also diverge and converge in angled positions toward and away from both quarter hour positions to symbolize expansion and contraction of these time periods. Also, the FIG. 13D marker points toward the top of the fourth, i.e.
last, quarter hour position, which symbolizes the approaching end of the present hour and the simultaneous commencement of the displayed next hour.
Accordingly, the rnarkers of FIGS. 13A-13D, when incorporated in quad~balanced time displays, e.g. as illustrated representatively in FIGS. 11A-11D, provide an optimum time display protocol in which the progress of each quarter hour is visually differentiated from the others and the exact time within each is instantly digitally defined, with complete visual and numerical balance between both the halves and the quarters of every hour.
The above-described alternative embodiments demonstrate that many other choices can be made to form desihn markers of various shapes that may be more or less appeasing to the prefereneea of different viewers. Use of conventional dot matrix display elements or other high resolution elements in embodying the teachings of this invention will enable the markers to be configured in the shapes of one or more dots, dashes, asterisks, stars, arrowheads, ramps, triangles, squares, rectangles or other symbols that will perform the functions described for the exemplary embodiments discussed above.
It will be appreciated that, preferably, the spaces between the elements 26, 28, 126 and 128, including the corresponding spaces in FIGS. 12A-12D, and their respective horizontal and vertical elements, in all cases, should be as narrow as possible to enable separate electronic energizing of these elements while maintaining their closest feasible visual continuity.
Also, while in the preferred embodiment all four quarter hour areas are simultaneously activated with the current time and the three non-time-telling markers throughout the entire hour, other sequences can be used. For example, the quarter hour I ~ showing the current time can be accompanied by one marker in either the next or previous quarter hour space, or by a Fair of markers in both the next and previous quarter hour spaces.
Referring now to FIG. 14, illustrated there is a chart which depicts the functional attributes of a single displaceable crown control, of the type described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,720,823. This crown control is adapted to operate, in a preferred manner, all of the setting functions of an enhanced quadribalanced timepiece that is also provided with a programmable alarm.

At the top, thc; crown is depicted in solid and dashed outline which symbolizes that it may be displaced between alternate positions that are crown in (solid outline) and crown out (dashed outline) relative to a wristwatch case, for example. These positions are abbreviated in the remaining lower portion of the chart as "CR-I" and "CR-O", respectively.
This displaceable crown is also illustrated at the top of the chart as being rotatable in a forward direction labeled "Turn Crown Forward" (clockwise arrow) and in an opposite backward direction .labeled "Turn Crown Back" (counterclockwise arrow), 3~ preferably for approximately a quarter tum of one full revolution in either direction, as taught in U.S. Patent No. 4,7 0,823. These turning motions are abbreviated in the remaining lower portion of the chart as "TR-FO" and "TR-BA", respectively.
The displaceable crown is connected vertically to a lower horizontal line in FIG. l4 that has headings cornprising "Show Equad-T Time, Sec Time", "Light Display"
and "Set Alarm Time". Two of the functional sequences below the headings, "Light Display" and "Set Alarm Time", can be entered without performing a CR-O
operation, _g_ signifying that these sequences are available with the crown in the CR-I
position. Thos, under the "Light Display" heading with the crown in CR-I, repeated TR-FO turns are programmed to altemate,ly turn on and off a light, that correspondingly does and does not illuminate the display to enable viewing the displayed time in the dark.
Accordingly, alternating TR-FO motions of the crown in the CR-I position are dedicated to performing this sole function of lighting and not lighting the display.
Next, undc;r the "Set Alarm Time" heading and with the crown still in the CR-I position, repeated TR-BA turns are programmed to turn on and off, and thereby activate and deactivate, both an alarm symbol in the display and an audible alarm which will be heard at a pre-selected time. Thus, alternating TR-BA turns of the crown in CR-I
position are dedicated to t',he sole function of activating and deactivating the audible alarm and its symbol in the display.
Referring next to the heading "Show Equal-Time, Set Time", "Equal-T" is I ~ an abbreviation for the enhanced quadribalanced time displays of this invention, as previously described above. Thus, with the crown in the CR-I position, this is the type of time display that is provided to the viewer. Alternatively, when the crown is displaced to its CR-O position, as indicated in the first step below the heading,' the display is programmed to automatically switch to a display of conventional digital time (abbreviated "Elap-T") comprising the centrally lo~rated hour flanked on the right by elapsed minutes in the upper right position, with flashing; elapsed seconds below the hour. These time values are maintained throughout the entire course of an hour while the crown is in the CR-O position to distinguish the time setting mode from the enhanced quadribalanced real time mode which is restored when the crown is returned back into the CR-I position, afrer setting; or ?$ resetting of the time has been completed, pursuant to the teachings of U.S.
Patent No.
5,182,733. Preferably, this contrast is increased by eliminating the markers ordinarily included in the second, thir~3 and fourth quarter hour minute positions of enhanced quadribalanced time, therer~y reinforcing the viewer's ability to recognize and comprehend that the display is in the time setting mode initiated by displacing the crown to its CR-O position.
Continuing with the time setting functions depicted in the left column of the FIG. 14 chart, it will be understood that each successive function is selected and flashed by a TR-BA turn of the crown, .and thereafter each such function is set by a TR-FO turn of the 3$ crown until the correct value has been reached in the display. In addition, the display can be returned to real time at any chosen interval of the time setting sequence by returning; the crown back to its CR-I position, with automatic restoration of Equal-T time, as signified by the arrows labeled CR-I on the right of each function, again in a manner similar to the teachings of U.S. Patent No. 5,182,733. Thus, during; the setting process, all TR-QA turns All CR-O steps and functions are indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 14.

are dedicated to flashing sE;lected functions for setting, and all TR-FO turns are dedicated to setting the flashing function.
Referring lastly to the heading Set Alarm Time, as previously noted while the crown is in the CR-I position, repeated TR-BA turns of the crown will activate and deactivate the alarm symbol and function. Therefore, as the chart shows, in order to prepare to select and set a chosen allarm time, the activated alarm symbol/function is first established in the display by a TR-BA itum of the crown. Next the crown is displaced to its CR-O
position which is programmed to restore in the display the last previously set alarm time in Equad-T time, meaning the corresponding enhanced quadribalanced time, including preferably the corresponding markers in the three quarter positions not occupied by the minutes of the alarm time shown in the relevant fourth quarter position, and preferably without any display of seconds which would be superfluous for setting any alarm time.
Moreover, the hour and minutes of the last previously set alarm time are preferably not initially flashed, since there is no need to synchronize such time values with an announced 1 ~ accurate real time source. Thus, by enabling the setting of alarm times in terms of such enhanced quadribalanced displays, the viewer will be provided with an immediate contrast from the conventional Elap=T time that is used for the setting or resetting of the display to real time, as previously described.
The selection and setting of an alarm time are set forth in the remaining sequences depicted in the chart below the Set Alarm Time heading. Again, all TR-BA turns of the crown select and flash a function for setting, and all TR-FO toms set the selected function. At any chosen interval, the display can be returned to Equad-T time by displacing the crown to its CR-I position. Preferably, the alarm symbol is kept activated in the display 2$ whenever there is a return to real time from an alarm setting operation to assure the viewer that the alarm will sound at that set time. Thereafter, a TR-BA turn will be programmed to turn off both the audible alarm and its symbol, until the same alarm time is reactivated by another TR-BA turn to restore the alarm and its symbol in the display, or until a new alarm time is chosen and set by the above-described procedure.
The preferred embodiment of a displaceable crown control illustrated in F(G.
14 and described hereinabove: provides substantial advantages due to the singularities of logic and procedure embodied in its operation. Notably, with the crown in the CR-I
position, all repeated forward turns of it will light and extinguish the lit display, whereas all repeated backward turns will activate and deactivate the alarm and its symbol.
These singularities are easily remembered and distinguished from each other.
All setting of the display is achieved by displacing the crown to it CR-O
position, another singularity that is easily remembered (and also reminiscent of how conventional dial watches are customarily set). If a CR-O displacement is performed without activation of an alarm symbol in the display, the display will enter into a setting mode for real time in terms of a conventional digital display. Conversely, if CR-O is preceded by an activated harm symbol, the display will enter into a contrasting enhanced quadribalanced setting mode, again providing easily remembered singularities and distinctions between these: two types of setting functions. Finally, during either type of setting, each function is selected and flashed for setting by TR-BA turns, and such respective selected functions are set by TR-FO turns. Such opposite motions are easily remembered and distinguished for the distinct operations that each performs.
The use of smaller sized digital zeros with representative digital unit minutes is shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 of this application. Further details on the implementation and advantages of such displays during the first and last nine minutes of each hour are described i0 in U.S. Patent No. 5,805,534. Also, the uppermost six horizontal elements of the 10-segmented display elements 18, 20 in FIG. 1 of this application can be flashed during the last minute of each hour in the matmer described in U.S. Patent No. 5,757,730.
Furthermore, during the interval from the thirtieth to thirty-first minutes, preferably an IS Initial digital minute of value 30 together with digital seconds of values 0 to 30 are displayed during the first half of the interval, followed by a digital minute of value 29 together with digital seconds of values 29 to 0 during the second half of the interval, as taught in U.S. Patent No. 4,627,737.
20 In conclusion, the present invention has been described above in terms of its general principles and specific embodiments. Many variations of such disclosure will be obvious to those skilled in die art. Accordingly, it should be understood that the ensuing claims are intended to cover all changes and modifications of the specific illustrative embodiments which fall within the literal scope of the claims and al!
equivalents thereof.

Claims (12)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. ~In a quadribalanced time display in which a digital present hour is flanked on its right by increasing digital minutes in relatively upper and lower positions during first and second quarter hours, and a digital next hour is flanked on its left by decreasing digital minutes in relatively lower and upper positions during third and fourth quarter hours, the improvement comprising a marker provided in at least one of the three minute positions not occupied by digital minutes at any one time, said marker being included to inform a viewer that a marked position is a functional element of the display but not activated due to a current time being defined by digital minutes displayed in another of said minute positions at that time.

2. ~The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the values of digital minutes displayed during the four quarter hours are 00 to 15 during the first quarter hour, 16 to 30 during the second quarter hour, 29 to 16 during the third quarter hour and 15 to 01 during the fourth quarter hour.

3. ~The improvement according to claim 1 wherein during the course of an hour as digital minutes defining the current time are displayed in each of the four positions representing the four quarter hours, the other three positions not displaying digital minutes are simultaneously provided with said markers.

4. ~The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said markers comprise paired segments of upper and lower corners of the horizontal and vertical display elements of the digital minutes, said paired segments, when activated, appear as inclined double dashes oriented in positions tending to surround centrally positioned digital hours in the display.

5. ~The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said markers comprise paired segments of upper and lower corners of the horizontal and vertical display elements of the digital minutes, said paired segments, when activated, appear as inclined double dashes oriented in positions tending to extend out from centrally positioned digital hours in the display.

6. ~In a method of quadribalanced timekeeping by displaying increasing digital minutes in relatively upper and lower positions flanking a digital present hour on its right during first and second quarter hours, and decreasing digital minutes in relatively lower and upper positions flanking a digital next hour on its left during third and fourth quarter hours, the improvement comprising displaying a marker in at least one of the three minute positions not occupied by digital minutes at any one time, said marker being included to inform a viewer that a marked position is a functional element of the display but not activated due to the current time being defined by digital minutes displayed in another of said positions at that time.

7. The improvement according to claim 6 which further includes the steps of displaying digital minutes during the four quarter hours having the values of 00 to 15 during the first quarter hour, 16 to 30 during the second quarter hour, 29 to 16 during the third quarter and 15 to 01 during the fourth quarter hour.

8. The improvement according to claim 6 which further includes the steps of displaying digital minutes defining the current time in each of the four positions representing the four quarter hours and simultaneously marking the other three positions not displaying digital minutes.

9. In an enhanced quadribalanced time display in which digital present and next hours are displayed by centrally positioned display elements activatable to display unit hours and tens of hours with respective arrays of seven display elements for unit hours and one more display element for tens of hours, and in which increasing units and tens of minutes are displayed flanking present digital hours on the right in a relatively upper position during a first quarter hour and in a relatively lower position during a second quarter hour, and in which decreasing tens and units of minutes are displayed flanking next digital hours on the left in a relatively lower position during a third quarter hour and in a relatively upper position during a fourth quarter hour, by activatable pairs of display element arrays flanking the right and left sides of the centrally positioned hour display elements, each array comprising ten display elements, the improvement comprising providing each hour and minute display element with markers which are separate from the display elements, said markers having sharp, pointed ends.

10. The improvement according to claim 9 wherein said markers comprise a pair of segments of upper and lower corners of the horizontal and vertical display elements of the digital minutes said segments, when activated, appear as inclined double dashes.

11. The improvement according to claim 10 wherein each of said double dashes is shaped substantially as a parallelogram marker having two pairs of parallel sides.

12. The improvement according to claim 10 wherein each of said double dashes is shaped substantially as a trapezoidal marker having two parallel sides.