GB2350716A

GB2350716A - Digital time display has additional graphics

Info

Publication number: GB2350716A
Application number: GB9912764A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Lommerzheim
Original assignee: KELLY LI KAR YEE; LOMMERZHEIM ROBERT HEINRICH ER; PROMOTEC Ltd
Current assignee: KELLY LI KAR YEE; LOMMERZHEIM ROBERT HEINRICH ER; PROMOTEC Ltd
Priority date: 1999-06-02
Filing date: 1999-06-02
Publication date: 2000-12-06
Also published as: GB9912764D0

Abstract

A digital display has additional graphics which change according to the time. As the second, minute and hour digits change, the different combination of segments create different circuits which enable different graphics to be displayed.

Description

2350716 SECOND INTERVAL DRIVE GRAPHIC DISPLAY This invention relates to a

method of displaying graphics on a digital display such as liquid crystal displays, light emitting displays and light emitting polymers. Traditionally such digital display's units have presented information in a static display, in that the displayed information remains static for the duration of the display period.

Information is usually presented in the form of numbers or letters. The numbers or letters are composed from a multi segment digit incorporated in the digital display. The numbers or letters are displayed by the selective application of a charge to different sections of the digit. The selective application of a charge causes the selected sections to light up and hence appear on the display as a number or a letter. Such digital displays have been used very commonly in watches and calculators as a means of displaying the time or numbers.

Where graphics have been incorporated into the digital display such graphics have displayed as a static display in that the graphic does not change with time.

The present invention relates to a method of displaying graphics, whether in colour or in black and white, on a digital display which are capable of changing at selected intervals, as frequently as every second, without any intervention by the user. As a result the display presents a regularly changing face which is more appealing than the static display traditionally presented by digital display's and further provides an alternative and easier method for the user to read the information presented by the digital display.

2 In the present invention the graphics to be displayed are incorporated into the digital display at the time of manufacture. The graphics display is driven by the different segments of the seconds digits. As the seconds digit changes from "0" through to "9" different combinations of the digits which make up the seconds are charged from the power input source. Each different combination of the seconds digits enables a charge to be sent to a different graphic display. Thus as each second passes a different graphic can be displayed on the digital display screen.

In addition to the graphics being driven by the segments of the seconds digits the graphics can also be driven by the segments of the minutes and hours digits and such graphics will display at minute and hourly intervals respectively.

In order to easily understand the invention it will now be explained by reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a drawing of the multi segment digit.

Figure 2 is a drawing of the different combinations of one of the seconds digit from "0" to "9".

Figure 3 is a drawing of the different combinations of the graphic display generated by the different combinations of one of the seconds digits.

It can be seen from Figure 1 that the seconds digit consists of 7 segments 3 numbered 'W' to "G".

It can be seen from Figure 2 that segments of the digit can be changed to create numbers from 0 to 9. Each of these numbers has a different combination of segments which is charged to create it.

Thus when:

the number "0" is displayed segment "G" is omitted; the number "V' is displayed segments "A", "D", "E", "F" and "G" are omitted; the number "2" is displayed segments "C" and "F" are omitted; the number "Y' is displayed segments "E" and "F" are omitted; the number 'W' is displayed segments 'W' "D" and "E" are omitted; the number "Y' is displayed segments "B" and "E" are omitted; the number 'W' is displayed segment "B" is omitted; or alternatively segments 'W' and "B" are omitted; the number "7 is displayed segments "D", "E", "F" and "G" are 4 omitted; the number "W' is displayed no segments are omitted; the number "9" is displayed segments "D" and "E" are omitted or alternatively only segment "D" is omitted.

The presence or absence of certain segments creates different circuits which in turn cause different graphics to be displayed.

Figure 3 provides an example of the different graphics which can be displayed as a result of the different combinations of segments. It can be seen from the figure that as the second digit changes sequentially from "0" to "9" a different graphic is displayed on the display unit, each corresponding with the appropriate second digit.

The complete illustration at the bottom of Figure 3 shows which graphics are connected with which segment of the seconds digit. Thus for example when the segment "G" is omitted creating the number "0" the graphic which is displayed is that shown in the top left hand corner of the illustration under the number 0.

In the example shown there are 10 graphics which cycle each second. A larger number of graphics can be utilized to cycle for 60 seconds by utilising different combinations of the two digits which make up the seconds digits. Further graphics can be displayed by using the minutes and the hours digits and these graphics will cycle per minute and per hour respectively.

Claims

1 A method of displaying graphics on a digital display which can change and present a different graphic on a per second interval without any intervention by the user wherein the graphic to be displayed on the digital display is determined by the different segments of seconds, minutes and hours digits of the digital display then charged by the power source.

2. A method of displaying graphics on a digital display as claimed above wherein the different segments of the seconds digit are used to drive the graphics display.

3. A method of displaying graphics on a digital display as claimed above wherein the combination of the different segments of one or both of the seconds digits creates different circuits within the digital display which in turn causes different graphics to be displayed on the digital display on a per second basis.

4. A method of displaying graphics on a digital display as claimed above wherein the combination of the different segments of one or both of the minutes digits creates different circuits within the digital display which in turn causes different graphics to be displayed on the digital display which change on a minute basis.

6 A method of displaying graphics on a digital display as claimed above wherein the combination of the different segments of one or both of the hours digits creates different circuits within the digital display which in turn causes different graphics to be displayed on the digital display which change on an hourly basis.