KR20060130445A - Timepiece in which the time is read easily - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for displaying time on an electronic watch is provided to enable a user to accurately and quickly recognize current local time by displaying the current local time as simply as possible. Scales for indicating time are displayed around the center of an electronic watch. At least one time indicator rotates around the center to display current time. Two to four time indicator symbols, which are close to a virtual semi-straight line, are displayed to be discriminated from other time indicator symbols. The semi-straight line is drawn from the center to the end of the time indicator. The time indicator includes an hour hand, which rotates twice per a day, and a minute hand, which rotates once per one hour, or the hour hand, the minute hand, and a second hand, which rotates once per one minute.

Description

Electronic Clock with Visual Readability {Timepiece in which the time is read easily}

Figure 1a is an example of an electronic watch that provides a variety of conventional information.

Figure 1b is an example in which the present invention is applied to the electronic watch of Figure 1a.

2A is an example of another electronic watch that provides a variety of conventional information.

Figure 2b is an example in which the present invention is applied to the electronic watch of Figure 2a.

Figure 3a is an example of another electronic watch that provides a variety of conventional information.

Figure 3b is an example in which the present invention is applied to the electronic watch of Figure 3a.

******** Explanation of Reference Symbols ********

10. Clockboard 12. Sunrise Mall Ship 13. Date Change Line

20. Watch face 21. Scale

22. Time symbol (hour) 23. Time symbol (minute, ch) 24. Separation

30. Time indicator (hour hand) 31. Time indicator (minute hand)

32. Visual indicator (second hand) 40. Separate edition

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic clock having increased visual readability, and more particularly, to an electronic clock having increased visual readability by expressing a time display symbol near a scale indicated by a visual indicator differently from another time scale symbol.

Clocks, which are devices that represent time or measure time, can be classified into various types depending on how they are operated, displayed, or handled. It can be divided into mechanical and electronic according to the operation method, watch and non-clock according to the handling method, and (needle) rotation and numerical method according to the display method. How it works Although the display is divided into digital and analog, there is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence between them. In other words, it is an electronic clock and can be digital or analog, and both rotary and numeric can be used.

A watch of interest in the present invention is an electronic watch whose display method is a (spit) rotary type. For example, a programmed clock that is displayed on a PC screen in a manner that rotates the hand.

In recent decades, the development of electronic communication technology, the spread of personal portable communication devices, and the mass production and exchange of information have been made. Accordingly, there are many cases in which various types of information are displayed together with the electronic clock, instead of displaying a conventional time or measuring time.

In other words, it is not a simple mechanical mobile watch (for example, a wristwatch) or a conventional electronic watch that displays time in numbers or displays hour and minute hands on a liquid crystal. "Digital" watches are also available. In addition, according to the diversification of human desires, a clock has been developed to recognize the vision of a specific region not only as a concept of numbers but also as an eye and body, that is, a form that can sense nature as it is.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-287092 has a circular hour hand in a 24-hour clock consisting of an hour hand that rotates on a 24-hour display dial once a day and a minute hand that rotates once per hour. The name relates to the world clock displayed at an angle proportional to each time difference.

Korean Patent Application No. 10-1999-0018044 includes: a bottom plate which displays the names, scales, and longitudes of major cities of the world on relative circumferences on the circumference where the date boundary lines are displayed; A round clock plate with one rotation at 24 hours and a 24 division scale marked at the same angle with respect to the center at the distal end; It rotates 360.99 ° in 24 hours, and the major constellation on the North Pole with polar polarity on the rotation axis, or the main constellation on the North Pole with north pole on the rotation axis is displayed with concentric circles indicating the declination, and on each concentric circle A circular star plate in which declination or 90 ° minus the declination of concentric circles is recorded, wherein each plate rotates coaxially, and the clock plate rotates to display the time, and the star plate is the actual speed of rotation of the celestial sphere. A clock that rotates in line with is disclosed. Not only can this watch be used as a universal clock, it can indirectly observe the rotation of the celestial sphere, day and night, and has the advantage of being able to grasp the latitude, longitude and local time of an unknown point accurately and easily.

Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-30249 has a world map of the southern hemisphere or northern hemisphere of the earth in which the south pole or the north pole is located at the center and the date change line and the day and night are shown, and the clock plate rotates once in the same direction as the rotation of the earth in one day. And a clock plate with a scale divided by the same angle with respect to the center and indicating a time, and a clock having an essential component of an hour hand displaying a time by rotating once a day. Easily identify day and night conditions.

Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-31986, which rotates 360.99 ° in 24 hours, has a star plate in the center of the celestial north pole or celestial south pole by the equator and the constellation is indicated; A virtual line formed by intersecting the horizontal plane of the Earth's specific latitude and the celestial sphere, and a horizon marked on the separate plate; A watch face on which a predetermined division scale is displayed at the same angle with respect to the center; The astronomical clock including a time indicating part which rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours in the same direction as the rotation direction of the said star plate about the center of the said star plate is demonstrated. According to the present invention, the sun's altitude and orientation, season, sunrise time, star appearance time, seasonal constellation, day constellation, etc. can be grasped immediately and easily.

The prior art, as described above, provides additional information such as determining the current time of the world's major locations, making it possible to measure latitude-longitude, or to identify celestial phenomena. However, because there is so much information on the screen, there is a drawback that causes a lot of confusion in "visualizing or measuring the time". Therefore, a new type of electronic clock is required, which provides various information and is faithful to the time measurement function or time measurement function, which is the purpose of the clock.

The present invention was developed to solve the conventional problems as described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic clock that is easy to measure time or time measurement, which is a purpose of a watch while providing various information.

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a scale for dividing the time divided by the same angle with respect to the center is displayed, and one or more time indicators rotating about the axis point toward the scale or the scale. An electronic clock for representing time, wherein the center is a starting point and two to four visual indicators closest to a virtual vertical line directed toward the distal end of the visual indicator are displayed differently from the visual indicators of the remaining scales. It relates to an electronic clock.

The clock according to the present invention may simply be a digitized physical 'clock' or may be a programmed clock displayed on a mobile phone, a PDA, a PC, or a TV. The term 'clock' referred to herein below is used in this sense.

In the present invention, the time division scale may be a scale representing any one or more of hours, minutes, or seconds, as necessary. That is, only the time scale may exist, the time scale and the minute scale may exist, or the time scale, the minute scale, and the second scale may all exist. At this time, one or more time indicators, that is, an hour-hand and / or a minute-hand and / or a second-hand, are present.

The scale is preferably divided into 1 to 5 multiples of 12 at the same angle as needed. That is, having 12, 24, or 60 divisions at the same angle with respect to the center makes it possible to accurately read the time, minute, and second at a specific point in time.

The present invention can be applied to the clock of the 24-hour system in which the hour hand rotates once a day, as well as the clock of the 12-hour system in which the hour hand rotates twice per day.

In the clock of the present invention, the center is the starting point, and two to four visual indicators closest to the virtual vertical lines directed toward the terminal of the visual indicator are displayed differently from the visual indicators of the remaining scales. This means that the two to four time mark symbols close to the circumference point indicated by the ordinary hour hand are unusually displayed, the two to four minute marks close to the circumference point indicated by the minute hand are unusually displayed, or the second hand points to It means that two to four supermarked symbols close to the circumference point are displayed unusually. That is, if the current time is 15:36, 15 and 16 close to the circumference pointed by the hour hand and 35 and 40 close to the circumference pointed by the minute hand are displayed. Here, "differentially" or "specially" indicated that only the time stamps of these scales are represented and the time tick marks of the remaining scales are not displayed. Therefore, the user can immediately grasp the current time just by glance at the clock according to the present invention. That is, since the hour hand is between 15 and 16, it is 15 o'clock, and the minute hand is close to 35 between 35 and 40, so it can be seen that it is approximately 36 to 37 minutes.

Hereinafter, a watch according to the present invention and a conventional watch will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, reference is made only to the electronic clock of the special function of the 24-hour system, but the electronic clock of the 12-hour system may be possible in the same manner, and it is natural that other types of electronic clocks not mentioned are possible as the clock according to the present invention. .

(1) Applied to the electronic clock reflecting the rotation of the earth (Figs. 1a and 1b)

The world map of the southern or northern hemisphere of the earth with the Antarctic or Arctic in the center and the date change line and day and night is shown, and the clock plate is rotated one time in the same direction as the Earth's rotation in one day, and the time is divided by the same angle with respect to the center. The present invention can be applied to a watch (Fig. 1A) having a watch plate with a scale indicating and a time indicator (minimum hour hand) which displays the time by one rotation per day as an essential component.

In the case of the northern hemisphere of the Republic of Korea, the clock plate and the hour hand rotate in the same direction as the rotation of the earth, that is, counterclockwise in the usual sense (rotation from top to left). On the contrary, in the southern hemisphere, the clock plate and the hour hand rotate in the clockwise direction (the direction of rotation from the upper end to the right) in the usual sense.

According to the clock, not only the local time but also the sunrise and sunset can be seen at a glance without any manipulation. According to the clock of the present invention, the sunrise and sunset states are displayed in the shade or color difference on the world map, so that a certain amount of time has elapsed from the day and night state and sunrise at the global level as well as a specific region without any manipulation. You can see at a glance how much time remains until sunset.

In addition, the clock may further include a minute hand that rotates once per hour or a minute hand that rotates once per hour and a second hand that rotates once per minute.

As shown in FIG. 1A, such a watch has a lot of information, and since it is not a familiar watch, there may be some confusion in determining the time.

In order to avoid confusion, the clock according to the present invention (FIG. 1B) includes two time (time) indicators 11 and 12 closest to the imaginary straight line with the center as the starting point and toward the end of the visual indicator (the hour hand). Only two hour marks 45 and 50 are shown, the center of which is the starting point and closest to the imaginary vertical line directed toward the end of the visual indicator (minute hand). Therefore, the user can grasp | ascertain that the current time is about 11:49 only by glimpse | clocking the clock (FIG. 1B) by this invention.

(2) applied to another electronic watch reflecting the rotation of the earth (FIGS. 2A and 2B)

An interior of the southern or northern hemisphere of the earth, with the Antarctic or Arctic in the center, with a date change line and day and night, with a fixed clock face, a division of time at the same angle with respect to the center, and a time scale, opposite to the rotation of the earth. The present invention can be applied to a watch face that rotates once a day in a direction and a watch (FIG. 2A) having a visual indicator as an essential component.

Unlike the traditional clock, the clock may not have clock hands such as hour and minute hands. Instead, a clock face with a division indicating the time divided by the same angle with respect to the center shows the time by rotating once a day. At this time, by displaying a more detailed scale between each scale displayed on the watch face, if necessary, it is possible to determine a specific time in minutes or to read accurately.

In the northern hemisphere of the Republic of Korea, the clock plate rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation of the earth, that is, clockwise (the direction from the top to the right) in the usual sense. On the contrary, in the southern hemisphere, the clock face plate rotates in a counterclockwise direction (direction that rotates from the upper end to the left side) in a normal sense. Hereinafter, the present specification will be described based on the clock of the northern hemisphere.

In addition, the clock has a scale indicating the minute divided by the same angle with respect to the center for more accurate reading of the time, may be added a plate that rotates once per hour in the direction opposite to the rotation of the earth. Similarly, there is a scale that marks the second divided by the same angle with respect to the center, and a first plate that rotates once a minute in a direction opposite to the rotation of the earth may be added. Alternatively, a division with a scale indicating the minute divided by the same angle with respect to the center and a minute hand that rotates once per hour may be added (not shown).

In such a clock, the visual indicator may be fixed, but preferably can be rotated to visualize the local time of the desired area by the user of the clock. It is desirable that the visual indicator is fixed so that the local time of the desired area can be set (set) by the clock user's operation by rotating the clock plate.

As can be seen in Figure 2a, such a clock has a lot of information, and because it is not a familiar clock, there may be some confusion in grasping time.

In order to avoid confusion, the watch according to the present invention (FIG. 2B) includes a center (starting point) and two time (time) indicators 9 and 10 closest to an imaginary vertical line directed toward the end of the time indicator, and having a center. Only the two hour minute symbols 35 and 40 are displayed as starting points and closest to the imaginary straight line directed toward the end of the visual indicator (minute hand). In FIG. 2B, 35 and 40 are displayed for the minute display symbols, but 39 and 40 may be displayed if necessary. Therefore, the user can grasp that the current time is around 9:39 by simply observing the clock according to the present invention (Fig. 2B).

In the clock according to the present invention, it is also possible to add a division plate with a scale that is divided at the same angle with respect to the center to display minutes and a minute hand that rotates once per hour.

(3) Applied to the electronic watch reflecting the celestial phenomenon (Figs. 3a and 3b)

A star plate which rotates 360.99 ° in 24 hours and has a constellation in which the celestial north pole or the celestial south pole is located at the center of the equator; A virtual line formed by intersecting the horizontal plane of the Earth's specific latitude and the celestial sphere, and a horizon marked on the separate plate; A watch face on which a predetermined division scale is displayed at the same angle with respect to the center; The present invention can be applied to an astronomical clock (FIG. 3A) comprising a visual indicator that rotates 360 ° in 24 hours in the same direction as the rotation direction of the separate plate with the center of the separate plate as an axis.

In the clock, the star plate has a celestial north pole or a celestial south pole located at the center, and predetermined declination stars are displayed as constellations. In this case, the separate plate may display concentric circles representing celestial declination and right ascension or straight lines divided at uniform angles through the center. The declination and the right ascension may be represented by numbers or symbols on the concentric circles and / or straight lines, respectively. In this case, it is possible to determine the approximate declination and right ascension of a specific star only by looking at the star plate.

The rotational speed of the star plate in the clock is derived by the following calculation.

During the day, the Earth revolves about 0.99 ° (= 360 ° ÷ 365 days), centered around the sun. In the meantime, the earth rotates only once, but it must rotate about 0.99 ° (or more precisely, 0.9856 °) from the Sun to rotate one rotation. Therefore, the time for one rotation of a star is about 3.9 minutes (= 0.99 ° × 60 minutes ÷ 15 °) faster than the time for one rotation of the sun. Therefore, the night sky swells about 3.9 minutes earlier every day and loses early. By this calculation, the rotational speed of the separate plate 10 is set to about 360.99 ° rotation in 24 hours.

In the field of view, the horizon is a virtual line formed by the intersection of the celestial plane and the celestial plane of the Earth's specific latitude on the separate plate. Since it relates to the "plane plane of earth-specific latitude", of course, the horizon is displayed differently according to the latitude on earth.

It will be easy for a person skilled in the art to make the change in the horizon of the star plate as the latitude change be determined automatically or manually by appropriate calculations.

The declination difference between the horizon point closest to the celestial north (South) pole and the celestial north (South) pole in the separate plate of the clock becomes the latitude of the position and the altitude of the celestial north (South) pole at that position.

In the watch, it is preferable that each division scale of the watch face is at least 24. You can display a number from 0 to 24, or 1 to 11 consecutively from 0 to 12, between each division scale, or between 0 and 12, with 0 to 12 and 1 to 11 in different colors to represent the afternoon. I can display it. That is, the clock plate may display a 24 division time scale at the same angle with respect to the center.

In the present invention, the visual indicator is rotated 360 ° in 24 hours in the same direction as the rotation direction of the separate plate about the center of the separate plate. Thus, the movement of the visual indicator in the field of view of the present invention is almost the same as that of the actual sun. In this case, the division lines divided into subdivisions as necessary between the divisions of the clock plate may be displayed to accurately read the hour and minute of the specific time only by the visual indicator. In addition, the watch of the present invention is divided into 12 divided divisions at the same angle with respect to the center, and has a minute indicating unit that rotates 360 ° in an hour with respect to the center of the separate plate. Like the clock, the hour and minute hands can be operated. Of course, it is also possible to add a second hand (not shown) that rotates 360 ° per minute. In this case, the minute scale may indicate the number of 0, 10, 20, ..., 50 or 0, 15, 30, 45 for convenience.

As can be seen in Figure 3a, such a clock has a lot of information, and because it is not a familiar clock, there may be some confusion in grasping time.

In order to avoid confusion, the watch according to the present invention (FIG. 3B) has a center (starting point) and two time (time) indicators 7 and 8 closest to the virtual straight line directed toward the end of the time indicator, and the center is Only two hour marks 15 and 20 are shown as the starting point and closest to the imaginary straight line pointing toward the end of the visual indicator (minute hand). In FIG. 3B, 15 and 20 are displayed for the minute display symbols, but 16 and 17 may be displayed in more detail if necessary. Therefore, the user can grasp | ascertain that the present time is about 7:16 pm only by observing the clock (FIG. 3B) by this invention.

Clocks according to the present invention described above, in conjunction with the positioning system can automatically set the local time displayed by the needle by automatically applying the time difference to the standard time. As an example of this method, when the watch according to the present invention equipped with wired / wireless communication means requests the location information of the current location from the Geographic Information System (GPS), the GPS communicates with various known methods, for example, satellites. It grabs the location information and sends it to the watch. The watch receiving the location information automatically or manually adjusts the local time. In some cases, the GPS may be manufactured integrally with the watch. Such a system is particularly useful when traveling in areas where the standard time is different because the time is automatically displayed by applying the local standard time without any separate operation according to the local time.

In addition, the watch of the present invention may further display information about each region of the world. The term "region of the world" may be a national concept, or may be a broad area or sub-administrative area of a particular country (for example, the United States, US states, counties of the United States, Korea, cities of Korea, cities of Korea, etc.) ) Or a major city in the world. In the case of this system, various information about each region of the world is embedded in the clock of the present invention or linked to related information on the Internet site which holds (latest) information about each region of the world, so that the position on the world map Pointing to displays key information about the region, such as the weather and local news. If necessary, it is also possible to link the displayed key information with other information to provide a way to get deeper information. Pointing out locations on the world map can be done using any appropriate input method, such as using a keyboard, a touch screen, or a mouse click. Practically, for example, it is spatially impossible to mark all major cities in the Northern Hemisphere on the watchboard. Therefore, it is desirable to apply the "tool tip" technique that is well known in the Internet programming industry. For example, a point is displayed at a corresponding location of a main area on the watchboard map, and when an indicator such as a cursor moves, the area name is displayed using a balloon help technique for a point within a predetermined distance from the cursor, and a specific area name is selected. When the various information of the area is displayed in another balloon help form.

For example, when the cursor clicks on a specific point (point or city) of the clock plate, city name information of the corresponding point is extracted by the embedded program and transmitted to the server through the wired / wireless communication network. The server extracts various information of the corresponding city and transmits it to the watch through a wired or wireless communication network. Received various information of the corresponding city is displayed on the watch (screen).

Such a system allows a user to easily obtain various information of a region of interest at any time. In this case, the information to be communicated may be in various categories depending on circumstances.

In this specification, only the shape structure and rotational speed and features of the watch are described, but one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement various types of watch of the present invention with reference to the present specification. .

According to the present invention, since the time display function, which is a unique function of the clock, is expressed in a concise manner in the (spinning) rotary clock that provides various information, the user can immediately and immediately read the local time to which he / she belongs. .

In other words, the present invention has a 24-hour display system, so that not only can you immediately check whether the local time is AM or PM, but also has the function of displaying the day and night that changes according to each season or location. You can visually check day and night conditions.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily grasp the current time while obtaining not only the local time but also the main information related to the city by simply pointing out the location of the city of interest on the world map located on the clock.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily grasp the current time in the watch that provides a variety of information by expressing the celestial phenomenon on the watch.

Claims (8)

In the electronic clock which is divided by the same angle with respect to the center and divides the time, and at least one visual indicator that rotates the center about the axis indicates the time by pointing between the scales or the scales. 2. The electronic watch of claim 2, wherein the center is a starting point and two to four tick marks that are closest to an imaginary vertical line directed toward the distal end of the time indicator are displayed differently from the tick marks of the remaining tick marks. The method of claim 1, The scale is divided into 1 to 5 multiples of 12, The time indicator consists of an hour hand that rotates two times a day and a minute hand that rotates once per hour, or an hour hand that rotates twice a day, a minute hand that rotates once per hour, and a second hand that rotates once per minute. Electronic clock. The method of claim 1, The scale is divided into 1 to 5 multiples of 12, The time indicator consists of an hour hand that rotates once per day and a minute hand that rotates once per hour, or an hour hand that rotates once per day, a minute hand that rotates once per hour, and a second hand that rotates once per minute. Electronic clock. The method according to claim 1 or 3, The world map of the southern or northern hemisphere of the earth with the Antarctic or Arctic in the center and the date change line and day and night is shown, and additionally includes a clock plate that rotates one revolution in the same direction as the Earth's rotation per day, One of the visual indicator is an electronic clock, characterized in that the hour hand to rotate once a day. The method of claim 1, And further includes a fixed clock plate, with the Antarctic or Arctic in the center and a world map of the southern or northern hemisphere of the earth with date change lines and day and night, The scale is rotated once a day in the direction opposite to the rotation of the earth, And the time indicator is fixed. The method of claim 5, Electronic clock, characterized in that the division divided by the same angle with respect to the center to display the minute scale and minute hand that rotates once per hour. The method of claim 1, A star plate that rotates 360.99 ° per day, with the celestial north pole or celestial south pole centered on the equator and marked with constellations; An imaginary line formed by intersecting the celestial plane with a celestial plane of a specific latitude, and further including a horizon indicated in the asterisk, And the visual indicator rotates once a day in the same direction as the rotation direction of the separate plate with the center as the axis. The method of claim 7, wherein The scale is divided into 1 to 5 multiples of 12, The time indicator consists of an hour hand that rotates once per day and a minute hand that rotates once per hour, or an hour hand that rotates once per day, a minute hand that rotates once per hour, and a second hand that rotates once per minute. Electronic clock.

Images