WO2004077174A1

WO2004077174A1 - Time keeping device

Info

Publication number: WO2004077174A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2003/000172
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thabo Nthepeng Beirnston Hermanus
Original assignee: Hermanus Thabo Nthepeng Beirns
Priority date: 2003-02-27
Filing date: 2003-11-17
Publication date: 2004-09-10
Also published as: AU2003291216A1

Abstract

This invention provides a time keeping device (10) having a numeric display (12). The device (10) is configured so that the minutes (14) are displayed to the left of the hours (16) on the display (12) when viewed by a user. The device (10) is further configured so that, when the minutes past the hour exceed 30 minutes then the minutes (14) are displayed as the number of minutes before the next hour and such next hour is displayed as the hour (16) on the display (12). The invention extends to a method of displaying time numerically on a display (12) of a time keeping device (10).

Description

TIME KEEPING DEVICE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates, in general, to the field of time keeping and, in particular, to a time keeping device such as a clock, watch or the like, and to a method of displaying time numerically on a display of a time keeping device.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Convention digital watches and clocks numerically display the hour with the minutes past such hour to the right of the hour, for example, 06h12. However, in some countries, the minutes are conventionally read, understood and/or spoken first before the hour, for example, 12 minutes past 6 for the above conventionally displayed time. Furthermore, in some countries, when the minutes past the hour exceed 30 minutes then such time is read, understood and/or spoken in terms of the number of minutes "before" or "to" the next hour, for example 18 minutes to 7 for the time which is conventionally displayed as 06h42. Accordingly, a person often has to convert the time displayed on a digital watch or clock to a manner in which it is read, understood, and/or spoken.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided, a time keeping device having a numeric display wherein the device is configured so that the minutes are displayed to the left of the hours on the display when viewed by a user.

The device may be further configured so that, when the minutes past the hour exceed 30 minutes then the minutes are displayed as the number of minutes before the next hour and such next hour is displayed as the hour. The device may be configured to display an indicia on the display which indicia indicates either that the minutes displayed on the display are to be read as being past the hour displayed on the display, or before the hour displayed on the display, depending on whether the minutes are more than 30 minutes, or less than or equal to 30, past the hour, respectively, when read as per conventional numeric time keeping devices. For example, the indicia may be in the form of a "p" (short for "past"), "a" (short for "after"), "+", "→", ">", or the like, to indicate that the minutes displayed on the display are to be read as being past the hour displayed on the display whereas the indicia may be in the form of a "b" (short for "before"), "t" (short for "to"), "-", "<-", "<", or the like, to indicate that the minutes displayed on the display are to be read as being before the hour displayed on the display.

The device may be configured to display an indicia on the display which indicia indicates that the convention of indicating the minutes to the left of the hours is being applied. For example, the minutes and the hours may be separated by an indicia in the form of an "m" (short for minutes) on the display as opposed to the convention of an "h" (short for hours), ":", or the like.

The device may be in the form of a watch, clock, or the like.

The device is typically a digital device.

The display may include a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), or the like.

The device is typically configured so that the hours are displayed according to the 12 hour convention. The device may be configured so as to display an indicia of "am" or "pm" on the display depending on whether the time is before noon or after noon, respectively.

The device may include a time keeping means. The time keeping means may be configured to provide the time to be displayed according to the new convention of this invention. Otherwise, the time keeping means may include a conventional time keeping means which provides a time according traditional convention. The device may then also include processing means which is configured to convert such time into the time to be displayed according to the new convention of this invention.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided, a method of displaying time numerically on a display of a time keeping device wherein the minutes are displayed to the left of the hours when viewed by a user.

The method may include, when the minutes past the hour exceed 30 minutes, displaying the minutes as the number of minutes before the next hour and displaying the hour as such next hour.

The method may include displaying an indicia on the display which indicia indicates either that the minutes displayed on the display are to be read as being past the hour displayed on the display, or before the hour displayed on the display, depending on whether the minutes are more than 30 minutes, or less than or equal to 30 minutes, past the hour, respectively, when read as per conventional numeric time keeping devices. For example, the indicia may be in the form of a "p" (short for "past"), "a" (short for "after"), "+", "→", ">", or the like, to indicate that the minutes displayed on the display are to be read as being past the hour displayed on the display whereas the indicia may be in the form of a "b" (short for "before"), "t" (short for "to"), "-", "<-", "<", or the like, to indicate that the minutes displayed on the display are to be read as being before the hour displayed on the display.

The method may include displaying an indicia on the display which indicia indicates that the convention of indicating the minutes to the left of the hours is being applied. For example, the minutes and the hours may be separated by an indicia in the form of an "m" (short for minutes) on the display as opposed to the convention of an "h" (short for hours), ":", or the like.

The device may be in the form of a watch, clock, or the like. The device is typically a digital device.

The method may include displaying the hours according to the 12 hour convention. The method may include displaying an indicia of "am" or "pm" on the display depending on whether the time is before noon or after noon, respectively.

DESRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is now described, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing wherein Figure 1 shows a time keeping device.

In the drawing, reference numeral 10 is used to indicate a time keeping device having a numeric display 12. The device 10 is configured so that the minutes 14 are displayed to the left of the hours 16 on the display 12 when viewed by a user. The device 10 is further configured so that, when the minutes past the hour exceed 30 minutes then the minutes 14 are displayed as the number of minutes before the next hour and such next hour is displayed as the hour 16 on the display 12.

The device 10 is typically a digital device in the form of a watch, clock, or the like. The display 12 may include a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), or the like.

The device 10 is typically configured so that the hours 16 are displayed according to the 12 hour convention. Accordingly, the device 10 is optionally configured so as to display an indicia 18 of "am" or "pm" on the display 12 depending on whether the time is before noon or after noon, respectively. The device 10 is configured to display an indicia 20 on the display 12 which indicia 20 indicates either that the minutes 14 displayed on the display 12 are to be read as being past the hour 16 displayed on the display 12, or before the hour 16 displayed on the display 12, depending on whether the minutes are more than 30 minutes or less than or equal to 30 minutes past the hour, respectively, when read as per conventional numeric time keeping devices.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the indicia 20 is in the form of a "+", to indicate that the minutes 14 displayed on the display 12 are to be read as being past the hour 16 displayed on the display 12 whereas the indicia 20 is in the form of a "-" (not shown), to indicate that the minutes 14 on the display 12 are to be read as being before the hour 14 displayed on the display 12.

Accordingly, the time indicated in Figure 1 is to be read as "twenty minutes past the hour of ten in the morning" or "twenty past ten" in short. In an example where the "+" is replaced by a "-", the time would be read as "twenty to ten".

It is to be appreciated that, in other embodiments of the invention, the indicia 20 may be in the form of a "p" (short for "past"), "a" (short for "after"), "→", ">", or the like, to indicate that the minutes 14 displayed on the display 12 are to be read as being past the hour 16 displayed on the display 12, whereas the indicia 20 may be in the form of a "t" (short for "to"), "b" (short for "before"), "<-", "<", or the like, to indicate that the minutes 14 are to be read as being before the hour 16 displayed on the display 12.

In conventional numeric time keeping devices, the minutes 14 displayed on the display 12 and the hours 16 displayed on the display 12 are typically separated by an "h" (short for hours), or ":". However, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the device 10 is optionally configured to display an indicia 22 on the display 12 which indicia 22 indicates that the convention of indicating the minutes 14 to the left of the hours 16 is being applied. In this example, the minutes 14 and the hours 16 are separated by the indicia 22 in the form of an "m" (short for minutes) on the display 12. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the device 10 is also optionally configured to display the seconds 24 at a position on the display 12 which does not confuse a user attempting to read the time.

It is to be understood that the device 10 typically includes a time keeping means (not shown). The time keeping means may be configured to provide the time to be displayed according to the new convention of this invention. The time keeping means may be included in a processor (not shown) configured to provide the time to be displayed according to the above new convention of this invention. Typically, the processor is connected to a clocking means, such as a crystal or the like, and the processor is programmed with a set of instructions which uses the clocking means to determine the time.

Otherwise, the time keeping means may include a conventional time keeping means which provides a time to be displayed according traditional convention. The device 10 may then also include processing means (not shown) configured to convert such time into the time to be displayed according to the new convention of this invention. The conventional time keeping means and the processing means are typically included in a single processor (not shown) connected to the display 12. Typically, the processor is connected to a clocking means, such as a crystal or the like, and the processor is programmed with a set of instructions which uses the clocking means to determine the time.

Accordingly, both processors described in the above two paragraphs are typically configured so that, when the minutes past the hour exceed 30 minutes the processor subtracts such minutes past the hour from 60 so as to obtain the minutes to the next hour. The processor also adds 1 to the hour which the minutes are past to obtain the hour which the minutes are to or before ie. the next hour. Such minutes to the next hour and the next hour are then displayed on the display 12 at 14 and 16, respectively. Obviously, the processor and the display 12 are configured so that the minutes a displayed to the left of the hours when viewed by a user. It is to be appreciated that, in other embodiments of the invention, the device 10 may be configured to display the date, to include and display a stop watch function, to include and display an alarm function, and to include control means for controlling any function of the device 10 as per conventional time keeping devices.

It is further to be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in Figure 1 and, accordingly, variations of this embodiment are included in the scope of the invention. For example, one, two, or all of the indicia 18, 20, 22 may be located in different positions on the display 12. Furthermore, as the indicia 18, 20, 22 are optional, one, two, or all of the indicia 18, 20, 22 may be omitted all together.

The Inventor believes that the invention is advantageous as it displays the time in a manner in which it is conventionally read, understood, and spoken. Accordingly, a user need not have to convert the hour-minute convention into a minute-hour convention so as to read, understand, or speak the time when using a device according to this invention. Furthermore, a user need not understand or apply arithmetic when reading, understanding or speaking the time using a device according to this invention whereas it is necessary to understand or apply arithmetic when reading, understanding, or speaking the time on a conventional numeric display for a time keeping device in circumstances where the minutes are more than 30 minutes past the hour. For example, in order to read the conventionally displayed time of 06h42, a user must first subtract 42 from 60 to obtain the minutes and then add 1 to the hour so as to be able to read the time as

"18 minutes to 7". Accordingly, the Inventor believes that the invention allows a user to read the time in a quicker and simpler manner than conventional numeric displays for time keeping devices.

Claims

1. A time keeping device having a numeric display wherein the device is configured so that the minutes are displayed to the left of the hours on the display when viewed by a user.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, which is further configured so that, when the minutes past the hour exceed 30 minutes then the minutes are displayed as the number of minutes before the next hour and such next hour is displayed as the hour.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, which is configured to display an indicia on the display which indicia indicates either that the minutes displayed on the display are to be read as being past the hour displayed on the display, or before the hour displayed on the display, depending on whether the minutes are more than 30 minutes, or less than or equal to 30, past the hour, respectively, when read as per conventional numeric time keeping devices.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, which is configured to display an indicia on the display which indicia indicates that the convention of indicating the minutes to the left of the hours is being applied.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, which includes a time keeping means.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the time keeping means is configured to provide the time to be displayed.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the time keeping means include a conventional time keeping means which provides time according traditional convention.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the device includes processing means which is configured to convert such time into the time to be displayed.

9. A method of displaying time numerically on a display of a time keeping device wherein the minutes are displayed to the left of the hours when viewed by a user.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, which includes, when the minutes past the hour exceed 30 minutes, displaying the minutes as the number of minutes before the next hour and displaying the hour as such next hour.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, which includes displaying an indicia on the display which indicia indicates either that the minutes displayed on the display are to be read as being past the hour displayed on the display, or before the hour displayed on the display, depending on whether the minutes are more than 30 minutes, or less than or equal to 30 minutes, past the hour, respectively, when read as per conventional numeric time keeping devices.

12. A method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 , which includes displaying an indicia on the display which indicia indicates that the convention of indicating the minutes to the left of the hours is being applied.

13. A device or a method, according to the invention, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

14. A new device or a new method substantially as herein described.