Optical Patents (Class 368/239)
  • Patent number: 12123950
    Abstract: A laser radar includes: a laser, an optical transmission system, a 1-dimensional array of photo-detectors, an optical reception system, and an electronic control system. The laser emits a wavelength of light, and the optical transmission system shapes the light into a beam, and scans the beam along a fan of transmission light paths toward a target. The photo-detectors are capable of time-of-arrival measurements and are sensitive to the wavelength of light. The optical reception system collects the laser light reflected from the target along a fan of reception light paths. The electronic control system synchronizes the scan of the beam with a respective time-of-arrival measurement from each of the photo-detectors, and analyzes the time-of-arrival measurements. The system is configured for all of the transmission light paths and all of the reception light paths to lie in one plane, with all of the reception light paths intersecting with at least one of the transmission light paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: RED CREAMERY, LLC
    Inventor: Dmitriy Yavid
  • Patent number: 11966064
    Abstract: A light guide plate according to one or more embodiments may include an incident surface that receives light, and an optical path changer on a back surface perpendicular to the incident surface. The optical path changer may reflect light to be emitted through an emission surface parallel to the back surface. The light emitted through the emission surface may form a formed image including a plane image representing a surface. The plane image may include a near imaging portion and a distant imaging portion. The plane image may have two ends included in the near imaging portion in a cross section perpendicular to the back surface and an optical axis of a light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Shinohara, Yasuhiro Tanoue, Masafumi Danno
  • Patent number: 11953858
    Abstract: A watch includes crystal, a dial including a marking, a pointer including a luminous body, and a light-transmissive member disposed between the crystal and the dial, the light-transmissive member including a first face facing the crystal and a second face facing the dial, in which the first face is provided with a first luminous member and a second luminous member, and the second face is provided with a third luminous member and a fourth luminous member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshinori Nakazawa, Tetsuya Miyake, Atsushi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11930420
    Abstract: A handheld electronic device may include a microphone for receiving voice commands, a speaker for providing audio feedback, a display for providing visual output and receiving touch input, and a motion sensor for receiving gesture input. The handheld electronic device may include control circuitry that processes voice commands differently depending on the application running on the handheld electronic device and the icon being displayed on the display. The control circuitry may determine the location of the handheld electronic device and may provide content based on the location. For example, a remote control interface for controlling an external device may be displayed when the handheld electronic device approaches the external device. A head-mounted device may display virtual images based on the location of the handheld electronic device. The virtual images may include a live video feed from a video call, virtual images associated with voice commands, or other virtual images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Per Haakan Linus Persson, Seung Wook Kim, William D. Lindmeier, Paul G. Puskarich, Peter C. Tsoi
  • Patent number: 11915570
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for displaying status of a gas concentrator. The systems and methods include, for example, a display having a plurality of illuminable segments. The illuminable segments can be illuminated to form one or more displays indicating system status. The system status includes, for example, warmup, normal operation, low priority alarm(s), high-priority alarms, etc. In one embodiment, the systems and methods also read oxygen values of the gas concentrating system as one basis for determining system status. Other bases are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ventec Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Budinger, Kevin R. Starkey
  • Patent number: 11739919
    Abstract: There is disclosed a flexible panel, including (i) a fluorescent layer; (ii) an electroluminescent panel layer arranged to illuminate the fluorescent layer; (iii) an ultraviolet protection layer, transparent to visible light, arranged on a front face of the flexible panel to protect the fluorescent layer, and (iv) an adhesive layer; wherein the adhesive layer is arranged on a rear face of the flexible panel, such that the flexible panel is attachable to a surface. There are further disclosed related systems including such flexible panels and a power supply for the flexible panel; objects including such systems; related kits of parts; related methods of assembly; related methods of connection; and connector systems suitable for connecting such flexible panels to a power supply for the flexible panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: INSPACE MEDIA LTD.
    Inventors: Andrew Weir, James Frost
  • Patent number: 11449011
    Abstract: A timepiece glass, in particular a watch glass, wherein it comprises an optical device comprising at least one lens intended to enlarge an indication supplied by a timepiece, said lens comprising at least one aspherical face comprising at least one section passing through a vertical plane comprising an optical axis of vertical direction z, of which at least one outline can be defined by the following equation: z ? ( r ) = r 2 R ? ( 1 + 1 - ( 1 - ? ) ? ? r 2 R 2 ) + ? 4 ? r 4 + ? 6 ? r 6 + … in which R is the nominal radius of curvature, k is the constant of conicity, and ?(4,6, . . . ) is or are coefficient(s) of asphericity, and in which at least the constant of conicity k and/or at least one coefficient of asphericity is different from zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: ROLEX SA
    Inventors: Adrien Catheline, Benoit Junod, Sébastien Perseguers
  • Patent number: 11422507
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a protection casing assembly for a wearable device. The protection casing assembly includes a main case and a frame. The main case has a first accommodation space and configured to allow a wearable device to be disposed detachably. When the wearable device is disposed in the first accommodation space, the wearable device and the main case define a second accommodation space adjacent to at a device surface of the wearable device. The frame is detachably disposed in the second accommodation space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: EVOLUTIVE LABS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ching-Fu Wang, Sheng-Che Su, Po-Wen Hsiao, Chia-Ho Lin
  • Patent number: 11392325
    Abstract: A system and method for simultaneously programming flash memory devices in a computing device is disclosed. The computing system includes a switching unit that includes an input and multiple outputs. The switching unit connects the input to one or more of the outputs. Each of the flash memory devices is coupled to one of the outputs of the switching unit. A control bus is coupled to the switching unit. The control bus carries a control signal to select one or more of the outputs for connection to the input. A programming interface bus is coupled to the input of the switching unit. A controller is coupled to the control bus and the programming interface bus. The controller selects the memory devices for providing programming over the programming interface bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: QUANTA COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Chih-Chia Huang, Po-Wei Huang, Te-Hsien Lai, Yi-Hung Shen
  • Patent number: 11016235
    Abstract: Multiview backlighting having a color-tailored emission pattern provides directional light beams corresponding to a plurality of different views of a multiview image. A multiview backlight includes a light guide configured to guide light as guided light and a color-tailored multibeam element. The color-tailored multibeam element is configured to provide emitted light having the color-tailored emission pattern from the guided light. The emitted light includes a plurality of directional light beams having different principal angular directions corresponding to respective different view directions of a multiview display. The color-tailored emission pattern corresponds to an arrangement of color sub-pixels of a view pixel in the multiview display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: LEIA INC.
    Inventors: David A. Fattal, Ming Ma
  • Patent number: 11009833
    Abstract: An electronic device including at least one analog information indicator, a digital display for displaying information and/or images, and a controller, wherein the controller positions the information and/or image(s) to simulate physical interaction between the information and/or images displayable on the digital display and the at least one analog information indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Timex Group USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Essery
  • Patent number: 10983482
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a wristwatch device or other device may have a display. The display may be used to continuously display information such as watch face information. A watch face image on the display may contain watch face elements such as watch face hands, watch face indices, and complications. To reduce burn-in risk for watch face elements, control circuitry in the electronic device may impose burn-in constraints on attributes of the watch face elements such as peak luminance constraints, dwell time constraints, color constraints, constraints on the shape of each element, and constraints on element style. These constraints may help avoid situations in which static elements such as watch face indices create more burn-in than dynamic elements such as watch face hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tae-Wook Koh, Yiqiang Nie, Yifan Zhang, Giovanni M. Agnoli, Paul S. Drzaic, David A. Doyle
  • Patent number: 10928677
    Abstract: A diffractive multiview backlight and a multiview display employ an array of diffractive multibeam elements including a plurality of diffraction gratings configured to provide a plurality of light beams having different principal angular directions corresponding to different view directions of the multiview display. The display includes multiview pixels that include sub-pixels. A size of the diffractive multibeam element of the array is comparable to a size of a sub-pixel in a multiview pixel of the multiview display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: LEIA INC.
    Inventors: Francesco Aieta, David A. Fattal
  • Patent number: 10564607
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprising an electro-luminescent display device, an information display window defined on an outward facing surface of the display device to form a data display portion having a characteristic pixel density, a digital assembly to output data to the display device for display on the information display window, a viewing window through which information displayed on the information display window is viewable from outside of the apparatus, and a translucent plastic light filter disposed between the viewing window and the information display window; wherein the translucent plastic filter has a transmittance which is adapted to visually conceal the information display window or make the underlying information display window not visible when under sunlit ambient illuminations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Dayton Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Paul Anthony Yuen
  • Patent number: 10429660
    Abstract: A directive color filter and a naked-eye 3D display apparatus are provided. The directive color filter includes a color filter and a directive functional structure layer. The color filter includes multiple light filtering units, and each light filtering unit includes at least three light filtering sub-units with different colors. The directive functional structure layer includes multiple structure units, and each structure unit and one light filtering unit are arranged correspondingly. Each structure unit includes at least three structure sub-units. Each structure sub-unit and one light filtering sub-unit are arranged correspondingly. Each structure sub-unit includes multiple nano diffraction gratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: SVG OPTRONICS CO., LTD., SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Linsen Chen, Wen Qiao, Ming Zhu, Wenqiang Wan, Wenbin Huang, Donglin Pu, Pengfei Zhu
  • Patent number: 9785122
    Abstract: An alarm clock is provided that has a housing, one or more charging ports, an audio transducer, an alarm control device, a display, and a controller. The charging ports are mounted in a surface of the housing and provide power from a power supply to an external device. The controller receives input signals from the alarm control device and sends output signals to the audio transducer and the display. When the controller receives input signals from the alarm control device, it responds by displaying and setting a desired alarm time on the display, and by arming an alarm function. While the alarm function is armed, if a current time matches the alarm time, the controller causes the audio transducer to emit an alarm sound. When the controller receives another input signal from the alarm control device, it responds by taking the alarm time off the display, disarming the alarm function, and, if the alarm sound is being emitted, quieting the alarm sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TXS Industrial Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Staci A. Mininger, Timothy W. Terleski
  • Patent number: 9588493
    Abstract: A set of luminous display hands is for a portable object including a frame housing an electrical energy supply source that includes a first and a second terminal. The set includes at least first and second luminous display hands made of an electrically non-conductive material. A drive arbor of the second display hand is arranged concentrically inside a drive arbor of the first display hand. Each of the first and second display hands carries a first, respectively a second light source which emits light. The first and second light sources each include a first and a second pole. Depending on whether the light sources are mounted in parallel or in series, the first pole or the second pole of the second light source is connected to the first pole of the first light source by contact between the first and second hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd.
    Inventor: Pierpasquale Tortora
  • Publication number: 20150049591
    Abstract: A method for interacting with a user through a smart watch can include displaying an interactive image. The method can further include detecting a contact moving continuously from a first edge of the touch-sensitive display toward a second, opposite edge of the touch-sensitive display. In response to the detection, the touch-sensitive display can display select function indicators in accordance with movement of the contact. The select function indicators can comprise four or fewer distinct, selectable icons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: William Adams, Chandrasekar Rathakrishnan, Jaren Chee Wei Goh
  • Patent number: 8942070
    Abstract: A mathematical watch displays time using mathematical problems. The answers to the mathematical problems indicate the current time. The mathematical problems are periodically updated on a screen of the mathematical watch. The mathematical watch also displays an angle shape that indicates the current temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Inventor: Bhavesh Shah
  • Patent number: 8861314
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for displaying the time of day. Reference points, including fixed reference points and movable reference points, can be used to display time information in a way that makes it easier for a vision impaired individual to read the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher Arabian, Logan Arabian
  • Publication number: 20140293759
    Abstract: A multiview 3D wrist watch is disclosed. The wrist watch has clock circuitry to determine a time and a plurality of light sources to generate a plurality of input planar lightbeams. A directional backplane having a plurality of directional pixels scatters the plurality of input planar lightbeams into a plurality of directional lightbeams, each directional lightbeam having a direction and angular spread controlled by characteristics of a directional pixel in the plurality of directional pixels. A shutter layer receives the time from the clock circuitry and modulates the plurality of directional lightbeams to generate a 3D time view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Brian Taff, David A. Fattal, Raymond G. Beausoleil
  • Patent number: 8811121
    Abstract: A portable timepiece includes at least one hand for displaying the minutes and hours and an electronic unit for the chromatic tuning of an instrument. The electronic unit includes an acoustic signal sensor and a means of processing the received electro-acoustic signal. At least one of the hands of the timepiece displays data relative to the received electro-acoustic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventor: Fabien Balli
  • Publication number: 20140226445
    Abstract: A device which is suitable for integration into a timepiece, in particular in the form of a timepiece module, another type of watch module or a basic watch movement. The device includes at least one opening, in each of which an associated image guide is mounted, and for each of these image guides the device including means for fastening the image guide in the associated opening, such that the image guide allows display information displayed on a representation plane to be reproduced on a display plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventors: Sébastien Dordor, Schelling Debora
  • Publication number: 20140226442
    Abstract: A display assembly includes a display selectively displaying human-readable indicia on a face thereof and a cover disposed over the display. The cover has a homogeneous surface over the entire face of the display. The display assembly is controllable between an inactive state and an active state. In the inactive state, the face of the display is not viewable through the cover, and in the active state, the indicia are viewable through the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Brad N. Carlson, Bo Stefan Andren
  • Publication number: 20140226443
    Abstract: A display assembly includes a display selectively displaying human-readable indicia on a face thereof and a cover disposed over the display. The cover has a homogeneous surface over the entire face of the display. The display assembly is controllable between an inactive state and an active state. In the inactive state, the face of the display is not viewable through the cover, and in the active state, the indicia are viewable through the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: NIKE, INC.
    Inventors: Brad N. Carlson, Bo Stefan Andren
  • Patent number: 8758884
    Abstract: [Problem] An instrument display board is provided which does not need troublesome work for preparing plural plate members, can adopt a great variety of designs, can present a stereoscopic feeling and a high-class feeling, brings about unprecedented color tone variation, metallic texture, brilliancy in the light, etc., is very excellent in high-class feeling and design variation, has excellent appearance quality and therefore can enhance merchantability. A process for producing the instrument display board is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignees: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd., Yamamoto Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hiroe, Katsuyuki Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Ikebuchi, Taijiro Ito
  • Patent number: 8693291
    Abstract: In the conventional clock, it is difficult to instantly grasp the additional information upon looking at the time and the information is not efficiently utilized. The clock is not popular among people of all ages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Techno Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiichi Umamoto
  • Patent number: 8687467
    Abstract: A visual display and device and method for producing the display may indicate the time or other data in a bold, elegant, intuitive, and stylistic manner that is easily legible despite obscured vision, viewing distances, or the user's inattentiveness. A minimalistic display may include a shape such as a geometric shape that presents the time by connecting the distal ends of the hour and minute indicators with a possibly time-varying curve. This curve aids in the interpretation of the time. Another embodiment of the invention displays, using a polar coordinate system, two physical parameters on single similar display in an aesthetically-pleasing, elegant, and intuitive method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Inventor: John R. Comeau
  • Publication number: 20140036638
    Abstract: A waterproof adhesive decal containing an embedded digital clock and thermometer is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Travis Gough, Greg Siefkin
  • Patent number: 8593912
    Abstract: A multimedia alarm clock projector having a housing assembly, a speaker system, and a projector assembly. The projector assembly has a projector having a focusing ring and lens. The projector further has electrical wiring, a mount assembly, and first base. The first base is mounted onto the housing assembly. The projector projects a visual projection at any angle between a horizontal plane to an vertical plane. The projector assembly further has a stationary ring fixed to the housing assembly. The stationary ring has a first lip. The projector assembly further has a rotational base plate with a second lip, a second base, and a channel. The rotational base plate is rotatably mounted onto the stationary ring, whereby the channel receives the first lip. The projector is mounted onto the rotational base plate. The rotational base plate comprises a cavity. The multimedia alarm clock further has a remote control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Inventor: William Amores
  • Patent number: 8588033
    Abstract: Method for displaying the time in a wristwatch furnished with an electronic display (4) allowing the display of a simulated mechanical watch movement and of time indicators (20) so as to simulate a mechanical watch. The time displayed is advantageously calculated on the basis of the simulation of the movement and depends on the acceleration measured by an accelerometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Comme le Temps SA
    Inventors: Pascal Pozzo Di Borgo, Jorg Hysek
  • Publication number: 20130142016
    Abstract: Method for displaying the time in a wristwatch furnished with an electronic display (4) allowing the display of a simulated mechanical watch movement and of time indicators (20) so as to simulate a mechanical watch. The time displayed is advantageously calculated on the basis of the simulation of the movement and depends on the acceleration measured by an accelerometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: COMME LE TEMPS SA
    Inventor: Comme Le Temps SA
  • Publication number: 20130094333
    Abstract: A timepiece display plate, while obtaining reflection light having metal texture, allows partial light as a transmissive light to transmit to a solar cell and easily adapt to various types of dial plates. A timepiece display plate (150) for a timepiece (200) having a plate-like solar cell (130), includes a light transmissive dial plate (151) and a brightness improving film (brightness improving plate) separately disposed between the light transmissive dial plate (151) and the solar cell (130).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicants: CITIZEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., YAMAMOTO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuo Ito, Takayuki Waseda, Shinichi Sakamaki, Hiroshi Ikebuchi, Yutaka Sugihara, Shigeo Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20130070574
    Abstract: To provide a timepiece rotating display member that presents an appearance with a rich stereoscopic effect, and to provide a timepiece including the timepiece rotating display member, a timepiece rotating display member of the invention includes a microlens layer formed with a plurality of microlenses which are arranged in an orderly fashion as viewed in a planar view; and a decorative layer formed with a repeating design and/or a design having a plurality of lines; wherein the microlens layer and the decorative layer are superimposed as viewed in a planar view. It is preferable that the timepiece rotating display member is a date disc, a day disc, an age-of-the-moon disc or a disc hand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koki TAKASAWA
  • Publication number: 20130039156
    Abstract: A timepiece includes twelve first light sources spaced in a ring around a 360 degree range on a clock body. The first light sources are controlled to illuminate successively one at a time in a clockwise direction to indicate the hour. The timepiece may include either a minute hand connected with a clock mechanism, or 60 minute strips disposed in radiating directions and evenly spaced around a 360 degree range on the clock body. A plurality of second light sources are distributed along the minute hand or the minute strips. The minute hand is controlled to rotate 360 degrees clockwise. The minute strips are controlled to illuminate alternately in a clockwise direction to indicate the minute. The amount or the position of the illuminated second light sources indicates the second.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventor: Chia-Yen Lin
  • Publication number: 20120257481
    Abstract: A timepiece includes a movement, a ring member, and an hour plate. Upward engagement convex portions of the ring member have contact parts placed near an outer peripheral surface of the ring member. The hour plate has a plurality of interposition portions and a plurality of convex portion accommodation grooves opened to the peripheral surface thereof. The interposition portions divide the convex portion accommodation grooves, come into close contact with the contact parts in the state of being elastically deformed, and interpose the engagement convex portions therebetween along a direction perpendicular to a radial direction of the ring member. The convex portion accommodation grooves are housed in the respective engagement convex portions, and the hour plate is attached to the ring member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventor: Haruki HIRANUMA
  • Publication number: 20120201104
    Abstract: A wrist belt or bracelet having a timepiece function, comprises an annular plastic material body within which a flexible material strip which carries display means, an electronic control unit and an electrical power supply battery, is embedded. The display means and the electronic control unit are provided for displaying the time through numbers or symbols which are lighted along the abovementioned strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventor: Massimo AMENDUNI GRESELE
  • Publication number: 20120147714
    Abstract: A clock configured to display time as a cumulative sum of time display areas of various shapes arranged in various arrangements. The clock is also configured to display complete and fractional hours in any single display area capable of being activated in a random order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventor: Yaron Chaut
  • Publication number: 20120113766
    Abstract: A visual display and device and method for producing the display may indicate the time or other data in a bold, elegant, intuitive, and stylistic manner that is easily legible despite obscured vision, viewing distances, or the user's inattentiveness. A minimalistic display may include a shape such as a geometric shape that presents the time by connecting the distal ends of the hour and minute indicators with a possibly time-varying curve. This curve aids in the interpretation of the time. Another embodiment of the invention displays, using a polar coordinate system, two physical parameters on single similar display in an aesthetically-pleasing, elegant, and intuitive method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventor: John R. COMEAU
  • Publication number: 20110158057
    Abstract: A smaller sized flip dot display utilizes a magnetically actuated segment that rotates between two orientations. The orientations display two different optical states. There are disclosed various designs implementing magnetic actuators in conjunction with one or more of microcontrollers, capacitors, balanced flippers, sequentially driven flippers and other features to reduce power consumption of small mobile devices such as watches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventors: Donald R. Brewer, Andrew M. Wright, David B. Cope
  • Patent number: 7859947
    Abstract: A system for distributing and information processing watch information contents D1 concerning a variety of clocks, the system comprising: an information distribution device 19 that distributes watch information contents D1 concerning a variety of clocks, the contents being created in advance, as data to an information user's hand held terminal device #i (i=1 to n); and a plurality of hand held terminal devices #i that acquires and processes watch information contents D1 distributed as data by this information distribution device 19, wherein a software watch based on the watch information contents D1 is displayed as a video image, and a time is clocked at the hand held terminal device #i. In this manner, a plurality of software watches with different designs can be configured, and time display of these software watches can be automatically corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Kawai
  • Patent number: 7843769
    Abstract: An information processing device includes: timing means for performing a timing action thereby to output time information indicating the result of the timing action; unit time outputting means for converting the time, as indicated by the time information outputted from the timing means, into individual unit times, as expressed by using a plurality of time units individually, thereby to output the plural unit times individually; unit-by-unit contents decision means for individually deciding the unit presentation contents of an object to be presented to a user, individually for the plural time units, on the basis of such one of the plural unit times outputted from the unit time outputting means as is expressed by a target time unit; general contents decision means for deciding the general presentation contents of the object at the time which is indicated by the time information outputted from the timing means, on the basis of the unit presentation contents for every the time units decided by the unit-by-unit co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Ishida, Masafumi Hatanaka, Eiji Kawai, Eriko Takeo, Toshitake Mashiko
  • Publication number: 20100277081
    Abstract: A clock brightness control circuit includes at least a photosensitive element connected with a current limiting element and a current regulating element. The current limiting element and the current regulating element are connected with a light-emitting element of a clock, and adjust a current flowing through the light-emitting element under control of the photosensitive element in response to ambient light illumination. The clock brightness control circuit can adjust the brightness of the clock upon a change of the ambient light illumination when the circuit is applied in the clock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: SHENZHEN GREAT POWER ENTERPRISE CO., LIMITED
    Inventor: QIXIANG FENG
  • Publication number: 20100226212
    Abstract: Alarm clocks, such as alarm clock radios, comprising a video screen wherein at a preset time, the display screen displays a video and broadcasts audio. If a user does not input a required input within a certain time after the alarm mode has started, the video and audio change to a video and audio which are less tranquil. One alarm mode is initiated with waves lapping on a tranquil seashore during a sunny morning. After a while, the video and audio transition to a violent storm with dark clouds, rain, lightening, thunder and large waves crashing onto the shore. Other themes include a couple walking in a park, a couple dancing, and a busy city scene. A “silence alarm” feature requires a user to input correct information based on the display in response to a visual query, in order to stop or change the alarm mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventor: Kash Gobindram
  • Publication number: 20100214883
    Abstract: My invention is a new way to use a cathode ray tube, as used in oscilloscopes. My electronic circuit design controls the crt so that a clock face is displayed on the crt's screen, showing the time like a clock. It is meant to be a novelty item, and it is built inside a clear acrylic case, to enhance the novelty by displaying the construction inside and the electronic circuitry, as well as the cathode ray tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventor: Howard Uhler Constantine, IV
  • Patent number: 7738320
    Abstract: A method for displaying temporal data on a portable device is presented. The method includes converting the temporal data to clock coordinates to generate a clock data set. In addition, the method includes presenting a clock plot representative of the clock data set on a dial of a clock. Systems and computer-readable medium that afford functionality of the type defined by this method are also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventor: Basel Hasan Taha
  • Publication number: 20100061195
    Abstract: An electrophoretic display device has at least a laminate including a transparent substrate, a transparent electrode layer, an electrophoretic display layer, a drive electrode layer having drive electrodes for driving the electrophoretic display layer, and a back substrate laminated sequentially from the display surface side, and a protective sheet that covers and seals the laminate from both sides. The transparent electrode layer is formed as a common electrode to the electrophoretic display layer. A through-hole unit is formed passing through the thickness of the laminate. An inside ring member that has substantially the same thickness as the laminate is disposed substantially flush to both sides of the laminate with a specific seal width sealing the inside circumference edge of a first through-hole formed at a specific position through the thickness of the laminate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hatsuki Kanbayashi
  • Publication number: 20090268566
    Abstract: [Problem] An instrument display board is provided which does not need troublesome work for preparing plural plate members, can adopt a great variety of designs, can present a stereoscopic feeling and a high-class feeling, brings about unprecedented color tone variation, metallic texture, brilliancy in the light, etc., is very excellent in high-class feeling and design variation, has excellent appearance quality and therefore can enhance merchantability. A process for producing the instrument display board is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicants: CITIZEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., YAMAMOTO MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hiroe, Katsuyuki Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Ikebuchi, Taijiro Ito
  • Publication number: 20090154297
    Abstract: A time display system, method and device, particularly well-suited to mobile phones and other portable or wearable electronics, allows a user to change the way information is displayed by simply changing the physical orientation of the TDD. Various sensor-, position- or orientation-related devices suitable to be applied include compass, digital level/plumb, gyroscope-based orientation sensor, GPS receiver and others. TDD appearance is user-customizable via Internet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventor: Shelton E. Harrison, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090135680
    Abstract: In various implementations, a personal article or a portion thereof may be able to change colors. The personal article may transmit a first range of wavelengths of light and upon activation transmit a second range of wavelengths of light different from the first range of wavelengths of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: Fossil, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Rosales