GB2422211A - Timepiece with electronic ink display elements - Google Patents

Abstract

A timepiece, such as a wristwatch or clock, has flexible, black and white or colour high definition electronic ink display elements incorporated into the dial 1, casing and/or wrist strap. The information contained in the display elements, such as the visual appearance of the dial 1, hands 2, character font 3, colour, pictures and graphical decorations 4, can be changed by selecting functions using multifunction buttons 6 and a scrollable menu generated by software/firmware stored in an additional pre-programmed microprocessor (10, fig 2) and non-volatile memory (12, fig 2). The microprocessor and associated circuitry may be interfaced with the normal electronics of the timepiece and is capable of processing all time signals to display the time, date and any selected visual attributes. The display elements will retain the last displayed image or information even when the energising electric field has been removed, allowing the timepiece to enter a sleep mode until the display has to be updated, thereby saving battery power. A light sensing device (19, fig 4) may be enabled via the menus to allow automatic visual changes without interfering with the actual time and date. A retailer interface allows for program updates using appropriate equipment.

Description

CLOCKS, WATCHES AND OTHER TIME PIECES This invention relates to the dials,

hands, characters, colours, straps and decorations of electronic/electrical mechanical clocks, watches and general analogue /digital time pieces.

Normally a watch or clock is manufactured with a certain dial back ground, case shape, colour, character style and decorations.

Some watch manufacturers offer limited fashionable fixed electrolumjnescent pictures or loose clip on colour rim/covers, some times with a matching wrist straps which all have to be bought, stored and fitted separately.

The present invention allows a user to change one or more of the mentioned features on clocks and watches at any time or automatically.

The following embodiment describes the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The clocks and watches are referred to as timepieces in the following description here after, the drawings are not to scale and only in diagrammatically form.

Existing technologies, battery, crystal and other support components are not shown.

Fig I Shows the various attributes of a timepiece that can be controlled by the user.

Fig 2 Shows a very basic diagram of the electronics involved for different timepieces Fig 3 Shows a time piece with the colour and graphics changing wrist strap principle.

Fig 4 Shows a user selectable automatic light sensitive attribute changing device.

Fig 5 Shows a possible additional retailer software/firmware access interface.

The shape of a time piece is immaterial and only restricted to the manufacture and design limits.

The following description of the invention can be used to be additional to existing manufacturing technology of conventional electronic, electromechanical or mechanical timepiece visual attributes, in other words the function circuitry described herein can work separately or be interfaced to the existing time keeper circuitry if required.

A high resolution near print quality black and white or colour electronic ink display with the ability to retain information and graphical detail, even if the power is switched off, is used.

Fig I shows a timepiece with a dial I manufactuçed from a high resolution black on white or colour near print quality electronic ir& display, manufactured in such a way that, apart from being able to show the time, the type of hands 2, characters style 3, the dial I colours, graphical decorations 4 and seconds display 5, can be changed by the user under the control of a factory pre-programmed programmable microprocessor via one or more user multi-functional control buttons 6.

The user can change the options by using the multi-function control buttons 6 to scroll through a simple menu 8 Fig 2, and select the desired options.

The multi-function buttons 6 operate singularly, together or with different hold down time periods or any combination thereof.

More elaborate timepieces can including analogue and/or digital and event read outs if they are catered for in the software/hardware, all at a push of the user buttons 6.

In fig 2 after the user has made the desired selections via the buttons 6, the displayed areas 9 are switched off thus requiring no power without loosing any information or detail, further more the small pre-programmed microprocessor 10 goes into a sleep mode until the next event, apart from the internal clock, saving even more battery power.

If the above user selection system is additional to the normal timepiece workings e,g a mechanical clock for instants, the next event will be when a user selected change or an automatic change occurs as described herein.

If the original present technology timepiece electronics are used 11, all the time and date signals go to the additional function programmable microprocessor 10 to be processed arid displayed regardless which user function has been selected and here too the seconds display change will be the next event and the micro-processor 10 goes into a sleep and wake mode after every seconds display update, for instance, fifty microseconds on and nine hundred and fifty microseconds off, thus off for most of the time saving battery power.

It will be very unlikely, but not restricted to, that the present electronic technology 11 would be replaced by the micro-processor 10 due to the time accuracy requirement, this makes it also much easier for the rest of the user selectable circuitry design and software/firmware program 8 as time accuracy is of no importance.

Additional NV ram 12, controlled by the programmable microprocessor 1 0, can be added to store more complex programmes.

As a change occurs every second to move the seconds hand/barS, Fig 1, the interface 13 and the actual display 9 could be split into two separate seamless circuits, one for seconds display control only and the other one for all other functions but still controlled by one microprocessor 10.

This will save further battery power as the bulk of the display is most of the time switched off until the minutes/hours change or there is a user selection after which power is switched off again.

An other option would be to use two of the mentioned micro-processor 10 working together, one for the seconds display and the other one for all the other functions, however, this takes more power and more space.

In Fig 3 it shows that a timepiece, such as a wristwatch, can also have a colour/pattern changing areas 15 of the wrist strap 16 because the display 9 is very thin and flexible, it is preferably that the timepiece is manufactured as one piece so that no further connections 17 are required.

In Fig 4 shows that by including a small light sensing device 19, fitted in a suitable position on the timepiece, a signal can be send to the microprocessor 10, Fig 2, under the program control, to change automatically some or all of the mentioned functions at different light levels, providing the user has selected this option.

This function applies to all types of timepieces.

In Fig 5 it shows that it would also be possible to change or enhance any of the attributes locally by manufacturing an interface 20 into the timepiece so that a retailer with the correct equipment (not shown) can access and reprogram all or part of the user attribute controlling firmware/software 8 without being able to interfere with the actual time and date controlling part of the program in the case of an electronic timepiece.

Claims (9)

1 Manufacturing fashionable timepieces such as clocks and watches capable of changing their dial and / or housing colour, hands shape, numeric font type and overall layout format, wrist strap colour and all graphical decorations by using a black on white or colour high resolution near print quality electronic inI display, interface(s) and pre-progranimable microprocessor(s) allowing a user, at will or automatically, to select one or more of the mentioned features with the use of one or more user multi-function selection buttons and a scroll through menu held in the firmware/software stored in the said processor(s) or additional extra nonvolatile ram, depending on the complexities of the said timepiece requirements and of which the fore mentioned display(s) is capable of retaining the last displayed information, graphical layout and detail even if the power is switched off, and whereby the said programmable microprocessor, associated circuitry, display(s), interface(s) and said software and/or firmware are additional to the present manufacturing techniques of mechanical, electro-mechanjcaj and electronic timepieces, and in the case of the herein described additional circuitry capable of using and interpreting signals via the programmable microprocessor from the present known technology electronics, to display the time, date and other functions on the said electronic inl display(s).

2 A timepiece, as claimed in 1, containing a programmable microprocessor(s) , and extra non-volatile memory where necessary, as mentioned, with factory pre- programmed firmware/software programmes before or during the timepiece manufacturing and is after programming able to control all or some of the mentioned functions, in the case of electronic timepieces all functions and in the case of electro- mechanical timepieces some of the mentioned functions.

3 All or some of the mentioned functions as claimed in 1 and 2 selectable at will by the user and under the control of the programmable micro processor acting on the program instructions and user selection switches.

4 A timepiece as claimed in 1,2 and 3, whereby colour and graphical detail in areas of the wrist strap can be user changed by incorporating a flexible version of the for mentioned display providing that such a timepiece and wrist strap are preferably, but not necessarily, manufactured as on piece thereby avoiding extra electronic connections.

A possible timepiece as claimed in 1,2,3 and 4, manufactured, if required, with two separate displays, looking as one seamless display, and two separate interfaces, one for updating the seconds bars/dots every second and one for larger part of the display with all the other functions mentioned herein, including a possible graphical wrist strap and controlled by preferably but not necessarily one microprocessor thus saving battery power.

6 To save further battery power the software/firmware, as claimed in 1, 2 and 5, forces the micro processor(s) to go into a sleep mode after each event until woken for a seconds display update, for a minute and hour update or by user selection update after which one or both displays are switched off and the said micro processor(s) returns to the sleep mode until the next event.

7 A timepiece, as claimed in 1,2, and 4, fitted with a small light sensing device to send varying surrounding light level signals to the said micro processor and software/firmware in order to change, without interfering with the time displayed, some or all of the fore mentioned functions automatically providing this selection was made from the said scroll through menu by the user.

8 A time piece, and in particularly, but not restricted to, an electronic timepiece, as claimed in 1 and 2, manufactured with an interface so that a retailer can upgrade or change all or part of the said visual attributes software/firmware by using appropriate equipment for performing such a task without interfering with the time or date.

9 A timepiece as claimed in I to 8 and 9, manufactured as substantionally described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.