Abstract:
A multi-functional timepiece with multicolor time display is a watch or free-standing clock in which the current time is determined by the use of a series of colored lights around the face of the watch. The face has the current layout associated with conventional watches, with the number 12 on top and numbers 1-11 evenly spaced around the perimeter. However, in lieu of hour hands, minute hands and second hands, the invention uses a series light to indicate the time. A group of red lights indicate the hour, a series of yellow lights indicate the minutes, and a series of green lights indicates the seconds. The light is transmitted from a central source via fiber optic tubes. Other functions such as day and date indications are provided in the conventional manner.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in Disclosure Document Registration 512,397 filed on May 30, 2002 under 35 U.S.C. §122 and 37 C.F.R. §1.14. There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to time indicating devices, and more particularly a multi-functional time indicating device having a multi-colored display transmitted through fiber optic communication. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There are a multitude of timepieces, especially wrist watches or free-standing clocks, displaying the time in analog or digital format. Other timepieces illustrate time change via non-numerical means, such as the expanding pie chart in U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,698. Beyond the functional aspects of such wrist watches, the varying styles offer trendy alternatives to the traditional appearances society has grown accustomed to. As such, new styles and formats of timepieces are a necessary ingredient in influencing the timepiece industry. 
     A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,841, issued in the name of Bradt, discloses an educational toy clock having a plurality of discs of varying colors and numbers; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,698, all issued in the name of Graves, discloses a time indication device illuminated to indicate the hour and minute, wherein the hour is in Arabic or Roman numerals and the minute is displayed as an expanding pie chart; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,013, issued in the name of Bik, discloses a microelectronic apparatus having a color changing display to indicate time; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,731, issued in the name of Massaro, discloses an analog timepiece for children having an inner ring of hour numerals, an outer ring of minute numerals, and at least one transparent hand; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,615, issued in the name of Havel, discloses a timekeeping device that measures time and provides a variable color coordinated display for exhibiting analog translation of measured time; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,876, issued in the name of Delatorre, discloses an apparatus for altering the color characteristic of a thermoplastic film due to ambient environmental temperature change; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,356,929, issued in the name of Lewers, discloses an educational clock having removable blocks for teaching a child how to tell time in both Roman and Arabic numerals; and 
     U.S. Pat. No. D 419,600, issued in the name of Marasca, discloses a design for a teaching timepiece having an hour hand, a longer minute hand, hour and minute hashes along the facial perimeter, hour numerals along the inside of the hashes, minutes numerals along the outside of the hashes and a digital display of the time. 
     Accordingly, there is a continual need for new and innovative features and improvements that will serve to enhance the timepiece industry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved timepiece apparatus having a multi-functional capacity and a multicolored display. 
     It is a feature of the present invention to provide a fashionable clothing accessory. 
     Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a multi-functional timepiece with multicolor time display is a watch or free-standing clock in which the current time is determined by the use of a series of colored lights around the face of the watch. The face has the current layout associated with conventional watches, with the number  12  on top and numbers  1 - 11  evenly spaced around the perimeter. However, in lieu of hour hands, minute hands and second hands, the invention uses a series light to indicate the time. A group of red lights indicate the hour, a series of yellow lights indicate the minutes, and a series of green lights indicates the seconds. The light is transmitted from a central source via fiber optic tubes. Other functions such as day and date indications are provided in the conventional manner. The use of the multi-functional watch with multicolor display will serve as a fashion statement that complements any look as well as being a conversation starter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-functional, multicolored timepiece; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the face of the timepiece shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the illumination of numerals and hashes; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a fiber optic end and a domed illumination cover, taken along the line III—III of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of an alternative embodiment, herein depicted as a desk clock, and having similar facial features to the wrist watch depicted in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 a  is a front view of a timepiece, indicating the time as 3:00; 
     FIG. 5 b  is a front view of a timepiece, indicating the time as 3:12:45; 
     FIG. 5 c  is a front view of a timepiece, indicating the time as 3:47:14; 
     FIG. 6 is a electrical schematic block diagram illustrating the electrical circuitry necessary to power the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a front view of an alternative embodiment, wherein the illumination cover for the minutes and seconds is divided into halves, thereby allowing for a dual diode illumination system in which the minutes and seconds are independently illuminated; 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of another alternative embodiment, depicting a cumulative illumination trail wherein the previous minutes and seconds remain lit; 
     FIG. 9 is a front view of another alternative embodiment, depicting the illumination cover as divided into thirds and with the hour numeral missing, thereby allowing for a triple diode illumination system in which the hours, minutes and seconds are independently illuminated; and 
     FIG. 10 is a front view of another alternative embodiment, depicting a cumulative illumination trail, as depicted in FIG. 8, but incorporated into the embodiment of FIG. 9, in which the hour numeral is absent. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
       10  time indicating device 
       15  watch body 
       20  strap 
       25  fastening means 
       30  watch face 
       35  hour indicia 
       40  fiber optic cable ends 
       43  transparent illumination cover 
       45  current hour number 
       50  current minute number 
       55  current second number 
       60  current day/date display 
       65  first time setting means 
       70  second time setting means 
       75  clock body 
       80  movement direction arrow 
       85  battery 
       90  main controller 
       95  crystal oscillator 
       100  frequency dividing network 
       105  first output 
       110  lamp driver module 
       115  tri-color light emitting diodes 
       120  second output 
       125  day/date controller 
       130  day/date display 
       135  fiber optic cable segment 
       150  minutes half 
       155  seconds half 
       160  hour third 
       165  minutes third 
       170  seconds third 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within the FIGS. 1-10. 
     1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
     Referring now to FIG.  1  through FIG. 3, a time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10  is disclosed, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses an electronic timepiece. A watch body  15 , complete with a strap  20  and a fastening means  25 , such as a snap fastener, a clasp or buckle, as would be found on a conventional watch is indicated. A watch face  30  complete with hour indicia  35 , as arranged in a circular pattern as would be found on a conventional watch, is supplied on the upper portion of the watch body  15 . A series of fiber optic cable ends  40  is located around the perimeter of the watch face  30  in a circular pattern as shown. The fiber optic cable ends  40  sets adjacent to a transparent illumination cover  43 , which may be glass or plastic, and depicted here as having a domed-shape, although it is envisioned that the illumination cover  43  may have other geometrical shapes. The total number of fiber optic cable ends  40  is to be sixty, corresponding to the number of seconds in a minute or the number of minutes in an hour. A current hour number  45 , corresponding to the actual hour of the actual time, is supplied in an illuminated manner as shown. The color of the illumination is RED. The current hour number  45 , in the case of this FIG. is indicated as the seventh hour is illuminated for illustrative purposes, but could also equally be any of the other eleven hour indicia  35 . The illumination method of the current hour number  45  is a tri-colored light emitting diode  115 , which will be described in greater detail herein below. As the current hour number  45  is illuminated in RED, a current minute number  50  is illuminated in YELLOW. In the case of this FIG., the current minute number  50  as a time of approximately eighteen (18) minutes past the hour. This current minute number  50  will advance in a clockwise rotational manner as customarily expected. In the case where the current hour number  45  and the current minute number  50  are the same numerical value, it is envisioned that the corresponding fiber optic cable ends  40  will flash RED and YELLOW in an alternating manner. Lastly, a current second number  55  is illuminated GREEN. In the case of this FIG., the current second number  55  indicates a time of approximately twenty-two (22) seconds into the current minute. The current second number  55  will advance in a clockwise rotational manner as customarily expected. In the case where the current hour number  45  and the current second number  55  are the same numerical value, it is envisioned that the corresponding fiber optic cable ends  40  will flash RED and GREEN in an alternating manner. In the case where the current minute number  50  and the current second number  55  are the same numerical value, it is envisioned that the corresponding fiber optic cable ends  40  will flash YELLOW and GREEN in an alternating manner. In the case where the current hour number  45 , the current minute number  50 , and the current second number  55  are the same numerical value, as will occur once an hour, the corresponding fiber optic cable ends  40  will flash RED, YELLOW, and GREEN in an alternating manner. Also, a current day/date display  60  is located in the center of the watch face  30 . The current day/date display  60  is envisioned to be of the liquid crystal display (LCD) variety, however, those familiar in the art realize that other methods such as a mechanical readout, Light Emitting Diodes (LED), Thin Film Transistor, Plasma, and other display methods would work equally well, and as such, should not be interpreted as a limiting factor of the present invention. Finally, shown in FIG. 1, is a first time setting means  65  and a second time setting means  70 , which are envisioned to be switches. Both the first time setting means  65  and the second time setting means  70  would be utilized in the initial setting of the current time on the time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10 . It is envisioned that the first time setting means  65  would either select the hour, the minute, the second, the day/date or reset in a rotational pattern and the second time setting means  70  would be used to advance either the respective hour, minute, second, or day/date in a manner found similar to that used when setting a conventional watch. 
     Referring next to FIG. 4, an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a clock incorporating the technology and time telling method of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment the watch face  30  is shown mounted to a clock body  75 . For purposes of illustration, the clock body  75  is shown as a mantle clock, but any type of stationary clock, such as a table clock, a wall clock, a grandfather clock, or the like could be equipped with the time telling characteristics of the time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10  as described in FIG.  1 . The current hour number  45  in this FIG. is shown as the numeral “10”. The current minute number  50  in this FIG. is shown as the numeral “22”. The current second number  55  in this FIG. is shown as the numeral “11”. Thus, the corresponding time indicated is 10:22:11. The feature of illumination of the current hour number  45 , the current minute number  50  and the current second number  55  with RED, YELLOW and GREEN colors respectively is viewed as being especially advantageous in this embodiment due to its ability of being able to tell the time in low or no-light situations, due to the fact that most common stationary clocks with mechanical movements are not illuminated. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5 a , to indicate 3:00:00, the fiber optic cable ends  40  nearest the hour indicia  35  of the numeral “3” is illuminated in an alternating RED, YELLOW, and GREEN arrangement. 
     Referring next to FIG. 5 b , a time 12 minutes and 45 seconds after the time disclosed in FIG. 5 a  is depicted. The fiber optic cable ends  40  nearest the hour indicia  35  of the numeral “3” is illumined in a RED arrangement. The fiber optic cable ends  40  at a point ⅖ of the way between the hour indicia  35  of the numerals “2” and “3”, and labeled as  50 , is illuminated in a YELLOW arrangement. Finally, the fiber optic cable ends  40  nearest the hour indicia  35  of the numeral “9” is illuminated in a GREEN arrangement, and labeled as  55 . The various illuminated arrangements move in a rotational pattern as time passes as indicated by a movement direction arrow  80 , as expected of a conventional watch or clock. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5 c , a time 47 minutes and 14 seconds after the time disclosed in FIG. 5 a  is depicted. The fiber optic cable ends  40  nearest the hour indicia  35  of the numeral “3” is illumined in a RED arrangement. The fiber optic cable ends  40  at a point ⅖ of the way between the hour indicia  35  of the numerals “9” and “10” is illuminated in a YELLOW arrangement. Finally, the fiber optic cable ends  40  at a point ⅘ of the way between the hour indicia  35  of the numerals “2” and “3” is illuminated in a GREEN arrangement. 
     Referring finally to FIG. 6, an electrical schematic block diagram depicting the circuitry associated with the time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10  is disclosed. Electrical power for the time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10  is provided by a battery  85 . Power is routed to a main controller  90  which provides the main controlling function of the time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10 . The operation and configuration of the main controller  90  is well known in the art, and is not expanded here for purposes of clarity. Power is also routed to a combination of a crystal oscillator  95  and a frequency dividing network  100  which provides the time keeping function. The crystal oscillator  95  oscillates at a high frequency rate in a continuous manner at a very steady state. The frequency dividing network  100  serves to divide or count the frequency pulses at a rate to allow the main controller  90  to provide for the advancement of minutes and hours. The operation of the crystal oscillator  95  and the frequency dividing network  100  is well known in the art, and is not expanded here for purposes of clarity. Additionally, the first time setting means  65  and the second time setting means  70  allow for the setting of the current time in the manner aforementioned described in FIG. 1. A first output  105  from the main controller  90  drives a lamp driver module  110 . It is envisioned that the lamp driver module  110  would be a binary coded decimal (BCD) to decimal driver. The output drives a plurality of tri-color light emitting diodes  115 , envisioned to be a total quantity of sixty (60) of which only a portion are represented here for the sake of clarity. Each tri-color light emitting diode  115  is shown as three anode/cathode combinations in single die, such that energization of each discrete set will result in light of a specific wavelength being emitted. However it should be noted that tri-color light emitting diodes  115  of three or even two wire packages are possible. By the application of reverse polarity, a single LED can generate red and green colors, and the application of an alternating current will result in a yellow color. A second output  120  from the main controller  90  drives a day/date controller  125  which activates various display segments in a day/date display  130  for the display of the respective day and/or date. Finally, a plurality of fiber optic cable segment  135 , envisioned to be a total quantity of sixty (60), of which only a portion are represented here for the sake of clarity, and are shown with their respective fiber optic cable ends  40 . The fiber optic cable segment  135  allows for the routing of the light rays from the tri-color light emitting diodes  115  to the watch face  30  (as shown in FIG. 1) without regard to physical spacing or location between the two. While the above description of the electrical circuit is primarily direct at the preferred embodiment configuration of the watch as shown in FIG.  1 . Minor changes well known in the art allow for similar circuitry to control the time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10  as provided with the alternate embodiment as depicted in FIG.  4 . These changes include electrical power from house current and a power supply in lieu of batteries, a frequency-based time keeping regulator in lieu of a crystal-based controller, and mechanically based or other electrically based methods of illuminating devices and/or surfaces as earlier described. Furthermore, the display format may be changed from a steady, non-blinking format to an intermittent flashing, or blinking, format, via the selection buttons  65  or  70 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown. The current hour number  45  is shown and is illuminated in the same manner as depicted in FIG.  2  and described above. The current minute number  50  and the current second number  55  are shown as having a dual diode system in which the illumination cover  43  has two halves, a minutes half  150  and a seconds half  155 . The time of 12:05:10 is shown in FIG. 7, wherein the numeral “12” is lit, the minutes half  150  depicts “5 minutes passed the hour,” and the seconds half  155  depicts “10 seconds passed the minute.” Alternately, instead of the previous minutes half  150  or seconds half  155  becoming unlit after that time has passed, the previous minutes and seconds halves  150  and  155 , respectively, may remain lit and display the minutes and seconds as a cumulative lighting trail as depicted in FIG.  8 . FIG. 8 displays the same time as FIG. 7 (12:05:10), but has the cumulative lighting trail indicating the past minutes and seconds as well as the current minute and second. 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, another alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown. In FIG. 9, the hour numerals  45  have been replaced by a larger illumination cover  43  divided into thirds; an hour third  160 , a minutes third  165 , and a seconds third  170 . The intervening illumination covers  43 , indicating the minutes and seconds, remain as described in FIG.  7  and FIG.  8 . Thus, if the hour is “12”, then the hour third  160  is illuminated and remains illuminated until that hour expires. FIG. 9 depicts the time as in FIG.  7  and FIG. 8 (12:05:10), wherein the hour third  160  is illuminated at the “12 hour” position, the minutes third  165  illuminated at the “5 minute” position, and the seconds third  170  is illuminated at the “10 second” position found on the wrist watch displays described above. Alternately, FIG. 10 depicts the cumulative lighting trail as previously described in FIG. 8, absent the hour numeral  45 . 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration will be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
     The present invention is designed with ease of operation features in mind that allow it to be set and utilized by a common individual with little or no training, and operated in a transparent and intuitive manner with respect to conventional time keeping pieces. 
     To use the present invention, the user would set the correct time on the time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10  using the appropriate first time setting means  65  or the second time setting means  70  to illuminate the proper current hour number  45 , the proper current minute number  50  and the proper current second number  55  along with the proper day and date on the current day/date display  60 . At this point the time indicating device with a multi-colored fiber optic display  10  is ready to be utilized to indicate the correct time to any individual wearing or viewing the illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10 . 
     To determine the correct time, the user finds the current hour number  45  nearest the fiber optic cable ends  40  with the RED color. Next the current minute number  50  is determined by locating the nearest fiber optic cable ends  40  with the YELLOW color. Finally, the current second number  55  is determined by locating the nearest current day/date display  60  with the GREEN color. This allows for the determination of the current time as depicted in the examples in FIGS. 5 a ,  5   b , and  5   c . Operation of the various three colors is identical to that found when determining time on a conventional time piece with three hands. 
     The foregoing description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.