Balanced chronograph digital time display

A digital display arrangement is provided for balanced general timekeeping having centrally-positioned hour digits and two sets of smaller, equal-sized minute digits flanking the hour digits for trailing and leading readout, with hockey stick-shaped display elements positioned below the minute digits and oriented to give graphic symbols of minutes increasing past the present hour and minutes decreasing toward the next hour, respectively. Means are provided for blanking the hour digits and simultaneously energizing a chronograph time display which, because of resulting large spaces uniquely seen only between the chronograph digits, presents substantial visual contrast from, and minimum potential for ambiguity or confusion with, the general timekeeping mode.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to the use of digital time displays for general and 
chronograph timekeeping. In the present application, "general timekeeping" 
refers to the general timekeeping needs and practices of ordinary 
individuals occupied with their usual activities on a day-to-day basis. 
"Chronograph time-keeping" refers to specialized time monitoring 
procedures such as stop watch, split time, lap time and count down 
sequences used in games, sporting events, etc. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Digital timepieces have grown in popularity and have been estimated 
recently to account for nearly one-quarter of world timepiece sales. It is 
believed that many consumers purchasing such products desire not only the 
usual general timekeeping function but also various other timing modes 
such as chronographs, alarms, multiple time zones, calendars, and so on. 
Digital timepieces, therefore, have grown in complexity to attract or 
satisfy this perceived consumer demand. 
With increasing complexity several problems have arisen which have 
detracted from the utility and convenience of digital timepieces. One 
problem arises from the fact that all such timepieces known to the 
applicant which provide both general and chronograph timekeeping functions 
do so with little or no visual contrast between these respective modes. 
Invariably, the same digits and positions as used for general timekeeping 
are also displayed when performing the chronograph functions. This tends 
to create uncertainty or confusion in the user's understanding of what is 
being displayed. 
Attempts have been made to avoid such problems by providing abbreviations, 
fractions or other symbols in areas bordering the digital display in order 
to designate the various time units being displayed during respective 
timing modes. Such representations, however, are usually permanently 
inscribed on solid surfaces surrounding the digital display and remain in 
view at all times regardless of which timing mode is in use, thereby 
adding only further clutter and confusion. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Copending application Ser. No. 53,402, filed Jun. 29, 1979, discloses 
balanced digital display systems and methods for use in general 
timekeeping. In general, minute digits trail a display of the present hour 
and increase in value during an initial portion, such as the first half, 
of the hour. Thereafter and before the commencement of the next hour, the 
hour digit advances to the next hour and minute digits decrease in value 
in a leading readout position for the remainder of the hour. An optional 
display of seconds cycles up and down between values 0 and 30 during the 
period of each minute. The disclosure of application Ser. No. 53,402 is 
incorporated herein by reference as background to the present invention 
which adapts a balanced display for use also as a chronograph, without the 
above-noted problems of the prior art. 
More particularly, the present invention provides a balanced digital 
display having centrally positioned hour digits, with smaller, equal-sized 
minute digits flanking the hour digits for readout in trailing and leading 
positions during the first and second halves of each hour. The minute 
digits are underscored with display elements oriented to provide hockey 
stick-shaped lines which function as graphic symbols of minutes increasing 
past the present hour during the first half hour, and minutes decreasing 
toward the next hour during the second half hour. 
Means are provided for switching the general timekeeping display to a 
chronograph display. Such switching blanks the large central hour digits 
and the hockey stick lines, and simultaneously energizes both sets of 
minute digits for use as chronograph digits. This switching causes the 
chronograph digits to be separated by large spaces which are uniquely seen 
only in the chronograph mode and which are in substantial contrast from 
the digit spacings seen in the general timekeeping mode. This provides a 
clear visual distinction between the two modes, so that a brief glance is 
sufficient for the viewer to understand which mode is on display without 
uncertainty or confusion. 
Other features and advantages of the invention will be evident from the 
subsequent detailed description taken in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a display background 10 shaped 
into three visually distinct zones. There is a top zone 12 generally 
shaped as a horizontally-oriented rectangle of relatively narrow width and 
height. In it are contained vertically-aligned, three-letter abbreviations 
of the days of the week, arranged in "SUN" to "SAT" left-to-right order. 
These abbreviations, as well as all of the remaining elements shown in the 
entire background 10, are constituted of electrically energizable elements 
such as light emitting diodes, liquid crystals, or the like. Each set of 
the day abbreviations in zone 12 may be energized selectively to display 
each day of the week individually while the others remain blank. 
To the right of "SAT" in zone 12 is a vertically-oriented "HR" abbreviation 
for hours. To the right of "HR" is a pair of conventional 7-element arrays 
of display elements 14a, 14b. Each such array may be selectively energized 
to display digits of values 0 to 9, so that the pair has the capability of 
displaying single or double digits up to a maximum of 99. 
Below zone 12 is a middle zone 16, also generally rectangular in shape and 
horizontally oriented, but substantially wider and taller than zone 12. 
Centrally positioned in zone 16 is a vertical line element 18 and an 
adjacent 7-element array 20 which together may be selectively energized to 
display hour digits of values 1 to 12. Within array 20 are two vertically 
aligned dot-shaped elements 22 which may be energized simultaneously to 
display a colon. 
To the right of array 20 is a pair of 7-element arrays 24a, 24b, of smaller 
overall size than array 20. The array pair 24a, 24b may be selectively 
energized to display increasing values of minutes in a readout position 
which trails the hour display 18, 20. 
Below the array pair 24a, 24b is an energizable element 26 having a shape 
similar to a hockey stick, with a short segment 26a analogous to the blade 
portion and a longer segment 26b analogous to the handle portion. Below 
the hockey stick element 26 is the abbreviation "SEC" for seconds, 
centered in relation to the bottom width of the array pair 24a, 24b. 
To the left of the hour digit elements 18, 20 is another pair of 7-element 
arrays 28a, 28b, equal in overall size to the array pair 24a, 24b. The 
array pair 28a, 28b, may be selectively energized to display decreasing 
values of minutes in a readout position which leads the hour display 18, 
20. 
Below array pair 28a, 28b is another hockey stick-shaped element 30, 
identical to element 26 but oriented in a reverse position. Specifically 
element 26, viewing it from left to right, has its short segment 26a 
sloping up and away from the hour display 18, 20 and then continuing into 
its longer horizontal segment 26b. Conversely, element 30 first shows its 
long horizontal segment 30b extending from left to right and then 
continuing into its short segment 30a which slopes down and toward the 
hour display 18, 20. Below the hockey stick element 30 is the abbreviation 
"MIN" for minutes, again centered in relation to the bottom width of the 
array pair 28a, 28b. 
Below zone 16 is a generally square-shaped zone 32 which is substantially 
smaller in size than zones 12 and 16, and which is centered in relation to 
the bottom width of the hour display 18, 20. Zone 32 contains a pair of 
7-element arrays 34a, 34b which are of smallest overall size compared to 
the other similar arrays 20, 24a, 24b, and 28a, 28b. The array pair 34a, 
34b may be selectively energized to display values of seconds ranging 
between 0 and 30. A dot-shaped element 36 is included between arrays 34a, 
34b and may be energized to display a decimal point before all digits 
displayed by array 34b. 
Background 10 is defined by the perimeter line enclosing the 
above-described zones 12, 16 and 32. In addition to the distinctions in 
size and shape between these respective zones, zone 12 is preferably 
further separated from zone 16 by a horizontal line 38 which extends 
between the junctions 40 of these zones. The remaining surrounding area 42 
and the outermost border line 44 are representative, for example, of the 
solid surface of a digital timepiece within which the display background 
10 and its elements are located. 
Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated energization of FIG. 1 in a 
representative first half hour display of balanced general timekeeping. As 
described in the copending application Ser. No. 53,402, minutes are 
increasing from 00 to 30 during the first half hour in a trailing readout 
position relative to the displayed present hour, and seconds are cycling 
up and down between 0 and 30 during each minute. Therefore, the specific 
time displayed in FIG. 2 is fourteen minutes past the eighth hour, with 
five seconds of that minute either having elapsed or remaining depending 
on whether seconds are progressing up or down. 
The fact that the FIG. 2 display is in the first half hour of balanced 
general timekeeping is uniquely symbolized by the orientation of the 
hockey stick element 26 which is seen only during such periods. This 
element provides graphic confirmation to the viewer that minutes are then 
progressing up, out of and away from the displayed hour and, therefore, 
that the hour is in its expansion stage, in the sense that more of it is 
to be experienced than has passed. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated (two days after the display 
of FIG. 2) energization of FIG. 1 in a representative second half hour of 
balanced general timekeeping. Here the specific time is twenty-two minutes 
before the twelfth hour, with fifteen seconds of that minute having 
elapsed or remaining depending on the up or down progression of seconds. 
Here the reverse orientation of the hockey stick element 30, compared to 
element 26, uniquely symbolizes the converse of the FIG. 2 type display, 
viz. that FIG. 3 is displaying specific times during second half hour 
periods. Element 30 provides a graphic indication confirming that minutes 
are then moving down, into and toward the approaching next hour and, 
therefore, that the present hour is in its contraction stage, in the sense 
that more of it has passed than remains. 
It is also important to note that the displays of FIGS. 2 and 3 are 
entirely free of any extraneous or redundant information. Each day of the 
week is individually displayed separately from the others, so that the 
daily progress of each weekly period is graphically portrayed, together 
with a display of the date by elements 14a, 14b, in the top zone 12. The 
hockey stick elements 26 and 30 are uniquely seen only during successive 
first and second halves of each hour period. These factors, together with 
the triple zoning of the background and the visual guidance given by the 
size and shape of each zone to the information uniquely presented in it, 
result in complete freedom from clutter or confusion as to what is meant 
by the various displayed digits. 
Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a switching of the FIG. 1 display 
to a chronograph display by selective blanking and energization of the 
display elements in background 10. Specifically, the hour elements 18, 20 
are blanked and in the resulting space appears the colon 22. The hockey 
stick elements 30 and 26 are blanked and below the resulting spaces appear 
the "MIN", "SEC" abbreviations, respectively. The day/date displays in top 
zone 12 are blanked and in the resulting space appears the "HR" 
abbreviation. The array 34a is blanked and in the resulting space appears 
the decimal point 36. The arrays 28a, 28b, 24a, 24b and 34b are all set to 
zero. 
Thus, the FIG. 1 display is converted to perform chronograph timing 
functions as previously described. For example, a representative stop 
watch function is displayed in FIG. 5 where an elapsed time of ten minutes 
and twenty-three and eight-tenth seconds is recorded. Preferably no zero 
digits are displayed to the right of "HR" in zone 12 at the starting time 
of FIG. 4, since most chronographically-timed events are completed in less 
than an hour and a zero digit, therefore, would be extraneous and an 
unnecessary distraction. On the other hand, many conventional digital 
chronographs are now capable of timing and storing in memory substantial 
time periods of many hours' length, and the chronograph displays of FIGS. 
4 and 5 can be used to display elapsed times of up to a maximum of 99 
hours by energization of the arrays 14a, 14b adjacent to the "HR" 
abbreviation in zone 12. 
Comparison of the displays of FIGS. 4 and 5 to those of FIGS. 2 and 3 
demonstrates an important advantage of the present invention in achieving 
chronograph displays which have substantial visual contrast from the 
appearance of the general timekeeping displays. Several factors are 
responsible for this improvement. 
First, and most important, the large central area occupied by the hour 
digits 18, 20, when blanked, provides wide spacings and separations in 
zones 16 and 32 between the positions of all of the chronograph digits 
(minutes, seconds and tenth seconds), which are seen only during this 
mode. In contrast, the hour, minute and seconds digits, during the general 
timekeeping displays of FIGS. 2 and 3, are spaced much more closely 
together, in clusters occupying either the entire right or left portion of 
the same zones. 
Also, the widely-spaced chronograph digits show symmetries of appearance 
arising from the equal-sized minute and second digits 28a, 28b and 24a, 
24b being located at the opposite ends of zone 16, in horizontal balance 
with each other and in triangular balance with the tenth second digits 34b 
in the bottom zone 32. Such appearances again are unique to the 
chronograph display and further contribute to its substantial visual 
contrast from the general timekeeping displays. The blanking of the 
day-date information in zone 12 and the appearance of the "HR" 
abbreviation alone, in a position most to the right of that zone, are 
additional factors which are not seen during general timekeeping and which 
further contribute to the visual contrast. 
Accordingly, unlike conventional displays, the same digit positions and 
appearances are not presented during both general and chronograph 
timekeeping but rather substantial and easily seen differences are 
displayed as the user switches from one mode (FIGS. 2, 3) to the other 
(FIGS. 4, 5). Combined with the unique appearance of the "MIN", "SEC", 
colon and decimal point included in the chronograph mode, these 
differences unambiguously distinguish the two modes so that the user will 
be free from doubt or confusion when switching from one to the other 
Referring now to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a block diagram of a circuit 
which may be used to operate the FIG. 1 display in the manner described in 
connection with FIGS. 2-5. The circuit includes a power source such as 
battery 42 which is connected to an oscillator 44. As disclosed in 
application Ser. No. 53,402, this may be a solid state high frequency 
oscillator operating at 32,768 HZ to provide a high-accuracy, base time 
signal as its output which is transmitted to a multistage frequency 
divider 46. 
Frequency divider 46 outputs a one HZ signal which is transmitted to 
up-down counters 48. The counters 48 and the time logic circuits 50 may be 
of the type described in application Ser. No. 53,402 to provide balanced 
general timekeeping signals through AND gates 52 and 54 to the display 
elements within background 10 of FIG. 1. It will be understood that such 
signals are provided through a multiplicity of lines and gates, symbolized 
by the four dots between the lines and gates connecting the counters 48 
and logic 50 to the display in FIG. 6, and of sufficient number to 
energize the elements in the sequences required for balanced general 
timekeeping, as described in the cited patent application. The only 
difference is the provision of additional energizing signals to the hockey 
stick elements 26 and 30 of FIG. 1 during the successive first and second 
half hour periods. 
The output of frequency divider 46 is also transmitted in parallel to 
counters 56 which may be of conventional type for accumulating hours, 
minutes, seconds and tenths of seconds, such counter outputs being 
transmitted to conventional decoder-driver circuits, symbolized by chrono 
logic 58, for translation into selective energization signals which, when 
passed through AND gates 60 and 62, will operate the display elements in 
background 10 in chronograph timing functions, as exemplified in FIGS. 4 
and 5. Since the circuits and logic for operating 7-element arrays in 
various chronograph timing functions or sequences are conventional and 
well known, and since they are not original subject matter in the present 
invention, they have not been illustrated in detail. 
Source voltage is connected by lines 64, 66 and 68 to push button switches 
70 and 72. Operation of switch 70 sets flip-flop 74 so that its Q output 
is high and its Q output is at reference potential. As a result, line 76 
is energized, gates 52 and 54 are enabled, and the general timekeeping 
signals from logic 50 are transmitted to the FIG. 1 display elements 
within background 10. 
Alternatively, when push button switch 72 is operated, flip-flop 74 is 
reset, its Q output becomes high and its Q output goes to reference 
potential. As a result, gates 52 and 54 are disabled, gates 60 and 62 are 
enabled by input from line 78 and the FIG. 1 display is switched to the 
chronograph mode by disconnection of the general timekeeping signals and 
transmission of the chronograph signals from logic 58 to the display 
elements in background 10. Thus, the user is provided with the means for 
choosing between the two types of displays. 
The invention has now been described in terms of its fundamental principles 
and a preferred illustrative embodiment. It will be evident to those 
skilled in the art that it may be implemented with various modifications 
without departing from its principles. For example, the change between 
trailing minute displays past the present hour to leading minute displays 
until the next hour may be made at any selected time during the hour, 
rather than the maximum balance point of the first half hour, to 
accommodate special circumstances during general timekeeping. The display 
of seconds and the bottom zone 32 may be eliminated where that degree of 
precision is not required or desired. Similarly, the calendar display of 
zone 12 may be eliminated where simpler models showing time only are 
preferred. 
During chronograph timing, hundredths of seconds may be displayed by 
positioning the decimal point 36 to the left of array 34a and energizing 
both arrays of the pair 34a and b. Other indicia than the colon 22, for 
example, a dash or arrows pointing upwardly or downwardly, may be 
displayed during the chronograph timing functions to symbolize the 
separation and distinction between the minute/second time units or that 
the chronograph is counting up or down. 
Accordingly, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the 
preferred illustrative embodiment but encompasses the subject matter 
delineated by the following claims and all equivalents thereof.