Abstract:
A timepiece with a pager includes a watch housing having an upper portion hingedly coupled to a lower portion. A timekeeping assembly and pager with a corresponding display are housed within the upper portion. A digital display is positioned on the lower face of the upper portion for displaying information relative to a pager message. The pager and timekeeping displays may be viewed without obstruction when the upper portion is in an open position. A global positioning system is housed within the lower portion with data generated thereby being displayed on a digital display positioned therein. The global positioning system is powered upon an opening of the upper portion and deactivated upon a closing thereof. The global positioning display may be viewed without obstruction by the timekeeping or pager displays.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to a combination timepiece with a pager and global positioning system and, more particularly, to a timepiece having separate and distinct displays for displaying data relative to a timepiece, pager, and global positioning system.  
           [0002]    Persons who frequently travel away from their homes or offices often rely on several different devices to communicate with family members and employers or to verify their geographic position. Such communication and navigation devices include cellular telephones, pagers, global positioning systems, radios, etc. It may quickly become cumbersome to carry or store such devices if two or more of such devices are needed. While the inconvenience of carrying multiple communication and navigation devices is experienced even relative to vehicle travel, the problem of maintaining possession of such devices is even more difficult for individuals who need to venture away from a vehicle or place of business for a period of time.  
           [0003]    Devices that combine a timepiece with a pager are known in the art. Although several display mechanisms are disclosed, extensive amounts of pager data cannot be displayed by existing devices without some obstruction of view by hands of the timepiece or without temporarily suspending the timekeeping function. Additionally, known pager displays cannot be completely hidden from view when not in use.  
           [0004]    Global positioning systems (GPS) for personal navigation are also known in the art. Such devices, however, must be carried or stored in addition to other communication devices in a vehicle or on a person&#39;s body.  
           [0005]    Therefore, it is desirable to have a timepiece with a pager and global positioning system. It is further desirable to have a timepiece with separate and distinct displays for each additional functional device. It is also desirable that the GPS device is actuated only upon a user opening a hinged watch cover.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    A timepiece constructed in accordance with the present invention utilizes a watch housing having a lower portion and an upper portion. The upper portion is hingedly coupled to the lower portion such that the upper portion can be selectively pivoted between an open and closed configuration. A conventional timekeeping assembly and pager are mounted within the upper portion of the watch housing and are continuously powered by a battery. The upper face of the upper portion includes an analog display having watch hands for indicating the relative time of day. A digital display is positioned on the lower face of the upper portion for displaying information relative to messages received by the pager. The pager display may be viewed by pivoting the upper portion to an open configuration.  
           [0007]    A global positioning system (GPS) is mounted within the lower portion of the watch housing and provides standard GPS data to a digital display positioned on the upper face of the lower portion. The GPS is selectively powered by a battery upon the upper portion being placed in an open configuration. Thus, as the watch housing is opened, power is delivered to the GPS. Each display utilized by the present invention is separate and distinct from the other displays such that each one may be viewed without obstruction or interference.  
           [0008]    Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a timepiece having a pager and a global positioning system within a watch housing.  
           [0009]    Another object of this invention is to provide a timepiece, as aforesaid, which can display time, pager, and global positioning data on separate and distinct displays.  
           [0010]    Still another object of this invention is to provide a timepiece, as aforesaid, wherein the pager and global position display mechanisms are hidden from view until a hingeable cover is raised.  
           [0011]    Yet another object of this invention is to provide a timepiece, as aforesaid, which indicates when a message has been received by the pager.  
           [0012]    A further object of this invention is to provide a timepiece, as aforesaid, in which power is delivered to the global position device upon raising the cover.  
           [0013]    Yet another object of this invention is to provide a timepiece, as aforesaid, having buttons for manipulating time, pager, and global positioning functions.  
           [0014]    Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the timepiece according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2A is a front view of the clock mechanism of the timepiece of FIG. 1;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2B is a front view of the clock mechanism according to a second embodiment of the timepiece;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a right side view of the timepiece of FIG. 1 showing buttons for controlling the pager and global positioning system;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a left side view of the timepiece of FIG. 1 showing buttons for controlling the timepiece and global positioning system;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5A is a sectional view of the timepiece taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 2A;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5B is an enlarged isolated view of the watch housing closure assembly as in FIG. 5A in a closed configuration;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5C is an enlarged isolated view of the global positioning system as in FIG. 5A with the activation switch in an open configuration;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6A is a sectional view of the timepiece taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 7B;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6B is an enlarged isolated view of the global positioning system activation switch as in FIG. 6A in a closed or activated configuration;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6C is an enlarged isolated view of the watch housing closure assembly as in FIG. 6A in an open configuration; and  
         [0026]    FIGS.  7 A- 7 D are perspective views of the timepiece of FIG. 1 in an open configuration showing the global positioning device display in various modes.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0027]    A timepiece constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The timepiece includes a watch housing  100  having a lower portion  110  and an upper portion  120 . The upper portion  120  is coupled to the lower portion  110  by a hinge  130  including a pin  132  (FIG. 5A) so that the upper portion  120  is selectively pivotable between open and closed configurations. As shown in FIGS. 5B and 6C, a free end  122  of the upper portion  120  defines a recess  112  therein. The free end  122  also presents a downwardly extending bulbous flange  124  configured for frictional engagement with a complementary recess  112  defined by the lower portion  110 . Accordingly, the upper portion  120  may be releasably coupled to the lower portion  110  by pressing the flange  124  into engagement with the lower portion recess  112  (FIG. 5B). Conversely, the upper portion  120  may be opened by a user inserting a finger into the upper portion recess  112  and pulling upward to release the frictional engagement of the flange  124  and recess  112 . The watch housing is constructed of a durable material that is generally waterproof and shock resistant.  
         [0028]    A timekeeping assembly  200  and pager  300  are mounted within the upper portion  120  of the watch housing  100 . These devices are known in the art and are thus designated generally in the drawings by reference numbers  200  and  300  (FIGS. 5A and 6A). A global positioning system (GPS)  400 , also known in the art, is mounted within the lower portion  110  (FIGS. 5A and 6A).  
         [0029]    The upper face of the upper portion  120  of the watch housing  100  includes an analog display  210  having an hour hand  220  and a minute hand  230  for visually indicating the relative time of day (FIG. 1). Another hand for indicating the seconds of a minute may also be provided (not shown). The hands are controlled by the timekeeping assembly  200  in the traditional manner. A digital date display  250  is also included on the upper face of the upper portion  120 . The upper face of the upper portion  120  also includes a message indicator display  320  which visually indicates to the user that a message has been received by the pager  300 . The message indicator display  320  preferably includes indicia, such as “MESSAGE”, which is illuminated by a light emitting diode upon receipt of a message by the pager  300 . Alternatively, an audible indicator may be provided to alert a user that a message has been received. Further, the upper face of the upper portion  120  may alternatively include a digital display  240 , such as a liquid crystal display, for indicating the relative time as shown in FIG. 2B. Mode button  260  and reset button  270  extend from a side of the upper portion  120  for selecting typical watch functions (FIG. 3).  
         [0030]    The lower face of the upper portion  120  of the watch housing  100  includes a digital display  310  that generally covers the entire lower face for displaying pager message data in the manner known in the art. The digital pager display  310  is preferably a liquid crystal display. The pager display  310  is viewable by a user upon rotating the upper portion  120  to an open configuration as shown in FIGS. 7A through 7D. Messages received by the pager  300  are manipulated in the conventional manner by pressing the delete  330  and display  340  buttons that extend from a side of the upper portion  120  (FIG. 1). It should be appreciated that the entire pager display  310  may be viewed without obstruction by the hands of the timekeeping display  210 . When all messages have been viewed or deleted, the upper portion  120  may be rotated to a closed configuration for viewing the timekeeping display  210  and for concealing or protecting the pager display  310 . The timekeeping assembly  200  and pager  300  are continuously powered by a conventional battery  260 .  
         [0031]    The lower portion  110  of the watch housing  100  includes a digital display  410  which substantially covers the entire upper face thereof. The display  410  is sufficiently large so as to completely display various types of data generated by the global position system; namely, directional data, position coordinates such as latitude and longitude, time of arrival data, and menu data as shown in FIGS. 7A through 7D. The GPS display  410  is viewable by a user by pivoting the upper portion  120  to an open configuration as described above. Standard buttons  430 ,  440 ,  450 ,  460  for selecting desired GPS functions are provided along the left side of the lower portion  110  of the watch housing  100  (FIG. 1). Directional buttons  470   a  through  470   d  are provided along the right side of the watch housing  100  for setting desired GPS parameters (FIG. 3).  
         [0032]    As best shown in FIGS. 5A through 6C, the lower portion  110  of the watch housing  100  includes a battery  420  for selectively supplying power to the global positioning system  400 . The lower portion  110  further includes a compression spring  480  that is selectively compressible within a spring housing  482 , the spring housing  482  being fixedly attached to an interior wall  484  of the lower portion  110  adjacent the hinge  130 . The spring  480  is compressed according to lateral movement of a rod  486  within the spring housing  482 . An upstanding flange  488  is normal to the rod  486 . Another flange  134  is normal to the hinge  130  and rotates with the hinge  130  as the upper portion is opened or closed. Thus, the hinge flange  134  bears against the rod flange  488  to compress the spring  480  as the upper portion is moved to a closed configuration (FIG. 5A). Conversely, the hinge flange  134  releases the rod flange  488  as the upper portion  120  is rotated to an open configuration which allows the spring  480  to decompress so as to laterally extend the rod  486  to a FIG. 6 configuration. An arm  490  having a plate  492  fixedly attached thereto laterally extends from the global positioning system  400  to a position adjacent the spring housing  482  such that the free end of the rod  486  may selectively bear against the plate  492  upon decompression of the spring  480 . The rod  486 , flange  488 , arm  490 , and plate  492  are constructed of steel or other electrically conductive material. The battery  420  delivers power to the rod flange  488  through a wire  494  such that power is delivered to the global positioning system  400  upon contact between the rod  486  and plate  492 .  
         [0033]    In operation, the watch housing  100  may be strapped to the wrist of a user for providing easy access to the timepiece  200 , pager  300 , and global positioning system  400 . With the watch housing  100  in a FIG. 1 configuration, a user may view the analog display  210  showing the relative time. In this closed configuration, the spring  480  is fully compressed such that battery power is not supplied to the global positioning system (FIG. 5A). When the message indicator display  320  indicates that a message has been received by the pager  300 , the user can rotate the upper portion  120  to a FIG. 6 configuration for viewing or deleting pager messages. As the upper portion  120  is rotated upward, the spring  480  is released and allowed to decompress. As the spring  480  decompresses, the rod  486  is moved laterally to bear against the plate  492  of the arm  490  so as to deliver battery power to the global positioning system  400 . Accordingly, the user may then view the digital display  410  of the global positioning W system  400  and manipulate the functions thereof.  
         [0034]    Accordingly, the present invention provides a timepiece with a pager  300  and global positioning system  400  in a single housing  100  that may be worn by a user. The timekeeping assembly  200 , pager  300 , and global positioning system  400  each include separate and distinct displays such that each display may be viewed without obstruction of another display. Further, battery power is conserved in that the global positioning system is only powered upon a user placing the watch housing  100  in an open configuration.  
         [0035]    It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.