Abstract:
An illuminating, visual, time indicating device, incorporating a new and innovative time telling indication means that is both functional and stylistic. The watch utilizes LCD or other illuminating or indicating technology to indicate the hour by illuminating the number on the watch face, while indicating the minute in a pie chart like manner, filling the entire watch face in a clockwise fashion as the hour passes. The appearance of the watch conveys the time to the user at a glance while providing an outward appearance of style.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS AND DISCLOSURES 
     The present invention was first disclosed in the Disclosure Document filed on Sep. 25, 1998. There have been no previously filed, nor any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to watches and clocks, and, more particularly, to an illuminating, visual, time indicating device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Modern fashion trends dictate an ever evolving and changing of popularity wherein the clothing and accessories that are considered cutting edge today are considered passe tomorrow. In keeping with these trends, society&#39;s strong desire to be different and its willingness to be judged by the clothes that one wears, the industry is in a constant search for new and innovative styles that will help to define the next fashion trend. 
     Not limited strictly to clothing, this need for innovation extends to all areas of fashion, including that of accessories. Accordingly, there is a constant need for new and innovative ideas that not only create new clothing styles, but also that innovate the fashion accessory market 
     In the related art, several devices are disclosed that describe a dual-hemisphere timepiece with different coloring or shading. These include U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,864, issued in the name of Lorello, U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,002, issued in the name of Cash, U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,892, issued in the name of Lukens and U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,800, issued in the name of Blum. 
     Several patents disclose an apparatus for visually indicating elapsed time through a color change. These include U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,013, issued in the name of Bik, U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,615, issued in the name of Havel and U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,876, issued in the name of Delatorre. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,341, issued in the name of Amano describes character panel of a watch separated according to color in three wedge-shaped portions. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,731, issued in the name of Massaro, discloses a child&#39;s easy-to-read timepiece. 
     A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that anticipate directly many features of the instant invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing a new apparatus and method for indicating time utilizing visual and graphical as well as number recognition techniques. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved, an illuminating, visual, time indicating device that provides a functional, stylish, novel method of displaying the correct time in either a watch or clock. 
     Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, an illuminating, visual, time indicating device is disclosed, incorporating a new and innovative wristwatch design that is both functional and stylistic. The electronic timepiece of the present invention incorporates liquid crystal display (LCD) or other illuminating or indicating technology to produce a watch that indicates time in an unconventional manner that is both decorative and stylistic. Incorporating a hybrid form of the hour/minute hand design commonly found on conventional timepieces, the LCD watch face of the present invention indicates the hour by illuminating the number on the watch face while indicating the minute in a pie chart like manner, filling the entire watch face in a clockwise fashion as the hour passes. The appearance of the watch conveys the time to the user at a glance while providing an outward appearance of style. 
     Capable of incorporation into a wall clock design as well, use of the present invention affords the user the ability to quickly and easily determine the time while also creating a conversation piece that will be sure to draw the attention and appreciation of all those that view it. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new time indication method using graphic display functions as well as colors. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a quick and easy way to use time indication device. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 10 
                 illuminating, visual, time 
               
               
                   
                 indicating device 
               
               
                 15 
                 watch body 
               
               
                 20 
                 strap 
               
               
                 25 
                 fastening means 
               
               
                 30 
                 watch face 
               
               
                 35 
                 hour indicia 
               
               
                 40 
                 current hour number 
               
               
                 45 
                 shaded area 
               
               
                 50 
                 leading edge 
               
               
                 55 
                 first time setting means 
               
               
                 60 
                 second time setting means 
               
               
                 65 
                 clock body 
               
               
                 70 
                 movement direction arrow 
               
               
                 75 
                 battery 
               
               
                 80 
                 main controller 
               
               
                 85 
                 crystal oscillator 
               
               
                 90 
                 frequency dividing network 
               
               
                 95 
                 first output 
               
               
                 100 
                 lamp driver module 
               
               
                 105 
                 common return lead 
               
               
                 110 
                 second output 
               
               
                 115 
                 display driver module 
               
               
                 120 
                 pie-shaped indicating segment 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
    
    
     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 the preferred embodiment of an illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10 ; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention, namely a clock; 
     FIG. 3 a  through  3   c  are a series of front views indicating 3:00, 3:12 and 3:50 respectively; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view indicating 6:30; and 
     FIG. 5 is an electrical schematic block diagram depicting the circuitry associated with the present invention. 
    
    
     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,  3   a  through  3   c ,  4  and  5 . 
     1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, an illuminating, visual, time indicating device  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 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 current hour number  40 , corresponding to the actual hour of the actual time, is supplied in an illuminated manner as shown. The current hour number  40 , in the case of this FIG. 1s indicated as the 7:00 hour is illuminated for illustrative purposes, but could also equally be any of the other eleven hour indicia  35 . It is envisioned that the illumination method of the current hour number  40  would be provided by a small light emitting diode (LED), however, it can be seen by those familiar in the art, that other methods such as incandescent lamps, liquid crystal displays, neon lamps, and the like could also be utilized with equal success and as such should not be considered a limiting factor. In such a manner thus is indicated the current hour. If the numeral  7  is illuminated, it is the 7:00 hour. If the numeral  12  is illuminated, it is the 12:00 hour. This pattern continues in a circular pattern throughout all of the hour indicia  35  in a circular pattern and then repeats. A shaded area  45  is used to indicate the current minute of the current hour. It is envisioned that the shaded area  45  would be provided by a liquid crystal display (LCD), though other means such as plasma displays, analog mechanical displays, could also be utilized and may well be more appropriate on larger size watches or even stationary clocks as will be shown below. It is envisioned that the shaded area  45  would be capable of displaying various colors that would contrast sufficiently with the color of the watch face  30  so as to permit quick and easy telling of time. The circuitry which drives the shaded area  45  and the corresponding leading edge  50  will be described in greater detail herein below. A leading edge  50  as defined by the first segment of the shaded area  45  one would contact when traveling in a counterclockwise manner on the watch face  30 , indicates the minutes of the current time. In FIG. 1, the time of approximately 18 minutes past the hour is indicated. This leading edge  50  will advance in a clockwise rotational manner in a graphical, pie chart like manner, filling the entire watch face in a clockwise fashion as the hour passes. Thus, the present invention Incorporates a hybrid form of the hour/minute hand design commonly found on conventional timepieces. Finally, also shown in FIG. 1 is a first time setting means  55  and a second time setting means  60 , which are envisioned to be switches. Both the first time setting means  55  and the second time setting means  60  would be utilized in the initial setting of the current time on the illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10 . It is envisioned that the first time setting means  55  would either select the hour, the minute or reset in a rotational pattern and the second time setting means  60  would be used to advance either the hour or the minute in a manner found similar to that used when setting a conventional watch. 
     Referring next to FIG. 2, 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  65 . For purposes of illustration, the clock body  65  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 illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10  as aforementioned described in FIG.  1 . The current hour number  40  in this FIG. is shown as the numeral “10”. The shaded area  45  along with its corresponding leading edge  50  yields the determination of minutes after the hour as approximately “22”. Thus, the corresponding time indicated is 10:22. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3 a , to indicate 3:00, the hour indicia  35  which is illuminated is the number “three”, depicted by the current hour number  40  on the watch body  15 , while no portion of the watch body  15  is illuminated in a pie chart fashion, thereby indicating the status of no minutes past the hour. 
     Referring next to FIG. 3 b , as the time passes, a pie chart shaped shaded area  45  expands clockwise, with the leading edge  50 , representing a minute hand at 12:00, staying stationary, and forming the top of the pie chart illuminated section. The pie chart shaded area  45  expands in a rotational pattern as time passes as indicated by a movement direction arrow  70 . This expanding edge of the shaded section actually corresponds to a minute hand moving around the watch face as time passes. As previously indicated in FIG. 3 a , the current hour number  40  is illuminated indicating the three o&#39;clock hour. At 3:12, the shaded section has expanded downward, with the leading edge  50  corresponding to twelve minutes past the hour. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3 c , at 3:50, five-sixths of the watch body  15  is covered by the shaded area  45 , leaving the upper left quadrant unshaded, informing the user that it is fifty minutes past the hour of three. The three o&#39;clock hour is determined by the illumination of the current hour number  40  namely three. 
     Referring next to FIG. 4, a front view of the illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10  illustrates the visual indicia corresponding to 6:30. The current hour number  40  six is illuminated, and the shaded area  45  has expanded to include the entire right side of the watch face. 
     Referring finally to FIG. 5, an electrical schematic block diagram depicting the circuitry associated with the illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10  is disclosed. Electrical power for the illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10  is provided by a battery  75 . Power is routed to a main controller  80  which provides the main controlling function of the illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10 . The operation and configuration of the main controller  80  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  85  and a frequency dividing network  90  which provides the time keeping function. The crystal oscillator  85  oscillates at a high frequency rate in a continuous manner at a very steady state. The frequency dividing network  90  serves to divide or count the frequency pulses at a rate to allow the main controller  80  to provide for the advancement of minutes and hours. The operation of the crystal oscillator  85  and the frequency dividing network  90  is well known in the art, and is not expanded here for purposes of clarity. Additionally, the first time setting means  55  and the second time setting means  60  allow for the setting of the current time in the manner aforementioned described in FIG. 1. A first output  95  from the main controller  80  drives a lamp driver module  100 . It is envisioned that the lamp driver module  100  would be a binary coded decimal (BCD) to decimal driver. The output drives each of the hour indicia  35  through a common return lead  105 . The second output  110  drives a display driver module  115 , such as a LCD segment driver. Each output pulse individually energizes a pie-shaped indicating segment  120  of the watch face  30  in a clockwise rotational pattern. When the last pie-shaped indicating segment  120  is energized, they all extinguish after an appropriate period of time and the cycle resumes anew. 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 illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10  as provided with the alternate embodiment as depicted in FIG.  2 . 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. 
     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 illuminating, visual, time indicating device  10  using the appropriate first time setting means  55  or the second time setting means  60  to energize the appropriate hour indicia  35  and the appropriate pie-shaped indicating segment  120  corresponding to the leading edge  50  of the shaded area  45 . At this point the illuminating, visual, time indicating device  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  40  located on the circumferential edge of the watch face  30 . This number tells the user the hour. To determine the minute, the user looks to see how much of the watch face  30  is covered by the shaded area  45  and what position on the watch face  30  the leading edge  50  lies. The leading edge  50  actually acts as a minute hand, and can be used to decipher the exact minute past the hour. The shaded section also provides the user a quick graphical interpretation of how many minutes have been used in the current hour. 
     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.