Patent Publication Number: US-6714486-B2

Title: System and method for customized time display

Description:
The present invention relates to a system and method for producing and displaying customized presentations of chronological data. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Time display devices are used by many people to keep track of the passage of time during daily activities. Conventional electronic time pieces typically provide time keeping functions and can display additional information for indicating years, months, days, and dates. Alternatively, the time keeping functions can also include an alarm function and counter functions in addition to the basic display of actual time and hours, minutes, and seconds. 
     Watches and clocks are usually designed with graduations that are marked around the face of the time piece, internal mechanisms that rotate an hour hand, minute hand, and a second hand. The design of the watch face has on its perimeter the numbers 1 through 12, usually increasing in a clockwise direction with rotating hour hands and minute hands that point to the numbers on the watch face parameter that indicate the exact time of day. This time keeping system can be implemented in either an analog or digital manner. Furthermore, the use of digital numbering systems to indicate time are also known. However, the user of a time display device may wish to have animated or otherwise customizable display functions to provide for the passage of time, in a personalized fashion, by the time piece. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,456 (&#39;456) by Brewer et al. teaches a watch having a multi color liquid crystal display, which dynamically changes by way of electronic control. Dynamic color changes within the LCD are presented in which perceived color changes occur in a pattern or sequence independent of the time of day. The apparatus may be adapted to provide various colored images such as geometric, images, designer labels, and logos on colored backgrounds. Color changes may occur in such a way that provides a dynamically changing image or a dynamically changing kaleidoscope effect. The apparatus provides color variation and allows the individual to alter the color appearance using a voltage regulating dial. However, the display itself is not designed to convey time of day information and teaches instead the use of background images. Accordingly, the rate, sequence, and pattern of color changes are independent to the passage of chronological time. Furthermore, the number and type of images presentable on the display are set by the manufacturer, and do not allow for interaction with a user of the display for customization purposes. 
     Further advances known in the art of time display can include the display of static picture elements for ornamentation purposes on the time display, as well as the display of messages containing alpha numeric words from a list of characters, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,996 (&#39;996) by Schmitz. However, the system taught does not allow the user to correlate the alpha numeric words with a passage of chronological time, and the location and presentation format of the alpha numeric characters is set by the manufacturer and not alterable by the user. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a customized time display to obviate or mitigate some of the above presented disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a time display method and system for incorporating language, multi media, and animation into a time display device. The system can include typical features of a conventional time display device, such as an alarm function and a display face. The system can further include an embedded device for wireless communication, an operating system having windows capabilities, and application software for the device to enable a user to create thematic time displays. The software controls and compiles animation, multi media, language, type setting, schemas, identification, and sequencing of the display material, which can be obtained from a host website. The system is capable of downloading display material from the host website, and a user interface of the system can be used to provide a menu system, from which the user can select and coordinate the display of the downloaded material in a user customized fashion. The time display method and system helps the user or provider of the time displays to create and display a customized presentation of relative chronological data through a translation engine, such that the time presentation on the time display device provides the user with a personalized display, including selected images and/or language to represent the passage of numerical chronological data. By using such a time presentation system, the display software and corresponding device can help the user to customize the presentation of relative chronological data for providing a dynamic translated display of traditional time data in a predetermined sequence on the device, as specified by the user. The software and compatible display device can be used to select and display the passage of chronological data through the use of a time translation engine, so as to present a unique and personalized time display sequence. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a system for producing and displaying chronological data according to user specified parameters. The system comprises a user interface for monitoring the input of the parameters to a translation engine. The translation engine combines the parameters and a plurality of supplemental display data to provide a translation template. The translation template of the system is used to reformat the chronological data in a synchronized fashion to provide translated display data representing the chronological data. The system also includes a digital display device for monitoring a presentation of the translated display data on a display. The parameters and supplemental display data are alterable to customize the presentation of the translated display data on the display. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is provided a computer program product for producing and displaying chronological data according to user specified parameters. The product comprises a computer readable medium and a user interface module stored on the computer readable medium. The interface module monitors the input of the parameters to a translation module, which combines the parameters and a plurality of supplemental display data to produce a template module. The template module reformats the chronological data in a synchronized fashion to provide translated display data representing the chronological data. The produce also contains a display module for monitoring a presentation of the translated display data on a display. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features of the preferred embodiments of the invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description in which reference is made to the appended drawings by way of example only, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a time display system; 
     FIG. 2 shows example displays on a display device of the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 presents operation of a time translation engine of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 show a host site of the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is an operational flowchart of the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a further operational flowchart of the device of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 7 is a further embodiment of the system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 shows example parameters of the engine of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 9 is a further example of the parameters of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a lookup table for a sample schema of the engine of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 11 is a further lookup table for a sample schema of FIG. 10; and 
     FIG. 12 is a further lookup table for a sample schema of FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a time display system  10  consists of a display device  12  coupled by a transmission channel  14  to a network  16 . The device  12  communicates with a host  18 , such as a time display web site, to access supplemental time display data  20  to be processed and then displayed on display  22  of the display device  12 . The data  20  can contain alpha, numeric, and graphical image components related to chronological time. Some examples of networks  16  can include the Internet, microwave and antenna relay stations, satellite networks, other wireless communication systems, and composite networks comprising a mixture of these technologies. The device  12  uses the network  16  to access the time related data  20 , which can be applied by the user to create personalized thematic time displays. The device  12  and related software is used to control and compile animation, multi media, language, type setting, schemas, and sequencing of the data  20  as directed by the user, for the in creation of the customized image display  22 . The device  12  can include various electronic or digital devices, such as but not limited to an alarm clock, cellular phones, mobile computers, home computers, pagers, wristwatches, and other PDAs with an appropriate resolution display  22  for obtaining and coordinating the display of the data  20 . Furthermore, the device  12  could coordinate the presentation of the display  22  as a computer desktop icon or ornament. 
     The time display device  12  is used by a user to create customized thematic time displays, on display  22 , which translate chronological time data  44  and other data  20  into language and animation, wherein the display  22  is preferably a high resolution LCD display. The computer system of the device  12  comprises a processor  23  coupled to the host  18  through the network  16 . The processor  23  monitors the download or transfer of the data  20  from the host site  18  to a local database  19  or memory of the device  12 . The processor  23  is also coupled to the display  22  by a graphic controller and to user input devices  24 , such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a voice activated device. If the display  22  is touch sensitive, then the display  22  itself can be the user input device  24 . A computer readable storage medium  26  is also coupled to the processor  23  for providing an operating system or software (OS) to the device  12 , wherein the OS can also be downloaded from the host  18  directly from the network  16 . The OS could be specific to run or modify the operation of the device  12  in respect to the thematic time display functionality. It should be noted that the OS could be downloaded from the host  18  by another network device and then transferred to the device  12 . The computer readable medium  26  can include hardware and/or software, such as by way of example only, magnetic discs, magnetic tape, optically readable media such as CD ROMs, and semi conductor memory such as PCMCIA cards. In each case, the medium  26  may take to form of a portable item such as a small disc, floppy diskette, cassette, or may take the form of a relatively large or immobile item such as a hard disc drive, solid state memory card, or RAM provided in the computer system of the device  12 . It should be noted that the above listed example mediums  26  can be used either alone or in combination. It should also be noted that the content of the medium  26  could be used to supply time display data sets  20  to the processor  23  of the device  12 , or that the content of the medium  26  could be obtained in the form of data files over the network  16  from the host  18 . 
     The device  12  also includes a time translation engine  28 , preferably in the form of software, which interacts with the processor  23  and time related data  20  stored in the local data base  19  to translate the chronological data  44  into a customized language and animation displays for presentation on the display  22 . It should be noted, that audio displays of the data  20  could also be presented to the user through the use of a speaker  30 . It should be noted that the user can also augment the data  20  with additional user created or independently obtained data suitable for presentation on the display  22 . Furthermore, the user can also create time data or multimedia files and provide this to the host  18  for access by other users, as directed by the host  18 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, examples of visual time display are shown. Shown are two example presentation modes for the display  22 , namely AlphaTime  32  comprising language and GuiTime  34  comprising a combination of language and/or animation. As shown in FIG. 2 a , an example five minute time translation cycle is shown, wherein representational images  22   a, b, c, d, e , and  f  are sequentially displayed on the display  22  in a synchronized fashion to indicate the passage of chronological time, for either the AlphaTime  32  or GuiTime  34  modes, as selected by the user. The display  22  can contain a language component  36  and a graphic minute indicator component  38 . The indicator  38  can be used to indicate the passage of minutes or other time units (as specified by the user) with corresponding language or language and animation data  20 , which can be predetermined images and/or animations as obtained from the host  18 . Other examples of the indicators  38  are shown in FIG. 2 b . The display  22  can include a frame  40  defined as an area which surrounds a main presentation area  42  of the display  22 . The frame  40  can be represented by an image file or an animation file, as selected by the user from the data  20  supplied by the host  18 . The background image of the display area  42  can be an image file or an animation file, which can be related through a thematic time display as specified by the user. The language component  36  of the time display  22  is comprised of a text translation of corresponding chronological data  44  (day/month/year) in a specified type face, which is supplied by the translation engine  28 . For example, the indicated type face could be English Time foreign character sets. The user could also specify customized scripts and/or languages, as desired. 
     Referring to FIG. 2 c , other sample displays are shown which can combine language with graphic images, such as the “Noon” image  46  on an alarm clock device  12 , or an advertisement or message  48 , which can be correlated to the particular time display sequence shown or cycled randomly throughout the sequence of time display images. The messages  48  can be images, animation, and video with audio capabilities. Furthermore, predetermined portions of the data, such as graphical images, can be associated with numeric serialization, which provides a unique identifier to each of the downloads containing corresponding graphical images. This serialization can be used by the user to monitor the number and/or type of images contained in the user&#39;s image collection. Accordingly, the use of serialization could coordinate the exchange of images and/or time displays represented by the downloads; or other multi media files  54  (see FIG. 3) between users. It should be noted that the users could create and serialize their own time display files or programs  60 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the translation engine  28  of the device  12  combines multi media files  54  obtained from the host  18 , user specified parameters  58  obtained through the input device  24 , and relative chronological data  56  as monitored by the processor  23  to produce a translated time display file or display executable program  60 . Alternatively, the engine  28  could combine the parameters  58  and files  54  to produce a translation template  60 , which could be used to reformat the data  56  for presentation on the display  22 . The GuiTime time translation engine  28  receives system time  44  from the device  12  in a HR:MM:D/M/Y format. The translation engine  28  references a lookup table/flatfile/schema/database, as provided below, to determine how the time  44  is to be presented based on the user defined preferences  20 . The translation engine  28  first determines whether the user has selected the GuiTime or Alpha Time format. The GuiTime format preferably presents using language and animation and the Alphatime format preferably uses language. The translation engine  28  then determines which language or schema translation has been selected by the user. As each minute lapses the translation engine  28  references and combines these two data sources  44 ,  20  and presents them as relative time on the display  22 . 
     The processor  23  of the device  12  uses the OS obtained from the host  18  to execute the program  60  and otherwise monitor the sequencing of images contained in the program  60 , in synchronization with the relative chronological data  56 . For example, the user specified parameters  58  are for an alarm (i.e. Event) to be displayed by the display  22  once the chronological time reaches 10:33 AM on a user specified day of the year. For example, the thematic images and other time data  20  obtained by the user from the host  18  can include baseball images  54   a  and animation images  54   b , along with baseball audio files  54   d  and language  54   e . The translation engine  28  combines these selected thematic parameters  54 ,  58  along with the chronological data  56  obtained from the processor  23  to present the coordinated thematic time display program  60  on the display  22  and speaker  30 . In particular, in this example, the time translation program  60  contains a “crack” of a bat and “roar” of the crowd as an auditory indicator  62  for the alarm, as well as animation sequences  50  and  52  located on the frame  40  and main display  42  of the display  22  respectively. The animation sequences  50 ,  52  provide to the user a sequential cartoon animation of a bat hitting a ball and flashing minute indicators  38  respectively. In addition, the advertisement section  48  can also contain ticket information for upcoming baseball games for example, in the user&#39;s geographical area and/or team(s) of interest. 
     It should be noted that the display  22  provides a dynamic time presentation to the user according to user the specified parameters  58 , downloaded multi media files  54 , and chronological data  56 . The program  60  provides the user with user specified format of the chronological data  56  for presentation on the display  22  and/or speaker  30 , which can include images  54   a , animation  54   b , video  54   c , audio  54   d , and language  54   e . The program or template  60  is designed according to the user parameters  58  to compile the various components  54 ,  56  into thematic and user specified time display  22 . Furthermore, the file  60  provides a sequential display of the alpha, numeric, and graphic components, with reference to user specified time units (such as minutes), for denoting the passage of time and event indication or reminders. Other functions configurable by the user can include alarm settings, day and date display, international languages, timers or countdowns, all of which can be displayed in a user customizable fashion through the translation engine  28  on the display  22  and/or speaker  30 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 10,  11 , and  12 , sample lookup tables  210 ,  212 ,  214  used by the translation engine  28  show available relationships for the display  22 . The translation engine can coordinate the reformatting of the time data  44  with the data  20  using any combination of work and/or numbers contained in the tables  210 ,  212 ,  214 , as specified by the parameters  58  used to create the file  60 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the host  18  can provide a website accessible by the user through a URL  62 . The website  18  can include software downloads of the translation engine  28 , design software  64 , operating system software  66  for specified devices  12 , and product and order information  68  for compatible devices for using the available operating systems  66 . The design software  64  can be downloadable to the device  12  through the network  16  and can be used to compile the multi media files  54 , as well as coordinate the animation, language, type setting, schemas, and serialization by the user to produce the time translation program  60 . 
     The host site  18  also contains a display download section  70  with an accompanying search engine  72 . The access of the data  20  through the download interface  70  can be coordinated into various categories, such as but not limited to sports, science fiction, and nature. The download data  20  from the section  70  is in the form of multi media file  54  (see FIG. 3) as input for the translation engine  28 . The image files  54   a  comprise images which can be used to populate the frame  40  and background  42  sections of the display  22 , as well as provide language  36 , ad/messages  48 , minute indicators  38 , AM/PM indicators, and alarm indicators. The animation files  54   b  can be used to populate the frame  40  and background  42  sections of the display  22 , as well as supply presentation material for the ad/messages section  48 , content of the minute indicator  38 , AM/PM indicators, and alarm indicators. The video files  54   c  obtainable from the download section  70  can be used to populate the background  42  and ad/messages section  48 . The audio files  54   d  can be used to supply display data  20  for the ad/messages section  48  and alarm settings, which are indicated to the user through the speaker  30  of the device  12 . Furthermore, separate language files  54   e  can be obtained from the download section  70  to provide the user with varying language formats for both the AlphaTime  32  and GuiTime  34  display modes. 
     In operation of the system  10 , referring to FIG. 5, once the user has downloaded and installed the design software  64 , operating systems software  66 , and translation engine software  28  onto their device  12 , the device  12  can be ready to download the display time data  20  through the interface  70 . Once the data  20  has been downloaded by the user to the device  12 , the installed design software  64  can be used to place or otherwise order the selected or download files  54  and time display components therein in user specified sequences, as well as how to coordinate the timing of and in what manner and in what sequence in relation to the chronological time the individual files  54  will be played or displayed on the display  22  of the device  12 , by entering the specified parameters  58 . The user can access a graphical user interface  74  (see FIG. 5) generated by the design software  64 , which provides a series of menus  76 ,  78 ,  80  to customize the presentation of the files  54  on the display  22 . 
     The input menu  76  allows the user to define the parameters  58  to select which of the files  54  are to be included on the display  22 . The Frame item can be selected from the set art menu  78 , by which the user defines the parameters  58  to indicate the downloaded file(s)  54  which will be associated with the frame space  40  of the display  22 . Selection of the Background item from the menu  78  allows the user to indicate the files which will be associated with the background space  42  of the display  22 . Selection of the Language item from the menu  78  allows the user to select the particular language files  54   e  which will appear on top of the background  42  as time indicators  36 . The language file  54   e  selected through the Language item references the file comprised of a text translation of the corresponding time of day in the indicated type face, such as English Times Roman, French Helvetica Script, and German Helvetica handwriting. Selection of the Ad/Messages item from the menu  78  allows the user to specify the files  54  which will be associated with the advertisements or messages that are cycled through the time display  22 . These messages  48  can be images, animation, and/or video with audio capabilities. Selection of the Minute Indicator item from the menu  78  allows the user to indicate which files  54  will be associated with the type of minute indicators  38  and their manner of placement on the display  22 . Selection of the Audio item from the menu  78  allows the user to indicate the files  54  which will be associated with the selected videos, animations, and ads or alarm events displayed in the frame section  40  and main section  42  of the display  22 . Selection of the AM/PM item from the menu  78  allows the user to identify the files  54  which will be associated with the AM/PM indicator, which can be represented by an animation or stationary image. Selection of the Alarm item from the menu  78  allows the user to specify the alarm sequence and representative indicator from the files  54  which will be associated with the alarm indicator displayed on the display  22  and the data sequence which plays when the alarm is activated. The alarm indicator files  54  can be a combination of animation, or image and the alarm sequence can consist of animation, images, video, and/or audio. 
     Furthermore, in reference to FIG. 5, the user can also reference a Set Timers menu  80  from the interface  74 . The Timer menu  80  allows the user to set the parameters  58  for how long a particular time segment is displayed on the device  12  and how long an ad message  48  appears in the display  22 . This timer function also allows the user to indicate intervals in which selected background files and minute indicators  38  will be displayed. Selection of the Time Display item from the menu  80  allows the user to set the duration of the time, for example in seconds, that the display  22  will present selected files  54  indicating chronological time to the user on the display  22  before being replaced or cycled with alternate selected files. Selection of the Ad/Message item from the menu  80  allows user to set the duration of the time, for example in seconds, that the display  22  will present ad information in the region  48 . Selection of the Background item from the menu  80  allows the user to set the duration of the time that the display  22  will display the selected background files  54 . In particular, for each background file  54  indicated in the Set Art menu  78 , the user can indicate the start and stop time in a DD/MM/YY: HR: MM format so that particular thematic time displays can be appropriately cycled by the user for presentation on the display  22 . Selection of the Minute Indicator item by the user from the menu  80  allows the user to set the duration of the time that the display  22  will display the selected minute indicators  38 . For each minute indicator file  54  specified from the menu  78 , the user can indicate the start and end time of the minute indicators  38  in a DD/MM/YY: HR: MM format, such that the indicators are present during the time presentation on the display  22 . Accordingly, once the user has finished placement of various downloaded files  54  using the menu  76 , the design software  64  then compiles the files and user input into the executable file  60 . Once the user has completed a particular file  60 , the user can save the file  60  to the database  19  as currently configured for future reference. 
     Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, example variable definitions are shown at  200 . The user selects from the definitions shown in table  202 . The user can select any combination of the variables contained in each column of the table  202 . For example, the user can select: a presentation format P x =P 1 ; a schema or lookup table (see FIGS. 10,  11 , and  12 )$=$4 Cool; a schema for the type of icon desired to represent the minute indicator  38  such as isx + is 2 Globe; an icon group selection such as ix=i2=(ic1+ic2), which cycles the minute indicator represented by ic1 and ic2 on the display  22 ; the particular icon selected such as icx=1 from the group isx; a specified border such as F=F 1  Wood Nub; and a specified background such as B=B 1  Brick Wall. Any combination of variables can be selected from the table  202  to produce the presentation template parameter set  204 , which is included in the file  60 , thereby providing the thematic time display customization. FIG. 9 shows the relation of specific icons  206  to the icon parameters icx in sample fields  208  corresponding to table  202 . It should be noted that graphical or image parameters may not be used for Alphatime formats of the display  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6, once the executable file  60  has been downloaded  83  to the processor  23  of the device  12 , a device menu interface  82  is provided to the user which allows the device to download new displays, synchronize time, de-active/active alarms, and select the display mode of the display  22 , thereby altering the file  54  contents and parameters  58 . Selection of the Update Display item from the menu  82  allows the user to download a new display or altered display program or template  60 , as previously created by the user. Furthermore, user specified alarm settings can be reviewed and modified, as well as allowing the user to synchronize the device time  12  as monitored by the processor  23  with an external time standard. Selection of the set Display item from the menu  82  allows user to toggle the display mode from either the GuiTime  34  or AlphaTime  32  formats. Selection of the System Info item from the menu  82  allows the user to check remaining battery life of the device  12  and the serial number or title of the currently loaded display. Once the items from the menu  82  have been customized to the user&#39;s satisfaction, the user customized presentation  84  of the files  54  in combination with the chronological data  56  on the display  22  will continue until either the current program  60  is terminated or until such time that the user creates and downloads a new program  60  to the display device  12 . 
     Referring to FIG. 7, a further embodiment of the system  10  is described, wherein like numerals with a prefix “1” denote similar components to those contained in FIG. 1. A system  110  comprises a computer  112  to interact with a host system  118  through a network  116 . The computer  112  co-ordinates the download of time related data  120  and formats the data  120  according to user specified input  124 , to produce an executable time translation template  160  to a self-contained time presentation device  101 . The device  101  consists of an embedded system with communication capabilities to the device  112 , a high resolution color LCD display  122 , a speaker  130 , a user interface  124 , and a power source  103 . The device  101 , for example a watch, contains an operating system for monitoring all I/O functions as well as a display driver and device interfaces controlled by a processor  123 . For example, the embedded display  122  would have a diameter of approximately 0.8 inches in size with a high resolution display. The embedded processor would control and drive the output and resolution of the display  122 . The user interface  124  of the device  101  would be used by the user to engage the menu system for downloading a new display, synchronizing time, deactivation/activation of alarms, and the selection of either the GuiTime mode  34  or AlphaTime display mode  32 . The speaker  130  is used to indicate system messages and alarms as well as to play audio files associated with the executable template  160 . Preferably, a communication interface  102  between the self-contained watch  101  and computer  112  is a wireless solution, as is known in the art. 
     In operation of the embodiment of FIG. 7, the computer  112  is used to download multi media files  154  from the host  118  and to format the presentation of the alpha, numeric, and graphic components of the data  120  contained therein according to user specified parameters  158 . The computer  112  can access the host  118 , and the browse and download a selection of display data sets  120 . The computer  112  then produces customized time translation data in the form of the file  160  as a template, which is then downloaded to the watch  101 . Accordingly, through a simplified set of interface parameters through the interface  124  of the device  101 , the user can co-ordinate the chronological data  156  of the device processor  123  along with the template  160  for presentation of thematic time displays on the display  122 . It should be noted that the computational capabilities of the device  101  can be reduced to interacting with the template  160  in combination with synchronized chronological data  156 . In contrast, the computer  112  resources can be used for connecting with the host  118  over the network  116  and coordinating the download of data  120 , as well as formatting of the data  120  according to user specified parameters  158  to produce the resultant executable template  160 , which is executed by the device  101 . 
     Accordingly, as shown above by example, the display format  22  of the system  10  can be customized to display various pre-determined time sequences and formats as directed by the user through downloadable files  54  from the host site  18 , representing time display data  20 . This manipulation and translated display format of relative chronological time data helps the user to provide a dynamic and customizable time display  22 , by using various customization features, as indicated by example in the customization menus of FIGS. 4,  5 , and  6 . It is recognized that the operation of the system  10  can be provided by time display software containing the above system features as software modules. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the claims appended hereto. It is recognized that the system  10  features can be represented as software and/or hardware modules as represented by the computer readable media  26 . It is further recognized that the related software to control and compile the presentation of the data  20  can reside on; the host  18 , so that the user could configure the executable file  160  from user selection off of the host website; the host  18  which provides a series of pre-configured downloadable files  60 ,  160  related to the variety of display formats selectable by the user; and software downloadable by the user from the host  18 , such that the user can configure and compile their own personalized time displays for presentation on the device  12 .