Abstract:
A multimode digital watch having a dot matrix digital display embedded in a watch face and a controller, wherein the controller presents a series of primary menu images on the dot matrix display in response to a first set of signals from the user activated input device, each primary menu image identifying one of a plurality of modes in a primary menu, and presents a series of secondary menu images on the dot matrix display corresponding to a primary mode present on the dot matrix display when a second set of signals is provided by the user activated input device; wherein the series of primary menu images is presented bi-directionally, and in one embodiment the primary menu images are formed of alphanumeric characters and icons which can be animated.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from provisional application No. 60/201,968 filed May 5, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates generally to timepieces, and more particularly, to a digital watch that provides multiple functional displays in a digital format which are navigated by way of nested menus.  
         DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
         [0003]    Wristwatches having a digital display for the time and date are well known. Digital displays such as light emitting diode (LED) and digital segment liquid crystal displays are well known.  
           [0004]    Multimode or multifunction wristwatches are also well known. Generally, these multimode watches include an integrated circuit programmed in a predetermined sequence for cycling the watch through the various modes in which different information is displayed for each mode. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,688, these watches have various modes, such as the time of day, chronograph, dual time zone, and elapsed time. Typically, a switch on the watch is actuated to cycle the watch display to the next mode.  
           [0005]    In the conventional multimode watch, once a mode has been cycled to the next mode, the watch buttons are immediately enabled to begin implementing the functions within the mode. For example, when one cycles to the time setting mode, typically the pushing of another one of the buttons on the watch will cause a change in the time. As a result, changes or functions can be initiated inadvertently. Another disadvantage is that it is sometimes difficult to differentiate one mode from another because subtle changes in secondary areas, not the primary digital time segments, are sometimes used to signal the user as to a change in mode or function. With such an arrangement, the user sometimes has difficulty in identifying the current mode because of the limited clues provided by the display. Another disadvantage of conventional multimode watches is that the modes are cycled through in one direction, thereby requiring the user to cycle through the entire set of modes to get to a just passed.  
           [0006]    It would therefore be desirable to have a multimode watch in which the operational modes are more easily navigated; where the modes are more clearly discernible, and where the modes can be accessed in more than a single direction.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention is a multimode digital watch which has nested menus. In the preferred embodiment the primary menu is navigable both forward and backwards. The menu presents one mode at a time, and the presented mode is entered when the user affirmatively selects it. In one embodiment the modes are identified using a combination of words and animations. In accordance with the present invention, animations are used in the menus to identify a mode before the user actually selects a mode.  
           [0008]    These and other features of the present invention provide a multimode digital watch which is easier to navigate and easier to use, and in which the modes are more easily identified. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following drawings and detailed description of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The invention will be better understood by reference to the attached figures in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the watch body and buttons of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2A is a view of one side of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing the navigational buttons;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2B is a view of another side of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing the navigational buttons;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the watch body, buttons, and dot matrix liquid crystal digital display used in an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the circuitry of the watch of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 5A and 5B provide an example of the nested menus of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    The present invention is a watch  100  that has a watch face  200  on its top side having a dot matrix liquid crystal display (LCD) for the digital display  210 . The watch face  200  has a frame  220  around it and is covered with a watch crystal  225 , as shown in FIG. 1. In a preferred embodiment, the frame  220  is round, preferably oval. The frame  220  may also be square or rectangular or any other shape.  
         [0017]    Watch  100  is provided with several buttons for controlling its operation. Buttons  102  and  104  are UP and DOWN (toggle) controls, respectively. Button  106  is an ENTER button. Button  108  is an ESCAPE or EXIT button. In the illustrated embodiment, the protocol used is that when the UP button  102  or DOWN button  104  is used to change the digit or selection, the ENTER button  106  confirms the selection or digit. Also, pressing the ESCAPE or EXIT button  108  will cause the display to revert to the Time Display mode.  
         [0018]    The dot matrix LCD  210 , is shown in FIG. 3 embedded in the watch face  200  within the frame  220 , and is employed to provide the various visual displays for the different functional modes. It is to be understood that the number of pixels shown in LCD  210  of FIG. 3 is for illustrative purposes only, and that in practice the number of pixels used will be selected according to the resolution desired for the display.  
         [0019]    In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a commercially available LCD is used for the dot matrix LCD  210  as set forth in the following TABLE  1 . The digital display  210  is controlled by a digital controller  212  that determines the information to be displayed on the dot matrix LCD  210 . In a preferred embodiment, the watch processor controller  212  is a commercially available device as set forth in the following TABLE 2.  
                             TABLE 1                       LCD                                    model number   93-40811-1500b           manufacturer   Elec &amp; Eltek Display Technology Ltd.           city   Guangzhou           state/country   China           number of dots   1024           LCD Type   STN           no. of segments   64           no. of common   16           Duty   1/16           Bias   1/5                      
 
         [0020]    [0020]                             TABLE 2                       Watch controller (CPU)                                    Model number   SPL-191A           Manufacturer   Sunplus Technology Ltd.           City   Science-Based Industrial Park           State/country   Taiwan                        
         [0021]    Circuitry Operation  
         [0022]    In a preferred embodiment, the watch  100  uses a controller  212  which is an integrated circuit, part number SPL-191A, available from Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd., of Science-Based Industrial Park, Taiwan, for controlling the dot matrix LCD  210  to display the different animations and alphanumeric information. The controller circuit  212  includes an LCD driver and a memory section that stores bit patterns to be used in the animations and alphanumeric display. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the circuitry of the watch  100 . As described briefly earlier, the user uses the UP key  102  and the DOWN key  104  to move back and forth between items. The ENTER key  106  is used to select a mode or function, to operate the program of the CMOS circuit  212  to cycle to other modes and to set the time. EXIT key  108  is employed to exit out of a function or mode, and/or to return to the default display mode, such as the TIME mode.  
         [0023]    As shown in FIG. 4, the inputs sent from the UP key  102 , DOWN key  104 , the ENTER key  106 , or the EXIT key  108  are received by the controller  212 , which is powered by a battery . The controller  212  in turn controls the dot matrix LCD  210  and provides the bit patterns to the dot matrix LCD  210  to be displayed. Included within the circuitry is a quartz crystal oscillator upon which the timing and other signals are based.  
         [0024]    Operational Modes  
         [0025]    The controller  212  of an embodiment of the present invention is programmed to provide the progression of operations shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. This embodiment has NINE (9) modes of operation. These nine (9) modes are set forth in the following Table A:  
                           TABLE A                                   MODE   REFERENCE NUMBER:                           Time   502           Mode Selection - Alarm   504           Mode Selection - Anniversary   506           Mode Selection - Stop Watch   508           Mode Selection - Count Down   510           Mode Selection - Adjust   512           Mode Selection - World Time   514           Mode Selection - Decision Making   516           Mode Selection - Memo   518                      
 
         [0026]    Navigation through these nine ( 9 ) modes is accomplished using a primary loop  500  and secondary loops. The primary loop  500  is bi-directional. For example, when in the primary loop  500  the user presses DOWN button  104 , the modes are sequenced through in a clockwise direction around loop primary  500 . Pressing UP button  102  causes the modes to be cycled in a counterclockwise direction around primary loop  500 .  
         [0027]    When a mode is reached that the user wishes to enter, the user presses ENTER button  106 . When the user desires to leave a selected mode, the user presses the EXIT button  108  which causes the watch to revert to the Time mode  502 .  
         [0028]    For example, when the primary loop  500  has been cycled to the “Alarm” mode  504 , pressing the ENTER button  106  causes the watch to enter the Alarm secondary loop  520 . Subsequent pressing of the ENTER button  106  causes the watch to progress through secondary loop  520 . Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 5A and set forth in Table B, in secondary loop  520 , there are three modes that can be cycled through:  
                           TABLE B                                   SECONDARY LOOP MODE   REFERENCE NUMBER                           Alarm Set   522           Alarm ON/OFF   524           Alarm Type   526                      
 
         [0029]    Once a secondary loop mode has been cycled to, pressing UP button  102  or DOWN button  104  will provide access to the modes available for that secondary loop mode. For example, when the Alarm Type secondary loop mode  526  is reached, pressing UP button  102  or DOWN button  104  permits the user to cycle through the three types of alarm sounds that are available in the illustrated embodiment. Pressing enter button  106  confirms the selection made. Pressing the EXIT button  108  causes the watch to revert to Time mode  502 .  
         [0030]    In Time mode  502  the user is able to cycle between a mode ( 502 ) which displays the time in large digits, and the day of the week and numerical month and day below; or a mode  528  in which a message and the alarm time are shown in the upper part of the display, and the day of the week and numerical month and day in the lower part. In both modes, the day of the week is indicated in letters.  
         [0031]    For the anniversary mode  506 , the secondary loop mode permits the user to cycle through a list  530  of nine ( 9 ) entries using UP button  102  or DOWN button  104 . Also within the list is an EXIT selection. When one of the list is selected by pressing ENTER button  106 , the ENTER button  106  thereafter cycles through the information that can be set for that one of the list, as set forth in the following Table C.  
                           TABLE C                                   SETTABLE INFORMATION   REFERENCE NUMBER                           Name   532           Date   534           Early Reminder   536                      
 
         [0032]    An EXIT selection is also provided to permit the user to exit out of the secondary loop.  
         [0033]    In any one of the particular settable information selections, the UP button  102  or DOWN button  104  is used to scroll to the digits, letters or settings to be selected. For example, in selectable item Early Reminder  536 , pressing UP button  102  or DOWN button  104  permits the user to select either YES or NO. Thereafter pressing ENTER button  106  confirms the selection.  
         [0034]    In the ANNIV mode, when entering the name of the person whose anniversary is being recorded at icon  532 , the watch is placed in the memo mode. In this mode, the first letter of the name is first presented in a condition to be set. The UP button  102  and DOWN button  104  are used to scroll through a list of possible characters. Also included in the list are a BACK selection and an EXIT selection. The BACK selection permits the user to go back to the character that was previously set. The EXIT selection permits the user to exit the setting of the characters for the name. When in this list of possible characters, the ENTER button  106  is used to confirm the selection. When a letter of the name has been selected, the watch presents the next letter of the name to be set. This continues until the user selects the EXIT selection to exit out of the name setting mode.  
         [0035]    Referring now to the Stop Watch mode  508 , pressing ENTER button  106  causes the Stop Watch mode to toggle between run and pause. Pressing the UP button  102  or DOWN button  104  causes the count to be reset.  
         [0036]    For the Count Down mode  510 , pressing ENTER button  106  causes the watch to display the count down time  538 . Pressing UP button  102  or DOWN button  104  permits the user to select the count down time. Thereafter, pressing ENTER button  106  starts the count down timer.  
         [0037]    Adjust mode  512  permits the user to adjust the functions set forth in TABLE D:  
                           TABLE D                                   FUNCTION   REFERENCE NUMBER                           Adjust Time   540           Adjust Sound   542           Select Local Time   544           Sleep Mode   546           Adjust Mode   548           Birthday   550           Display Style   552                      
 
         [0038]    World Time mode  514  permits the user to select different countries to display the corresponding time in the selected country.  
         [0039]    Decision Making mode  516  provides an output which is randomly selected from a predetermined number of different and sometimes fanciful decision making outcomes such as:  
                                                 EXAMPLE DECISIONAL OUTCOMES                                    Yes   Absolutely not   I don&#39;t Know           Yeah baby!   Don&#39;t bother   No clue           Count on it!   Fuhgedaboutit!   Can&#39;t say           Of course   When pigs fly!   Check it later           No   Doubtful           Fat Chance   Maybe                      
 
         [0040]    The Memo mode  518 , in the illustrated embodiment, provides the user up to sixteen (16) programmable memo items. The secondary loop  554  for the Memo mode  518  cycles the user through the functions shown in TABLE E.  
                           TABLE E                                   FUNCTION   REFERENCE NUMBER                           Select Memo   556           Key in Memo   558           Show on Screen?   560                      
 
         [0041]    As can be appreciated from the above illustrative embodiment of the nested menus of the present invention, such a configuration permits a large number of modes, and functions with each mode, and features within each function, to be available to the user. The nested menus of the present invention permit the user to be presented with a list of modes, one mode at a time, at the primary menu level. This permits the user to scroll through the list without causing the mode to be selected at the same time. This avoids inadvertent activating of a mode and inadvertent changing of mode settings, such as when the watch buttons are accidentally hit by an object.  
         [0042]    This displaying of the identity of one mode at a time also permits more information to be provided in the display which makes the mode easier to identify to the user.  
         [0043]    Further, the bi-directional scrolling feature, permits the user to more easily scroll to a mode. Instead of having to scroll through the entire list of modes, as is the case in the prior art, the present invention permits the user to scroll backwards and forward through the list of modes. The buttons  102  and  104  are specially designed and placed to aid in implementing the bi-directional scrolling feature. As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 2A,  2 B and  3 , buttons  102  and  104  are located along the right side edge of the watch body, relative to a fixed spacer section  103 , and are generally elongated in shape. Button  102  is positioned to the counterclockwise side of fixed spacer section  103 , while button  104  is positioned to the clockwise side. The relative positioning and the elongated shape of buttons  102  and  104  suggest to the user the counterclockwise versus clockwise scrolling that each button initiates. It follows that, in the illustrated embodiment, pressing button  102  results in a counterclockwise scrolling through a menu, while pressing button  104  results in a clockwise scrolling.  
         [0044]    As discussed above, one of the features of the present invention is the use of icons/word combinations to further enhance and convey to the user the identity of the function being depicted. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, the use of the combination icons and words can be seen in accordance with the present invention. For example, the Count Down mode  510  in the primary menu  500  is depicted by the combination of the words Count Down, and an hour glass icon. Some of the other depictions in primary menu  500 , and other submenus are listed in the following TABLE F.  
                       TABLE F                       MODE/FUNCTION   WORD/LETTERS   ICON                   Alarm 504   Alarm   Clock Face       Sound Variation Type 526   Type 1   Graphical Trace       Anniversary Reminder 506   Anniv   Cake w/candle       Stop Watch 508   Stop Watch   Clock Face       Adjustment 512   Adjust   Slide bars       Memorandum 518   Memo   Dialog bubble       Running Time 562   00’00”00   Running stick               character       Exit 564   Exit   Open door       Sleep 546   Sleep Mode   Moon with night cap       Display Style 552   Display Style   TV screen       Adjust Time 540   Adjust Time   Clock face       World Time 514   World Time   Globe                  
 
         [0045]    The icon/word identifications can be provided in part because the primary loop of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scrolls through a list of modes, rather than into each mode. Thus, unlike the prior art which might permit a user to move to an “time set mode” in which one of the digits is already flashing and ready to be changed, the present invention will present the user with a display that shows the word “Adjust” and an icon made up of slider bars  512 . If the user selects the “Adjust” mode, the user is presented with a sub-menu in which provides a list, also in icon/word form, of several different functions or sub-modes which can be selected for adjustment. See Table D above. Therefore, instead of scrolling to the adjustment of a single function in the primary loop, the user, in accordance with the present invention, scrolls to an identified mode, and upon selecting the identified mode, is presented with a sub-menu which in turn lists many possible actions.  
         [0046]    In the present invention, the icons being used are sometimes animated in order to enhance the intuitive understanding of the mode or function being represented by the icon/animation. Thus, for example, the following icons listed in Table G are animated:  
                   TABLE G                       MODE/FUNCTION   ICON BEING ANIMATED/ACTION                   Alarm 504   Alarm clock/Ringing       World Time 514   Globe/Turning       Count Down 510   Hour Glass/Turns and flips       Anniversary 506   Cake/Dots circle cake                  
 
         [0047]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the animations are generated by displaying preprogrammed bit map patterns for each frame of the animation. In other words, there is a bit map pattern created beforehand for each possible alphanumeric character and image variation. These patterns are stored within the controller read only memory, and read out as required. In this manner, a fast and smooth animation can be generated. It is to be understood, however, that other methods of generating the animations can be employed within the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0048]    It is to be appreciated that the description and details provided herein are meant to illustrate and not to limit the present invention, it being contemplated that alterations and modification of the system described as well as the various interrelationship of the components and methods illustrated will become apparent to those skilled in the art after having considered the foregoing description and accompanying drawings.