Patent ID: 7081905

Claim:
A method for dynamically controlling speed of a scroll device providing scroll functions for setting time of a time keeping display having minute and hour indicators, said scroll device generating scroll signals representing scroll events and communicating said signals to a control device for advancing said minute and hour indicators in response thereto, said method comprising: a) receiving first scroll signals from said scroll device and, in response to received first scroll signals, incrementally advancing a time keeping display minute indicator in a first direction according to fine-grain time increments, and simultaneously tracking the advancing direction; b) counting said received first scroll signals; and, c) thereafter, in response to continued receipt of first scroll signals, seamlessly advancing said time keeping display minute indicator according to coarse-grain time increments in said first direction when a count of said received first scroll signals exceeds a predetermined number, said coarse-grain time increments greater than said fine-grain time increments, whereby fewer scroll device manipulations are required to achieve a desired time set without notice to the user; and, d) receiving second scroll signals in response to manipulating said scroll device to change direction of said time keeping display minute indicator; e) determining said change in direction; and, f) incrementally advancing said time keeping display minute indicator in said changed direction according to fine-grain time increments, wherein said time keeping display minute indicator movement is changed from coarse-grain time movement in said first direction to fine-grain time movement in said changed direction.