Patent Document

BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to wrist-worn devices and parameter adjusting methods implemented by the wrist-worn device and, particularly, to a wrist-worn device capable of user-friendly adjustment and parameter adjusting method implemented by the wrist-worn device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Many wrist-worn devices offer a high number of functions, such as displaying data, the time, an alarm and others. The functions are generally accessible to the user by actuating one, two or several push buttons placed on the case body to activate the different operating modes corresponding to the functions. However, after long period of use, the buttons may not operate reliably. Although a wrist-worn device with a touch sensitive unit covering the display unit is in existence, the display unit is usually small, which may result in accidental activation of an operating mode. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a wrist-worn device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a parameter adjusting method implemented by the wrist-worn device of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    The embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0009]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram of a wrist-worn device  1  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is shown. The wrist-worn device  1  includes a case  11 , a touch sensitive unit  12 , a display  13 , and a processor  14 . The components of the wrist-worn device  1  are received in the case  11 . 
         [0010]    The wrist-worn device  1  can operate in at least four work modes. In the embodiment, the four work modes include a normal mode, a time mode, a date mode, and a volume mode. Any of these work modes may be selected. In the normal mode, the processor  14  controls the display unit  13  to simultaneously display current time, current date, and current volume level. In the time mode, the processor  14  controls the display unit  13  to only display current time. In the date mode, the processor  14  controls the display unit  13  to only display current date. In the volume mode, the processor  14  controls the display unit  13  to only display current volume level. 
         [0011]    In an alternative embodiment, in each of the four work modes, the processor  14  may control the display unit  13  to simultaneously display the current time, current date, and current volume, with only the display element appropriate to that mode highlighted, thus the processor  14  highlights the current time in the time mode, highlights the current date in the date mode, and highlights the volume level in the volume mode. 
         [0012]    The wrist-worn device  1  normally operates in the normal mode. The current time is displayed in three parameters, indicating “hours” data, “minutes” data, and “seconds” data. The current date is also displayed in three parameters, indicating “year” data, “month” data, and “date” data. The processor  14  can switch a current working mode to another, can select a particular parameter in a current working mode, and adjust the value of the selected parameter in response to a user operation. 
         [0013]    In the embodiment, when a switching command is received, the processor  14  determines the current working mode and the working mode next to the current work mode and then switches the mode to that next mode. The current working mode and the next working mode are preset. For example, the four working modes may be configured to apply in the order of normal mode, then time mode, then date mode, then volume mode, and then back to the starting mode. The processor  14  can determine the working mode next to the current working mode according to the configured order. Similarly, the parameters indicating hour, minute, second in the time mode may be ordered for adjustment in the order of hours, then minutes, and then seconds, and the parameters indicating year, month, and date, may be ordered for adjustment in that order. The processor  14  selects a parameter next to the current selected parameter according to the configured order. 
         [0014]    The touch sensitive unit  12  is fixed to the case  11 . The display  13  is fixed to the top surface of the case  11 . 
         [0015]    The processor  14  can monitor the period of time for which a user touches the touch sensitive unit  12 . If the time period is less than a first predetermined value, such as 5 seconds, the processor  14  determines that the operation is a mistake and takes no action. If the time period is equal to or more than the predetermined value, the processor  14  determines that the touch represents a switching command and switches the current working mode to the next one. 
         [0016]    In an alternative embodiment, the processor  14  can monitor the number of separate touches that a user carries out on the touch sensitive unit  12  within a first predetermined time. If the number of touches is less than a predetermined number, such as  2 , the processor  14  may determine that the operation is a mistake and take no action. If the number of touches is equal to or more than a predetermined number, the processor  14  determines that the number of touches represents a switching command and switches the current working mode to the next one. 
         [0017]    When the wrist-worn device  1  is operating in any of the modes, the processor  14  can further determine the point(s) of touch on the touch sensitive unit  12 , and can determine the track of any moving touches (touch track) based on the point(s) of touch. When the touch track matches a stored first track, the processor  14  determines that the operation is a selection command and selects a default parameter in the current mode. When a second or further touch track is determined, the processor  14  selects the parameter next to the current selection. A selected parameter is adjustable. Only one parameter can be selected in the volume mode. When the touch track matches a stored second track, the processor  14  determines that the operation represents an adjustment command and may adjust the value of the selected parameter. In the embodiment, the first track is constituted by a left/right direction of movement, and the second track is constituted by an up/down direction of movement. 
         [0018]    In the embodiment, if the second track is established by a vertical touch track, a down-to-up direction of movement will gradually increase the value of the selected parameter. If the established touch track is made in an up-to-down direction of movement, the processor  14  will gradually decrease the parameter value of the selected parameter. 
         [0019]    In the embodiment, the processor  14  further controls the display unit  13  to illuminate or display the currently-adjustable parameter at a predetermined frequency to inform the user, and further controls the display unit  13  to stop illuminating or displaying the currently-adjustable parameter when the processor  14  monitors that the touch sensitive unit  12  has not been touched within a second predetermined period of time, and to regard the currently-displayed value of the parameter as the desired value. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a parameter adjusting method in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is shown. 
         [0021]    In step S 201 , the processor  14  receives a touch from a user on the touch sensitive unit  12 . 
         [0022]    In step S 202 , the processor  14  monitors the time period that the user is touching the touch sensitive unit  12 . If the time period is less than a predetermined value, the procedure goes back to step S 201 . If the time period is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the procedure goes to step S 203 . 
         [0023]    In step S 203 , the processor  14  switches the current working mode of the wrist-worn device  1  to the next working mode. 
         [0024]    In step S 204 , the processor  14  monitors the current mode of operation of the wrist-worn device. If the wrist-worn device is operating in the time mode, the date mode, or the volume mode, the procedure goes back to step S 205 . While the wrist-worn device is operating in the default or normal mode, the procedure remains in step S 201 . 
         [0025]    In step S 205 , the processor  14  determines the point(s) of touch carried out on the touch sensitive unit  12  to determine one or more touch track(s), and determines whether any touch track matches a stored first track or a stored second track. If the touch track does match the first track, the procedure goes to step S 206 . If a touch track match the stored second track, the procedure goes to step S 207 . 
         [0026]    In step S 206 , the processor  14  selects a default parameter in the current working mode. 
         [0027]    In step S 207 , the processor  14  adjusts the value of the selected parameter according to user input, as represented by the general and particular direction(s) of movement of the finger or the stylus of the user. 
         [0028]    In an alternative embodiment, the processor  14  monitors the number of times that the user touches the touch sensitive unit  12  within a first predetermined period of time. When the number of touches is equal to or more than a predetermined number, the processor  14  switches the current working mode of the wrist-worn device  1  to the next one in the cycle. When the number of touches is less than the predetermined number, the processor  14  determines that the operation is a mistake and takes no action. 
         [0029]    Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

Technology Category: 3