Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Chronological – With auxiliary illumination for display
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-07
2002-03-05
Miska, Vit (Department: 2859)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Chronological
With auxiliary illumination for display
C368S227000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06353579
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to improvements in operating an illuminated display for a multimode or multifunction electronic device, such as a timepiece, and a watch in particular, and more particularly, the invention relates to an improved logic sequence for such an electronic device for illuminating the display of the electronic device.
Means for illuminating wristwatch dials or liquid crystals displays which could otherwise not be easily seen in the dark are well known. Generally, the lamp illuminating the display or dial is lit by pressing a pushbutton to close contacts inside the device (i.e. the watchcase) so as to change the electrical potential on an integrated circuit input pin, signifying a switch closure.
In actual practice, the manual actuator may either be a dedicated switch which only serves to light the illuminating lamp, or the switch may incidentally cause the lamp to light while some other function is being performed with the switch. Electronic watches are also known, in which various special lighting functions or timing functions are performed when the manual actuators are operated in a preselected manner, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,084,401, 4,094,139 and 4,033,108.
Multimode, multifunction electronic devices, such as watches, are known to include a display, a lamp for illuminating the display, a number of manually actuated switches and an integrated circuit programmable in preselected sequences, examples of which are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,783,773, 4,780,864 and 4,283,784, all of which are assigned to the present assignee.
Yet another example of a display illumination logic sequence to facilitate the use of a timepiece is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,688 to Syfert. This '688 patent describes a logic sequence to light the lamp in response to actuation of a first switch, to change modes in response to actuation of a second switch and to change information displayed in each mode in response to actuation of a third switch, wherein in response to actuating the first switch for more than two seconds, the first logic sequence is altered into a second logic sequence wherein actuation of either of the second or third switches will automatically light the lamp momentarily in addition to duplicating the first logic sequence. The display methodology returns the timepiece to the first logic sequence after a selected period of time.
The inventor of the present invention has found however, that an alternative and yet still novel and nonobvious display illumination construction and methodology can still further improve upon the state of the art in this regard and can provide for yet unrealized advantages, as will be set forth below. Accordingly, a device and methodology that provides such an improved display illumination construction and methodology for an electronic device is desired, and is embodied in the present invention disclosed herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking, in accordance with the present invention, a multimode electronic device is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the electronic device preferably includes a display, a lamp for illuminating the display, a plurality of actuated switches, and an integrated circuit coupled to the plurality of actuated switches and able to sense the activation of each of the plurality of actuated switches. The device will include software, hardware, or a combination thereof, for (i) determining that one of the plurality of actuated switches, such as, for example but not in a limiting sense, a dedicated lamp switch was activated, (ii) for activating the lamp to illuminate the display for a first predetermined period of time in response to the determining that the first switch (i.e. the dedicated switch) was activated, for (iii) also determining if another switch, other than the dedicated switch, has been activated, and if so, for determining whether the other switch was activated while the display was being illuminated. The device will continually maintain the illumination of the display if any of the other switches are activated during the period that the display is being illuminated. In a particular feature of the present invention, the integrated circuit will restart the time period for which the display remains illuminated and maintains the illumination of the display for such a predetermined period of time each time any of the manual switches are activated. In the preferred embodiment, the restarting and each subsequent period of time is the same as the initial predetermined period of time. However, the present invention recognizes the ability to restart the illumination period for different time periods, depending, for example, on the switches depressed, rotation of the ring (as disclosed below), or combination or sequence thereof.
For example, if the lamp is activated by the depression of the lamp switch, the display will illuminate, if no other switches are activated, for the predetermined period, for example, three (3) seconds, after which the lamp will deactivate and the display will no longer be illuminated. If however, during those three (3) seconds, one of the other actuatable switches are depressed, and this is sensed by the integrated circuit, the display will remain illuminated and the activation period during which the lamp will illuminate the display will be restarted (i.e. from the time that the other switch is activated the display will remain illuminated for another period of time (in the most simplest of embodiments, three (3) more seconds)) before it will shut off should no other switches be activated. That is, the lamp will deactivate if no other actuated switches are activated during the predetermined period of time. Each successive activation of a switch will restart the count process.
In another embodiment, the multimode electronic device comprises a display, a lamp for illuminating the display, a plurality of actuated switches wherein one of the actuated switches is a lamp switch that when activated, causes the illumination of the display, and an integrated circuit coupled to the plurality of actuated switches and able to sense the activation of each of the plurality of actuated switches, wherein the integrated circuit causes the activation of the lamp to illuminate the display when the lamp switch is activated, starts a count process that maintains the illumination of the display for a predetermined period of time, senses the activation of another one of the plurality of actuated switches and determines whether the another one of the plurality of actuated switches was activated while the display was being illuminated, and if so, restarts the count process so that the illumination of the display is maintained for another predetermined period of time (such as three (3) seconds) beginning when the another one of the plurality of actuated switches was sensed. In this embodiment, the integrated circuit causes the deactivation of the lamp when the activation of another one of the plurality of actuated switches is not sensed during the count process.
Lastly, in accordance with the present invention, a method of illuminating a display in an electronic device is provided. In this embodiment of the invention, the electronic device preferably comprises a display, a lamp for illuminating the display, a plurality of actuated switches one of which is a lamp switch that when activated, causes the activation of the lamp to illuminate the display, and an integrated circuit coupled to the plurality of actuated switches, the integrated circuit being able to sense the activation of each of the plurality of actuated switches, and the method comprises the steps of sensing the activation of the lamp switch, activating the lamp to illuminate the display for a first predetermined period of time, sensing the activation of another one of the plurality of actuated switches, determining whether the another one of the plurality of actuated switches was activated while the display was illuminated, and if so, maintaining the illumination of
Carmody & Torrance LLP
Miska Vit
Timex Group B.V.
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