Communications: electrical – Selective – Having indication or alarm
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-18
2002-07-16
Horabik, Michael (Department: 2635)
Communications: electrical
Selective
Having indication or alarm
C340S870030, C368S070000, C368S082000, C368S187000, C368S261000, C345S169000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06420959
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to devices with multimode function capabilities, and in particular, to an improved device that provides multi-level mode functionality for facilitating mode and function access and operation of the device.
Devices such as watches, pagers, and/or pager/watches that are capable of displaying several modes such as a time-of-day mode, a chronograph mode, an alarm mode, and a pager mode are well known in the art. One example of a watch with multimode capability is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,226 (the “'226 Patent”), assigned to the present assignee, and incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. While the '226 Patent is particularly directed to an improved method of setting an alternate time zone, the '226 Patent describes, in more than adequate detail, the capabilities of multimode electronic timepieces.
Pager/watch technology has also become very popular in recent years. One such example of a pager/watch with multimode capability is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,902, which is also incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Such a pager/watch device provides both paging capabilities and known multimode timepiece capabilities.
Heretofore, multimode access was primarily achieved by the actuation of a designated manual button, sometimes termed the “mode” button. Activation of the “mode” button permitted a user to move about (or cycle through) a plurality of modes such as the Time-of-Day (TOD) mode, Chronograph (CHRONO) mode,and Alarm (ALARM) mode. Copending application Ser. No. 09/157,342, now “abandoned” entitled “Device with Multimode Functions Including Display of Device Specific Information,” (A0363) incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, even discloses a Pager (PAGER) mode.
However, with the desirability of additional functionality, the inventor herein has found that there is always an ongoing need for additional modes, or at the least, the need for a user interface methodology that provides a user with the needed structured access to a variety of device functions. Modification of known devices merely to add additional modes is less than desirable since it would only lead to confusion, since the existing buttons would need to take on a multitude of functions, possibly even one for each mode. Likewise, a device with an abundance of buttons to solve the aforementioned problem would be less than desirable since it would increase the likelihood that a user would become frustrated therewith.
Accordingly, a device that provides for an improved multimode capability by utilizing a multi-level user interface is desired. The invention disclosed herein achieves the aforementioned and below mentioned objectives.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking, in accordance with the present invention, a multimode electronic device is provided. The device preferably includes a plurality of manually actuated buttons for selecting between a plurality of modes and functions, an integrated circuit programmed to provide the plurality of modes and functions and to provide an operator with the ability to enter and exit the plurality of modes and functions in response to actuation of selected ones of the buttons. In particular, the device includes a multi-level mode configuration, wherein the device has at least two first level modes and one of the modes has two second level functions. The device can enter each of the two first level modes by activation of a first button. The device is configured to enter each of the two second level functions by activation of a second button, wherein repeated activation of the second button cycles through each of the two second level functions. Further activation of the second button when the device is in the last (or second, in this example) of the two second level functions causes the device to reenter the mode having the second level functions. That is, repeated activation of the first button causes the device to cycle between and among the first level modes and repeated activation of the second button causes the device to cycle between a first level mode and between and among its second level functions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multimode device that can provide additional mode capability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multimode device that can provide additional functionality.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device having an improved multi-level user interface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device having multi-level mode capabilities that is easy for a user to access.
Another object of the present invention is having multi-level functionality that is easy for a user to access.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such multi-level interfacing with easy learnable sequencing operations.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4786902 (1988-11-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5257245 (1993-10-01), Thinesen
patent: 5343446 (1994-08-01), Simmons et al.
patent: 5555226 (1996-09-01), Lizzi
patent: 5587971 (1996-12-01), Thinesen
patent: 5861797 (1999-01-01), Becker
Carmody & Torrance LLP
Horabik Michael
Shimizu M
Timex Group B.V.
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