Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Changing exhibitor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-02
2004-03-02
Silbermann, Joanne (Department: 3611)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Changing exhibitor
C040S110000, C116S329000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06698120
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are signs available that may be used to indicate the time of the day at which a user of the sign intends to return. Most commonly, these signs are used by office workers or storekeepers who need to indicate to other employees or customers when they will return to their posts. Such a sign typically is printed with a statement that the user intends to return (i.e., “Will Return At:”), and is designed so that the user can indicate on the sign a time at which he or she intends to return.
To indicate the time of return, the sign usually has a representation of a clockface and movable clock-like hands that are rotatably secured to the center of the clockface. However, the clock-like hands do not automatically move, as on a working clock. Instead, the hands are manually positioned by the user so as to indicate on the clockface the time at which the user will return. Once positioned, the hands will stay in the set position until manually moved by the user (or another individual).
For instance, if a storekeeper is going to leave for lunch and intends to return to the store at 1:30, the storekeeper would position one hand on the sign to point to the one o'clock position and the other hand to point to the 30 minute position. Thus, the sign would indicate that the storekeeper “Will Return At: 1:30.”
Examples of such conventional signs are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 620,315 and 1,584,559. There are also known variations of these signs that allow the names of multiple individuals to be mounted on a sign in order to indicate the return times of different individuals. For instance, such conventional signs may include a plurality of clockfaces on a single sign, or a plurality of different clock-like hands, for different users, which are securely mounted on a single clockface of the sign. Examples of such variations are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 119,891 and 2,687,705.
However, the conventional signs do not provide a simple system for indicating the return times of more than one person. These signs also do not provide a simple system for indicating different locations or activities from which various individuals will return, and are not adaptable to provide information pertaining to the times of events or appointments. Accordingly, there is a need for a simple time-based sign system that provides greater flexibility in the information that can be provided and the manner in which it is provided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a scheduling sign system that is simple, but can provide a greater range of information than conventional “return at” signs and thus is useful in a great number of settings, such as a home.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the scheduling sign system includes a main sign and a plurality of entity indicators. The main sign displays an array of units of time. The plurality of entity indicators, each of which is separate from the main sign and positionable adjacent the main sign, display information identifying an entity. The entity indicators indicate units of time on the main sign.
In a second aspect of the present invention, the scheduling sign system includes a main sign, at least one entity indicator, and at least one alternative indicator. The main sign displays an array of units of time. The at least one entity indicator, which is separate from the main sign, displays information identifying an entity. The at least one alternative indicator, which is separate from the main sign and the entity indicator, displays information identifying at least one of a location, reminder, appointment, and activity. The entity indicator indicates a unit of time on the main sign or an alternative indicator. The alternative indicator indicates a unit of time on the main sign or an entity indicator.
Preferably, the sign system includes a plurality of the entity indicators and a plurality of the alternative indicators. It is also preferred that each of the entity indicators and alternative indicators include a pointer. Accordingly, the entity indicators may indicate a unit of time or an alternative indicator by pointing, and the alternative indicators may indicate a unit of time or an entity indicator by pointing.
In a third aspect of the present invention, the scheduling sign system includes a main sign and a plurality of indicators. The main sign displays an array of units of time. The plurality of indicators display activity, reminder, appointment, location, or entity information. The indicators are separate from and positionable adjacent to the main sign, and indicate units of time on the main sign by pointing to positions on the main sign. The information displayed on the indicators is alterable by a user.
With these embodiments of the present invention, the sign system may be used to indicate a wide range of information in a simple manner. For instance, the entity indicators may be used to point to times on the main sign in order to indicate the times at which different individuals represented by the different entity indicators will return. The alternative indicators may be used to point at entity indicators in order to indicate from which activities or locations the indicated individuals are to return.
Also, the sign system may be used to indicate times at which different individuals need to be picked up (i.e., children to be picked up from sports practices). In that case, an entity indicator may display the identity of an individual to be picked up, and an alternative indicator may display the location from which that individual is to be picked up. Accordingly, the entity indicator may point to a time on the main display and the alternative indicator may point to the entity indicator, or vice versa.
Of course, the sign system may be used to display other combinations of information as needed by the user. For instance, the indicators may be used in conjunction with the main sign to indicate times at which chores are to be performed, activities are to take place, or medicines are to be taken/administered, as well as the individuals associated therewith.
The Main Sign
Preferably, the main sign of the sign system is circular and includes a representation of a conventional, circular clockface. Accordingly, the units of time displayed thereon may be hours (and perhaps minutes) of a day, which may be arranged substantially around the circumference of the clockface. However, variations of the traditional twelve-hour clock face may also be used. For instance, a circular clockface displaying 24 hours may be used in order to display both the A.M. and P.M. hours of a single day. Alternatively, instead of displaying A.M. and P.M. hours (i.e., two twelve-hour cycles), the clockface may display the hours of the day in “military time” (i.e., a twenty-four-hour cycle).
In addition, the clockface and/or main sign may have a shape other than circular. For instance, the sign may be provided with a linear representation of a clockface, in which case the sign is preferably rectangular. In such an embodiment, for example, the numbers representing the hours of the day may be arranged in a substantially straight line along the top or bottom of a ruler-shaped component. Preferably, the numbers would be arranged on both the top and bottom of the ruler shape, with the different sides representing the A.M. and P.M. hours, respectively.
In other embodiments, the units of time displayed on the main sign may be other than hours and minutes. For instance, the main sign may display the days of the week. Accordingly, the sign system may be used to indicate chores, activities, or other events that are to take place or be performed during a given week, and may also indicate the individuals associated with the particular events.
The displayed units of time may be varied in other ways to suit the particular needs of the user, such as providing the days of a month. In addition, the arrangement or representations of the information displayed on the main sign may be varied as necessary to make the sign more user friendly. Accordingl
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