Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Plural time zones
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-30
2001-06-19
Roskoski, Bernard (Department: 2859)
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Plural time zones
C368S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249486
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of time display. More specifically, the present invention relates to the display of time for multiple locales in multiple time zones.
2. Background Information
Numerous time display devices supporting display of time for multiple locales in multiple time zones are known in the art. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,555,226, 5,448,532, 5,054,008, 5,007,003, 4,972,392, 4,884,254, and 4,681,460, to name just a few. However, these prior art time display devices typically suffer from at least one of two disadvantages. They are either unable to concurrently display time for multiple locales in multiple time zones, or they are confined to the globe paradigm, that is displaying time for multiple locales in multiple time zones in a globe related presentation. As a result, these prior art time display devices are user unfriendly in answering certain time related questions frequently asked by world travelers. Examples of these frequently asked time related questions include questions such as the appropriate “local” time in an oversea location for a traveler to call home, the appropriate time to schedule a conference call involving participants located in multiple time zones, and flight time (as itinerary is often given in terms of local take off time in a first time zone, and local arrival time in a second time zone). Increasing number of world travelers are asking these and many other basic time related questions, as the continuing globalization of the world's economy causing more and more businessmen to travel, and the increasing affluence of the developed world causing more and more vacationers to travel to more distant places. Thus, an improved method for displaying time for multiple locales in multiple time zones that is more user firendly and without the disadvantages of prior art approaches is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A linear time display including a first and a second time clock for a first and a second locale of a first and a second time zone is disclosed. In one embodiment, each linear time clock includes a plurality of time unit representations (TUR). A first visual indicator is displayed to correlate a first TUR in the first linear clock to a corresponding TUR in the second linear clock, and a second visual indicator is displayed to correlate a second TUR in the second linear clock to a corresponding TUR in the first linear clock. A time difference represented by the spatial difference between the first and second visual indicators is also displayed.
In one embodiment, the time unit representations are hour slots, and the correlating visual indicators are crossbars. Furthermore, the hour slots are visually differentiated between the daytime ones and the evening ones.
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Chitturi Prasanna R.
Columbia IP Law Group, LLC
Roskoski Bernard
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