Electronically actuated liquid crystal watchface with conventional time format

Claim 2

An electronic watch comprising: a watchface having a plurality of hour and 5-minute hands; means for providing selective visibility of said plurality of hour and 5-minute hands in response to applied electrical signals whereby one of each of said hour and minute hands may be made visible to indicate time to the nearest 5 minutes; a plurality of minute indicating elements; and means for applying an electrical excitation to said minute indicating elements whereby the minutes between each of the 5 minutes represented by said hour and 5-minute hands may be indicated; means for applying electrical signals to one of said hour hands for generally the period of an hour and for applying an electrical signal to the next sequential hour hand for the next succeeding hour in a cyclical pattern which provides activation of each of said 12 hour hands; means for providing electrical signals to one of said 5-minute hands for 5 minute interval and for sequencing from one to an adjacent one of said 5-minute hands in a cyclical pattern encompassing all 12 of said five-minute hands; and means for applying electrical excitation to each of said plurality of minute indicators in a predetermined sequence during the application of said electrical signals to each of said 5-minute hands.

Claim 3

An instrument for indicating digital subdivisions of time in a substantially conventional clock format comprising: an oscillator providing an output signal of a first frequency; means responsive to said oscillator output for providing electrical signals representing time information; a substrate having a viewable area; a first plurality of selectively energizable, fixed position electrically conductive hands formed on said substrate over a range of positions including said viewable area; a second plurality of selectively energizable, fixed position electrically conductive hands formed on said substrate generally over the range of positions of said first plurality of hands; said first and second plurality of hands being shaped such that a hand of said plurality substantially surrounds a hand of said first plurality; electro-optic means for selectively inducing visibility in one or more hands of said first and second pluralities of hands in response to electrical energization thereof; first electrical connections each associated with a corresponding one of said first plurality of conductive hands and disposed peripherally thereof, said first connections providing electrical connection between said means for providing electrical signals representative of time information and said first plurality of hands through said second plurality of hands; and second electrical connections each associated with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive hands and disposed peripherally of said first and second pluralities of hands and substantially outside of said viewable area, said second Connections providing electrical connections between said means for providing electrical signals representative of time information and said second plurality of hands.

Claim 4

An instrument for indicating digital subdivisions of time in a substantially conventional clock format comprising: an oscillator providing an output signal of a first frequency; means responsive to said oscillator output for providing electrical signals representing time information; a substrate having a viewable area; a first plurality of selectively energizable, fixed position electrically conductive hands formed on said substrate over a range of positions including said viewable area; a second plurality of selectively energizable, fixed position electrically conductive hands formed on said substrate generally over the range of positions of said first plurality of hands; said first and second plurality of hands being shaped such that a hand of said plurality substantially surrounds a hand of said first plurality; electro-optic means for selectively inducing visibility in one or more hands of said first and second pluralities of hands in response to electrical energization thereof; first electrical connections each associated with a corresponding one of said first plurality of conductive hands and disposed peripherally thereof, said first connections providing electrical connection between said means for providing electrical signals representative of time information and said first plurality of hands through said second plurality of hands; and second electrical connections each associated with a corresponding one of said second plurality of conductive hands and disposed peripherally of said first and second pluralities of hands and substantially outside of said viewable area, said second Connections providing electrical connections between said means for providing electrical signals representative of time information and said second plurality of hands.

Claim 5

An instrument for indicating digital subdivisions of time in a substantially conventional clock format comprising: an oscillator providing an output signal of a first frequency; means responsive to said oscillator output for providing electrical output signals representing time information; an instrument face defining a viewable area; at least one electro-optic cell having first and second substrates and electro-optic material disposed intermediate said substrates and including: a first plurality of selectively energizable, fixed position electrically conductive hands formed on said first substrate over a range of positions thereon; a second plurality of selectively energizable fixed position electrically conductive hands formed on said first substrate over a range of positions thereon; a conductive layer formed on said second substrate; said first and second plurality of hands being shaped such that a hand of said second plurality substantially surrounds a hand of said first plurality; first electrical connections each associated with a corresponding one of said first plurality of hands and disposed peripherally thereof, said first plurality of connections providing electrical connection between said means for providing electrical signals representing time information and said first plurality of hands through said second plurality of hands; second electrical connections associated with said second plurality of hands and disposed peripherally of said first and second pluralities of hands and substantially outside of said vewable area, said second connections providing electrical connection between said means for providing electrical signals representing time information and said second plurality of hands; said electro-optic material being operative in response to an electrical potential established between ones of said hands electrically energized by said means for providing signals representing time information and said conductive layer to provide a visible indication thereof.

Claim 6

An instrument for indicating digital subdivisions of time in a substantially conventional clock format comprising: an oscillator providing an output signal of a first frequency; means responsive to said oscillator output for providing electrical output signals representing time information; an instrument face defining a viewable area; at least one electro-optic cell having first and second substrates and electro-optic material disposed intermediate said substrates and including: a first plurality of selectively energizable, fixed position electrically conductive hands formed on said first substrate over a range of positions thereon; a second plurality of selectively energizable fixed position electrically conductive hands formed on said first substrate over a range of positions thereon; a conductive layer formed on said second substrate; said first and second plurality of hands being shaped such that a hand of said second plurality substantially surrounds a hand of said first plurality; first electrical connections each associated with a corresponding one of said first plurality of hands and disposed peripherally thereof, said first plurality of connections providing electrical connection between said means for providing electrical signals representing time information and said first plurality of hands through said second plurality of hands; second electrical connections associated with said second plurality of hands and disposed peripherally of said first and second pluralities of hands and substantially outside of said vewable area, said second connections providing electrical connection between said means for providing electrical signals representing time information and said second plurality of hands; said electro-optic material being operative in response to an electrical potential established between ones of said hands electrically energized by said means for providing signals representing time information and said conductive layer to provide a visible indication thereof.

Claim 7

The instrument of claim 3 wherein the hands of said first and second pluralities of hands and said electro-optic material are components of a liquid crystal display.

Claim 8

The instrument of claim 3 wherein said electrical connections associated with said first and second pluralities of hands include: electrodes contacting said first and second pluralities of hands and operative to provide electrical connection thereto for selectively including visibility thereof; the electrodes contacting the hands of said first plurality including portions which pass in isolation along a channel between sections of the hands of said second plurality of hands.

Claim 9

The instrument of claim 3 further including a third plurality of conductors; and means for activating said third plurality of conductors to provide indication of time units intermediate the time units represented by the hands of said first and second pluralities.

Claim 10

An electronic watch according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of hour and 5-minute hands and said plurality of minute indicating elements are components of a liquid crystal display.

Claim 11

An electronic watch according to claim 1 wherein said hour and five-minute hands are shaped such that each 5-minute hand substantially surrounds an hour hand.

Claim 12

An electronic watch according to claim 8 wherein said means for applying electrical signals to said hour hands includes electrodes which pass in isolation along a channel between sections of the 5-minute hands.

Claim 13

An electronic watch according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of minute indicating elements include four elements each located in a separate quadrant of said watchface.

Claim 14

The instrument of claim 2 wherein the hands of said first and second pluralities have numeRical indicia thereon which are visible when the corresponding hand is visible.

Claim 15

The instrument of claim 2 wherein the hands of said first and second pluralities of hands and said electro-optic means are components of a liquid crystal display.

Claim 16

The instrument of claim 2 wherein said electrical connections associated with said first and second pluralities of hands include: electrodes contacting said first and second pluralities of hands and operative to provide electrical connection thereto for selectively inducing visibility thereof; the electrodes contacting the hands of said first plurality including portions which pass in isolation along a channel between sections of the hands of said second plurality of hands.

Claim 17

The instrument of claim 2 further including a third plurality of conductors; and means for activating said third plurality of time indicators to provide indication of time units intermediate the time units represented by the hands of said first and second pluralities.

Claim 18

An instrument face for indicating time and defining a viewing area, comprising: a first plurality of time indicating hands arranged radially about a center; a second plurality of hands arranged generally about said center in a radial pattern such that each hand of said second plurality substantially surrounds a hand of said first plurality; a first plurality of peripheral electrodes providing electrical connection to said first plurality of hands between portions of said second plurality of hands; a second plurality of peripheral electrodes providing electrical connection to said second plurality of hands and disposed substantially outside said viewing area; means for electrically energizing said first and second pluralities of electrodes in a cyclical time pattern thereby to energize one or more hands of said first and second pluralities of hands; an electrically conducting surface; and a material electrically sensitive in its optical properties positioned between said first and second pluralities of hands and said conducting surface whereby energization of said first and second pluralities of electrodes provides a visible indication of the first and second pluralities of hands to which the energized electrodes conduct.

Claim 19

An instrument face for indicating time and defining a viewing area, comprising: a first plurality of time indicating hands arranged radially about a center; a second plurality of hands arranged generally about said center in a radial pattern such that each hand of said second plurality substantially surrounds a hand of said first plurality; a first plurality of peripheral electrodes providing electrical connection to said first plurality of hands between portions of said second plurality of hands; a second plurality of peripheral electrodes providing electrical connection to said second plurality of hands and disposed substantially outside said viewing area; means for electrically energizing said first and second pluralities of electrodes in a cyclical time pattern thereby to energize one or more hands of said first and second pluralities of hands; an electrically conducting surface; and a material electrically sensitive in its optical properties positioned between said first and second pluralities of hands and said conducting surface whereby energization of said first and second pluralities of electrodes provides a visible indication of the first and second pluralities of hands to which the energized electrodes conduct.

Claim 20

A watchface comprising: 12 hour hands arranged at 30* intervals about a point; 12 minute hands arranged at 30* intervals about said point; said hour and minute hands comprising conductive depositions on a substrate; electro-optic means operative in response to electrical energization of said conductive depositions to provide a visible indication of the energized hands; a first plurality of electrodes each contacting a corresponding one of said hour hands to provide electrical connection thereto and passing between portions of said minute hands to contact said hour hands; a second plurality of electrodes contacting said minute hands to provide electrical connection thereto; said first and second pluralities of electrodes leading from said respective hour and minute hands to peripheral regions for electrical energization of said hands thereby to selectively achieve a visible indication of said energized hands; and means for electrically energizing said first and second pluralities of electrodes to cause said hour and minute hands to indicate time.

Claim 21

A watchface comprising: 12 hour hands arranged at 30* intervals about a point; 12 minute hands arranged at 30* intervals about said point; said hour and minute hands comprising conductive depositions on a substrate; electro-optic means operative in response to electrical energization of said conductive depositions to provide a visible indication of the energized hands; a first plurality of electrodes each contacting a corresponding one of said hour hands to provide electrical connection thereto and passing between portions of said minute hands to contact said hour hands; a second plurality of electrodes contacting said minute hands to provide electrical connection thereto; said first and second pluralities of electrodes leading from said respective hour and minute hands to peripheral regions for electrical energization of said hands thereby to selectively achieve a visible indication of said energized hands; and means for electrically energizing said first and second pluralities of electrodes to cause said hour and minute hands to indicate time.

Claim 22

The instrument of claim 2 further including: means for representing day intervals; and selectively actuating means for applying electrical signals to the hands of said instrument to provide an indication of data in response to the representation of day intervals.

Claim 23

The instrument of claim 2 further including: selectively actuable means for increasing the cyclical rate at which said first plurality of hands are visible apart from the second plurality whereby those hands may be reset to a new indication without affecting said second plurality of hands.

Claim 24

The instrument of cLaim 18 further including: selectively actuable means for increasing the cyclical rate at which said second plurality of hands are made visible whereby the visible hands may be adjusted.

Claim 25

The electronic watch of claim 2 further including selectively actuable means for inducing visibility in at least some of said hands at a rate corresponding to seconds of time.