US3974637A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light emitting diode wristwatch with angular display
Assignee: TIME COMPUTER Inc
•
Filing: 1975-03-28
•
Granted: 1976-08-17
•
Expires: 1995-03-28
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a solid state wristwatch having an active electro-optical display in the form of light emitting diodes. The display is mounted on one sloping side of a groove in a circular module frame and comprises a ceramic substrate having the display on one side and a large scale integrated circuit on the other. The angular orientation of the display coincides with the axis of an angularly oriented viewing window constructed so that the watch case shades at least part of the display. Viewing under bright daylight is enhanced and through ambient light responsive control of current to the display, battery energy under most viewing conditions is conserved.
Inventors
- 👤 John M. Bergey
- 👤 Robert E. McCullough
- 👤 Arthur H. O'Connor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 23:23
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04G; G04G9/00; G04G9/0017; G04G17/00; G04G17/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A wrist watch comprising a watch case having a flat back plate and bezel, said bezel having a viewing window with a central axis intersecting the plane of said back plate at an acute angle, a plurality of light emitting diode digital display elements and a photosensor within said case adjacent said window, means coupled to said photosensor for controlling the electrical energy supplied to said display elements in response to the amount of ambient light passing through said window and impinging on said photosensor, said display elements being mounted on an electrically insulating substrate, a large scale integrated circuit on said substrate and electrically coupled to said display element, said large scale integrated circuit being mounted on the opposite side of said substrate from said display elements, and a module frame inside said case supporting said substrate, said module frame having a substantially V-shaped groove with long and short sides, said substrate being supported by the long side of said groove.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
A wrist watch comprising a watch case having a flat back plate and bezel, said bezel having a viewing window with a central axis intersecting the plane of said back plate at an acute angle, a plurality of light emitting diode digital display elements and a photosensor within said case adjacent said window, means coupled to said photosensor for controlling the electrical energy supplied to said display elements in response to the amount of ambient light passing through said window and impinging on said photosensor, said display elements being mounted on an electrically insulating substrate, a large scale integrated circuit on said substrate and electrically coupled to said display element, said large scale integrated circuit being mounted on the opposite side of said substrate from said display elements, and a module frame inside said case supporting said substrate, said module frame having a substantially V-shaped groove with long and short sides, said substrate being supported by the long side of said groove.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A wristwatch according to claim 1 including an oscillator crystal and a plurality of switches mounted on said module frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A wristwatch according to claim 2 including a pair of wells in the side of said module frame opposite said substrate for removably receiving a pair of battery cells.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A wristwatch according to claim 3 wherein said switches comprise reed switches.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A wristwatch according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a ceramic block having on one side said display elements and photosensor and on the other side said large scale integrated circuit, and a plurality of electrical leads extending outwardly for electrical connection to other components of said wristwatch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
129 words
A wrist watch comprising a watch case having a flat back plate and a bezel, said bezel having a viewing window with an central axis intersecting the plane of said back plate at an acute angle, a band pass optical filter in said window, a circular electrically insulating module frame in said case, said frame having thinner and thicker portions defining an outwardly extending wall at least substantially parallel with said filter, a plurality of light emitting diode digital display stations supported by said wall adjacent said filter, a photosensor in said case adjacent said window, and means coupled to said photosensor for controlling the electrical energy applied to said display elements in response to the amount of ambient light passing through said window and impinging on said photosensor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
129 words
A wrist watch comprising a watch case having a flat back plate and a bezel, said bezel having a viewing window with an central axis intersecting the plane of said back plate at an acute angle, a band pass optical filter in said window, a circular electrically insulating module frame in said case, said frame having thinner and thicker portions defining an outwardly extending wall at least substantially parallel with said filter, a plurality of light emitting diode digital display stations supported by said wall adjacent said filter, a photosensor in said case adjacent said window, and means coupled to said photosensor for controlling the electrical energy applied to said display elements in response to the amount of ambient light passing through said window and impinging on said photosensor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A wristwatch according to claim 6 wherein said display stations are mounted on a ceramic substrate, a large scale integrated circuit on the side of said substrate opposite said display stations, said wall having a cut-away portion receiving said large scale integrated circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A wristwatch according to claim 7 wherein said bezel is curved, said window lying at least substantially on one side of a transverse plane passing through its center.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A wristwatch according to claim 8 wherein said display stations give off red light, said filter passing only red light in the visible spectrum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
A wristwatch according to claim 8 wherein said thicker portions of said module frame includes a recess receiving an oscillator crystal, said cut-away portion of said wall having a notch for passing electrical leads from said recess to said substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A wristwatch according to claim 6 wherein said means for controlling electrical energy comprises a variable duty cycle circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A wristwatch according to claim 11 wherein said duty cycle circuit comprises a NAND gate having a first input for receiving a display enable signal and a second input for receiving a series of variable width pulses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A wristwatch according to claim 12 wherein said photosensor is coupled to a capacitor, said photosensor acting as a variable charging resistor for said capacitor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A wristwatch according to claim 13 including an MOS transistor coupled to said capacitor for periodically discharging it.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3566602A
Cited
US3576099A
Cited
US3768247A
Cited
US3823551A
Cited
US3757511A
Cited
US3849979A
Cited
US3800525A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-08-17 | 1980-02-16 | 1980-08-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-08-17 | 1984-02-16 | 1984-08-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-08-17 | 1988-02-16 | 1988-08-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |