Single-lamp timing display method and device of rotating body and gyroscope

Abstract

The invention discloses a single-lamp timing display method and device of a rotating body and a spinning top, the rotating body comprises a rotating part and a light-emitting single body arranged on the rotating part, and the number of the light-emitting single body is one. The method comprises the following steps: in response to a rotation trigger signal, controlling a rotating part to start rotating and enter a timing state; acquiring timing set duration and rotating speed of the rotating part; determining a display mode according to the timing set duration, wherein the display mode is used for determining the number of light-emitting points for displaying the current timing time; and the display frequency of the light-emitting monomers is controlled based on the rotation speed and the number of the light-emitting points corresponding to the current timing time, so that the light-emitting monomers form a plurality of perceptible light-emitting points in the rotation process to represent the timing information. By means of the method, stable annular timing display can be formed on the surface of the rotating body through the human vision persistence effect, and the timing display effect with the simplified structure, low energy consumption and high visual definition is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of rotating display timing technology, and in particular to a single-lamp timing display method, device, and gyroscope for a rotating body. Background Technology

[0002] Existing rotating display devices typically use multiple LEDs on the rotating part, controlling their brightness to create a ring of light for a decorative visual effect. However, these devices are mostly used for vibrant displays and are difficult to use for precise time-related displays.

[0003] To achieve a timing function, existing solutions generally rely on multiple light-emitting units or displays to represent time information. This results in a complex structure and high power consumption, making it unsuitable for small, low-power rotating toys.

[0004] Therefore, how to form multiple stable light-emitting points during rotation using only a single light-emitting element, and thereby achieve accurate timing display, has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a single-lamp timing display method, device, and gyroscope for a rotating body, aiming to solve the following technical problems: How to achieve a stable display of multiple virtual light-emitting points using only a single LED bead through rotation and control logic; How to combine time accumulation logic to make the number and position of virtual light points dynamically update over time, so as to intuitively represent timing information; How to avoid flickering in the human eye and stripe interference in image acquisition equipment caused by fluctuations in rotation speed or excessively low signal frequency; While ensuring a simple structure and low cost, a timing function is added to spinning toys (such as gyroscopes).

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body, the rotating body comprising a rotating part and a light-emitting element disposed on the rotating part, wherein the number of light-emitting elements is one, and the method comprises: In response to the rotation trigger signal, the rotating part is controlled to rotate, and the timing begins; Obtain the timing set duration and rotation speed of the rotating part; The display mode is determined based on the timing set duration of the rotating part, and the display mode includes at least the number of light-emitting points for displaying the current timing time; and The display frequency of the light-emitting unit is controlled based on the rotation speed of the rotating part and the number of light-emitting points at the current time, so as to display the corresponding number of light-emitting points during the rotation of the rotating part to represent the current time.

[0007] In one embodiment, controlling the display frequency of the light-emitting unit based on the rotation speed of the rotating part and the number of light-emitting points at the current timing time, so as to display the corresponding number of light-emitting points during the rotation of the rotating part to characterize the current timing time, includes: Determine the time T1 for the rotating body to complete one revolution at the stated rotational speed; The time T1 is divided into multiple time segments based on the number of light-emitting points in the previous timing period. The number of time segments is greater than or equal to the number of light-emitting points in the current timing period. These multiple time segments are used to visually divide multiple ring-shaped display areas. A target time segment corresponding to the number of light-emitting points is selected, and the light-emitting individual unit is lit up during the target time segment; In the target time segment corresponding to the annular display area, the display frequency of the light-emitting unit is controlled to be greater than or equal to a first preset frequency. At the first preset frequency, the light-emitting unit is displayed in a flashing state or a constantly lit state. During the time interval between two adjacent time intervals, the display frequency of the light-emitting individual is controlled to be less than the critical flicker fusion frequency of the human eye.

[0008] In one embodiment, the first preset frequency is equal to the critical flicker fusion frequency of the human eye.

[0009] In one embodiment, an angular velocity sensor is provided on the rotating part, and the rotation trigger signal is generated when the angular velocity sensor detects that the angular velocity of the rotating body exceeds a preset threshold, or is triggered based on remote control.

[0010] In one embodiment, the display mode further includes a countdown mode and a countdown mode. The control of the display frequency of the light-emitting units based on the rotation speed of the rotating part and the number of light-emitting points at the current time, to display the corresponding number of light-emitting points during the rotation of the rotating part to characterize the current time, further includes: Get the timing mode; When the timing mode is countdown mode, the initial duration of the countdown is configured to the set timing duration; When the timing mode is in positive timing mode, the maximum running time of the positive timing is configured to the timing setting time.

[0011] In one embodiment, the display length of the light-emitting point on the rotating body is positively correlated with the display time.

[0012] In one embodiment, the display length of the light-emitting point is less than the length of the annular display area corresponding to the light-emitting point; There is a light-emitting interval between the light-emitting points, and the light-emitting cells are in an extinguished state in the light-emitting interval.

[0013] The present invention also discloses a single-lamp timing display device applied to a rotating body, the rotating body comprising a rotating part and a light-emitting element disposed on the rotating part, wherein the number of the light-emitting elements is one; The rotating body has a control device electrically connected to the rotating part and the light-emitting unit, and the control device stores and executes the single-lamp timing display method of the rotating body.

[0014] In one embodiment, the rotating part includes: shell; A drive unit is disposed inside the housing. The drive unit has a rotating support portion extending out of the housing. The drive unit is electrically connected to the control device. The control device is used to control the rotation of the drive unit to drive the entire housing to rotate. A light-emitting element is disposed on the outer shell.

[0015] The present invention also discloses a gyroscope, the gyroscope comprising: The spinning top itself; A single-lamp timing display device is mounted on the gyroscope body; The gyroscope is configured to perform the single-lamp timing display method of the rotating body. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a timing display method according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the state flow during a 30-minute countdown according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the state flow in a 4-hour positive timer according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4A This is a schematic diagram of timing setting switching according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4B This is a schematic diagram of a non-time setting switching according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a gyroscope with timing function according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0020] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Well-known modules, units, and their connections, links, communications, or operations are not shown or described in detail. Furthermore, the described features, architectures, or functions can be combined in any way in one or more embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that the various embodiments described below are only for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. It is also readily understood that the modules, units, or processing methods in the various embodiments described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings can be combined and designed in various different configurations. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] The definitions of various terms or methods used in the following embodiments are, except where logically impossible, generally defined as broad concepts that can be implemented under the premise of the content disclosed in the embodiments. Under this understanding, all specific subordinate limitations of the terms or methods should be considered as part of the invention and should not be narrowly interpreted or biased simply because the specification does not disclose such a specific limitation. Similarly, provided that it is logically feasible, the order of the steps in the method is flexible and varied, and all specific subordinate limitations in the broad concepts of various terms or methods fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0023] In existing rotating display products, common solutions employ arrays of multiple LED beads, controlling the on / off sequence of different LEDs to create continuous patterns or numbers during rotation. While this approach can utilize the persistence of vision (POV) to achieve rich visual displays, its control logic relies on precise synchronization of multiple light-emitting units, resulting in complex hardware structures and high circuit wiring and energy consumption. When using only a single LED bead, the lack of spatially distributed multi-point light sources makes it difficult for existing solutions to stably generate multiple identifiable light points during rotation, often leading to issues such as light point drift, noticeable flickering, and blurry display.

[0024] Furthermore, if a single-lamp solution directly uses constant frequency flashing control, its display effect is easily affected by fluctuations in rotation speed, making it unable to accurately reflect time changes. Especially when a timing function is required, the correspondence between the light-emitting point and the time unit is difficult to maintain, resulting in distorted timing display.

[0025] To address the above problems, this invention proposes a single-lamp timing display method based on a rotating body. This invention is achieved through the following improvements: The controller acquires the rotational speed information of the rotating part in real time and calculates the single-cycle period accordingly, dividing the period into multiple time nodes. By adjusting the lighting time and duration of the light-emitting units, the light-emitting points are positioned at fixed angles along the rotational trajectory, thereby forming a stable visual light spot array.

[0026] The controller dynamically changes the number and distribution of the illuminated dots based on the set timing duration and the current timing time. For example, in countdown mode, the number of illuminated dots gradually decreases; in countdown mode, the number of illuminated dots gradually increases. This allows the time progress to be intuitively represented by the changes in the number of visually illuminated dots.

[0027] The display frequency of the light-emitting individual is set higher than the critical flicker fusion frequency of the human eye (preferably not lower than 1000Hz) to ensure that the observer perceives it as a continuous and stable light spot. In this way, even using only a single LED, multiple virtual light-emitting points can be presented during rotation, simulating a ring display effect.

[0028] An extinguishing zone is set between the light-emitting points. By controlling the brightness-to-extinguish ratio (duty cycle) and the duration of light emission, the interval between the light points is clearly distinguishable, avoiding light spot trailing or merging, thus maintaining good readability even when rotating at high speed.

[0029] Through the above improvements, the present invention can form multiple stable light-emitting points on a rotating body using only a single light-emitting unit, realizing a low-cost and low-power timing display function. It also has the advantages of simple structure and high visual recognizability, overcoming the shortcomings of complex control of multiple lamps and unstable display of single lamps in the prior art.

[0030] The main solution in this application's embodiments is: A rotating display timing method and its supporting device based on a single LED bead, wherein the supporting device is a gyroscope capable of timing. The method is executed by a rotating display device comprising a controller, a drive unit, a rotating unit, and a light-emitting element mounted on the rotating unit, and mainly includes the following steps: The controller controls the drive unit to drive the rotating unit to rotate, so that the light-emitting unit rotates along a circular trajectory; During the rotation, the controller outputs a light-emitting control command to the light-emitting unit. The light-emitting unit lights up according to the switch signal, duty cycle signal and color signal of the light-emitting control command, thereby forming multiple virtual light-emitting points on the rotation trajectory to form a rotating display screen. The number or position of the light-emitting points is dynamically updated based on the time accumulation logic within the controller to represent preset timing information; The light-emitting points may include short light-emitting points and long light-emitting points, wherein a plurality of short light-emitting points correspond to a first time unit (e.g., seconds), a plurality of long light-emitting points correspond to a second time unit (e.g., minutes), and the second time unit is formed by accumulating a plurality of the first time units; The controller can generate a switch control signal based on the set rotation speed information. The frequency of the signal is higher than the critical flicker fusion frequency of the human eye to ensure continuous and stable visual display for the observer. When it is necessary to adapt to the image acquisition device, the signal frequency can also be set to an integer multiple higher than the frame rate of the device to avoid stripes or flickering in the camera image.

[0031] It should be noted that the technical terms mentioned in this invention have, but are not limited to, the following meanings: A rotating body is a device capable of rotational motion via a drive unit and used to display timing information. In this invention, the scope of a rotating body is not limited to toy gyroscopes, but can also include turntables, fans, display rotating platforms, etc. Their common characteristic is that only one light-emitting element is provided on the rotating part, which is driven by a controller to illuminate multiple virtual light-emitting points. Therefore, "rotating body" should be understood as a general term, rather than a specific product.

[0032] A light-emitting unit refers to a single light-emitting device mounted on a rotating part, characterized by having a quantity of one. In a preferred embodiment, the light-emitting unit is a light-emitting diode (LED), but it is not limited to this and can also be other point-like light-emitting devices, such as micro-lasers or small organic light-emitting elements (OLEDs). The key is that the light-emitting unit can be illuminated by the controller at different time intervals, thereby utilizing the persistence of vision to form multiple virtual light-emitting points.

[0033] Virtual light sources are not actual, independent light sources, but rather sequences of light spots formed by individual light-emitting units illuminating at different positions and time intervals along a rotating trajectory. Due to the persistence of vision, the observer perceives these momentary light spots as multiple points distributed on a circumference. Therefore, "virtual light sources" are a perceptual effect, but their formation depends on precise timing signals emitted by a controller.

[0034] Display patterns refer to the set of rules governing the illumination of individual light-emitting units during rotation. A display pattern is not simply "on / off," but also includes combinations of the number, position, length, and color of the light-emitting dots. Different display patterns correspond to different timing information; for example, short dots represent seconds, and long dots represent minutes. The essence of display patterns is "mapping time through combinations of dots."

[0035] Time-accumulation logic refers to the algorithmic rules by which the controller updates the number or position of virtual light-emitting points based on the passage of time. Its basic forms include: Quantity update: Decrease or increase the number of light-emitting points over time (e.g., countdown / countdown).

[0036] Position update: The illuminated point moves gradually along the trajectory (as in a pointer display).

[0037] Attribute updates: The length, brightness, or color of the glowing point changes over time.

[0038] The time accumulation logic is not an abstract algorithm, but a specific control strategy used to ensure that the virtual light-emitting points correspond to the passage of time.

[0039] Display frequency refers to the frequency at which the virtual light-emitting point at the same spatial angle is refreshed or redrawn during rotation, ensuring that the observer sees a continuous and stable light point. It is important to distinguish display frequency from PWM brightness adjustment frequency. Display frequency: determined by rotation speed and the number of light-emitting points, which determines whether the "bright / dark position" is stable.

[0040] PWM frequency: used to control the brightness, and its main effect on the uniformity of brightness is visible to the human eye.

[0041] The display frequency described in this invention must be higher than the critical flicker fusion frequency of the human eye.

[0042] A time slot refers to a segment of time after the rotation cycle is divided, with each time slot corresponding to the lighting moment of a single light-emitting element. For example, if one rotation cycle T is divided into N time slots, then the length of each slot is T / N. By triggering lighting within different time slots, a corresponding number of virtual light-emitting points are formed. The time slot is the basic unit of the controller's light-emitting logic.

[0043] The critical flicker fusion frequency is the lowest frequency value at which a flickering light source is no longer perceived as flickering by the human eye and is considered as stable continuous light; it is typically 50–90 Hz. This invention ensures a continuous display effect for the observer by setting the display frequency above this critical value. Here, the critical frequency should be understood as the "average level of the human eye," rather than a fixed value.

[0044] The timer setting duration refers to the target duration preset by the user or controller before the timer starts. For example, 30 minutes in countdown mode or a maximum of 1 hour in countdown mode. It is an input parameter used by the controller to determine the display mode, not the actual duration dynamically calculated during operation.

[0045] A gyroscope, a preferred embodiment of the rotating body described in this invention, is typically a toy or display device capable of rotating freely on a horizontal plane. In this invention, the gyroscope, as a typical rotating body, can display timing information in conjunction with the illumination of a single light-emitting element.

[0046] The rotating part is a rotatable component mounted on a rotating body. It supports the light-emitting unit and rotates around an axis under the action of the driving part. The rotating part can be the main body of the gyroscope or a rotating component with a disc-shaped or ring-shaped structure.

[0047] Countdown mode: Countdown mode means that the controller starts counting down from the set initial duration and visually indicates the remaining time by gradually decreasing the number or position of the illuminated dots.

[0048] In positive timing mode, the controller starts timing from zero and gradually increases the number of light-emitting points or changes the position of the light-emitting points as time goes by, so as to intuitively represent the time elapsed or the accumulated time.

[0049] A crystal oscillator clock or clock module is a time reference module located within the controller. It generates a stable reference clock signal through a crystal oscillator or other time base circuit to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the timing logic.

[0050] The controller, a logic processing unit located within the rotating body, receives input signals, acquires the set timing duration and rotation speed, determines the display mode based on this information, and generates illumination control commands to control the individual light-emitting units to light up. The controller can be a microcontroller, microprocessor, or other circuit module with logic operation and control functions.

[0051] The drive unit is a power output unit electrically connected to the controller, used to drive the rotating part to generate rotational motion. Preferably, it is a motor and its drive circuit, but it can also be a magnetic drive device, a mechanical spring device, or other structure capable of generating rotation.

[0052] Rotational speed refers to the number of revolutions the rotating part makes per unit time. It can be measured by methods such as angular velocity sensors, tilt sensors, Hall effect sensors, and photoelectric sensors, or it can be calculated from the control signals of the drive unit. Rotational speed is used to determine the refresh frequency and display timing of the light-emitting points.

[0053] The rotation period refers to the time required for the rotating part to complete one revolution, and it is the reciprocal of the rotation speed. The rotation period is used by the controller to divide the time slots and serves as the basic reference unit for the timing control of the light-emitting points.

[0054] Light emission control commands refer to control signals output by the controller and applied to the light-emitting units. These signals can include switching control signals, PWM duty cycle signals, and color control signals, and are used to determine the on / off state, brightness, and color of the light-emitting units.

[0055] The lighting signal refers to the specific manifestation of the light-emitting control command, used to trigger the light-emitting unit to emit light within a certain time slot. The timing of the lighting signal determines the position of the virtual light-emitting point.

[0056] The number of light-emitting points refers to the number of virtual light-emitting points formed within one rotation cycle, which is determined by the display mode and time accumulation logic. For example, 12 points can represent 12 seconds.

[0057] The position of the light-emitting point refers to the angular distribution of the virtual light-emitting point on the rotation trajectory, which is determined by the timing of the lighting signal issued by the controller.

[0058] It should be noted that the physical principles involved in the execution of this invention include: The persistence of vision effect in the human eye indicates that the optic nerve in the human eye has a delayed response to light signals. When a light source flashes rapidly at a high frequency, individual flashing signals superimpose in the optic nerve, thus being perceived by the observer as continuous and stable light. This phenomenon is called the persistence of vision effect. Generally, the critical flicker fusion frequency for the human eye is between 50 and 90 Hz. When the refresh rate of the light source exceeds this critical value, the human eye cannot distinguish individual flickers and will perceive the light spot as stable. This invention utilizes this effect to create multiple virtual light spots on a rotating trajectory through the rapid lighting and extinguishing of individual light-emitting units, thereby achieving an intuitive timing display.

[0059] The relationship between the rotation period and the refresh rate is as follows: the rotating body rotates under the action of the drive unit, and its rotation period is the time required for the rotating unit to complete one revolution. The controller divides one rotation period into several time slots, and each time slot corresponds to the lighting signal of a light-emitting point. Therefore, the refresh rate of the virtual light-emitting point is directly proportional to the rotation speed and the number of time slots. When the refresh rate is high enough, the virtual light-emitting point can be stably perceived by the human eye as a light point stationary on the rotation trajectory.

[0060] The principle behind displaying short and long dots is that, due to the persistence of vision, the visual length of a single light dot is closely related to its illumination duration. When the illumination time of a single light-emitting element is short, the observer perceives a small light dot; when the illumination time is extended or the brightness is increased, the observer perceives a relatively elongated or more prominent light dot. This invention utilizes this principle, controlling the display methods of short and long dots to correspond to different time units, such as seconds and minutes, thereby visually distinguishing timing information.

[0061] The countdown and countdown display logic works as follows: In countdown mode, as the set time decreases, the controller gradually reduces the number of virtual light points, allowing the observer to intuitively perceive the remaining time. In countdown mode, the controller gradually increases the number of virtual light points or changes their display position, enabling the observer to intuitively perceive the elapsed time. This display logic utilizes the human eye's ability to perceive the number and position of light points, allowing time information to be recognized even without a numerical display.

[0062] The crystal oscillator clock provides a time reference. In electronic control systems, the crystal oscillator clock or clock module provides a stable reference frequency to ensure the accuracy of the controller's logic operations and time calculations. By combining the rotation period with the crystal oscillator clock's reference signal, the controller can accurately divide the time slots and generate lighting signals, thereby ensuring the correspondence between the illuminated point and the actual timing. This guarantees that the present invention can achieve a stable and consistent display effect at different rotation speeds.

[0063] This invention proposes a single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body; it is understood that the gyroscope is equipped with a controller for storing and executing the following method. The controller can be implemented using a main controller, such as an MCU (Microcontroller Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or SOC (System On Chip).

[0064] Reference Figure 1 In one embodiment of the present invention, the single-lamp timing display method of the rotating body includes steps S100-S300, wherein: In step S100, when the rotating body receives a rotation trigger signal, the controller activates the drive unit to rotate the rotating body, thereby starting the timing. The rotation trigger signal can be generated by a sensor installed on the rotating body to detect the rotational motion, or it can be triggered by external input from the user.

[0065] In step S200, during the rotation of the rotating body, the controller acquires the set timing duration and the rotation speed of the rotating part, and uses both as input parameters. The set timing duration can be the initial duration in countdown mode or the upper limit duration in positive timing mode.

[0066] In step S300, the controller determines a display mode based on the set timing duration. The display mode includes at least the number of light-emitting points corresponding to the current timing time. The display mode can be implemented by defining short dots as a first time unit and long dots as a second time unit, where the second time unit is accumulated from several first time units. Within one rotation cycle, the controller generates a light-emitting control command and controls the display frequency of the light-emitting units based on the rotation speed and the number of light-emitting points corresponding to the current timing time. Specifically, the controller can divide the rotation cycle into several time slots and output a lighting signal in each time slot to form multiple virtual light-emitting points on the rotation trajectory. Due to the persistence of vision effect, the observer perceives continuous and stable light points, thus being able to intuitively identify the number of light-emitting points corresponding to the current timing time.

[0067] Optionally, in one embodiment, the rotation trigger signal is generated by an angular velocity sensor detecting the rotation of the rotating body. Specifically, an angular velocity sensor is installed inside the rotating body. When the rotating body is subjected to an external force and begins to rotate, the angular velocity sensor detects the change in the angular velocity of the rotating part and transmits this change signal to the controller. Upon receiving the detection signal, the controller determines that the rotating body has entered a rotating state and triggers the start of the timing logic. In this way, the rotating body can automatically start timing upon natural startup, without additional user operation, making the process more convenient.

[0068] Optionally, in another embodiment, the rotation trigger signal is generated by a user input button. Specifically, the rotating body is equipped with a user input button or an external control switch. When the user needs to start timing, they manually press the button, and the controller receives the input signal, activates the drive unit, and enters the timing logic. This method allows the user to actively select the start time of timing and is suitable for application scenarios with specific requirements for timing accuracy.

[0069] In one embodiment, the rotating single-lamp timing display method of the present invention simultaneously supports countdown mode and countdown mode.

[0070] Optionally, in countdown mode, the user sets an initial duration, such as 30 minutes, via controller input or a preset method. Upon receiving a rotation trigger signal, the controller initiates the timing logic according to the initial duration. During the rotation of the rotating body, the controller reduces the number of corresponding light-emitting points or adjusts the position of the light-emitting points with each revolution to visually indicate the remaining time. When the remaining time decreases to zero, the controller indicates the end of the timing through flashing, color changing, or other methods.

[0071] Optionally, in positive timing mode, the controller sets the initial timing value to zero upon startup and allows the user to set an upper limit for the running time, such as 60 minutes. As time progresses, the controller gradually increases the number of illuminated dots or changes their display positions to visually represent the elapsed time. When the elapsed time reaches the upper limit, the controller automatically stops timing or issues a prompt signal.

[0072] Optionally, in one embodiment, the display mode of the present invention uses virtual light-emitting dots of different lengths to represent different time units. Specifically, when the controller outputs a lighting signal during a rotation cycle, virtual light-emitting dots with shorter lighting durations are set as short dots to represent a first time unit, such as 1 second; virtual light-emitting dots with longer lighting durations or increased brightness are set as long dots to represent a second time unit, such as 1 minute. The second time unit is formed by accumulating several first time units, for example, 60 short dots correspond to 1 long dot.

[0073] In another implementation, the distinction between short and long dots can be achieved not only through differences in illumination duration but also through differences in brightness. For example, short dots use lower brightness, while long dots use higher brightness, allowing observers to differentiate between different time units based on the brightness difference. In this approach, the second time unit is still formed by the accumulation of several first time units, but its display effect is represented by brightness levels.

[0074] In another implementation, the distinction between short and long dots can be achieved through color differences. For example, short dots are displayed as white, and long dots as red or blue. When the controller outputs emission control commands, it controls the emission units according to the color information corresponding to different time units, thereby forming a sequence of virtual emission dots with distinct color differences on the rotation trajectory to indicate different time units to the observer.

[0075] Optionally, in one embodiment, in the rotating body single-lamp timing display method of the present invention, the display frequency is set to be higher than the critical flicker fusion frequency of the human eye. Due to the persistence of vision effect of the human eye on light signals, when the flicker frequency of the light source exceeds the critical flicker fusion frequency, the observer will no longer perceive individual flickers, but will instead perceive the light spots as continuously and stably existing. Therefore, during the rotation of the rotating body, the controller controls the lighting refresh frequency of the light-emitting individual units to be higher than the critical value, thereby ensuring that the observer visually perceives a set of stably distributed virtual light-emitting points, rather than discontinuous flickering light spots.

[0076] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the display frequency is determined by both the rotation speed and the number of light-emitting points. Specifically, the controller obtains the rotation period based on the rotation speed of the rotating part and divides the rotation period into several time slots, each time slot corresponding to a virtual light-emitting point. The controller outputs a lighting signal to the light-emitting unit within each time slot, thereby forming a virtual display on the rotation trajectory corresponding to the number of light-emitting points. For example, when the rotation period is 10 milliseconds and 10 light-emitting points need to be formed, the controller divides the rotation period into 10 time slots, each time slot being 1 millisecond long, and controls the light-emitting unit to light up within each time slot, thereby forming a complete halo display in the human eye.

[0077] Optionally, the rotating single-lamp timing display method of the present invention uses a time reference provided by a crystal oscillator clock within the controller for timing. It is understood that the controller internally includes a crystal oscillator and related circuitry, capable of outputting a stable reference clock signal. This reference clock signal serves as a time reference for internal counting and logic operations within the controller, ensuring the accuracy and consistency of the timing process.

[0078] Furthermore, the controller uses the reference signal of the crystal oscillator clock to measure the rotation period of the rotating part, and compares the measured period with the set timing duration to determine the display mode and refresh rate of the virtual light-emitting point. Since the stability of the crystal oscillator clock is much higher than the fluctuation of the rotational motion itself, it can still ensure the continuity and accuracy of timing even when there are slight changes in the rotational speed.

[0079] In another embodiment, the controller not only uses a crystal oscillator clock for internal timing, but can also combine the crystal oscillator clock with rotational speed signals detected by external sensors. By comparing the theoretical period provided by the crystal oscillator clock with the actual rotation period, the controller can dynamically correct the output timing of the lighting signal, thereby further improving the stability and accuracy of the display.

[0080] In one embodiment, the display length of the light-emitting point formed by the light-emitting unit during the rotation of the rotating body is less than the length of the annular display area corresponding to the light-emitting point. Specifically, the controller limits the lighting duration of the light-emitting unit according to the rotation speed of the rotating part and the duty cycle of the light-emitting control signal, so that the light-emitting trajectory formed by a single lighting only covers the arc segment corresponding to the light-emitting point in one revolution of the rotating body.

[0081] For example, when the rotating body completes one revolution in time T1, the controller can set the illumination time of the light-emitting individual units to 5% to 20% of T1, so that the display length of each light-emitting point occupies only 1 / 20 to 1 / 5 of the annular display area. In this way, the formed light spots are visually discretely distributed rather than a continuous light band, thus maintaining a clear separation between multiple light-emitting points.

[0082] To further enhance visual recognition, a light-emitting interval is provided between two adjacent light-emitting points. The light-emitting interval corresponds to the off-time of the light-emitting unit. During this time, the controller outputs a shutdown signal, causing the light-emitting unit to be in an off state and not emit light. The duration of the light-emitting interval can be adaptively adjusted according to the rotation speed to maintain a constant angular interval between the light points, thus ensuring a stable equidistant distribution of light points even when the rotation speed changes.

[0083] Optionally, refer to Figure 2 In a preferred embodiment, the rotating single-lamp timing display method of the present invention is used to implement a 30-minute countdown function. After the controller starts the countdown logic, it maps the set 30-minute duration to a distribution rule of virtual light-emitting points. Further: The controller sets up a long dot for every 10 minutes. Long dots have a longer illumination time and higher brightness, used to indicate 10-minute intervals. There are three long dots throughout the 30-minute countdown, corresponding to 30 minutes, 20 minutes, and 10 minutes respectively.

[0084] The short dots are set so that the controller assigns one short dot for every minute, with a short duration to represent minute-level time increments. As the countdown decreases, the controller gradually reduces the number of short dots. For example, starting at 30 minutes, 30 short dots are displayed, and one short dot is gradually reduced with each minute until no short dots are displayed at 0 minutes.

[0085] The longer short dot is placed every four short dots in a sequence. Its illumination duration and brightness fall between those of the longer and regular short dots. This longer short dot serves as an auxiliary marker, making it easier for observers to group and count the short dots. For example, a longer short dot can be used to mark the group every five minutes for easy visual identification.

[0086] In addition to the long and short dots, a special marker is set on the rotation trajectory. This marker can be implemented using color difference or flashing, to help users confirm the zero position or reference point. This marker allows users to quickly locate the starting point of the time scale and avoid misreading.

[0087] In operation, the controller divides one rotation cycle into 30 time slots based on the rotation speed of the rotating part, corresponding to the positions of 30 short points. Within each time slot, the controller sends a lighting signal according to the remaining time, causing the light-emitting unit to form a corresponding number and position of virtual light-emitting points. As the remaining time decreases, the controller gradually reduces the number of lighting signals, so that the number of virtual light-emitting points corresponds to the number of minutes remaining.

[0088] Optionally, refer to Figure 3 In a preferred embodiment, the rotating single-lamp timing display method of the present invention is used to achieve a positive timing function of up to 4 hours.

[0089] In this embodiment, after receiving the rotation trigger signal, the controller sets the initial timing value to zero and gradually accumulates the time. As time progresses, the controller gradually increases the number and distribution of virtual light-emitting points based on the accumulated time, thereby achieving a positive timing display.

[0090] The time is displayed in the following ways: A single dot represents a minute; the controller assigns a single dot to every minute. Each dot has a short illumination duration and moderate brightness, used to represent minute-level time scales. During timing, a new virtual single dot is added to the rotation trajectory every minute.

[0091] A long dot represents 10 minutes. To differentiate between larger time units, the controller assigns a long dot to every 10 minutes. The long dot's illumination time and brightness are both greater than a single dot. On the display, every 10 single dots accumulate to form one long dot, thus helping the observer quickly identify the 10-minute time scale.

[0092] The longer dot represents one hour. The controller further assigns a longer dot to each hour, with the longer dot illuminated for a significantly longer time and at a higher brightness, to create a prominent hourly marker. During a four-hour countdown, the four hour dots will be displayed sequentially.

[0093] Medium-length points serve as auxiliary counting points. Between individual points, the controller sets medium-length points to separate and assist in counting. For example, a medium-length point is marked every 5 minutes, allowing the observer to quickly distinguish and count the number of individual points, avoiding visual confusion during long-term display.

[0094] A marker point serves as a zero-position reference. A special marker point is also placed on the rotation trajectory; this point is typically displayed in a fixed color or flashing, and is used to mark the reference position for time. Using this marker point, the observer can quickly identify the starting point of the timing, facilitating accurate reading of the accumulated time.

[0095] In operation, the controller uses a crystal oscillator clock as a time reference and, combined with the rotational speed of the rotating part, divides the rotation cycle into multiple time slots. Within each time slot, the controller outputs a lighting signal according to the aforementioned rules, causing the light-emitting units to form a corresponding number and length of virtual light-emitting points. As time accumulates, the number of virtual light-emitting points continuously increases until it reaches the upper limit of 4 hours of operation. At this point, the virtual points displayed on the rotation trajectory include multi-level indicators for minutes, 10 minutes, and hours, thus achieving an intuitive countdown function.

[0096] Optionally, refer to Figure 4A In a preferred embodiment, the rotating single-lamp timing display method of the present invention has multiple timing modes, and the user can select different timing functions through button operation. Specifically, the rotating body is provided with input buttons, and the controller recognizes different mode switching commands based on the number of times the user presses the buttons, thereby activating the corresponding timing logic.

[0097] Click once: Enter 10-minute countdown mode. The controller sets the initial duration to 10 minutes and gradually reduces the number of virtual light-emitting points during rotation to visually indicate the remaining time. When the timer reaches zero, the light-emitting individual points will flash to indicate that the countdown has ended.

[0098] Double-click: Enter 20-minute countdown mode. The controller sets the initial duration to 20 minutes and gradually decreases the virtual glowing points according to the same logic to form a 20-minute countdown display.

[0099] Click three times: Enter 30-minute countdown mode. The controller sets the initial duration to 30 minutes and decreases the display by one virtual glowing dot per minute until the countdown ends.

[0100] Click four times: Enter the countdown mode. The controller sets the initial duration to zero and gradually increases the number of virtual glowing points to represent the elapsed time as time accumulates. Users can set the maximum running time as needed, such as 1 hour or 4 hours.

[0101] In its implementation, the controller distinguishes different mode selections by recognizing the number of button presses or the time interval between them. For example, if the time interval between two button presses is less than 2 seconds, the controller determines that the buttons were pressed consecutively and switches to the next mode; if the interval exceeds 5 seconds, the controller assumes that the user has completed the selection and locks the current mode into the timing logic.

[0102] In another embodiment, the activation of different modes can be distinguished by the color of the emitting element. For example, a 10-minute countdown corresponds to a red dot, a 20-minute countdown to a blue dot, a 30-minute countdown to a green dot, and a countdown mode to a purple dot. In this way, users can intuitively confirm the selected mode through color during the mode selection phase, avoiding accidental operation.

[0103] Optional, refer to Figure 4B When the rotating body is stationary or no operation command is received within a preset time, the controller enters a non-active state. In this state, the controller controls the light-emitting units to display in a multi-color cycle. The emitted colors can include red, green, blue, purple, and other colors, and breathing, gradation, or flashing effects can be achieved by changing the emission frequency or duty cycle, providing decorative or prompting visual effects. The multi-color lighting effect in this state serves both as a standby display and as a way to attract user attention or indicate that the device is powered on.

[0104] When the user presses the button five times consecutively, the controller recognizes the input command and enters a completely off state. In this state, the light-emitting units turn off, and the controller no longer outputs light control signals, thus keeping the rotating body in a no-light state to reduce power consumption or enter sleep mode. To restart the display function, the controller can be woken up by pressing the button again or by an external trigger signal, restoring it to the timer display mode or the inactive state.

[0105] Through the above settings, this embodiment realizes automatic switching between time display mode, standby display mode, and power-off mode, so that the rotating body still has a visual feedback effect when it is not in operation, and can automatically turn off the display to save energy when it is not used for a long time.

[0106] Optionally, refer to Figure 5 In another embodiment of the present invention, a gyroscope with a display timing function is provided, as shown in the figure, including a controller, a rotating part, a light-emitting unit disposed on the rotating part, and a button disposed on the bottom of the gyroscope.

[0107] The rotating part (20) of the gyroscope is the main body of the gyroscope and is used to generate rotational motion under the action of drive or manual flicking. A light-emitting element (10) is provided on the outer surface of the rotating part (20). The light-emitting element is lit up under the light-emitting control command of the controller to form multiple virtual light-emitting points during rotation, which are used to display timing information.

[0108] The gyroscope has an input button (30) at its bottom, which is electrically connected to the controller and used to switch between different timing modes. By pressing the button, the user can switch between 10-minute countdown, 20-minute countdown, 30-minute countdown, and current timing modes. Upon receiving the button signal, the controller selects the corresponding timing logic and generates a light-emitting control command based on the time reference and rotation speed information provided by the clock module, thereby updating the display of the virtual light-emitting point.

[0109] The controller is located inside the rotating body and has a built-in clock module to provide a stable time reference signal, ensuring timing accuracy at different rotation speeds. The controller can divide a rotation cycle into several time slots and output a lighting signal to the light-emitting unit (10) in each time slot to form a virtual light-emitting point distribution on the rotation trajectory corresponding to the current timing mode.

[0110] In practical applications, the user first selects the desired timing mode via button (30), and then spins the gyroscope to enter the rotation state. The controller adjusts the number or position of the light-emitting points in real time according to the selected timing mode and the current time progress. For example, in countdown mode, the number of virtual light-emitting points gradually decreases as the remaining time decreases; in countdown mode, the number of virtual light-emitting points gradually increases or their positions move as the elapsed time increases, thereby achieving an intuitive time display.

[0111] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or system that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or system. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or system that includes that element.

[0112] The sequence numbers of the above embodiments of the present invention are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0113] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) as described above, and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0114] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body, the rotating body comprising a rotating part and a light-emitting element disposed on the rotating part, wherein the number of light-emitting elements is one, characterized in that, The method includes: In response to the rotation trigger signal, the rotating part is controlled to rotate, and the timing begins; Obtain the timing set duration and rotation speed of the rotating part; The display mode is determined based on the timing set duration of the rotating part, and the display mode includes at least the number of light-emitting points for displaying the current timing time; and The display frequency of the light-emitting unit is controlled based on the rotation speed of the rotating part and the number of light-emitting points at the current time, so as to display the corresponding number of light-emitting points during the rotation of the rotating part to represent the current time.

2. The single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The display frequency of the light-emitting unit is controlled based on the rotation speed of the rotating part and the number of light-emitting points at the current timing time, so as to display the corresponding number of light-emitting points during the rotation of the rotating part to represent the current timing time, including: Determine the time T1 for the rotating body to complete one revolution at the stated rotational speed; The time T1 is divided into multiple time segments based on the number of light-emitting points in the previous timing period. The number of time segments is greater than or equal to the number of light-emitting points in the current timing period. These multiple time segments are used to visually divide multiple ring-shaped display areas. A target time segment corresponding to the number of light-emitting points is selected, and the light-emitting individual unit is lit up during the target time segment; The display frequency of the light-emitting unit is controlled to be greater than or equal to the first preset frequency during the target time segment corresponding to the annular display area; During the time interval between two adjacent time intervals, the display frequency of the light-emitting individual is controlled to be less than the critical flicker fusion frequency of the human eye.

3. The single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The range of the first preset frequency is set to above 1000Hz.

4. The single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body as described in claim 1, characterized in that, An angular velocity sensor is provided on the rotating part. The rotation trigger signal is generated when the angular velocity sensor detects that the angular velocity of the rotating body exceeds a preset angular velocity threshold, or it is triggered based on remote control.

5. The single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The display modes also include a countdown mode and a countdown mode. The control of the display frequency of the light-emitting units based on the rotation speed of the rotating part and the number of light-emitting points at the current time, to display the corresponding number of light-emitting points during the rotation of the rotating part to represent the current time, further includes: Get the timing mode; When the timing mode is countdown mode, the initial duration of the countdown is configured to the set timing duration; When the timing mode is in positive timing mode, the maximum running time of the positive timing is configured to the timing setting time.

6. The single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The display length of the light-emitting point on the rotating body is positively correlated with the display time.

7. The single-lamp timing display method for a rotating body as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The display length of the light-emitting point is less than the length of the annular display area corresponding to the light-emitting point; There is a light-emitting interval between the light-emitting points, and the light-emitting cells are in an extinguished state in the light-emitting interval.

8. A single-lamp timing display device, applied to a rotating body, characterized in that, The rotating body includes a rotating part and a light-emitting element disposed on the rotating part, wherein the number of the light-emitting element is one; The rotating body has a control device electrically connected to the rotating part and the light-emitting unit, the control device storing and executing the single-lamp timing display method of the rotating body as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A single-lamp timing display device as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The rotating part includes: shell; A drive unit is disposed inside the housing. The drive unit has a rotating support portion extending out of the housing. The drive unit is electrically connected to the control device. The control device is used to control the rotation of the drive unit to drive the entire housing to rotate. A light-emitting element is disposed on the outer shell.

10. A gyroscope, characterized in that, The gyroscope includes: The spinning top itself; The single-lamp timing display device as described in any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein the single-lamp timing display device is disposed on the gyroscope body.

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