Multi-display wristwatch with automatic time zone synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current time-keeping devices, especially for business travelers, fail to automatically update to reflect the correct local time when crossing different time zones, requiring manual adjustment or access to wireless networks, and lack the capability for simultaneous display of multiple time zones.
Innovation Solution
A multi-display chronometric apparatus with a timekeeping assembly that includes a receiver to determine local time and an updater to automatically update one or both displays, allowing users to select which display shows local time or a predetermined time zone, with options for manual or automatic updating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a timekeeping device uses broadcast technology to synchronize time accurately, then time synchronization precision is improved, but the device cannot automatically determine the correct time zone and date
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines GPS receiver technology with traditional broadcast time synchronization technology. The GPS receiver provides both precise time signals and location information, allowing the device to automatically determine the correct time zone and date while maintaining accurate time synchronization through broadcast signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The timekeeping device is designed to perform multiple functions: it can synchronize time via broadcast technology, determine location through GPS, automatically adjust for time zones, and display multiple time zones simultaneously. This multi-functional approach resolves the contradiction by making the device adaptable to various time zone scenarios while maintaining precision.
2Ease of operation
If a timekeeping device displays multiple time zones simultaneously, then user convenience for business travelers is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is segmented into multiple independent display regions, each capable of showing a different time zone. The device includes separate controls for selecting and configuring each display, allowing users to independently manage multiple time zones without overwhelming complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-display system is designed to be dynamic and reconfigurable. Users can selectively enable or disable individual displays based on their needs, and the system can automatically adjust which time zones are displayed based on detected location changes, reducing operational complexity while maintaining versatility.
3Productivity
If a timekeeping device automatically updates local time when traveling, then productivity is improved, but reliance on network access increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses GPS to detect location changes in advance and proactively determines the appropriate time zone before network connection is needed. When a time zone change is detected, the device can automatically update the display using pre-determined time zone information, reducing the need for immediate network access while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The GPS receiver acts as an intermediary between the user's physical location and the timekeeping function. It provides location data that enables the device to automatically determine the correct time zone without requiring constant network connection, thereby maintaining productivity while reducing network dependency.
Data Source
AI summary
A wristwatch includes a face having a first area, in which the hour of the time associated with a first time zone is displayable; a second area, in which the hour of the time associated with a second time zone is displayable; and a third area, in which the minutes past the respective hours of the first and second time zones is displayable. The first area includes an analog display of an hour hand without a minute hand; the second area includes an analog display of an hour hand without a minute hand; and the third area includes an analog display of a minute hand without an hour hand. Each of the displays alternatively could be digital. Each of the areas preferably is compartmentalized and physically separated from the other areas on the face of the wristwatch.